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Tag: Student Life

  • Sophomore Year as an UXID Student

    Sophomore year in the User Experience and Interaction Design (UXID) program at Drexel University takes design skills to the next level. After covering the fundamentals in freshman year, students now dive deeper into interaction design, usability testing, and more advanced prototyping techniques. This year is all about refining skills, tackling real-world projects, and preparing for future co-op opportunities.

    Core Classes

    The courses in sophomore year build on foundational knowledge, introducing more complex design concepts and industry tools. Key classes include:

    • Web Design (IDM221, IDM222): Learn how to create and maintain quality web sites, and learn about accessibility and web design standards, and why they are important.
    • Human Factors Engineering (IDM214): Discuss ways of applying psychological and physiological principles to the design of interactive systems, products, processes, and systems to address human capabilities and limitations in ways that ensure safety, effectiveness, and ease of use.
    • Scripting for Interactive Digital Media (IDM231): Explore modern client-side scripting languages that interact with the user, control the browser, communicate asynchronously, and alter document content and functionality.

    Skills You’ll Learn

    By the end of sophomore year, UXID students will have developed essential industry skills, including:

    ✅ Advanced Prototyping – Create high-fidelity designs with tools like Figma and Adobe After Effects.

    ✅ Usability Testing & Research – Conduct A/B testing, analyze user behavior, and refine user experiences.

    ✅ Web Development – Use HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to bring your designs to life.

    ✅ Accessibility & Inclusive Design – Ensure products are usable for diverse audiences.

    Projects & Challenges

    Sophomore year coursework emphasizes real-world applications. Expect projects that involve designing full user interfaces, conducting user research, and building interactive prototypes. A major challenge at this stage is balancing design and functionality—ensuring that an interface is not just visually appealing but also intuitive and accessible.

    Tips for Success

    🎯 Refine your portfolio. Start documenting projects and case studies for future co-op applications.

    🎯 Hone your research skills. Usability testing and user feedback are crucial for great design.

    🎯 Experiment with coding. Even a basic understanding of JavaScript can give designers an edge.

    🎯 Network and seek mentorship. Connecting with UX professionals can open doors to internships and career opportunities.

    Looking Ahead

    Sophomore year is a crucial time for skill-building and preparation for Drexel’s co-op program. The next step? Pre-Junior year introduces more specialized courses, industry collaborations, and professional experience through co-op placements.

  • Freshman Year as an UXID Student

    Starting the UXID program at Drexel University is an exciting step toward a career in design and technology. The first quarter introduces key UX concepts, essential tools, and hands-on projects that build a strong foundation for the years ahead. Here’s what to expect in your first term.

    Core Classes

    Freshman year begins with a mix of UXID courses and general education classes. Some key courses include:

    • User Interface Design (IDM211, IDM212): Learn how to design aesthetically pleasing user interfaces, covering important design principles and the human capabilities that motivate them.
    • Interaction Design (IDM213): Explore principles, patterns and process for interaction design, define the structure and behavior of interactive systems and how these can be used to create meaningful relationships between people and the products and services that they use.
    • Design Thinking in Product Design (PROD215): See design research methods, and topical design issues to explore and experience design thinking.

    Skills You’ll Learn

    The first quarter focuses on essential UX design skills, including:

    ✅ User Research – Conduct interviews, surveys, and usability tests.

    ✅ Prototyping & Wireframing – Use Figma to create low-fidelity wireframes.

    ✅ Design Iteration – Refine work based on feedback and testing.

    Projects & Challenges

    Expect hands-on projects from day one. A common first-quarter assignment is redesigning an app’s onboarding experience—identifying pain points, creating new user flows, and testing solutions. The biggest challenge? Learning to embrace feedback and refine designs through multiple iterations.

    Tips for Success

    🎯 Get comfortable with Figma early. It’s a core tool in UX design.

    🎯 Seek feedback often. Iteration is key to improving designs.

    🎯 Manage your time wisely. Balancing projects and coursework can be tricky.

    🎯 Engage with the UXID community. Networking and student groups can offer valuable insights.

