“Rigorous drawing classes and intensive study of color theory, design, perspective, and conventional and digital painting are required, as well as the study of the principles of both traditional and 3D animation, physics of motion, modeling, storyboarding, character design, and visual development.” The program’s upper-division courses “further define these disciplines offering students an opportunity to specialize in their area of choice.”. University of Bucharest (801-1000 in the world, joint 325 th in Europe) Serbia. CADRE's diverse community of faculty and graduate students produce artworks involving visualization, simulation, hypertextuality, information, mapping, telepresence, networks, and interactive systems. Course highlights for the program include Animation Integration/Installation, Computer Animation: Integrated Techniques, Computer Generated Imagery 3d, Digital Effects and Compositing for the Screen, Directing, Film and Video Installation, Film Explorations, Game Development & Programming, Lighting for the Moving Image, Sound for the Screen, Stop Motion Animation, Time, Light and Sound, and Writing for the Screen. 27 Nov University of Glasgow named THE University of the Year. Students will also complete a portfolio. Minors in Animation & Digital Arts, 3D Animation in Cinematic Arts, and Game Animation are also available. Chapman offers 110 areas of study across nine colleges and schools, including Dodge College of Film & Media Arts. Babes-Bolyai University (801-1000 in the world, joint 325 th in Europe) =1. They also offer interesting media courses in their Journalism and Mass Communications department. Sample courses include Computer Animation, Computer Graphics, Advanced Digital Design, Digital Sound, Data Visualization, and Artificial Intelligence. Built upon current industry studio practices, our course will train you as an animation professional. Students in the program study Documentary Animation, Digitally Generated Animation, Character Animation, Stop Motion, Experimental Video, and Emerging Technologies. 1885). OTIS Digital Media students will “acquire real-world skills in industry-standard technology, as well as concept development, from leading designers, artists, and entrepreneurs,” says the school. The Animation BFA provides the opportunity for students to participate in master class workshops each summer where they learn from leaders in the field. The school offers more than 100 programs across seven colleges, including the College of Fine Art, home of the School of Art. They can also be found at game studios such as Electronic Arts, Phosphor Games, Vigil Games, and many others. This non-degree-granting academic program “functions as a gateway between school and career by providing instruction in current and emerging business practices of the motion picture industry,” says the school. In addition to the Computer Science and Engineering Programs, University of Washington offers a BFA with a Major in Digital Arts and Experimental Arts (BFA DXARTS) and a PhD in DXARTS. The Department of Design offers an MFA degree in Design focusing on Digital Animation and Interactive Media. This design school made our list because it is a tight-knit school that offers a fully customizable course load—but unlike some of their competitors they do it without school-defined majors. The College enrolls nearly 3,500 undergraduate, graduate and open studies students from 49 states and 52 countries. Students also participate in industry events and internships with Nickelodeon, Disney, Film Roman, Warner Bros., and others. This hands-on program is divided into two parts. Another interesting, and highly realistic, part of the program is that students are forced to create their work within given budgets and time schedules. This list of the Top 100 Schools in Animation, Gaming and Design was compiled via a mixture of school reviews, industry-reviewed lists like the Princeton Review, and via a survey of the animation industry professionals and recruiters from companies like Pixar, J.J. Sedelmaier and DreamWorks who were featured in our Interview Series. Graduates of the program are prepared to seek positions in quality assurance, level design, modeling, texture painting & lighting, and character animation. Let's start this list off with a bang by beginning with the School of the Museum of Fine Arts. “Over the course of their education in the program, students will pursue a foundation of design and technology by taking core courses in all aspects of digital media while delving into coursework covering many areas of specialization.”