| Ranking | School | City |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts College of Art and Design | Boston |
| 2 | Northeastern University | Boston |
| 3 | Harvard University | Cambridge |
| 4 | Emerson College | Boston |
| 5 | Lesley University | Cambridge |
| 6 | University of Massachusetts, Amherst | Amherst |
| 7 | Tufts University | Boston |
| 8 | Hampshire College | Amherst |
| 9 | University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth | Dartmouth |
| 10 | University of Massachusetts, Lowell | Lowell |
Our 2024 ranking -our thirteenth annual- of the top animation school programs in Massachusetts. For an explanation of the ranking criteria, click here.
Massachusetts College of Art and Design (MassArt) has an Animation BFA program that emphasizes experimentation, collaboration, studio-based learning. Housed in the Animation Department, the program takes place across 20 state-of-the-art classrooms, studios, and labs dedicated to animation.
The BFA begins with the foundation year, which consists of courses such as Thinking, Making, Writing: Using Words with Clarity and Flair; Time; Studio for Drawing; Form Study; Visual Language; and Drawing Projects.
During the second year of the program, students are introduced to animation basics, experimental animation, and digital 2D animation. Color & media, figure, liberal arts, and history of art courses are also explored during the second year. Course examples include Figurative Clay Construction; Design for Animators; Media Techniques; Animation 1: Basics; Color for Painting; Animation 2: Experiments; Introduction to Digital 2D Animation; Life Drawing; and Human Figure in Illustration.
In the final years of the Animation BFA program at MassArt, students will focus primarily on studio electives such as Puppet Animation & Fabrication; Sound Design for Animators; and 3DCG Character Animation, along with advanced coursework such as Animation 3: Communication, and Animation 4: Production. Students will also complete an animation portfolio and the final animation project, while finishing any liberal arts and art history coursework. In addition, a professional internship may be completed during this time.
Graduates of the Animation BFA program at Massachusetts College of Art and Design are prepared to pursue a wide range of positions in industries such as film and animation, digital art, advertising and marketing, and design. Program alumni are also prepared to launch their own studios or freelance careers. MassArt alumni hold titles such as Director, Cartoonist, Designer, Composer, Visual Artist, Art Educator/Professor, Comic Book Creator, Illustrator, Painter, Producer, and Screenwriter.
Massachusetts College of Art and Design is the nation’s first and only public college of art and design. Founded in 1873, the school serves approximately 1,785 students enrolled more than 40 degree, minor, and certificate programs. Approximately 155 continuing education students are enrolled in over 100 classes and workshops in all areas of art and design. Massachusetts College of Art and Design is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE). The school is also an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD).
Northeastern University has a number of paths to study animation. Options are housed across several colleges and departments. The College of Arts, Media and Design (CAMD) at Northeastern University houses the Department of Art + Design, home to the Art + Design BFA with an Animation concentration, the Game Art and Animation BFA, and the Animation minor.
In the Khoury College of Computer Sciences at Northeastern University, the Computer Science BS (BS/CS) program houses a combined major in Media Arts.
All Art + Design BFA students have the opportunity to learn and work in a collaborative, immersive environment. In addition to animation, students have the option to explore other areas such as game design, interactive video, and AR/VR. During the course of the BFA programs, students will work their way through the production pipelines for animated films, visual effects, games, simulations, spatial media, and visualizations.
Other program benefits include courses taught by professionals in the industry; global experiences; and plenty of co-op and other experiential learning experiences. Northeastern University has established relationships with co-op employers such as Microsoft Studios, Apple, CBS, Amazon, NBC Universal Television, Sony, Viacom, Walt Disney Company, Adobe, National Geographic Learning, School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC), and Facebook.
The CAMD Animation concentration requires 134-135 credit hours of study. Course examples include Color and Composition; Animation Basics; Movement and Time; Animation 1 and 2; Visual Intelligence; Animation Tools; and Typographic Systems. The Media Arts Degree Project is the culminating experience for this degree program. This advanced studio course provides preparation for graduating students in their careers as professional artists and creative practitioners.
The Game Art and Animation BFA at Northeastern University consists of 135 credit hours and requires many of the same courses as the Art + Design BFA with an Animation concentration. Other courses for the Game Art and animation program include Foundations of Game Design; Games and Society; Experience and Interaction Tools; Animation for Games; Narrative for Games; Survey of the Still Moving Image; and the Media Arts Degree Project.