    Looking Ahead

    The first quarter is just the beginning. Upcoming courses will dive deeper into interaction design, usability testing, and advanced prototyping, helping you refine your skills for real-world UX challenges.

  • Senior Year as an ANFX Student

    Senior Year as an ANFX Student

    Senior year in Drexel’s Animation & Visual Effects (ANFX) program is the ultimate test of everything learned over the past four years. This is when students specialize in their chosen area, complete their capstone projects, and prepare to enter the industry full-time. With the Drexel Digital Media Showcase on the horizon, senior year is all about polishing skills, refining portfolios, and making industry connections.

    Core Classes

    Senior-year courses focus on finalizing personal projects, collaborating on high-quality work, and developing industry-ready materials. Key classes include:

    • Advanced Portfolio (ANIM246): This course focuses on building skills for the career-long practice of producing and maintaining a professional creative portfolio while allowing the students the opportunity to create or refine additional student-driven portfolio work that synthesizes their skills and experience from direct class assignments in their other coursework.
    • Concentration Focus: Students continue to refine their skills in their respective chosen concentration (organic modeling, character animation, or generalist)
    • Digital Media Senior Project (DIGM490): The three-term senior project where students research, design, and develop a UX solution to present at the Drexel Digital Media Showcase. Create professional media assets for a team-based senior project in a simulated real-world production environment. This course integrates academic and practical knowledge, emphasizing digital media production, best practices, and effective presentation skills through collaboration and teamwork.

    Skills You’ll Master

    By senior year, students refine both technical and professional skills to prepare for full-time work in the animation and VFX industry:

    Capstone Project Development
    Managing a long-term production from concept to final render.
    Industry-Standard Lighting, Rendering & FX
    Creating high-quality visuals using Arnold, Redshift, Unreal Engine, and Houdini.
    Presentation & Client Communication
    Learning how to pitch projects to studios, recruiters, and industry professionals.
    Time Management & Collaboration
    Balancing independent projects while preparing for the Digital Media Showcase.

    The Drexel Digital Media Showcase: Preparing for the Industry

    One of the biggest moments of senior year is the Drexel Digital Media Showcase where students present their senior capstone projectsto faculty, industry professionals, and potential employers

    How Students Prepare for the Showcase

    Finalizing the Capstone Project
    Completing all aspects of the animation, VFX, or game project for a polished final presentation.
    Building a Standout Portfolio
    Refining demo reels, case studies, and websites to impress recruiters.
    Perfecting the Pitch
    Practicing how to present work professionally, explain design choices, and engage with audiences.
    Networking & Job Hunting
    Connecting with animation studios, VFX houses, and game developers for potential job opportunities.

    Challenges & Growth

    The biggest challenge of senior year is time management—balancing the capstone project, job applications, and final coursework can be overwhelming. However, this year also marks tremendous growth as students shift from being learners to industry-ready professionals.

    Tips for Success

    Start job applications early.
    Many studios hire months in advance—be proactive!
    Keep refining your demo reel.
    Only showcase your best, most polished work.
    Network with industry professionals.
    Attend animation festivals, conferences, and studio events to make connections.
    Stay adaptable.
    The industry evolves quickly—learning new tools like AI animation, real-time rendering, and virtual production can give you an edge.

    Looking Ahead

    With senior year wrapping up, the next step is launching a career in animation, VFX, game design, or motion graphics. Whether joining a studio, freelancing, or continuing personal projects, Drexel’s ANFX program prepares students to step confidently into the creative industry.

  • Senior Year as an ANFX Student

    Junior Year as an ANFX Student

    Junior year in Drexel’s Animation & Visual Effects (ANFX) program is a turning point, as students step into the professional industry through co-op experiences and advanced coursework. With a strong foundation in animation, modeling, and VFX, this year is about refining specialization, gaining real-world experience, and preparing for senior-level projects.