. The School of Film/Video is the largest school at CalArts, accounting for nearly 30% of the student population. Animation BA (Hons) Animation with a Foundation Year BA (Hons) Illustration BA (Hons) 7. All tracks lead to a BS in Entertainment Design. DePaul students showcase their animation skills at the university’s annual Premiere Film Fest. United Kingdom. Established in 1870 as Ohio Agricultural and Mechanical College, The Ohio State University offers over 200 majors, minors and specializations from which more than 68,000 students can choose multiple paths to focus on animation in both the College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Engineering. Be ready for a global career in the ever-changing world of animation. Their courses are heavily influenced by pop culture, hand and life drawing and a mixture of emerging media. One-stop shop for Indian students interested in overseas education Enroll at one of our trusted Uni partners from Australia, US, UK and other countries Call us free on 1 800 103 2581 . Graduates of the BS and MFA programs are prepared to seek positions in animation, multimedia arts, design, research, and more. Ranking of the best colleges for animation, video graphics and special effects majors. Students have the opportunity to explore 3D Modeling and Animation, Interactive Multimedia Development, Digital Video, Digital Imaging, and Hybrid Media forms including 3D printing, Architectural Projection Mapping, Web App Development and Interactive Installation Art. Each year, LCAD also hosts the LCAD Animation Film Festival known as LAFF, which showcases the best work from all levels of (the schools) animation artists. Today, the program serves hundreds of students from 48 states and 39 countries. Minor options include Animation 2D and Animation 3D. Ringling College of Art and Design (RCAD) was established in 1931 by circus baron, art collector, and real estate developer John Ringling. Bachelor of Fine Arts in Animation; Capilano University has an impressive track record of developing students who move on to work in large companies in the animation and film industry, including Radical Entertainment, Big Sandwich Games, 20th Century Fox, Nerd Corps, Aardman Animation, Mainframe … Other program highlights include the opportunity to collaborate in small cohorts and work alongside industry professionals, and the opportunity to create four major films before graduation, one of which is an area-specific thesis film. They include Project and Portfolio I & II: 3D Arts, and Project and Portfolio III-VII: Computer Animation. Computer animation is everywhere, not only in entertainment but also in education, product and packaging, construction, healthcare and courtrooms, as well as new applications yet to be discovered. The MA program provides students an opportunity to work in 2D Animation & Stop Motion, 3D Animation, 3D Modeling, or Visual Effects, while focusing on storytelling with an emphasis on exhibiting technical skills and eliciting emotional responses. Housed in an all-MFA studio and gallery space, which includes fifty individual studios, smart classrooms, facilities for creative making, and a large gallery space, the 60 credit hour MFA Program allows students to pursue creative work in areas such as Animation, Comic Arts, Filmmaking, Illustration, Installation Art, and Web and Multimedia. SOFA offers BFA and MFA degrees in Film and Animation. Specialization areas include 3D Animation, 3D Modeling, Rigging, Animation Generalist, Animation Producing, Storyboarding, 2D Animation, Puppet Fabrication, Stop Motion Animation, Compositing, Dynamics, Lighting, and Matte Painting. Animation is becoming increasingly ubiquitous and animators are becoming more sought after by employers. A Certificate in Animation and Visual Effects is also available and programs are available on campus and online. The Department of Art offers BFA and MFA degrees in Art with an emphasis in Art and Technology. We are proud to announce our first short animation contest of 2019. Reviews (6) ... RMIT University (Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology University) Australia. PhD students have the same project opportunities as MS students. DPA program graduates have worked on films such as Frozen, Hobbit, Rio, How to Train Your Dragon, and The Croods. The GRAIL group is known for “groundbreaking” research in computational photography, games for science and education, 3D reconstruction, Internet photo collections, object recognition, human shape and motion analysis, information visualization, and animation, says the school, while researchers at the Center for Game Science use gaming to solve grand challenges, crowdsource human problem-solving to aid scientific discovery, and improve student interest and achievement in mathematics. We have created a 2020 ranking of the best colleges in U.S. that offer Computer Animation degrees to help you find a school that fits your needs. Students are also encouraged to explore interests in media outside of Digital Arts. A Minor in Animation & Special Effects is also available. The cross-disciplinary BA in Animation “supports the creative vision of each student, providing a safe space for you to grow as an artist,” says the school “Fostering the collaborative filmmaking process is essential, too–you can see teamwork in action in the animation labs, with students actively creating their collective projects. In every animation course, students “will gain valuable experience with leading animation industry software.” Toon Boom, Toon Boom Harmony, Maya, Photoshop, and Adobe Illustrator are just a few. University of Dundee. Course highlights include Animation, Animation Techniques, Contemporary Design Culture, Development of Art and Ideas, Drawing and 2D Design, Drawing and 3D Design, 4D Design, Motion Design, Professional Writing for Designers, and Writing Studio. 94. This doctoral program is built on a fundamentally interdisciplinary course structure and emphasizes an iterative and design based research philosophy.”