Digital Worlds Institute Recruitment Guide

DIGITAL WORLDS INSTITUTE

You’ve come to the right place!

INTERDISCIPLINARY FOCUS: UF’s Digital Worlds Institute nurtures leading-edge research and education between the arts, communications, engineering, and the sciences, focusing on advanced media systems and digital culture.

Founded in 2001 as a partnership between the College of the Arts and the College of Engineering, the Institute has grown its initiatives across a half dozen additional colleges at UF.

OUR DEGREE PROGRAM: The emergent field of Digital Arts & Sciences (DAS) is ideal for students whose intellectual and creative energies are not defined or confined by traditional academic disciplines. Whether your passion involves technology, design, or 21st-century storytelling, DAS will provide you with the critical thinking and practical skills to fuel the pursuit of your own individual dreams.

OUR FACULTY: Our faculty come from diverse but synergistic backgrounds and are recognized as leaders, creative researchers, and practitioners at the leading edge of the digital arts and sciences.

Our interdisciplinary research and teaching utilizes interactive tools and technologies, and Digital Worlds Institute promotes transdisciplinary creativity across classrooms, continents, and cultures.

JOIN US! Discover your potential at the University of Florida Digital Worlds Institute!

MORE INFORMATION: DIGITALWORLDS.UFL.EDU

YOUR DIGITAL EDGE University of Florida Digital Worlds Institute The Florida Legislature designated the University of Florida (UF) as a “preeminent” university in the spring of 2013. The lawmakers also allocated $15 million annually to UF for five years to support the University in its goal of joining the nation’s top-ten public universities. Outstanding students, faculty, programs, facilities, and scholarship opportunities have made UF one of the nation’s best universities, public or private, and one of the best values.

The UF College of the Arts (COTA) mission is to foster creative activity, scholarly and artistic excellence, and innovation across disciplines. COTA achieves the University’s mission by training professionals and educating students as artists and scholars, while developing their critical thinking and inspiring a culture of curiosity and imagination.

Digital Worlds Institute shares the COTA mission of serving as an educational, professional, and cultural resource for the campus, community, state, and region. Our undergraduate and graduate students contribute to and benefit from that commitment as we continue to develop a culture of creativity, innovation, and access.

Over the last 15 years, Digital Worlds (DW) has demonstrated leading-edge innovation through the use of interactive digital media at the confluence of the Arts, Communications, and Engineering, including multi-continental real-time collaborative projects at a global scale, and the creative use of gaming engines in distributed live performance systems.

We pride ourselves in the socially conscious application of technologies serving diverse communities at the local, regional, and national levels.

Our award-winning research and academic programs continue to attract diverse students who wish to make their mark in the 21st century. DW students are now working at companies such as DreamWorks and Microsoft, and some have even created their own successful startups.

Our faculty come from diverse but complementary areas of expertise, and our students benefit from close interaction with their instructors and research mentors.

DIGITAL ARTS & SCIENCES DEGREES: BACHELOR OF ARTS IN DAS MASTER OF ARTS IN DAS

RESEARCH PROJECTS: INTERACTIVE MEDIA, SERIOUS AND APPLIED GAMES, DIGITAL PERFORMANCE & PRODUCTION, AND MORE....

STUDY, RESEARCH, AND CREATE

INTERACTIVE PERFORMANCE SYSTEMS

HANDS-ON EDUCATION

AT T H E D I G I TA L E D G E

UNDERGRADUATE STUDY Bachelor of Arts in Digital Arts & Sciences Students interested in the Digital Arts & Sciences (DAS) have the opportunity to learn and develop their fluency in a variety of areas, including 2D and 3D animation, digital production, game design and development, digital storytelling and communication, and digital performance production (including audio and projection design).

Depending on their core interests and backgrounds, students can choose from one of the three tracks below, but will work closely with students from all tracks, providing the collaborative team experience that is so important in the industry.

Systems Design focuses on technical art and digital animation.

Students will learn digital animation, interface protocols and programming, game design, and media systems development.

This track is appropriate for those with strong interest and some background in technology or programming.

Media & Storytelling focuses on using digital media to effectively communicate and craft new stories. Students will learn strategic digital communication, linear and non-linear narrative, messaging, and branding, using traditional and emerging technologies, including social media. This track is appropriate for writers and communicators wishing to acquire fluency and expertise in the digital arts and sciences.

Design & Production focuses on using digital media to design virtual and augmented environments, projection and audio design, and digitally-enhanced performances. This track is appropriate for students with identified interests in traditional areas such as music, dance, theatre, and design arts who wish to merge these interests with digital technology and production techniques.

MORE INFORMATION: DIGITALWORLDS.UFL.EDU

GRADUATE STUDY Master of Arts in Digital Arts & Sciences The Master of Arts in Digital Arts & Sciences (DAS) degree offers students from diverse academic backgrounds with proven interest and accomplishment in digital design, storytelling, and/or interactive programming the opportunity to develop fluency in the technologies, design practices, and collaborative interdisciplinary teamwork increasingly required by the media, communications, and entertainment industries.

The UF Digital Worlds Institute won the International Digital Media and Arts Association’s “Most Innovative Program” Award in 2008, confirming its reputation for leading-edge initiatives at one of the nation’s most prestigious universities.

Graduates holding the MA in DAS degree often seek employment in the creative services sector, which encompasses a variety of dynamic fields, such as digital arts and entertainment, web and mobile design, and serious and applied video games. Opportunities range from traditional cinema and broadcast media to interactive games, online international networks, and other emergent industries. Graduate assistantships are awarded to well-qualified students whose existing skillsets and backgrounds best support the Institute’s mission in areas of teaching, research, service, and production.