    Core Classes

    With many students balancing co-op placements and coursework, junior-year classes focus on advanced industry techniques and real-world application. Some key classes include:

    • Advanced Portfolio (ANIM246): This course focuses on building skills for the career-long practice of producing and maintaining a professional creative portfolio while allowing the students the opportunity to create or refine additional student-driven portfolio work that synthesizes their skills and experience from direct class assignments in their other coursework.
    • Animation Workshop (ANIM377): This course examines leadership and developmental roles involved in each stage of a collaborative production, from concept to finished project. Students will work in groups to research and plan an animation production that results in a pre-production prototype.
    • Animation Workshop (ANIM378): This course provides an environment in which the pre-production of ANIM 377 Animation Workshop I can be taken through a full production effort. Students will work in groups to bring a selected prototype to completion.
    • Concentration Focus: Students continue to build their skills in their respective chosen concentration (organic modeling, character animation, or generalist)

    Skills You’ll Develop

    By junior year, students are expected to operate at an industry level, refining both artistic and technical skills:

    Studio-Level Animation & VFX Workflows
    Working in teams, meeting deadlines, and following industry pipelines.
    Procedural FX & Advanced Rigging
    Using tools like Houdini, Blender, and Maya to create dynamic effects.
    Rendering & Compositing for Film & Games
    Optimizing high-quality visuals using Arnold, Unreal Engine, and Nuke.
    Professional Communication & Collaboration
    Learning how to present work to clients, directors, and employers.

    Co-op Experience: Learning from the Industry

    Many ANFX students spend part of their junior year in a six-month co-op, gaining hands-on experience in animation studios, game development companies, and VFX houses. These roles expose students to real production environments, giving them insights into studio expectations, teamwork, and industry demands.

    Common co-op roles include:

    3D Animator
    Creating motion sequences for games, films, or commercials.
    VFX Artist
    Working on compositing, CGI effects, and simulations.
    Technical Artist
    Bridging the gap between animation and programming in game engines.
    3D Modeler
    Designing and texturing assets for animation or interactive media.

    Projects & Challenges

    With industry exposure comes more complex, high-stakes projects:

    Full Character Animations
    Polished acting sequences with expressive motion and dialogue.
    Technical FX & Simulations
    Advanced fire, smoke, water, and destruction simulations in Houdini.
    Game Cinematics & Interactive Storytelling
    Blending animation and real-time rendering for gaming experiences.
    Portfolio & Demo Reel Finalization
    Showcasing industry-ready work to prepare for senior year and job applications.

    A major challenge during junior year is time management—balancing co-op, advanced coursework, and portfolio-building can be overwhelming. Staying organized and efficient is key!

    Tips for Success

    Take your co-op seriously.
    Treat it as an extended job interview—many students receive post-grad offers!
    Refine your demo reel.
    Ensure your work reflects your specialization and industry standards.
    Learn from professionals.
    Network during co-op, attend industry events, and seek mentorship.
    Push technical skills further.
    Experiment with AI in animation, virtual production, or real-time rendering to stay ahead.

    Looking Ahead

    Junior year is all about bridging the gap between student and professional. The next step? Senior-year capstone projects, the Drexel Digital Media Showcase, and preparing for full-time roles in animation and VFX.

  • Senior Year as an ANFX Student

    Pre-Junior Year as an ANFX Student

    Pre-junior year in Drexel’s Animation & Visual Effects (ANFX) program is a crucial time for refining skills and preparing for co-op experiences and industry work. By this point, students have developed strong foundations in animation, 3D modeling, rigging, and compositing. Now, the focus shifts to specialization, advanced techniques, and building a professional portfolio.

    Pre-junior year sets the stage for junior-year co-ops and industry experience. The next step? Working in a real studio environment, applying skills in professional projects, and making connections for the future.

    Core Classes

    As students prepare for the professional world, coursework becomes more advanced and industry-focused. Some of the key classes include Digital Compositing (ANIM221) which examines 2D and 3D digital compositing possibilities through the manipulation and recombination of acquired and produced digital imagery, including 2D/3D Integration, 3D Matchmoving, and High Dynamic Range Imagery. Scripting for Animation and Visual Effects (ANIM231) explores modern scripting languages utilized in Animation and Visual Effects operating systems and software tools that are integral to artist productivity and production pipeline scalability. Professional Practices for Animation & VFX (ANIM250) introduces the animation and visual effects industry through projects, discussions, and hands-on activities. Students engage in role-plays and presentations to develop teamwork, management skills, and personal branding, covering all production phases from proposals to final delivery. This is also the year students take courses on their chosen animation concentration. The concentrations include organic modeling, character animation, and generalist.

