| Ranking | School | City |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Ohio State University | Columbus |
| 2 | Columbus College of Art and Design | Columbus |
| 3 | Cleveland Institute of Art | Cleveland |
| 4 | Bowling Green State University | Bowling Green |
| 5 | Ohio University | Athens |
Our 2025 ranking -our fourteenth annual- of the top animation school programs in Ohio. For an explanation of the ranking criteria, click here.
The Ohio State University (OSU) belongs to an elite group of universities that have land-, sea-, and space-grant designations. The largest campus in Columbus, OSU houses more than 200 academic centers and institutes; 350 study abroad programs across 70 countries on six continents; and nearly 20 colleges and schools. This includes the College of Arts and Sciences, which provides more than 250 majors, minors, certificates, and graduate programs to approximately 19,310 students.
Students seeking a career in animation can choose from several paths including the Moving Image Production BA (MIP BA); BFA and MFA degrees in Art and Technology; and a Digital Animation and Interactive Media MFA.
Established in 2017, the MIP BA is a collaboration between the Advanced Computing Center for the Arts and Design (ACCAD), and the Departments of Art; Theatre, Film, and Media Arts; and Design. This interdisciplinary program combines live-action and animated filmmaking, with studio practice in narrative, animation, documentary, and experimental filmmaking.
Students will complete 38 credits in the major and 15 credits in the Film Studies. Course examples for the program include Computer Animation: Form, Light and Motion; Procedural Animation; Motion I-II; Group Studies in Digital Animation and Interactive Media; Animation Techniques and Practices; Motion Capture Production and Experimentation; Designing Immersive Virtual Environments; Concept Development for Time-Based Media; and Motion Studies Through Hand-Drawn Animation.
OSU MIP BA students will also have opportunities to take additional production, screenwriting, and other courses through electives within the program and through the Advanced Computing Center for the Arts and Design (ACCAD) and the Wexner Center for the Arts.
Other program benefits include participation in OSU’s internship and study abroad programs. MIP BA students have interned with or established careers with CBS, Netflix, YouTube, Sundance, Starz, 3 Arts Entertainment, 4th Row Films, and Bungalow Media, among others. Students have also worked on productions such as Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Fast and Furious 8, Carol, and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Possible study abroad locations include Dublin, Rome, London, Copenhagen, Prague, and Germany.
Part of the College of Art and Sciences' Department of Art, the Art and Technology emphasis for the BFA and MFA programs is an interdisciplinary area that explores animation, 3D modeling, robotics, animatronics, and everything in between. Course examples include Art and Technology Studio Practice; Computer Animation; Internet Art; Graphic Novel – Web Comic Production; New Media Robotics; Moving Image Art; Video Art; Digital Imaging; and Aspects of Art and Technology I-II with special topics such as Art Games and Eco Art.
Students in the OSU Art and Technology BFA and MFA programs also benefit from project-based learning; opportunities to work with 3D animations, virtual reality, interactive installations, and sound; and access to dedicated labs, state-of-the-art production facilities, and collaborative studio spaces.
The Digital Animation and Interactive Media MFA is part of the College of Arts and Sciences’ Department of Design, and a collaboration with the college's Advanced Computing Center for the Arts and Design (ACCAD). Students in this program will complete 60 credit hours of study including core design courses, thesis project and writing development, and open electives in history/theory/criticism; studio/lab; and collaborative/interdisciplinary studio.
Course and elective examples for the program include Graduate Studio; Exploration in Graduate Design Studies; Virtual Modeling; Aspects of Art and Technology; and Computer Game Art and Design.
In the final year of the Digital Animation and Interactive Media MFA program at OSU, students will complete four thesis courses (with a three-person committee), culminating with the Project Exhibition and Oral Defense.
Across programs, graduates are prepared to pursue roles in animation, film and television, multimedia design, computer graphics (CG), game design, augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR), visual communication, directing, motion graphics, interaction design, mixed reality (MR), human-computer interaction (HCI) design, user interface (UI) design, and visualization.
The Ohio State University was established in 1870 as Ohio Agricultural and Mechanical College. The school serves approximately 66,900 students across campuses in Columbus (main), Lima, Mansfield, Marion, and Newark, Ohio. The school also houses the Agricultural Technical Institute in Wooster, Ohio. More than 200 majors, minors, and specializations are provided across 18 colleges and schools. The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) accredits the Ohio State University.