The CS/BS with a combined in Media Arts is a 137 credit hour program that explores animation; traditional disciplines such as video, computer graphics, photography, and database design; and emerging areas such as VR/AR, artificial intelligence (AI), human-computer interaction (HCI), and machine learning.
Specific animation and related courses include Animation 1-3; Character Design for Animation; Virtual Environment Design; Animation for Games; Experimental Video; Color and Composition; Experience and Interaction; Movement and Time; and Computer Graphics. The CS/BS/Media Arts program culminates with the Medi Arts Degree Project.
Graduates of the CAMD BFA and Khoury BS/CS in Media Arts Programs at Northeastern University go on to establish careers in areas such as animation, TV and film, game art and design, VR/AR, HCI, and digital media. Program alumni are Animators, Game Artists, Art Directors, Experience Designers, Producers, and Sound Designers.
Northeastern University began as the Evening Institute of the Boston Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) in 1898. The school serves approximately 36,630 full-time students enrolled in more than 500 programs across nine colleges and schools. Northeastern has campuses in Boston, Massachusetts; Charlotte, North Carolina; Seattle, Washington; Silicon Valley; San Francisco, California; Toronto, Ontario Canada; Vancouver, BC Canada; London, UK; Portland, Maine, and the Massachusetts communities of Nahant and Burlington. Northeastern University is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE).
The Department of Art, Film, and Visual Studies (AFVS) at Harvard University is located in the Carpenter Center for the Visual Arts—the nation’s only Le Corbusier building. In addition to the Carpenter Center, AFVS courses are held in Sever Hall—a National Historic Landmark, and Linden Street Studios, which is utilized by faculty members, upper division students, and practicing artists.
The AFVS Department provides opportunities to concentrate in just about any area of visual arts and at all degree levels, including the AB (or BA). Examples include animation, drawing, filmmaking, visual studies, painting, and video art. Students in all concentrations have opportunities to work with faculty in studios and small seminars to reach their goals.
For students who would like to pursue animation, many courses are available to customize the program. Examples include Experimental Animation; Fundamentals of Animation; Intermediate Animation; Film & Visual Studies Workshop; The Art of Film; Immersive Experience as Art; A Video Toolbox; Filmmaking Workshop; Drawing as a Visual Language; Graduate Studio Workshop; and Working with Actors.
AFVS Studio Art and Animation/Film/Video/New Genres courses are practice-based, and the Film and Visual Studies courses are seminar and lecture based. Students in all Harvard AFVS programs have the opportunity to take courses outside of the department. Courses may explore Theater, Media, History of Art and Architecture, Dance, and Cultural Studies.
Graduates of the AFVS programs at Harvard University are prepared to pursue roles in all areas of animation and film production.
Founded in 1636, Harvard University is the oldest institution of higher education in the U.S. The school serves approximately 25,265 students enrolled in hundreds of programs across 13 degree-granting Schools and the Harvard Radcliffe Institute. Harvard University is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE).
The School of the Arts at Emerson College (Emerson) is home to the Department of Visual & Media Arts (VMA). Within the department are two paths to study animation: the Media Arts Production (MAP) BA and BFA. As part of the VMA, students in both MAP programs have access to state-of-the-art equipment and facilities such as the Emerson College Emerging Media Lab (EML), where they can work in multiple areas of new media including 3D modeling and animation, artistic anatomy & 2D animation, rigging and animation, VR/AR, character design, and game design.
Other MAP benefits include the opportunity to gain hands-on experience through on-campus employment with Emerson College’s own in-house production company (Emerson Productions) or the Equipment Distribution Center (EDC); and opportunities for producing and screening work through film festivals and student organizations such as Women in Motion, Frames Per Second, Emerson Film Festival, and It’s All True – International Documentary Film Festival.
All MAP students have the opportunity to study and intern in the entertainment industry in Hollywood while spending a semester at Emerson Los Angeles (ELA). Established in 1986 and situated on Sunset Boulevard, ELA is a state-of-the-art, 120,000 square foot LEED-certified building where students can live and learn. The program provides access to more than 200 internship opportunities. Up to 215 Emerson students arrive at ELA each fall, with the potential to secure internships at places such as Disney, Lionsgate, Sony, Netflix, and Hulu.
The MAP BA program at Emerson College has two tracks: Production and Media Studies. The Production track is the ideal choice for animators. Students have access to courses such as Computer Animation; Drawing for Character Design; Writing the Short Subject; Film Production; Writing the Feature Film; Game Design; Producing; Film Production; Interactive Media; and Studio TV Production. With a required 16 credit hours of Visual and Media Arts electives, BA students have many opportunities to enhance the degree.
