The Center for Digital Imaging Arts at Boston University offers
extensive, practical, hands-on, career oriented education and
training in the rapidly emerging digital arts fields of
photography, digital filmmaking, graphic and interactive design,
recording arts, and 3D animation.
With digitization, imaging and sound, arts are undergoing
unprecedented change, with technical advances coming at internet
speed. Whether you are a novice choosing a new and exciting
career or a seasoned professional in search of enhancing your
skills, we are dedicated to providing you the best, most
up-to-date education available, designed to meet your needs,
while you continually exceed your potential.
When you study 3D Animation at CDIA you'll be preparing yourself
for a career in animation, video game development, or visual
effects. Our curriculum combines traditional skills like
storytelling and character development with the leading software
used today by filmmakers, animators, and game designers.
At CDIA, you'll be taught by working professionals, who bring
their real-world experience to the classroom, creating a bridge
between the craft of animation and visual effects and the
industry. You'll learn about the practical realities of building
and sustaining a career, and you'll make valuable contacts, while
you build your demo reel.
Many of the classes at CDIA are project-based, giving you a
chance to try out your new skills and gain a realistic
perspective on how animation and visual effects are integrated
into media like film and video games. And at CDIA, learning
doesn't stop at the classroom door. 3D Animation students may
take part in a four-week Production Practicum, creating a project
for a real-world client under the direction of a professional.
You'll gain confidence, refine your skills, and get a better
understanding of the career you're training for.
Certificate - Digital Animation
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The Digital Animation Certificate is a 9-month intensive program
intended to give students the skills as a digital animator. In
the 3D Animation program, students learn the most up to date and
utilized software, Alias/Wavefront Maya 3D, through hands-on
practice in creating 3D models, animations and scenes. Emphasis
is placed on practical, real-world application of skills while
not neglecting the fundamentals of concepting, composition and
figure drawing.
Throughout the program, students will conceive a short animated
subject and work on the many elements needed to create their
vision. By the end of the course, students will have a rendered
short, complete with associated models, textures and animations
suitable for a beginning portfolio or demo reel.
Certificate - Graphic & Interactive Design
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Prepare for a career in graphic and interactive design with the
Graphic and Interactive Design Certificate. You'll learn to
design for print, the web and motion graphics with hands-on
coursework that uses the latest design software tools. With
practical training in publication design, color management,
multimedia, interactivity and more, you'll develop the skills you
need to create collateral, web sites and digital video and audio.
Special presentations will introduce you to the real-world
business challenges faced by graphic and interactive designers,
ensuring you'll be ready for your new career.
Certificate - Web Development
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Prepare for your future in building next generation interactive
websites at CDIA in our Web Development Certificate Program.
Learn how to create dynamic, data-driven web pages and
applications using the same tools and techniques the
professionals use. This intensive program focuses on client side
programming using HTML, CSS (cascading style sheets), server side
programming using PHP scripting, and SQL (structured query
language) databases in deploying rich media sites using various
Adobe Flash and open source content management toolsets.
Through a combination of hands-on exercises, lectures and
projects, you'll be introduced to real-world applications with
emphasis on Javascript, MySQL, XML, AJAX and object oriented
programming techniques on a number of projects in increasing
complexity, gaining experience in building rich internet
applications and managed social content for the web. Students
will generate a portfolio of sample websites that demonstrate
their new skills in web platform development, integration, and
deployment.
After completing the Web Development Certificate you will have
the knowledge and experience to enter the workforce with a
substantial resume and the latest programming skills for this
exciting and exploding industry.