    Skills You’ll Learn

    At this stage, students begin mastering industry-level skills and refining their artistic identity, including Advanced Animation & Motion Studies – Creating dynamic, expressive, and polished animations, Lighting & Rendering Optimization – Using software like Arnold, Redshift, or Unreal Engine for high-quality visuals, FX Simulations & Compositing – Working with particles, physics, and real-world VFX techniques, and Portfolio & Demo Reel Development – Curating the best projects to showcase to future employers.

    Projects & Challenges

    Pre-junior year projects push students to create portfolio-ready work and prepare for co-op applications. These include High-Quality Character Animations – Producing industry-standard motion studies and acting scenes, Rendered 3D Environments – Developing realistic, visually stunning assets, FX Simulations & VFX Shots – Implementing particle effects, explosions, and CGI compositing, and Demo Reel Creation – Compiling the strongest projects into a polished, professional portfolio. A key challenge this year is finding a focus—whether it’s character animation, modeling, VFX, motion graphics, or technical direction. Many students start tailoring their work toward their area of interest.

    Tips for Success: Start applying for co-ops early. Have a portfolio and resume ready by fall term. Refine your demo reel. Show only your best work—quality over quantity. Optimize rendering workflows. Learning GPU rendering techniques can save valuable time. Network & get feedback. Engage with professors, professionals, and peers to improve your work.

  • Senior Year as an ANFX Student

    Sophomore Year as an ANFX Student

    Sophomore year in Drexel’s Animation & Visual Effects (ANFX) program is where students start refining their artistic and technical skills. With the basics covered in freshman year, this year focuses on more advanced animation techniques, 3D modeling, rigging, and compositing. Students also begin exploring their personal style and figuring out whether they want to focus on 2D animation, 3D animation, or visual effects (VFX).

    This year’s courses take animation and VFX to the next level, introducing more complex workflows and industry tools. Sophomore year prepares students for specialization in their junior and senior years. As projects become more advanced, students refine their focus on character animation, environment design, VFX, or motion graphics. With co-op opportunities on the horizon, it’s time to start thinking about professional experience!

    Core Classes

    This year’s courses take animation and VFX to the next level, introducing more complex workflows and industry tools. Key classes include Basic Portfolio (ANIM146) which focuses on the basics of portfolio creation, editing, and presentation while examining portfolio examples of current professionals in various industry roles that can serve as models for student portfolio development. Previsualization for Animated Production (ANIM155) covers the all-important design and planning process that takes place before embarking on the production of an animation or visual effects piece. In this course, student will learn and practice the creation, motivation and use of pre-production plans, concept art, mood boards, shot storyboarding, animatics, performance reference and other topics integral to the previsualization process. Animation (ANIM212) builds on topics introduced in ANIM 211 (Animation I), incorporating advanced animation techniques such as inverse kinematics and dynamics. Requires students to propose, design, and produce a short animation. Digital Compositing (ANIM220) examines digital compositing possibilities through the manipulation and recombination of acquired and produced digital imagery, including study of digital image and video formats, color space, live action digital matte painting, Greenscreen/Bluescreen compositing, rotoscope masking and 2D tracking.

    Skills You’ll Learn

    Sophomore year deepens understanding of both the artistic and technical aspects of animation and VFX, including Character Performance Animation – Making characters act, express emotions, and react realistically, 3D Asset Creation – Modeling, sculpting, and texturing objects and characters, Rigging & Skinning – Setting up bones and controls to prepare characters for movement, and Visual Effects & Compositing – Integrating 3D elements with live-action footage, green screens, and effects.