The Animation program at Columbus College of Art and Design (CCAD) was established in 1987. Recognized as a Center of Excellence by Toon Boom, the program focuses on developing advanced skills in the latest animation techniques and tools. Examples include 2D, 3D, Claymation, and stop-motion. The program also explores virtual reality, motion graphics, and digital modeling.
Other program benefits include CCAD Sketch, where students can sketch live animals, in studio, as they play with their trainers; participation in the Animation Student Collective, which features networking opportunities; unlimited access to CCAD’s Cloyd Family Animation Center, which houses flex spaces, the Animation Student Collective, student lounges and state-of-the-art labs such as stop-motion, virtual reality drawing, computer, and teaching; participation in the 24-Hours Animation Contest for Students; and real-world projects with nonprofit, corporate, and government partners.
Examples of CCAD partners include American Greetings, Odam Publishing, Greater Columbus Film Commission, General Motors, Rela Art, Greater Columbus Arts Council, Nutella, 99P Labs, JP Morgan Chase, Procter & Gamble, Old Navy, Keep Ohio Beautiful, Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, Goodwill Industries, E. & J. Gallo Winery, Cardinal Health, White Castle, Ohio History Connection, and Zox.
Students in the Animation program at CCAD can earn a BFA. An Animation minor is open to Film and Video BFA students. All BFA students will complete the first-year experience, which consists of drawing, technology, design, and business classes. During this time, students will also explore creative processes and performance, conduct research, and collaborate with peers.
Upon completion of the first-year, Animation BFA students may select a concentration or one of 18 minor options. Concentrations require nine credit hours of coursework, while minors require 15 credit hours. Concentration examples include Animation/Game Design; Illustration/Entertainment; Animation/Experimental; Design/Modeling; Design/Drawing; and Illustration/Illustrative Design.
Minors that complement the program include Animation 2D or 3D; Illustration; Comics & Narrative Practice; Fine Art; Film & Video; Creative Writing; Advertising & Graphic Design; and Photography.
The CCAD Animation BFA requires 120 credit hours. Course examples include 3D Character Animation Simulation; Visual and Narrative Storyboard; 3D Animation Modeling and Surfacing; Historical Art and Design; Animation Lab Pipeline; Café Sketch; Visual Literacy; Animation Lab Production; and Writing and the Arts.
The Animation BFA program at Columbus College of Art and Design culminates with a final project, portfolio, and presentation. Graduates are prepared to pursue careers in entertainment and other creative industries. Examples of recent employers include Netflix, Sony Pictures Animation, Amazon Studios, Electronic Arts (EA), Cartoon Network, Pixar, Nickelodeon, Titmouse, DreamWorks Animation, Walt Disney Animation Studios, Riot Games, Aardman Animations, Framestore, LAIKA, ZeniMax Media, Illumination Entertainment, Aha Media, PIXEL Park, and AXIS Studios.
Some Animation BFA alumni also go on to open their own independent studios or to enroll in a graduate program, such as CCAD’s Amelita Mirolo MFA in Visual Arts. This 60-credit hour terminal degree program is one of the most competitive programs at CCAD. Each year, the program accepts just 15 students.
The CCAD Visual Arts MFA operates within a 13,700 square-feet facility that houses individual private graduate studios, exhibition space, faculty offices, and a lounge. In the facility, students can work on individual projects and thesis production in any area of interest. Examples include animation, game art, film, television, interactive design, and illustration. Students may focus in any of these areas through art and design electives and/or CCAD’s numerous minor and concentration options.
Other CCAD MFA highlights include access to the Tad Jeffrey FabLab, which houses 3D printers, one of the largest laser cutters in the state, computer labs, studios, digital printing facilities, darkrooms, and a walk-in spray booth; participation in the visiting artist series, which features seminars, mentoring, workshops, and lectures; and internship opportunities with nonprofits and businesses located in places such as New York, Ireland, Chicago, Seattle, Honduras, and Oregon.
Graduates of the Visual Arts MFA program at Columbus College of Art and Design are prepared to pursue leadership roles in areas such as filmmaking, illustration, advertising, fine art, museums, and education. CCAD Art and Design alumni have been hired at places such as Pixar, Cartoon Network, and American Greetings.
