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

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

Request More Information

Contact

Sandra Murchison

Director

School of Art & Design 

114 Ford Hall

734.487.1268

[email protected]