The program culminates with the BA Capstone Project. This one-semester course allows students to create a work in any area of the VMA program.
MAP BFA students will take all of the requirements listed for the BA program, along with an additional 16 credits of advanced media production courses, and a thesis project to be completed in the last semester of the program at the Boston campus.
Graduates of the VMA Department at Emerson College have directed, written, or produced major productions such as Ant-Man, Fantastic Four, Fargo, Everything Everywhere All At Once, and Swiss Army Man. Program alumni have also been hired at major studios such as Digital Domain, Searchlight Pictures, Worldwide Pants, Bunim Murray Productions, and MGM Studios.
Emerson College was established in 1880. The school serves approximately 4,930 students enrolled in more than 40 degree programs. In addition to the main campus in Boston, and ELA, Emerson has an overseas location in the Netherlands. Emerson College is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE).
The College of Art and Design at Lesley University (Lesley) an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD). The college serves around 700 students, allowing for small studio classes and opportunities to work one-on-one with accomplished instructors who have worked for DreamWorks, Nickelodeon, and Fox. Lesley Art and Design students also have access to state-of-the-art visual effects (VFX) studio (the only one of its kind in New England); second major options; and 45+ in-demand minors.
All students must also complete an internship or apprenticeship. Examples of past participating studios include Nickelodeon, Warner Bros., and Boston-based Hero4Hire Creative.
Within the College of Art and Design at Lesley is an Animation and Motion Media program with BFA, minor, and certificate options. The BFA that explores the 12 Principles of Animation, stop-motion, digital CGI, character animation for 2D and 3D, fine arts animation, VFX, cinematic language, narrative fabrication, and more.
In addition to Nickelodeon and Warner Bros., students in the Animation and Motion Media BFA program have interned at places such as Adult Swim, SideFX, Northern Light Productions, Zero VFX, MassDiGI, and Mind & Machine VFX. Examples of second major combinations include Animation and Motion Media + Biology (Medical Animator); Animation and Motion Media + Creative Writing (Independent Cartoonist); and Animation and Motion Media + Fine Art (Art Educator, Animation Professor).
The Animation and Motion Media minor consists of 15 credit hours and it can be added to any creative degree program. Required courses include Principles of Animation 1 and 2, and Storyboarding for Time-Based Media. Elective examples include Character Animation; Digital Filmmaking Techniques; Stop Motion Animation; Experimental Animation; Compositing & Visual Effects; Technical Drawing; Audio Production & Design; and Digital Animation: 2D.
The Animation and Motion Media Certificate is a professional, post-baccalaureate program consisting of 60 credit hours. The program provides hands-on experience through internal and external Animation and VFX internships, as well as courses taught by expert faculty members. Coursework teachers students how to create projects in and master areas such as Digital CGI; Armature Puppets; Motion Picture Storytelling; Creating and Editing Sound for Video; 2D and 3D Modeling; Motion Graphics; Motion Media Advertising; Physical and Digital Rendering; Interactive Media; Special Effects; Gaming Art; and Experimental Digital Video.
The Lesley University VFX BFA integrates animation, design, film, and photography. Students in this 120 credit hour program will learn the 12 Principles of Animation, and select an area of specialization such as Animation, 3D Modeling, Compositing, or Rendering. Course examples include History of Animation; Principles of Animation 1 and 2; Advanced Stop Motion Animation; Digital Animation: 2D; Animation Seminar; 3D Character Animation; and Business of Animation.
Graduates of the Animation Programs at Lesley University work in animation, film, TV, game design, advertising, and other fields. Thy are Animators, VFX Artists, Game Designers, Art Directors, Filmmakers, 3D Designers, Content Producers, Storyboard Artists, Medical Visualization Modelers, Advertising Animators, and Art Educators.
Lesley University alumni have worked on projects for companies and studios such as DreamWorks, Warner Bros., Nickelodeon, HBO, Cox Media, Fox, Film Roman, White Snake Projects, and Harvard University. Some alumni have gone on to launch their own studios or freelance businesses, while others have enrolled in graduate programs at top universities.
Founded in 1909, Lesley University serves approximately 6,000 students enrolled in 100+ programs. Lesley Colleges and Schools include the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the College of Art & Design, the Graduate School of Education, and the Graduate School of Arts & Social Sciences. Lesley University is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE).