Columbus Art School was established in 1879 by five women who had been prohibited from taking art classes alongside men. When it opened, the school had just six students. Serving more than 1,000 students, Columbus Art School is now known as Columbus College of Art and Design. Students at this private, nonprofit art and design college have access to 11 undergraduate majors, 18 minors, and three graduate programs across more than 10 departments.
Columbus College of Art and Design is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) and the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD). CCAD is also affiliated with the Association of Independent Colleges of Art and Design (AICAD).
During World War II, Cleveland Institute of Art (CIA) was one of the first schools in the U.S. to provide courses in medical drawing and mapmaking. The schools Joseph McCullough Center for the Visual Arts is a former Ford assembly plant that was built in 1914–1915, and CIA participated in the Works Progress Administration (WPA) Federal Art Project during the Great Depression.
Today, Cleveland Institute of Art houses one of the top repertory movie theaters in the nation, along with a carefully curated collection of art and design programs accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD). Among CIA’s programs is an Animation BFA that combines a First-Year Experience (FYE) and liberal arts studies with immersive studio courses in animation.
Other program benefits include work experiences with real clients and community partners such as Ford Motor Company, Hearst Foundations (HearstFDN); Ohio Arts Council, and Cuyahoga Arts and Culture; independent and collaborative projects; field trips to museums and the zoo for inspiration; opportunities to collaborate with students in other CIA departments; and internships with local companies, studios, and cultural institutions such as Cleveland Museum of Art and the Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland (moCa Cleveland).
CIA Animation students also benefit from mentorships with veteran industry professionals with a combined 600+ feature film, digital production, and television credits. CIA faculty have worked with Walt Disney Animation Studios, Illumination, DreamWorks, Warner Bros., Hasbro, and Sony Pictures Animation.
The Animation BFA program at CIA begins with the FYE. Required courses include 2D Design; Digital I-II; Observational Drawing; Studio Discovery; 3D Design; Life Drawing; and Safety Lab I-II. Liberal arts course examples include Critical Issues in Visual Culture; Themes and Movement in Art Design History; Writing I-III; Contemporary Art, Design and Media; Quantitative Reasoning; and Writing Intensive.
Animation coursework consists of 42 credit hours in cores and an elective. Core course examples include Introduction to 3D Animation; Screenwriting; Narrative Production I-III; Body Mechanics for Animation; Storyboarding and Sequential Art; Drawing for Animation; and Concept Development. Elective options include 3D Texture Mapping and Digital Lighting; and Motion Graphics.
The culminating experience for the CIA Animation BFA program is the Animation Portfolio Reel and Shorts course, and the BFA Thesis and Exhibition.
Graduates of the Animation BFA program at Cleveland Institute of Art are prepared to pursue roles in film and television; game design and development; mobile app animation; medical animation; legal, scientific, or architectural visualization; social media; scientific visualization; and educational animation, among others.
Program alumni can be found at places such as Walt Disney Animation Studios, DC Comics, Electronic Arts (EA), Bethesda Softworks, PBS, and The Wall Street Journal.
Cleveland Institute of Art was chartered as the Western Reserve School of Design for Women in 1882. This independent, not-for-profit college serves approximately 600 students enrolled in 13 entertainment arts, design, fine arts, and craft majors. In addition to NASAD accreditation, Cleveland Institute of Art is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).
Bowling Green State University (BGSU) houses Ohio’s largest public undergraduate school of art. Established more than 75 years ago, the BGSU School of Art has also been accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD) since 1984. Students in the school benefit from BGSU’s student life program with over 300 student organizations; specialized workshops and career coaching; access to array of STEM programs; and dozens of state-of-the-art spaces that simulate real-world production studios, labs, offices, and research centers.
Part of the College of Arts and Sciences, the School of Art houses also five divisions including Digital Arts; Graphic Design; Art History; Studio; and Art Education. Features across divisions include a student-faculty ratio of 15:1; opportunities to gain hands-on experience through internships with Pixar, Disney Animation, and the Museum of Modern Art; the chance to study abroad at BGSU’s partner school in Florence, Italy; opportunities to work in BGSU’s professional large-format printing studio; and access to a variety of curriculum-enhancing minors.
