Bachelors in 3D Design and Animation in USA

Marvel obsessed? Or are Miyazaki marathons more your thing? Translate that burning passion for animated storytelling into a career as a VFX artist, film director, animator, art director, or more. In our state-of-the-art visual effects (VFX) facilities, including a 3D fabrication studio, a render farm, and a 130-seat screening room, you'll experiment with traditional and emerging techniques, from stop-motion to digital CGI.

The BFA program in art with a concentration in animation prepares students to excel in this field. Animation students are provided an education that simultaneously sustains tradition and fosters innovation through embracing new visualization methodologies and tools with the potential to advance discoveries and insights across disciplines.

Upon completion of the program, graduates are able to demonstrate the technical and artistic abilities to create animations for exhibition in arts venues (galleries, museums, festivals, etc.) and in entertainment media-arts industries. They also are prepared to pursue advanced research in graduate animation programs.

The mission of the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts is to create works of art, explore the history and traditions of art production, understand more about art's function in society and promote national and international recognition for research and creative activities while fostering cultural development in the community.

Students declare their Bachelor of Fine Arts concentration at the time of their ASU admission. Following admission, if students wish to change their Bachelor of Fine Arts concentration, they may meet with their School of Art academic advisor.

Woodbury’s Animation program is ranked among the top animation schools  in Animation Career Review’s 2020 list of Top 50 Animation Schools and Colleges in the U.S. Classes are taught in a studio environment where students learn 2D, 3D and stop-motion animation techniques.

Woodbury is located within 20 minutes of more than 15 animation studios where students often do internships – a requirement for each of Woodbury’s academic programs.

Animation faculty are industry professionals who work in the local animation and visual effects industries. Students have the opportunity to work one-on-one with instructors in small studio classes.

There are career opportunities in feature film, TV, commercials, ride films, games, websites, wearable tech, medical and architectural visualization – and – with streaming platforms such as Netflix, Hulu, Apple TV+ and Amazon Prime constantly looking for new content, there are more opportunities than ever!

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.  When you major in animation at Purdue University, you will focus on six areas of animation: 3-D modeling, texturing, lighting, rendering and character rigging (creating a digital skeleton) and motion. Your primary tool will be the powerful animation software, Maya, and you will experiment with other options

Animation is now, more than ever, ubiquitous in our daily lives. From the fantastic stories that entertain us at the movies, on television and mobile devices, to the interactivity of characters in games and new immersive media, to the motion graphics and visual effects of every video production, advertisement, and graphical user interface, an animator’s skills have been utilized to produce them. The Animation program prepares students to create innovative work in computer, traditional, stop-motion, and experimental animation. The basic principles of animation can be applied to all forms of image and object manipulation. The program grounds its graduates in a strong understanding of timing and motion, a thorough awareness of the wide variety of techniques available to current professional animators, and knowledge of the history and potential of the medium. Animation majors obtain a solid background in life drawing and traditional modes of animation, as well as 2D and 3D computer animation. Students choose an emphasis to focus on one of three areas: 2D, 3D, or Stop-Motion/Experimental as they design and complete short films in their sophomore and junior years before their capstone senior thesis animated film.

The Animation Program at Sam Houston State University is one of the most popular programs in the Department of Art.

The Bachelor of Fine Arts in Animation offers a highly collaborative experience in 2D and 3D animated story telling to a diverse student body.

All students must complete the W.A.S.H. (Workshop in Art Studio and History) upon entering the Art Program and pass a BFA portfolio review in their sophomore year in order to continue in the BFA program.

Study the intricacies of motion, design and visual narrative to craft a visual story. A major in art with a concentration in animation prepares you for a rewarding career in animation.

Develop the artistic vision and technical skills necessary to create engaging characters and produce powerful visual stories. Our animation program gives you a broad foundation in animation as both an industry and an internationally celebrated art form.

As an animation student, you’ll study character design, storyboarding, 3D modeling and lighting, character performance and effects animation. You’ll work in media ranging from hand-drawn animation and traditional stop-motion techniques to 3D computer animation.

You’ll also have access to state-of-the-art facilities that combine traditional animation tools with advanced digital technologies.

• Our Animation Computer Lab features powerful double-monitor workstations with iMacs and Wacom Cintiqs for on-screen digital drawing, sculpting and animation. Each workstation is fully loaded with industry-grade software to support 2D motion graphics, 3D animation, tradigital animation and more.
• Our traditional-media animation labs encourage playful exploration in clay, paper cut-outs and even sand. Each workstation is outfitted with a professional DSLR camera, iMac and industry-grade software for capturing and processing frame-by-frame animation.

In our close-knit community, you’ll find the support to pursue your own vision — and to create complex work in collaboration with others.

The BS  in Animation and Game Development focuses on contemporary, industry-standard, and technology oriented processes and procedures.

Whether it’s computerized models of complex data or 3D virtual environments designed to train personnel against potentially volatile situations, engineers working in the simulation and visualization industry provide vital solutions necessary for growth across a variety of disciplines. Full Sail’s Simulation & Visualization bachelor of science degree program equips you with the programming and critical-thinking skills needed to study and design virtual systems. You’ll develop your tech savvy through hands-on experience, in order to keep pace with an ever evolving industry.

