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University of Maryland Global Campus — Web and Digital Design

CMST 351: Motion Graphics I

A complete guide to UMGC's CMST 351: Motion Graphics I — what this course covers, typical assignments, and where to get expert help when a deadline is close.

Undergraduate 3 Credits UMGC

Motion Graphics I covers digital video compositing using Adobe After Effects — key framing, transformations, and visual effects for professional results.

What CMST 351 covers

A hands-on introduction to the basic concepts, techniques, and principles of digital video and motion graphics effects using Adobe After Effects. The objective is to describe digital video compositing techniques; create digital composites that combine video, text, digital images, and audio; and apply visual special effects to create professional results for use on multiple platforms, such as film, video, multimedia, and the web.

Topics include techniques such as basic storyboarding, key framing, transformations, and rendering, as well as effects (including levels, curves, color correction, blur, glow, fractal noise, keying, masking, and cartoon effects).

Typical CMST 351 assignments

Expect a project requiring you to create a digital video composite combining video, text, images, and audio, applying a specific visual effect technique.

Key topics in CMST 351

Writing tips for CMST 351

Follow the assignment instructions and rubric line by line

UMGC assignments for CMST 351 are graded against a specific rubric or grading criteria your instructor provides — every requirement has to be visibly addressed. Skipping a requirement because it seems minor is one of the most common reasons a strong submission loses points.

A finished visual project still needs a written design rationale

CMST courses like CMST 351 usually require more than a finished design file — evaluators want a written explanation of the design decisions, principles, and process behind the work, not just the final visual output.

Address accessibility, ethics, and usability explicitly

UMGC's design courses consistently build accessibility, ethical/legal considerations, and usability into their rubrics. A visually strong project that ignores these dimensions is one of the most common ways students lose points in this discipline.

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Why students seek help with CMST 351

Students sometimes apply a visual effect without the compositing technique (key framing, masking) the course specifically requires behind it — the rubric typically wants that underlying technique demonstrated, not just the visual result.

How GradeEssays helps with CMST 351

Share your motion graphics project and rubric, and your writer will help build a composite demonstrating the specific compositing technique required.

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Share your assignment instructions and rubric and we match you with a writer who knows this course and UMGC's grading standards.

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Prerequisites and course context

CMST 351 has no listed prerequisites.

Related courses

Frequently asked questions

Does CMST 351 have prerequisites?

No, CMST 351 has no listed prerequisites.

What software does CMST 351 use?

Adobe After Effects — the course covers digital video compositing techniques like key framing, transformations, color correction, and visual effects such as blur, glow, and masking.