In addition, the newly built 100,000 square feet Wolfe Center for the Arts provides access to three state-of-the-art digital studio classrooms; a 20-seat HP (Windows 7) lab; an editing lab with 20 Mac Pro video editing workstations; and a 20-seat Mac Pro OSX lab. The School of Art also houses The Media Center, which houses high-end digital A/V equipment for student checkout; high-dynamic range wide format printers; high-resolution scanners; and 3D printers.
For individuals seeking an Animation degree, the Digital Arts Division provides BA, BFA, and minor options. A Studio Art MFA is provided in the School of Art. The 21 credit-hour Digital Arts minor has 3D Modeling and Animation; Video Art; Interactive Media; and Imaging specializations. Students may focus in these areas through electives selected with the help of Digital Arts faculty advisors. All minor students will complete Digital Imaging and three First Year Program courses.
Other courses may be selected from 20 elective options. Examples include Animation Principles and Techniques; Story and Concept Development; Digital Character Animation I-II; Intro to Gaming; 3D Animation; Contemporary Practices in Digital Arts I-II; Artistic Animation Effects; and Digital Video Art.
Digital Arts BA and BFA students may specialize in Animation, with a 2D or 3D Animation track. An optional interdisciplinary track allows students to incorporate classes from other formal areas such as Drawing, Graphic Design, or Photography.
The 2D Animation track includes required courses such as Digital Imaging, and Art and Code. Other courses include 2D Digital Animation; Creative Character Design; 3D Modeling; Animation Principles and Techniques; and Animation Production. Students will also have the option to select from electives such as Collaborative Digital Art Development; 3D Animation; Art and Virtual Environments; and Animated Films: An International History.
3D Animation track students will also complete the required Digital Imaging, and Art and Code, as well most 2D track courses. Elective options are identical as well. Other 3D Animation courses include Artistic Animation Effects and Advanced 3D Animation Techniques.
The 2D Animation and 3D Animation tracks culminate in a semester-long senior capstone completed across three courses including Professional Practices (4090); Senior Studio (4180); and BFA Thesis (4190). Projects will be screened at The Wolfe Center for the Arts during the School of Art's Annual BFA Exhibition and Film Festival.
The School of Art Studio Art MFA is a two-year, full-time program with a specialization in Digital Arts. This includes Computer Animation, Digital Media, and Interactive Media. The program requires a minimum of 60 credit hours, including 39 credits of required courses; 18 credits of studio electives; and three for the culminating experience.
Included in the 39 credit hours are 21 credits from Digital Arts; six from Art History; and 12 from research, critique, and pedagogy. These include Studio Critique; Contextualizing Practice and Research; and Pedagogy and Research in Studio Art. Elective examples include Artistic Animation Effects; Interactive Art Studio; Advanced Study in Digital Animation; Workshop in Art; Collaborative Multimedia Development; Digital Animation Studio; Advanced Study in Interactive Art; and Graduate Travel Studio.
The culminating experience for the MFA program is the Exhibition Research course, which entails supervised independent study activities encompassing all phases of preparation for the BGSU MFA Exhibition. This event is held each spring in the Dorothy Uber Bryan Gallery in BGSU’s Fine Arts Center.
Graduates of the Digital Arts and Studio MFA programs at Bowling Green State University are prepared to pursue titles such as 2D or 3D Animator, Special Effects Artist, Motion Graphics Artist, Video Game Animator, Multimedia Designer, Web Design Animator, Technical Director, Producer, Advertising Animator, and Animation Professor.
BGSU alumni have been hired at major companies and studios such as DreamWorks Animation, Apple, Blizzard Entertainment, Epic Games, American Greetings, Root Learning, and Designing Digitally.
Bowling Green State University was established in 1910 as a teacher-training institution. The school held its first classes in 1941. Today, BGSU provides more than 200 programs across six colleges and BGSU Firelands in Huron, Ohio. Serving approximately 18,795 students, Bowling Green State University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).
Ohio University (OU) is home to the E.W. Scripps College of Communication. Within the college are five schools that provide a combination of major, minor, graduate, and certificate programs. Schools include Visual Communication (VisCom); Journalism (JOUR); Media Arts and Studies (MDIA); Communication Studies; and the J. Warren McClure School of Emerging Communication Technologies (ECT).