. The University of Central Florida offers a BA in Visual Media as well as a BA in Digital Media Game Design, both of which include a strong animation component. The Animation Workshop's sole focus on animation has paid off as they have become the top Scandinavian animation school, and one of the best in Europe. The school says that the BFA program “supports traditional hand drawn, 3D computer, stop motion and any animation techniques that can be imagined or explored.” Students in the program will explore the variety of techniques available to the current animator, hone traditional skills, and learn how to tell engaging stories as well as create memorable characters, and bring their concepts to life. The graduate programs are designed to “emulate the professional studio environment, providing each student with an opportunity to assume an artistic leadership role. It’s designed for students who are interested in “creating original animated films and artwork as their main vocation, and is the terminal degree in the field.”. The United Kingdom has a booming animation market with studios such as MPC , Framestore, Dneg, Passion pictures and many more, even Industrial Light & Magic have set up shop in London working on Star … The Institute offers a BFA in Film and Television with an Animation Core in Production and an MFA in Animation and New Media. DigiPen offers ten graduate and undergraduate program options in the areas of Art, Design, and Computer Science. Universities that offer degree courses in Animation make sure that students learn how to utilize technology to create 2D and 3D animations. The Department of Art is a partner in several other cutting-edge majors at Rensselaer, such as Information Technology and Games and Simulation Arts and Sciences. SVA animation graduates have gone on to work at major studios such as Blue Sky Studios, Disney Animation Studios, DreamWorks Animation, Lucasfilm Animation, Nickelodeon, Sony Pictures Animation, Warner Bros. Massachusetts College of Art and Design (MassArt) was founded in 1873 as a training institution for aspiring drawing teachers, architects, artists, and designers. 99. Students will also complete a Collaborative Project and the Final Animation MA Project, provides students the opportunity to synthesize their learning into a cohesive project piece. Animation students “bring characters and stories to life through the magic of computer animation. Accepting just 20-25 students each year through the BFA or BS program, the BYU Center for Animation is a competitive, highly dynamic, hands-on program structured to provide students with the skill sets necessary for success in the animation, live-action, special effects, and game industries. Students will create a demo reel or portfolio, and they will “learn how to market” themselves “in relation to today’s jobs.”. 91. The Spanish animation scene absorbs most of 9Zeros' graduates. Today, the school offers more than 20 undergraduate art programs, nearly a dozen graduate programs, and around seven certificate programs to a population of nearly 2,100 students. Stop Motion “takes student through all aspects involved in creating stop motion films. Drexel University was established in 1891. The 60 credit hour program allows students to create independent works such as multimedia presentations, computer-generated or mediated images, videotapes and installations, performance art, and musical compositions and performances. Their faculty have worked with top st… Course highlights for the programs include Animation Design and Production, Basic Animation Production Technologies, Contemporary Topics in Animation and Digital Arts, Digital Narrative Design, Directed Studies in Animation, Expanded Animation, Expanded Concepts in 2D/3D Animation, Fundamentals of Animation, Storytelling for Animation, The Digital Actor, and 3D Character Performance Animation. Graduates of the program are prepared to seek positions in industries such as film, television, video games, medical animation, architectural rendering, advertising, product visualization, and many others. Students will also complete Senior Portfolio for Animation & VFX, Collaborative Project, and Internship in Animation. Top 50 Animation Schools and Colleges in the U.S. – 2020 College Rankings. “Modeling in Polygons, NURBs and Subdivision surfaces is taught with an emphasis placed on the need to strike a balance between heavy detail and economy of animation. Graduates of the program are prepared to seek positions in both academia and production. Plus, view full entry requirements, average graduate salary and prospects, tuition fees you’ll pay, funding available and more. Past guests have included Frank Thomas, Chuck Jones, Jeffrey Katzenberg, Roy E. Disney, George Griffin, David Polonski, Ed Catmull, Amid Amidi, and Willis Pyle, among others. Also part of the College of the Arts is the Department of Film & Electronic Arts, which offers a BA in Film and Electronic Arts. Students will develop their “abilities in traditional animation with classic artistic skills and then enhance that knowledge with fluency in the latest digital tools.” Taught by “experienced industry professionals,” courses for the program include Animal Drawing, Background