    Projects & Challenges

    This year involves more complex projects that mimic real industry workflows. Students work on Animated Character Scenes – Creating short clips that emphasize acting and body mechanics, 3D Environment & Asset Development – Designing detailed game or animation-ready assets, Rigging a Full Character – Preparing a 3D character with proper joints and movement controls, and VFX Shot Composition – Integrating CGI with live-action footage using After Effects and Nuke. A major challenge in sophomore year is time management—animation and VFX require detailed work, and rendering times can be long! Learning how to optimize workflow and meet deadlines is essential.

    Tips for Success: Focus on fundamentals. Animation is about movement and storytelling, not just flashy visuals. Get comfortable with software. Learn Maya, ZBrush, After Effects, Nuke, and Substance Painter. Plan ahead. Rendering can take hours—avoid last-minute submissions! Start building your portfolio. Collect your best work and document your creative process.

  • Senior Year as an ANFX Student

    Freshman Year as an ANFX Student

    Starting freshman year in Drexel’s Animation & Visual Effects (ANFX) program is an exciting step into the world of digital storytelling, animation, and motion graphics. This first year is all about learning the fundamentals, exploring different animation techniques, and getting hands-on experience with industry-standard tools. Whether you’re interested in 2D animation, 3D modeling, or VFX, freshman year sets the foundation for a creative and technical journey ahead.

    Freshman-year coursework introduces students to essential animation principles and software while also incorporating general art and design fundamentals. Freshman year provides the foundation for future courses in character animation, visual effects, and advanced 3D modeling. Sophomore year will bring more complex projects, deeper exploration of animation techniques, and opportunities to specialize in different areas of ANFX.

    Core Classes

    Freshman-year coursework introduces students to essential animation principles and software while also incorporating general art and design fundamentals. Key classes include Digital Imaging for Animation & VFX (ANIM110) where students learn foundational image acquisition, lighting and processing techniques and principles utilized in Animation & VFX disciplines. Topics covered include digital still and video imaging and lighting fundamentals for reference and background gathering, texture creation, normal map sampling, spherical and high dynamic range acquisition, location survey and more. Computer Graphics Imagery (ANIM140) teaches students to represent 3D objects and spaces in 2D media using a variety of drawing and computer graphic techniques. This course lays important foundations for subsequent courses in 3D computer modeling and animation. History of Animation(ANIM215) covers the pre-cursors to modern animation and the evolution of the art since the beginning of the 20th century. Concepts in both 2D and 3D animation will be covered. Animation (ANIM211) explores computer animation with an introduction to concepts of 3D animation. Includes narrative structure, storyboarding, and development. Emphasizes aesthetic, technical and conceptual issues. Requires students to create shorty animations in timeline based software.

    Skills You’ll Learn

    Throughout the first year, ANFX students gain hands-on experience with tools and techniques used in professional animation and VFX studios, including Animation Principles – Understanding movement, timing, and weight to create lifelike motion, 2D & 3D Design – Exploring digital painting, character creation, and environmental design, Basic Rigging & Modeling – Learning how to create and prepare characters for animation, and Storyboarding & Visual Storytelling – Developing short narratives and planning animations through sketches.

    Projects & Challenges

    Freshman-year projects focus on applying learned techniques through short animation exercises. Some typical assignments include Bouncing Ball Animation – A classic exercise to master timing and squash & stretch principles, Walk Cycle Animation – Bringing a character to life with realistic movement, 3D Object Modeling – Creating a simple 3D object, such as a chair or vehicle, to practice form and texture, and Storyboard Sequence – Designing a short sequence to develop visual storytelling skills. One of the biggest challenges for ANFX students is adapting to the technical side of animation. Learning new software and troubleshooting issues can be daunting, but practice and patience make a huge difference!

    Tips for Success: Draw as much as possible. Even if you prefer digital tools, strong drawing skills help improve animation work. Master the software. Get comfortable with industry-standard programs like Photoshop, Maya, and After Effects. Study real-life movement. Observe how people, animals, and objects move to make animations feel natural. Experiment with storytelling. Animation is more than just movement—it’s about crafting engaging narratives.