The Bachelor of Arts in Digital Arts and Sciences (BADAS) crosses traditional college boundaries between the arts, communications, and engineering. Students will become versed in contemporary issues in social and interactive media, critical thinking and creative design solutions. The DAS graduate will gain experience working in collaborative teams on media projects including digital storytelling, animation, and game design including serious and applied games.

Department Requirements

In addition to meeting university-level requirements, students seeking admission to this program must submit a portfolio of original student work, demonstrating competency in digital art and computer programming, as well as a personal statement, to the UF Digital Worlds Institute. The content and quality of these submissions, in addition to previous academic GPA, will be significant factors to determine admission into the program.

The personal statement refers to an original document created by the applicant that details interests, motivations and rationale for seeking program admission. The statement should be one to two pages in length and demonstrate a serious intent to pursue the program and the writing ability appropriate for admission as an upper-division student at a major American university.

Portfolio materials refer to a body of original creative or technical work authored, documented and presented in a contemporary digital format. The portfolio will contain examples of the applicant's best original work including digital art and programming completed before seeking admission to the BADAS program.

The portfolio is due by March 15 of the sophomore year for admission into upper-division coursework. Students may not take 3000/4000-level DIG courses without submission of the portfolio.

Students must complete all critical-tracking courses with minimum grades of C in each course and the minimum critical-tracking GPA must be 2.5. Students who do not meet these requirements will be placed on academic probation and required to prepare a probation contract with an advisor. Students normally are given two terms in which to remove their deficit points; however, students who do not satisfy the conditions of the first term of probation may be dismissed from the program.

Critical Tracking records each student’s progress in courses that are required for entry to each major. Please note the critical-tracking requirements below on a per-semester basis.

Equivalent critical-tracking courses as determined by the State of Florida Common Course Prerequisites may be used for transfer students.

Semester 1

• Complete 2 of 11 critical-tracking courses: ARH 2000; DIG 2121; DIG 2632; DIG 3097; DIG 3525C; DIG 3526C; DIG 3873; DIG 3588C; DIG 4841; DIG 4970; or MAC 1140 with a minimum grade of C
• 2.5 GPA required for all critical-tracking courses
• 2.0 UF GPA

Semester 2

• Complete 2 additional critical-tracking courses with a minimum grade of C
• 2.5 GPA required for all critical-tracking courses
• 2.0 UF GPA

Semester 3

• Complete 2 additional critical-tracking course with a minimum grade of C
• 2.5 GPA required for all critical-tracking courses
• 2.0 UF GPA

Semester 4

• Complete 1 additional critical-tracking course with a minimum grade of C
• 2.5 GPA required for all critical-tracking courses
• 2.0 UF GPA

Semester 5

• Complete 1 additional critical-tracking course with a minimum grade of C
• 2.5 GPA required for all critical-tracking courses
• 2.0 UF GPA

SEMESTER 6

• Complete 1 additional critical-tracking course with a minimum grade of C
• 2.5 GPA required for all critical-tracking courses
• 2.0 UF GPA

SEMESTER 7

• Complete 1 additional critical-tracking course with a minimum grade of C
• 2.5 GPA required for all critical-tracking courses
• 2.0 UF GPA

SEMESTER 8

• Complete remaining critical-tracking course with a minimum grade of C
• 2.5 GPA required for all critical-tracking courses
• 2.0 UF GPA

To remain on track, students must complete the appropriate critical-tracking courses, which appear in bold. These courses must be completed by the terms as listed above in the Critical Tracking criteria.

This semester plan represents an example progression through the major. Actual courses and course order may be different depending on the student's academic record and scheduling availability of courses. Prerequisites still apply.

Approved Electives

Major Electives | 12 Credits

Students are encouraged to work with faculty and advisors to construct elective sets that best meet their individual career goals.

The B.A. in digital arts and sciences crosses college boundaries between communications, engineering and the arts. Students will become versed in contemporary issues in social and interactive media, critical thinking and creative design solutions. The DAS graduate will gain experience working in collaborative teams on media projects, including serious and applied games, live digital performances and virtual worlds.

Before Graduating Students Must

• Pass assessment of performance on a major design experience, according to department grading rubric.
• Pass assessment in one or more core courses or individual assignments targeted to each SLO.
• Complete requirements for the baccalaureate degree, as determined by faculty.

Students in the Major Will Learn to

Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)

Content

1. Apply knowledge of multimedia, human-computer interaction, graphics and simulation to application domains.
2. Conceptualize, design and develop a digital interface involving animation, sound and immersive environments.

Critical Thinking

1. Successfully solve the problems and engage in the systems thinking necessary to develop contemporary interactive digital media.
2. Think critically about contemporary digital media and culture and analyze attendant digital communications practices.

Communication

1. Communicate and collaborate successfully in a team environment comprised of artists, designers and application developers.

Curriculum Map

I = Introduced; R = Reinforced; A = Assessed

Assessment Types

• Assignments
• Projects illustrating systems thinking and problem solving
• Review of student work illustrating collaborative interdisciplinary achievement
• Performance in capstone course