The MA in DAS can serve as a further capstone to a successful four-year Bachelor’s degree, a career-enhancing second Master’s degree, or as an interactive digital media specialization acquired on the way to a 21st century Ph.D. We invite applicants from diverse backgrounds, including the arts, communications, engineering, education, humanities, and other fields to apply.

QUESTIONS? CONTACT OUR ACADEMIC ADVISOR Phillip Klepacki, advising@digitalworlds.ufl.edu, (352) 846-3426

UNDERGRADUATE

ADMISSIONS FRESHMEN APPLY BY

NOVEMBER 1 TRANSFER STUDENTS APPLY BY

MARCH 1

Degree Tracks SYSTEMS DESIGN MEDIA & STORYTELLING DESIGN & PRODUCTION NO PORTFOLIO REQUIRED FOR FRESHMAN ADMISSION Incoming freshmen intending to major in Digital Arts & Sciences are not required to present a portfolio upon entry to UF, but are required to submit a portfolio containing a Personal Statement of Intent (PSI) and Supplemental Support Materials (SSM) by the end of the second semester of their sophomore year.

Transfer Student Application Process

Qualified transfer students will go through a different process to apply than freshmen. A PORTFOLIO IS REQUIRED. Please visit digitalworlds. ufl.edu/programs/ba-in-das/ transfer/ for more information.

Contact our Academic Advisor Phillip Klepacki via email at advising@digitalworlds.ufl. edu or by phone at (352) 8463426 if you have any questions.

APPLY ONLINE AT: ADMISSIONS.UFL.EDU

The UF Admissions website is also your resource for more information on campus-wide resources, including financial aid, housing, meal plans, general information for parents, and more.

GRADUATE

ADMISSIONS GRADUATE STUDENTS APPLY BY

FEBRUARY 15

Collaborative Interdisciplinary Focus ARTS COMMUNICATIONS ENGINEERING STUDENTS FROM DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS WELCOME In the classroom, lab, and studio, our graduate students pursue leading-edge progress in the creation and development of interactive digital media.

GRADUATE ASSISTANTSHIPS These awards are competitive and typically granted to students whose existing skillsets and backgrounds best support the Institute’s mission in areas of teaching, research, service, and production. Assistantships are limited; interested students should apply early.

QUESTIONS? CONTACT OUR ACADEMIC ADVISOR Phillip Klepacki, advising@digitalworlds.ufl.edu, (352) 846-3426

DIGITAL WORLDS FACILITIES THE RESEARCH, EDUCATION, AND VISUALIZATION ENVIRONMENT (REVE) is a flexible suite of spaces for research and education, featuring collaborative environments with numerous technological capabilities. The REVE consists of multiple individual spaces, including: + THE POLYMODAL IMMERSIVE CLASSROOM THEATER (PICT) provides large-scale immersive visualization capabilities for an audience of up to 75 people, and can be used for classes, online business meetings, and film/ television/game screenings and receptions. + THE VIRTUAL PRODUCTION STUDIO (VPS) is an open studio space with a large cyc and both white and green screen options, wireless and markerless motion capture capabilities, and high-definition audio and video recording equipment. + THE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT AREA (RADA) brings faculty, students, and Digital Worlds staff together to collaboratively investigate and develop projects using various interactive media-authoring tools and workstations. + FOUR DIGITAL MEDIA SUITES (DMS) all of which offer a variety of media production systems, ranging from digital video editing and compositing to audio, animation, and postproduction processing capabilities. + THE MACHINE ROOM (MR) is inhabited by hardware dedicated to running the integrated systems for the PICT’s visualization array and also houses DW’s networked storage. + THE WIDE OPEN WORK AREA (WOWA) brings artists and scientists together with designers and engineers to collaborate in creating new media artifacts and interactive learning systems. + THE ON-LINE/ON-CAMPUS RESEARCH CLASSROOM (ORC) is designed to facilitate interactive real-time learning with both resident and remote Digital Arts & Sciences students.

Additionally, DW’s SERIOUS AND APPLIED GAMING ENVIRONMENT (SAGE) is a newly-revitalized space for 21stcentury teaching and learning. SAGE boasts a three-screen rear-projection display and collaborative space for digital media design and interactive learning.

D I G I TA L A RTS & S C I E N C E S

CAREERS IN DIGITAL ARTS & SCIENCES Our graduates have a wide range of professional options in fields such as entertainment, communications, and technology sectors. Jobs include:

ANIMATOR ARCHITECTURAL MODELER ART DIRECTOR COMPOSITOR CONCEPT ARTIST CREATIVE DIRECTOR DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHER DIGITAL STORYTELLER GAME DESIGNER INFORMATION DESIGNER INTERACTION DESIGNER MEDIA DIRECTOR MOTION GRAPHICS DESIGNER MOVIEMAKER MUSIC AND SOUND DESIGNER PRODUCER PRODUCTION ARTIST PROGRAM MANAGER PROJECT MANAGER PROJECTION DESIGNER SOCIAL MEDIA DEVELOPER STOP MOTION ANIMATOR STORYBOARD ARTIST STUDIO ARTIST TELEVISION & FILM ANIMATOR VIDEO EDITOR VISUAL EFFECTS ARTIST WEB DESIGNER

QUESTIONS? CONTACT OUR ACADEMIC ADVISOR Phillip Klepacki, advising@digitalworlds.ufl.edu, (352) 846-3426

UF College of the Arts PO Box 115800 Gainesville, FL 32611-5800

digitalworlds.ufl.edu