Computer and Information Science

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 5600: Interactive Computer Graphics
  • CIS 5620: Computer Animation
  • CIS 6600: Advanced Topics in Computer Graphics and Animation
  • Math-based course requirement. Recommended courses include:
    • CIS 5610: Advanced Computer Graphics
    • CIS 5630: Physically-Based Animation
    • CIS 5810: Computer Vision
    • CIS 5800: Machine Perception
    • CIS 5190: Applied Machine Learning
    • CIS 5200: Machine Learning
    • ENM 5030: Introduction to Probability & Statistics

(6) Business and Entrepreneurship (1 course)

Recommended choices include:

    • EAS 5450: Engineering Entrepreneurship I
    • IPD 5150: 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 5650: GPU Programming
  • CIS 5610: Advanced Computer Graphics
  • CIS 5630: Physically-Based Animation
  • CIS 7000: 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 5610: Physically-Based Rendering
  • CIS 5630: Physically-Based Animation
  • CIS 700: Graphics-related Special Topics courses
  • CIS 5810: Computer Vision
  • CIS 5800: Machine Perception
  • CIS 5190: Applied Machine Learning
  • CIS 5200: Machine Learning
  • ESE 5050: Control of Systems
  • ESE 6190: Model Predictive Control
  • CIS 5550: Internet and Web Systems
  • CIS 5990: Independent Study
  • CIS 5640: Game Design and Development

(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 5460: Engineering Entrepreneurship II
  • OIDD 6620: Enabling Technologies

(10) Design Project (1 Course)

  • CIS 5680: Game Design Practicum
  • CIS 5970: 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.

Additional Information