The College of Humanities & Fine Arts at University of Massachusetts at Amherst (UMass Amherst) is home to the Department of Art. With an emphasis on art, art education, and design, the department spans several buildings that house state-of-the-art shops, labs, and graduate studios for animation production, printmaking, intermedia, and more. The department also hosts the Visiting Artist and Practitioner Series, which features lectures and visits with students in their studios.
Also within the Department of Art is a Studio Art program with BA and BFA options. The BA allows students to study animation through 21 credit hours of electives. The BFA has a formal Animation specialization, with the opportunity to select courses from the Department of Computer Science.
Students in the Animation specialization at UMass Amherst will begin the Studio Arts program with first-year Foundations courses such as Basic Studio/Drawing; Drawing Composition; and Foundation Studio 1 and 2. In the Animation specialization, students will take courses such as Media and Motion Graphics; Stop Motion Animation; Experimental 3D Animation; Advanced Drawing; Introduction to Visual Arts; and Advanced Animation Seminar.
Studio Art BA students will also complete first-year Foundations, as well as art history requirements such as Modern Art; Ancient to Medieval; and Introduction to Visual Arts. The program provides access to electives such as Animation Fundamentals; Computer Animation I and II; Interactive Programming. Moving Image; Digital Media; Introduction to Computers in Fine Art; Visual Arts and Human Development I and II; Intermedia Topics; and Senior Seminar: Computer Studio.
Throughout the Studio Art BA program at UMass Amherst, students will have the opportunity to complete many projects, leading to a final portfolio of their best work. BFA students will complete a Senior Thesis Project consisting composing a body of work, a written thesis, an oral defense, and a solo exhibition.
Graduates of the Studio Arts/Animation programs at University of Massachusetts Amherst are prepared to pursue positions in all areas of animation, fine art, and design. Program alumni have worked on projects for Nickelodeon, Lucasfilm, and Warner Bros. Examples include the Harry Potter and Star Wars films.
University of Massachusetts Amherst is part of the UMass System, which includes campuses in Dartmouth, Amherst, Boston, and Lowell, Massachusetts, plus UMass Law, UMass Chan Medical, and UMass Global. A top 200 national public research university, and one of the largest employers in the state, UMass serves approximately 73,980 students. Of this figure, approximately 32,230 students are enrolled at UMass Amherst, making it the largest school in the UMass System.
Founded as Massachusetts Agricultural College (MAC) in 1863, University of Massachusetts Amherst is the oldest member of the UMass System, and also part of the Five College Consortium. This includes Amherst College (Amherst), Hampshire College (Amherst), Mount Holyoke College (South Hadley), and Smith College (Northampton). UMass Amherst provides more than 200 academic programs across ten colleges and schools. The school is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE).
Tufts University is home to the School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts University (SMFA at Tufts or SMFA), which provides intensive studio arts training to an estimated 450 students. Programs at SMFA take place in an interdisciplinary learning environment, with the opportunity to gain hands-on experience through on-campus projects and internships. Students also benefit from SMFA’s networking events; research projects and workshops; visiting artist lectures; career development programming; and student exhibitions.
SMFA at Tufts also provides two paths to study animation: the BFA and Combined BFA + BA/BS. Both allow students to customize a focus in one or more mediums in collaboration with academic advisors.
Through coursework and projects, students can focus in areas such as Animation, Film and Video, Virtual Reality, Digital Media, or Graphic Arts. Animation students will explore 2D, 3D, hand-made, and digital techniques while creating everything from animated films to animation for advertising or the web.
Sample courses include Animation Basics; Drawing for Animation; Animation 2; Animation Integration; Moving Image; and Stop-Motion Animation. To enhance the program, students can add a Studio Art minor.
In the final year of the SMFA BFA program, students may apply to the SMFA Tufts Senior Thesis Program. This yearlong capstone leads to a professional work and exhibition. Combined BFA + BA/BS students will graduate with two degrees: a BFA and a BA or BS in their chosen area. Graduates are prepared to pursue careers in all industries that require advanced animation skills.
School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts University has an additional option for animators seeking an advanced degree. The Studio MFA provides the opportunity to work with faculty and staff to develop a personalized studio curriculum. Students can focus their studies in areas such as Animation, Virtual Reality, Film and Video, Sound, Digital Media, Graphic Arts, or Installation.
Coursework for this 60 credit hour program is complemented by seminars, visiting artists, exchange and travel opportunities, and the Graduate Colloquium. A forum for graduate students, professional artists, and faculty, Colloquia are all-day events that take place at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Colloquia are open to the public.
The Studio MFA program at SMFA at Tufts culminates in a thesis and self-curated exhibition of the student's best work. Graduates are prepared to pursue leadership roles in all areas of animation, among others.
