| Ranking | School | State |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | School of Visual Arts | New York |
| 2 | Carnegie Mellon University | Pennsylvania |
| 3 | Rhode Island School of Design | Rhode Island |
| 4 | Rochester Institute of Technology | New York |
| 5 | Drexel University | Pennsylvania |
Our 2024 list of the Top 5 Visual Effects Programs on the East Coast, our third annual rankings for VFX. For an explanation of our ranking criteria, click here.
The School of Visual Arts (SVA) has one path to study visual effects—the 3D Animation and Visual Effects BFA. The program consists of 120 credit hours, including 72 credits in studio art, 30 credits in humanities and sciences, 15 credit hours in art history, and three elective credits from any undergraduate area.
Classes for the program are led by award-winning instructors, with projects taking pace across state-of-the-art computer labs, production studios, and dedicated suites. The computer labs feature the same hardware and software used by professionals in the animation and VFX industries. Students can access the lab 24 hours a day seven days a week from any location.
Other program features include opportunities to develop animation and VFX skills by working with alumni-owned studios such as Augenblick, Titmouse, and Plymptoons; workshops and seminar; visiting artists; and courses such as VFX and Compositing I-IV; Python Scripting for Maya Artists; VFX Animation with Houdini; Computer-Generated Imagery I-IV; Modeling and Animation with Maya; Character FX; Basic Cinema 4D; 3D Animation Pipeline I and II; and Introduction to Real-Time Rendering and Game Engine Graphics.
The 3D Animation and Visual Effects BFA program at School of Visual Arts culminates with a thesis film, which will be screened by industry professionals.
Graduates of the VFX program have gone on to win awards from the Academy of Motion Pictures and at major festivals. SVA alumni have launched their own studios or landed positions at major companies and studios such as DreamWorks, Microsoft, Disney Animation Studios, Nickelodeon, Sony Pictures Animation, DreamWorks, Apple, Warner Bros., Google, and Lucasfilm Animation.
Some SVA graduates go on to work for independent animation studios worldwide or to launch their own studios or freelance businesses.
School of Visual Arts opened in 1947 as the Cartoonists and Illustrators school. Classes began with just three teachers and 35 students. Today, SVA serves approximately 4,015 students enrolled in dozens of BFA, MA, MFA, and MPS programs. School of Visual Arts is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE), with individual program accreditation by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD) and the Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA).
Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) is home to the Integrative Design, Arts and Technology Network (IDeATe). In collaboration with the Robotics Institute in the School of Computer Science, IDeATe manages eight undergraduate areas that can be taken as minors. This includes Animation and Special Effects.
Led by faculty with expertise in art and robotics, the minor is open to students in any program. Ideal parings include the Film and Visual Media BA in Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences/Department of English; the create your own path Video and Media Design MFA in the School of Drama; the Bachelor of Computer Science and Art (BCSA) in the College of Fine Arts/School of Art and the School of Computer Science; and the Electronic and Time Based Media BFA in the School of Art.
Course examples for the CMU Animation and Special Effects minor include Special Topics in Animation: Storytelling Through Effects; IDeATe Portal: Creative Kinetic Systems; Technical Character Animation; Physical Computing; Little Games/Big Stories: Indie Roleplaying Game Studio; Character Rigging for Production; Animation, Art and Technology; Experimental Capture; Intermediate Studio: Real-Time Animation; and Digital Realities: Introducing Immersive Technologies for Arts and Culture.
All students, regardless of major, will develop advanced skills in visual effects and procedural animation; digital 2D and 3D techniques; rendering and compositing; expanded and experimental animation methods; motion-capture technologies; real-time animation systems; and storytelling through animation.
The creative degree programs at Carnegie Mellon University culminate with a final project, portfolio, and/or reel. Graduates are prepared to pursue careers in entertainment and other related industries.
Graduates of the IDeATe programs at CMU have been hired at major studios and networks such as Electronic Arts (EA), Walt Disney Studios, Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE), Activision Blizzard, MTV, Paramount, Zynga Games, DreamWorks Animation, Warner Bros. Games, and Comedy Central.