At CCA, all animation is a process of experimentation. Our program’s collaborative environment encourages students to learn from one another, deepen their understanding of character and emotion, and hone their technical expertise. With guidance from animation artists and industry professionals, you’ll learn how to make 2D animation, 3D animation, animation for video games, stop-motion animation, and more.

You’ll learn a variety of 2D and 3D animation techniques to create portfolio-developing work. 

You can prepare for a career as an independent artist exhibiting works in galleries or museums, or in order to use your skills in industries such as gaming, advertising, film and/or education.

You can connect with a stable of professionals at advanced stages in their careers. The animation area is distinctive in being one of the first programs offered within an art and design program in the U.S.

A recent technology, virtual reality is expanding rapidly but requires designers and producers to possess a wide range of skills. The Virtual Reality and Immersive Media program at Drexel is designed to provide both depth and breadth of knowledge, balancing creative thinking, design, and storytelling with technical aspects such as 3D computer graphics, animation, visual effects and more.

Students will also work together to develop their collaborative abilities, applying communication, design, and production skills across applied and social sciences, humanities, and digital media coursework.

Transfer students may only enroll for the fall term.

An education in Visual Arts can be defined as the process whereby one learns how to produce art; engage in the aesthetic and critical analysis of art, and to talk, read, and write about art. Students at Utah Tech will be exposed to numerous concepts and activities involved in becoming visually and aesthetically literate. As part of their artistic study students will become proficient in their art discipline. Students will have opportunity to visit major regional art museums and exhibit artwork both on and off campus.

In this concentration, you will be taught hand-building and wheel-throwing techniques by augmenting these traditional processes with contemporary practices such as the use of installation and other sculptural techniques. Technical skills, aesthetic awareness, and craftsmanship are addressed. Focus is given to the principles and elements of design and the design process.

Students will not only learn about clay sculpture but will also learn how to fire their work in the kiln and glaze calculations. Students will also utilize the 3-D printer and laser cutter and will have access to the College's state-of-the-art maker space. Unique upper-level courses help you develop connections within your imagery while learning how to present work to galleries and apply for grants and commissions. Faculty and visiting artists will speak about how you can carve your own niche in the contemporary art world. With the 3-D concentration, you'll develop a personal body of work that can be used for application to graduate school or to gain employment in a variety of art-related fields such as ceramics instructor, ceramics technician, curator, and arts administrator in a museum or arts organization.

From character designs to special effects, computer animation plays a vital part in any entertainment industry. Challenge your artistic intentions. 

Unleash your creative side in digital art classes. Design characters and worlds. Compare and contrast 2D and 3D graphics. Explore computer-generated imagery (CGI). Gain knowledge in animation layout, transitions, and resolution. Use the latest software and video production equipment.  Create a personal portfolio that showcases your intricate work.

The Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Studio Arts is designed to provide students with both breadth and depth. At the completion of their program art students demonstrate a knowledge of several areas of art and design along with one in depth area. Studio Art majors must maintain a 2.5 grade point average in their major to remain in the program.

The B.A. and B.F.A. in Screenwriting and Animation (SWAN) encourages and stimulates students to value film as a distinct art form and collaborative discipline that is the dominant foundation of storytelling in the 21st Century. SWAN is designed to provide students the framework of the liberal arts and humanities to engage the discourse that is possible when film or cinema is examined across disciplines. Coursework is designed for students to demonstrate a working knowledge of visual storytelling, story structure, and story analysis.  Students are trained to understand the essential functions and roles on a film set - and have the ability to work collaboratively in that structure.  Students are taught technical proficiency in a specific filmmaking discipline (screenwriting, animation, editing, cinematography, or hybrid media encompassing game design and digital illustration for graphic novels and comics.

The Animation & Digital Media program at Thomas Jefferson University connects students to the animation and digital media industries with the objective of becoming successful filmmakers as well as designers capable of applying skillsets to a wide range of industries which are increasingly in demand. The program offers a thorough understanding of animation fundamentals along with practical experience utilizing cutting-edge tools and techniques. As a graduates of the program, you will be equipped for leading creative roles in film, television, visual effects, marketing and video games.

ETSU’s Digital Media Department seeks to bridge the arts and sciences by providing students with technical knowledge and an understanding of aesthetics to create digital media professionals capable of working at the highest artistic and technical levels.

The Digital Media Department offers a Bachelor of Science in Digital Media with concentrations in Digital Animation, Digital Game Design, Digital Visualization, and Digital Visual Effects. There is also a Digital Media Minor for students who wish to get a broad exposure in the four areas.

The Digital Media Department is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD).

No grade below a C (2.0) in DIGM courses may be applied to the B.S. degree.

The program of study leading to a bachelor of fine arts degree (BFA) in Animation and Digital Arts combines schooling in digital motion picture production with solid grounding in liberal studies. The curriculum directs students through the program in such a way that they will begin learning the special language of digital motion picture production by making short films, culminating with a senior thesis film. Curriculum is centered on digital motion picture production, with an emphasis on story development, filmmaking, visual effects, and computer animation as well as elements of live action production, including directing, editing, sound, producing, screenwriting, camera, film history and film theory.

The goal of the program is to produce educated, literate, creative digital filmmakers. The BFA program will provide the curricular leadership in developing student’s expertise in the art and craft of digital motion picture storytelling, as well as offer training in the specialized technical skills needed to operate industry-standard computer animation platforms.