About this Program
The Simulation, Animation and Gaming (SAG) program at Eastern Michigan University, within the School of Art and Design, offers a Bachelor of Science degree (and minor) that focuses on simulation, animation, and gaming. The SAG program is located in Sill Hall. It is accredited through the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD). The degree is a multidisciplinary area of study, combining traditional art mediums, creative writing, and story development with coursework focusing on modeling, rigging, animation, lighting, and camera work in 3D. The program gives students a wide variety of experiences in their course of study, which provides a competitive advantage over many other programs that are local, national and international.
Our students leave the SAG program well equipped with the skill sets necessary to compete in a wide variety of positions in the world due to our open and broad course requirements. We currently have approximately 138 SAG majors.
Rankings
Eastern Michigan University ranks in the top ten of affordable bachelor degrees in Animation Programs.
Software
Adobe CC
Adobe Photoshop
Students will employ Photoshop mostly for creating digital images that are imported into 3D software and applied as textures to 3-dimensional models. It is also used to create user interface elements, such as buttons, for use in Animate/Flash.
Adobe Animate
Flash can create animated and/or interactive graphics. It serves to introduce SAG students to basic animation principles.
Adobe After Effects
Maya and 3DS Max output sequences of image files of animations. After Effects takes these sequences and lets the user combine them into a single movie file. Additional effects, such as titles and motion graphics, can be added as well.
Adobe Illustrator
Vector based graphics software used for graphic design and complex illustration.
Autodesk
Autodesk 3DS Max and Autodesk Maya
Maya is used for the majority of the 3-dimensional work in classes. Modeling, texturing, lighting, rigging, animation and dynamic sequential effects are all classroom topics.
3DS Max is also used in the classroom so that students will feel comfortable entering into the workforce having diverse application experience.
Autodesk Autocad
Autocad is a well-known software for drafting and design. Students learn Autocad early in the SAG program to get them acquainted with how many modeling and design software work. This prepares them for later coursework using other 3D software.
Other
Substance by Adobe
Real time 3D texturing and painting software.
Chaos Group VRAY
Photorealistic Physically based rendering engine.
Additional Resources
Student Showcase
Student Capstone Projects List
Student Capstone Projects Selected Videos
First Project
Second Project
Student Courses' Project
- Freshman Year [PDF]
- Sophomore Year [PDF]
- Junior Year [PDF]
- Senior Year [PDF]
SAG 305
Top Ranked
EMU ranked No. 3 in Michigan and No. 16 in the Midwest by Animation Career Review. To learn more, read the EMU Today story.
Degree & Minor
Resources
Faculty
- Call: 734.487.1268
- Office: 114 Ford Hall, Ypsilanti, MI 48197
- Email: [email protected]