Founded in 1900 by industrialist and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie, Carnegie Mellon University began as Carnegie Technical Schools. Today, the school serves more than 14,500 students from 100+ countries with access to over 200 programs across seven colleges and schools. This private, global research university has more than a dozen degree-granting locations, along with 20+ research partnerships in Silicon Valley, Australia, Africa, and Qatar. Carnegie Mellon University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE).
Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) houses the Film/Animation/Video (FAV) Department. Serving 150 students, the department provides an FAV BFA program that allows students to focus their studies on animation, live action, or open media. All VAF students will work and learn in a professional studio environment while creating visual effects, animations, and films using techniques such as computer-generated imagery (CGI), stop-motion, and hand-drawn.
Other program features include collaborative assignments and projects; workshops; 24/7 access to animation, live action, green screen, and blackout shooting studios; and Apple workstations equipped with Avid, Final Cut, Pro Tools, Autodesk Maya, the Adobe Production Suite.
Course examples for the FAV program include Digital Effects and Compositing for the Screen; Computer Generated Imagery 3D; Experimental Film Techniques; Advanced Stop Motion Animation; Character Design; Film Practices; Computer Animation: Integrated Techniques; Experiments in Stop Motion Animation; Time, Light and Sound; Lighting For The Moving Image; Digital Practices; and Senior Studio: Animation, Live Action or Open Media.
In addition, all RISD students have the opportunity to complete a professional internship in a studio environment.
The FAV BFA Program at Rhode Island School of Design culminates with a senior project to be presented at the Annual RISD FAV Senior Show. This public event takes place across four evenings—live on campus, and via online stream.
RISD FAV graduates are prepared to pursue careers in the entertainment industry. Program alumni been recruited by major networks and studios such as HBO, Pixar, DreamWorks, and PBS. Some alumni have also launched their own studios or production companies, while others have gone on to create, direct, or produce dozens of films and series.
Founded in 1877 as both a school and a museum, Rhode Island School of Design is one of the first independent colleges of art and design in the U.S. Serving approximately 2,520 students from 57 countries, this private, nonprofit college provides 44 full-time bachelor’s and master’s degree programs.
RISD is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE) and the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA).
Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) is home to the College of Art and Design, which houses the School of Film and Animation. A Designated Center of Excellence (COE) by Toon Boom Animation, the school provides several paths to study visual effects. These include the Film and Animation BFA with an Animation or Production Option; the Film and Animation BFA without an option; and the STEM designated Motion Picture Science BS; and the Film and Animation MFA.
All programs are multidisciplinary, with opportunities to complete an internship with local and regional studios; cooperative education (co-op) in the College of Art and Design, which provides hands-on experience in a professional environment; and the Study Away: LA Program, which allows students to spend a semester in Los Angeles and complete an internship with a major studio or entertainment companies. Study Away students may also take two courses during their stay in LA.
RIT Film and Animation students also have access to 52,000 square foot MAGIC Spell Studios; labs and classrooms equipped with industry standard technology and software; 24/7 access to a dedicated graduate lab with industry-level software 9MFA students); and opportunities to participate in the RIT’s Creative Industry Days. This event highlights opportunities to meet with representatives of studios, design firms, and other creative companies.
Across programs, students will study digital effects, production, AR/VR, games, stop-motion animation, filmmaking, sound design, 2D animation, screenwriting, compositing, 3D animation, engineering, and live-action storytelling.
Course examples include Digital Effects and Compositing; Film Sound Theory: Effects; Computers and Imaging Technology; After Effects for Animators; 3D Lighting and Rendering; Concept and Character Design (2D); Interactions Between Light and Matter; Digital Color Correction; Advanced 3D Modeling; Production Processes; Digital Post Production Technology; Imager Capture and Production Technology; and IT Fundamentals for Digital Media; Virtual Production I-II (explores real-time visual effects); World Building Workshop; and Building the 3D Characters.