Painting, CG Animation, CG Modeling, Character Design, Directing for Animators, Figure Drawing, Layout, Perspective, Professional Studies and Visual Development for Animators. You’ll graduate with aesthetic and intellectual maturity and strong technical abilities in design, media and art. RIT’s College of Imaging Arts and Sciences (CIAS) is home to the nation’s first PhD in Imaging Science and the School of Film and Animation (SOFA). Established in 1911, Loyola Marymount University (LMU) serves around 9,680 students enrolled in nearly 180 major, minor, master’s degree, and doctoral programs through seven colleges and schools. The programs offer three Focus Areas including Computer Animation & Video, Imaging, and Interactive Multimedia. Founded in 1958, California State University-Northridge (CSUN) serves more than 40,000 students enrolled in more than 140 programs. MICA also offers a BFA in Animation + Humanistic Studies. Students will then learn the craft of digital filmmaking through 3D Animation, Character Development, Compositing, Modeling, Stop Motion, Texturing, Rendering, and Visual Effects Cinematography. The Animation Research Labs is a multi-disciplinary effort that brings together faculty and students from UW CSE, the Department of Architecture, and the Schools of Art, DXARTS, Drama, and Music. Included in the program is an internship with European-based studios that the school maintains close ties with and an end-of-the-program final project to add to their portfolio. The page you are visiting was formerly part of the Which? Students in the program will have the opportunity to work across many different fields with students of other majors and with actual professional clients. Students have a range of degree options to choose from including BFA degrees in Animation, Computer Art, Computer Animation and Visual Effects, and Cartooning. Options include a BFA in Motion Picture Arts – Animation and Digital Arts, and The Torchlight Program. The BFA in Film and Animation is one of the most selective majors at RIT. The school says that the FVNMA Department at SAIC “endorses and encourages experimentation with radical form and content.” The Department says that it is “open to many approaches to and understandings of experimental media art” and it is “dedicated” to helping students develop their “art practice in a variety of forms and contexts including the use of high definition video, new media art, experimental 3D animation, hand drawn animation, and filmmaking.” The Department also says that it supports “individual and collaborative forms of making media art in these expanded contexts.”, SAIC FVNMA instructors are “award-winning pioneers,”  “revolutionaries,’ and working professionals in the fields of experimental film, video, animation, nonfiction, narrative, installation, glitch, interactivity, art games, curating, archiving, and web-based art projects. The school houses the Maurice Kanbar Institute of Film and Television, home of the Department of Animation and Digital Arts. Woodbury offers 26 practice-based, fully accredited professional and liberal arts undergraduate and graduate majors through four colleges and schools including the College of Liberal Arts, the School of Architecture, the School of Business, and the School of Media, Culture & Design. The school offers more than 570 degree options across 300+ programs and 16 colleges and schools. These short films are made in conjunction with the production, editing, sound and photography departments so the animation grads leave school with a professional-looking film; films that regularly score the school's graduates entry level jobs at prominent studios across Europe. Views. The programs begin with training in “fundamentals of digital tools and their creative applications.” Along the way, students will have the opportunity to find their own visual style. Programs for aspiring animators include an Animation BFA with 2D and 3D Tracks or a Concentration in Animation/Experimental or Animation/Game. Founded in 1900, Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) serves more than 14,500 students representing over 100 countries. Graduates have been hired at major studios across the U.S. including Sony Pictures Imageworks, DreamWorks Animation, and Disney ABC Television Group, to name a few. With nearly 400 students, 50 faculty and 40 courses Animation is the largest program at SVA. The school says Character Animation “allows students to integrate the multiple domains of art, storytelling, and technology.” The program is “designed to provide a solid foundation in techniques and theory in one focused area of competence, as well as a broad understanding of related disciplines including arts, humanities, and technology.” The program also offers, “extended experience in working in multidisciplinary teams on realistic problems.”