Serving approximately 600 undergraduates, the Scripps School of Media Arts and Studies (MDIA) provides two paths to study animation including the Animation BS and the Media Arts Production BS. In partnership with the Warren School of ECT and the VisCom School, the School of Media Arts and Studies provides Communication Media Arts MFA.
For the BS programs, students have access to the Advanced Animation Lab and more than a dozen other state-of-the-art facilities, studios, and labs. Other program benefits include participation in student organizations; industry internships and other experiential learning experiences; study abroad opportunities; and capstone projects.
Examples of industry internships and experiential learning experiences include the 48-Hour Shoot-Out where students have just two days to write, direct, and shoot a polished 5-minute film; Animation and Culture in Tokyo, where students will explore Tokyo’s animation scene and culture; Storytelling in Theme Parks, which includes all access tickets, workshops, speakers, and behind-the-scene tours at Walt Disney World; OHIO-in-LA, where students have the opportunity to live and work in Hollywood; and attendance at (and possibly participation in) South by Southwest.
The Animation BS program at Ohio University requires 120 credit hours. Students will complete the Animation Core consisting of Animation Foundation and Animation I-II. Electives allow students to focus in an area of interest within Animation or take advanced courses. Electives examples include Animation III; Character and Production Design for Animation; Compositing; Special Topics in Games and Animation; Visual Storytelling; Animated Documentary Production; and Traditional Animation Techniques.
All Animation students will complete a capstone to graduate. For this culminating experience, students may select the Animation Capstone course or the Storytelling, Technology and Digital Media in Theme Parks course. The Animation Capstone is a semester-long portfolio project consisting of projects that utilize animation through all steps of the creative pipeline.
The Storytelling, Technology and Digital Media in Theme Parks course explores the technology, media design, and storytelling principles utilized in theme park development. Students will integrate different forms of media into a single immersive environment. This project includes one off-campus field trip.
The Media Arts Production BS at Ohio University is designed for students seeking careers in animation, game design, film and video, music, and social media, among others. For students seeking careers in animation, the program provides related coursework through requirements and electives. Examples include Animation Foundation; Global Animation; Animation I-II; Traditional Animation Techniques; Character and Production Design for Animation; Advanced Video Production; Special Topics in Games and Animation; Visual Storytelling; Sound for Moving Image I-I; The Craft of Editing; and Production in Los Angeles.
For the culminating experience, Media Arts Production students may select one from the following options: Advanced Screenwriting for Film; Advanced Narrative Production Credit Hours; Nonfiction Storytelling and Documentary Production; Advanced Digital Video Postproduction; and Media and Web Delivery.
Graduates of the School of Media Arts and Studies at Ohio University are prepared to pursue titles such as Animator, Motion Graphics Designer, 3D Artist, Visual Effects (VFX) Artist, Animation Production Assistant, Cinematic Artist, Video Editor, Multimedia Artist, Technical Artist, Art Director, and Environmental Artist.
The Communication Media Arts MFA at Ohio University is a multidisciplinary, three-year program that provides the opportunity to study in two or more areas. Examples include Animation; Video Game Design; Virtual and Augmented Reality (VR/AR); Data Visualization and Infographics; Interactive Web Design; and Music Production.
This 90 credit hour program also emphasizes hands-on training through collaborative and experiential projects. Examples include projects in the Game Research and Immersive Design (GRID) Lab; practicum projects through Scripps College or the College of Fine Arts; grant-funded faculty initiatives; or projects through WOUB Public Media—a broadcasting service licensed to Ohio University. Note that collaborative and experiential projects are a required component of the MFA program.
Other program highlights include opportunities to teach; professional internships and externships; and study abroad experiences. Students in the Communication Media Arts MFA at Ohio University will spend the final year of the program in two immersive Thesis Production courses. Graduates are prepared to pursue leadership roles in areas such as entertainment, game design and development, television and film, web design, advertising, VR/AR, education, and research.
Ohio University was founded on February 18, 1804, making it the oldest public university in the state. When it opened, the school consisted of a single building, three students, and one professor. Today more than 4,000 employees and approximately 28,000 students occupy 200 buildings, 1,800 acres of land, over eight million gross square feet, five regional campuses, and extension campuses in Cleveland and Dublin, Ohio.
Students at Ohio University have access to more than 250 program options across 11 colleges, 16 schools, and dozens of departments. Ohio University has been continuously accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) since 1913.