All programs culminate with a final project to be presented at any number of RIT events from film festivals to student showcases. Graduates are prepared to pursue titles such as VFX Artist, Effects Animator, Visual Effects Compositor, Visual Effects Supervisor, and Post Production Supervisor.
RIT alumni have been hired at major studios such as Lucasfilm, Disney, Nickelodeon, Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), DreamWorks, Electronic Arts (EA), Sony, and Dolby.
Rochester Institute of Technology was founded in 1829 as the Rochester Athenaeum. With global campuses in China, Croatia, Dubai, and Kosovo, this research university serves 20,570 students, making it one of the largest private universities in the U.S. RIT provides more than 200 academic programs across nine colleges and two degree-granting institutes. Rochester Institute of Technology is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE).
Drexel University is home to Antoinette Westphal College of Arts and Design. Serving more than 2,000 students, Westphal is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD). Within the college is an Animation and Visual Effects BS with a long list of electives that allow students to specialize in VFX. Students may also select a concentration or enroll in the generalist path. Concentrations include Modeling and Animation.
Housed in Westphal’s URBN Center, the Animation and Visual Effects BS is a studio-based program that consists of 187 units of study. Designed for collaboration across programs, the URBN Center features shared making spaces and state-of-the-art studios and labs. This includes the Animation Capture and Effects Lab (ACE-Lab), which consists of a 1200-sq-ft digital media studio equipped with the latest digital media technology.
Course examples for the Animation and Visual Effects program include Digital Imaging for Programming, Animation and VFX; Scripting for Animation and Visual Effects; Digital Character Creation; Spatial Data Capture; Experimental Animation Lab; Audio Production and Post; Digital Compositing; Organic Modeling; Character Animation; and Light and Sound.
All Animation and VFX students will participate in the Drexel Cooperative Education (co-op) program. The university has been a cooperative educational institution since 1919. This six-month professional co-op experience provides the opportunity to gain professional experience at places such as Sony Studios, FuseFX, Cartoon Network, 3FX Medical Animations, and Mediakraft TV.
Other program benefits include optional participation in Westphal’s Drexel in LA Program; courses taught by professionals in the entertainment, media, and technology industries; and overseas experiences through the Drexel University Study Abroad Program.
The Drexel in LA program provides the opportunity for students to spend the entire summer term living and working in Los Angeles with students in the Film and Television, and Screenwriting and Playwriting programs. Through the program, students have interned at places such as Riot Games, ImageMovers, and BBC Worldwide Productions.
For students seeking an add-on to their degree program or an advanced degree, the Antoinette Westphal College of Arts and Design at Drexel University has additional program options: an accelerated Animation and Visual Effects BS/Digital Media MS and an Animation and VFX minor.
In addition to all that the Animation and Visual Effects BS has to offer, the accelerated program features industry-sponsored projects; funded grant research opportunities; independent, student-generated projects; and three co-op experiences. The accelerated program can be completed in just five years. Graduates have been hired at major companies and studios such Pixar, DreamWorks, Microsoft XBOX, Disney, and NCSoft.
Consisting of 24 credit hours (eight courses), the Animation and Visual Effects minor is open to both undergraduate and graduate students in any discipline. The program provides a foundation in the storytelling, design, and technological aspects of 3D animation and visual effects. Course examples include Foundational Tools for Animation and VFX; Digital Imaging for Animation and VFX; Realtime Visualization; Scripting for Animation and Visual Effects; Digital Compositing I-II; and Advanced Visual Effects.
The Animation and Visual Effects programs at Drexel University culminate with a Capstone Project, which will be presented in a Thesis Exhibition attended by professionals in the industry. Graduates are prepared to pursue titles such as VFX Artist, 3D Modeler, Visual Effects Supervisor, Character Animator, Art Director, Texture Artist, and Technical Director.
Drexel University was established in 1891 as Drexel Institute of Art, Science, & Industry. The school serves approximately 21,700 students enrolled in more than 200 degree programs across 15 colleges and schools. Drexel University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE). The school’s Digital Media and Animation & Visual Effects (VFX) programs are accredited by the National Association of Schools of Arts & Design (NASAD).
