CGGT Degree Requirements

Course Requirements

The master’s degree requirements consist of completing 9 courses and a one semester design project over a one year period for a total of 10 courses.

Core Areas

(1) Creative Arts and Design (1 course)

  • DSGN 5005: 3-D Computer Modeling

(2-5) Computer Science, Systems and Technology (4 courses)

  • CIS 560: Interactive Computer Graphics
  • CIS 562: Computer Animation
  • CIS 660: Advanced Topics in Computer Graphics and Animation
  • Math-based course requirement. Recommended courses include:
    • CIS 561: Advanced Computer Graphics
    • CIS 563: Physically-Based Animation
    • CIS 581: Computer Vision
    • CIS 580: Machine Perception
    • CIS 519: Introduction to Machine Learning
    • CIS 520: Machine Learning
    • ENM 503: Introduction to Probability & Statistics

(6) Business and Entrepreneurship (1 course)

Recommended choices include:

    • EAS 545: Engineering Entrepreneurship I
    • IPD 515: Product Design

(7) Graphics Elective (1 Course)

A graduate-level technical or creative course in the area of graphics or animation.  Approval of the CGGT program director is required. Courses that can be selected as the Graphics Elective include:

  • CIS 565: GPU Programming
  • CIS 561: Advanced Computer Graphics
  • CIS 563: Physically-Based Animation
  • CIS 770: Graphics-related Special Topics courses
  • FNAR 5004: Video1
  • FNAR 5025: Computer Animation
  • FNAR 5017: Cinema Production

(8) Technical Elective (1 Course)

Any graduate level course in Penn Engineering. Approval of the CGGT program director is required. Recommended choices include:

  • CIS 561: Physically-Based Rendering
  • CIS 563: Physically-Based Animation
  • CIS 770: Graphics-related Special Topics courses
  • CIS 581: Computer Vision
  • CIS 580: Machine Perception
  • CIS 519: Introduction to Machine Learning
  • CIS 520: Machine Learning
  • ESE 505: Control of Systems
  • ESE 619: Model Predictive Control
  • CIS 555: Internet and Web Systems
  • CIS 599: Independent Study
  • CIS 564: Game Design and Development (only offered during the summer term)

(9) Free Elective (1 Course)

Any graduate level course at the University that relates in some way to graphics, animation and/or games. Approval of the CGGT program director is required.

Recommended choices include any of the Graphics Elective, Technical Elective or Business and Entrepreneurship courses listed above as well as:

  • DSGN 5009: Digital Figure Modeling
  • FNAR 5066: Advanced Project Animation
  • DSGN 5004: Web Design 1
  • EAS 546: Engineering Entrepreneurship II
  • OIDD 662: Enabling Technologies

(10) Design Project (1 Course)

  • CIS 568: Game Design Practicum
  • CIS 597: Master’s Thesis

Credit for Substantially Similar Coursework at Other Universities

Students enrolled in the program from outside the University who have taken substantially similar coursework at their undergraduate institutions also can petition the program for approval of appropriate course substitutions. Granting of such approvals will be at the Program Director’s discretion, and will be made on a case-by-case basis.

Graduate Program:

Your CIS Contacts:

Redian Furxhiu
Graduate Coordinator for on-campus MCIT, CIS/MSE and CGGT programs
Office: 308 Levine
Phone: 215-898-1668
Email: redian@seas.upenn.edu

Staci Kaplan
Program Manager for DATS (Data Science MSE)
Office: 308 Levine
Phone: 215-573-2431
Email: stacilk@seas.upenn.edu

Britton Carnevali
Doctoral Program Manager
Office: 310 Levine
Phone: 215-898-5515
Email: brittonc@cis.upenn.edu

Mariel Celentano
Graduate Coordinator for ROBO
Office: 459 Levine
Phone: 215-573-4907
Email: robo-coord@seas.upenn.edu

Liz Wai-Ping Ng
Associate Director for Embedded Systems MSE program
Office: 313 Levine
Phone: 215-898-8543
Email: wng@cis.upenn.edu

Julia Esposito
PICS Program Coordinator, SCMP Academic Coordinator
Office: 3401 Walnut, 5th Fl.
Phone: 215-573-6037
Email: jnespos@seas.upenn.edu