Founded in 1852, Tufts University is a private research institution that spans four campuses across urban, suburban, and rural locations. The school serves approximately 13,430 students enrolled in more than 90 undergraduate majors and minors, 100+ master’s degrees, over 55 doctoral programs, and more than 40 certificate programs across ten colleges and schools. This includes the School of the Museum of Fine Arts (SMFA).
The School of the Museum of Fine Arts began as partnership with Tufts University in 1945, with the goal to provide as joint degree program focused on teacher training. The collaboration established its first BFA program in 1956. Today, SMFA at Tufts serves more than 400 students enrolled in BFA, MFA, MAT, Combined-degree (BFA + BA/BS), Certificate, and Studio Diploma programs.
The School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts University is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD). As part of Tufts University, SMFA is also accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC).
Hampshire College is a unique institution that provides the opportunity for students to design their own major from one of 50 areas of study. For custom programs, instead of academic years, students work their way through the major while completing portfolio reviews, projects, community-based learning experiences, courses, and final papers. All programs lead to a BA degree.
For Animators, Hampshire College has an Animation and Digital Art area that allows students to work alone and in interdisciplinary teams to develop animated works to add to their final portfolio. Students also have the opportunity to intern with independent production house Bit Films (est. 2002). Mentoring opportunities are also available through Bit.
Courses for the Animation and Digital Art area are project-based and explore everything from Animation and Digital Sound to Artificial Intelligence (AI). Because Hampshire College is part of The Five College Consortium, students have access to courses at participating schools.
Course examples at Hampshire include Computer Animation I-III; Digital Art: Multimedia, Malleability and Interactivity; Pixelbending; Topics in Computer Graphics; Animation Workshop; Programming in Artificial Life; Women in Animation; and Sequential Imagery I and II. Sample Consortium courses include Interactive Digital Multimedia; Digital Sound and Music Production; Cinema and New Media; Digital Art; Media Arts and Technology; Global Communication; and Digital Cultures.
All Animation and Digital Arts students have access to three state-of-the-rt animation studios; an e-classroom; state-of-the-art computer, video editing, and media labs; a sound lab and electronic music recording studio; and film-editing facilities.
During the entire final year of the Animation and Digital Art program, students will conceptualize, design, and finalize a solo project. Hampshire College graduates are prepared to pursue careers in all areas of animation and film. Program have been hired at places such as Cartoon Network, Pixar, and South Park Studios.
Founded in 1965, Hampshire College is part of The Five College Consortium, which includes Amherst College (Amherst), UMass Amherst (Amherst), Mount Holyoke College (South Hadley), and Smith College (Northampton). This independent, not-for-profit institution serves approximately 510 students enrolled in self-designed programs across 50 areas of study. Hampshire College is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE).
The College of Visual Performing Arts (CVPA) at University of Massachusetts Dartmouth (UMass Dartmouth or UMassD) serves more than 500 students. This creative division provides access to the Graphic Design & Illustration, Digital Media, and Drawing/Painting Labs, as well as six instructional computing labs; the Hall-Hildreth IDEAStudio (a collaboration between the College of Engineering and the CVPA); two student gallery exhibition spaces; and other resources such as the Visual and Media Literacy Hub and the Innovative Learning Collaborative (ILC).
The CVPA at UMass Dartmouth also provides access to four paths to study animation: the Art and Design BFA: Animation and Game Art (AGA BFA), the Art and Design: Integrated Studio Arts BFA, and minors in Animation or Game Arts. Minors are 18 credit hours, including 15 credit hours in the core and one three credit hour elective.
Students in both options will take Principles of Animation and Story Structures, and work with digital tools such as Maya, Photoshop, and Unity3D. Common electives include Digital Video Production and Advanced Topics in Animation and Game Arts. Animation students will also take 3D Modeling and 3D Animation, with access to other electives such as Visual Design for Games, and Illustration: Character Design and Environments. Game Arts students will also take Principles of Game Design; Visual Design for Games; and Game Design. Other Game Arts electives include 3D Modeling and 3D Animation.
The Animation minor culminates with the production of a 2D and 3D animation portfolio. Game Arts students will complete a portfolio of prototypes (character, environmental design, and functional). UMassD Animation and Game Arts graduates are prepared for careers such as Animator, Game Artist, 3D Modeler, Game Designer, Rigger, Game User Interface Designer, and Texture Artist.