. La Poudrière is an animation school created over a decade ago by France's most-prominent animation studio, Folimage. But don't let the size fool you, this highly-advanced visual arts school packs a wallop with their Graphic Design, Animation and Illustration programs. The interdisciplinary Visualization programs offered in the College of Architecture prepare students to work in animation, technical animation, illustration, and many other related areas. The program is located at the Torchlight Center in the studio facilities at FSU’s Critchfield Hall, which includes production offices, conference rooms, post-production facilities, and a sound stage. The MFA is a terminal degree program that allows students to build on their foundation and “expand beyond traditional arts.” Students will hone their craft in digital media and build proficiency in subjects such as digital sculpting, digital painting, character design, and other specializations within the digital media industries. Founded in 1884, Woodbury University is one of the oldest institutions of higher education in Southern California. It studies the application of digital media towards solving research problems in various disciplines including but not limited to engineering, education, cultural heritage, health or business. Other program highlights include diverse study abroad opportunities in more than 40 countries worldwide as well as facilities and faculty that “position students for successful internships and careers with organizations such as Disney Animation, Pixar and the Museum of Modern Art.”. The MFA is a terminal degree that prepares students for professional careers in the industry or “teach filmmaking in other higher education programs of merit.” Top careers for MFA graduates include Director, Documentary Filmmaker, Experimental Artist, Producer, and Visual Effects Supervisor. BFA students will begin with Film History, Screenwriting, Directing, Cinematography, CG and Live Action Production, Editing and Sound. Reviews (7) courses For an explanation of ranking criteria, click here. Undergraduate students “acquire foundational skills in media studies, cultural theory, computer programming, and creative production.” Master’s degree students “deepen their expertise in an area and develop understanding in adjacent topics.” Students in the doctoral program “demonstrate mastery in methods of research, analysis, and creative practice, informed by history, theory, and aesthetics.”, The Animation Pathway “blends creative storytelling with technology to encourage experimentation in form, content, and medium and emphasizes 3D animation, which includes various artistic and technical disciplines such as modeling and texturing, character rigging, lighting and composition, computer programming and scripting, as well as character movement and acting.”. Minneapolis College of Art and Design (MCAD) was established in 1886. LCAD Animation graduates have landed positions at Cartoon Network, Disney, DreamWorks, Fox, Industrial Light & Magic, Laika, Mattel, Nickelodeon, Obsidian Entertainment, Pixar, Renegade Animation, Sony, South Park Studios, The Jim Henson Company, Titmouse, and Warner Bros. Around 12% of Purdue’s students are enrolled in the Polytechnic Institute, which houses eight departments and schools offering 68 academic options in six subject areas. Students in the program can expect to take a range of studio courses such as Animation, Live Action, and Open Media, as well as several Collaborative Study courses and a Professional Internship. UCF is comprised of a dozen elite colleges through which it provides more than 200 academic programs. The program educates students in all aspects of animation and visual effects, from ideation to post production. Students may also earn a BS CGT/MS Technology with a Specialization in CGT, which may be completed in just five years instead of six years or more if pursued separately. Established in 1889 as Clemson Agricultural College, Clemson University is one of the nation’s most selective public research universities. Graduates of SCAD’s animation programs have landed positions at major studios such as Walt Disney Animation Studios, Digital Domain, and Bento Box Entertainment. Animation, and independent animation studios across the globe. The Pratt Institute School of Art offers a BFA in Digital Arts and Animation with an Emphasis in Digital Animation and Motion Arts or Interactive Arts. The MFA in Animation & Visual Effects program focuses on developing skills in any one of the many areas of expertise within the animation and visual effects industry. MCAD offers more than 20 programs across several departments including Animation. The program prepares students for an artistic career in 2D animation as storyboard revisionists, in visual development, background design or painting, or as animators with a proficiency in flash and/or toonboom. The Film and TV School of the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague (FAMU) – Prague, Czech Republic. Compare the top animation, video graphics and special effects schools in the U.S. ... Our University offers career services and a large network for many employment opportunities. Graduates of the BFA in Animation/Illustration program have worked on films such as A Bug’s Life, Finding Nemo, Monsters, Inc. and Shrek and they have been hired at more than 135 animation studios, game design companies, film studios, and academic institutions. The 60 Best Animation Schools in the World ranked - so you can graduate with a powerful degree in animation and start your career with WORLD-CLASS design skills. The College of Motion Picture Arts houses FSU Film School, which offers several programs for aspiring animators.