The Art and Design BFA at UMass Dartmouth requires 78 credit hours in the major and 120 credits overall. All first year CVPA students must complete the Foundations program before entering the BFA with a concentration. Examples of Foundations courses include Digital Essentials; Theory and Criticism in Art and Design; 2D Form and Surface; and Visual Arts Seminar.
The CVPA Animation and Game Art concentration explores 2D and 3D animation, interactive design, virtual reality, 3D modeling, storyboarding, game design, and storytelling. Course examples include 3D Digital Animation and Modeling; Principles of Animation; Game Design; 3D Modeling; Visual Design for Games; Story Structures; Senior Animation Studio; and Senior Game Studio.
In the last two years of the AGA BFA, students will have opportunities to complete an internship and study abroad experience. In the final year, students will complete the Professional Design Practice course and the A+GA Capstone and Exhibition.
UMass Dartmouth CVPA graduates enjoy a 91% employment (or graduate school) rate within six months of graduation. AGA BFA graduates are prepared to pursue positions in traditional, new, and emerging fields such as animation, special effects (SFX), scientific visualization, VR/AR, multimedia, art direction, forensic animation, UI/UX, game design, visual effects (VFX), software design, advertising, environmental design, art education, and video editing.
Program alumni have been hired at places such as Microsoft, Razorfish, Jack Morton Worldwide, Sametz Blackstone Associates, White Rhino, Mad*Pow, iFactory, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), and Zak Pak.
The Art and Design: Integrated Studio Arts BFA at University of Massachusetts Dartmouth is designed for incoming transfer students looking for a broad degree across the Visual Arts. Students in this program have the unique opportunity to mix-and-match studio courses from other CVPA programs to create their own study plan. Courses may come from Animation and Game Arts; Illustration; Graphic Design; Drawing; Digital Media; Painting; Photography; and Printmaking, among others.
Integrated Studio Arts BFA students may also explore fields across UMassD. Examples include Business, Computer Science, Engineering, and Science. This 120 credit hour program begins with the Foundations program and ends with the Studio Art Capstone and Exhibition. Graduates are prepared to pursue careers across the Visual Arts.
University of Massachusetts Dartmouth began as New Bedford Textile School in 1895. Part of the UMass System, UMassD serves approximately 7,460 students enrolled in 249 undergraduate majors, minors, and fields of study; 42 master’s degrees, 17 doctorate programs, and 43 graduate certificates; and 48 total STEM programs. Programs at UMass Dartmouth are housed across seven colleges and schools.
University of Massachusetts Dartmouth is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE), the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD), and the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, among others.
The College of Fine Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences (FAHSS) at University of Massachusetts Lowell (UMass Lowell or UML) houses the Department of Art and Design. Within the department is an Art and Design BFA with an Animation and Interactive Media concentration. This interdisciplinary program explores visual imagery, new and emerging technologies, and various fields in Transmedia Arts. Other program benefits include required internships that provide real-world experience; multiple creative assignments and projects (individual and group); and study abroad experiences in places such as London, Italy, and Portugal.
Throughout this 120 credit hour program, students will complete coursework across areas such as animation, game design, motion graphics, web design, interactive design, data visualization, and graphic design. Course examples include First Year Experience Seminar; Art Concepts Studio I-II; The Language and History of Animation; Character and Layout Design; 3D Modeling and Animation I; Interactive Media I-II; Storyboarding & Comics; 2D Animation I; Game Design: Narrative; Game Design II; and STEM Perspective.
UMass Animation and Interactive Media students may enhance the concentration through 18 credit hours of electives. Examples include Web Design I-III; Visual Motion Effects; Animation Studio; Screenwriting; 2D Animation II; Video Production for Digital Media; 3D Modeling and Animation II; and Digital Editing.
In the senior year of the Art and Design BFA program at University of Massachusetts Lowell, students will focus on their final projects in animation, interactive media, or combined project. Completed across two courses, the Senior Studio Capstone also focuses on the development of the students online portfolio and resume. Final projects will be evaluated by faculty and presented to the public in the BFA Senior Studio Exhibition.
Graduates of the UMass Animation and Interactive Media program are prepared for careers in the animation industry, game design, film studios, interactive design, motion graphics, app design, and web design.
Founded in 1894, University of Massachusetts Lowell is part of the UMass System. Serving approximately 17,340 students, UML is the second largest campus in the system after UMass Amherst. More than 120 undergraduate majors, 47 master’s degree programs, 30 doctoral degrees, and 72 certificates are provided at UML, across five academic colleges. University of Massachusetts Lowell is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE).
