| Ranking | School | City |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Connecticut | Storrs |
Our 2025 ranking -our fourteenth annual- of the top animation school program in Connecticut. For an explanation of the ranking criteria, click here.
University of Connecticut (UConn) is home to the School of Fine Arts. Established in 1961, the school houses four departments including Art and Art History; Music; Digital Media and Design (DMD); and Dramatic Arts. Programs in all departments are supported by specialized showcases, exhibition spaces, stages, and forums including the Digital Media Center; William Benton Museum of Art; von der Mehden Recital Hall; Contemporary Art Galleries; Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts; and the Connecticut Repertory Theatre.
The DMD Department and the Department of Art and Art History provide several paths to study animation. DMD options include the BFA degree in Digital Media Design with concentrations in 3D Animation; Motion Design and Animation; Digital Film/Video Production; Game Design; and Web/Interactive Media Design. The Art and Art History Department has Art BA and Studio Art BFA programs. Students in both programs may concentrate in Illustration/Animation. All programs (including the DMD BFA) are accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD).
Across options, students will engage in collaborative, project based-learning with access to state-of-the-art studios, labs, and production facilities. Examples include a high-powered Cintiq computer lab for high-end 3D work, a 688 foot Motion Capture Studio; and a render farm. Students also benefit from independent study and internship opportunities in the junior and senior years of the programs.
For animators, the most popular DMD BFA concentrations are 3D Animation, and Motion Design and Animation. Across options, students will take courses such as History of Animation; 3D Animation I-II; Cinematic Storytelling; Advanced Compositing for Visual Effects; Film and Video Editing; 3D Modeling, Lighting and Rendering; 3D Simulations; Advanced 3D Research and Production; and Animation Science.
For the senior capstone, students in both concentrations will complete a year-long original BFA Senior Project under the direction of DMD faculty. Senior projects are showcased in the end-of-year DMD BFA Senior Thesis Exhibition, held in the Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts.
Upon completion of the DMD BFA program some students elect to pursue the UConn DMD MFA. This three-year pathway allows students to develop their own independent creative practice. Students may also concentrate in 3D Animation or Motion Design and Animation. Both areas are delivered at the advanced level.
In addition to advanced concentration courses, MFA students will complete the following 5000-level courses: Digital Media Graduate Colloquium; Digital Culture; History and Theory of Digital Art; and MFA Studio Critique (taken a total of four times). Students will also complete the Digital Media Internship/Co-op or Independent Study. The program culminates with the MFA Final Project and Thesis Exhibition courses in the student’s area of concentration.
The Art BA and Studio Art BFA programs at University of Connecticut require 120 credit hours of study. The BA includes 42 art and design credit hours and the Studio Art BFA includes 66 studio art credits. Students in the Illustration/Animation concentration will explore and create projects in both digital and analog environments. Examples include 2D animation; cartoons; stop-motion animation; character design; graphic novels; product design; comics; and environment design.
Illustration/Animation course examples include Animation Fundamentals; Life Drawing I-II; Topics in Illustration; Graphic Design: Process and Thinking; Art History; Introduction to Digital Media; Studio Concepts; and Going Pro.
The culminating experience for the programs is a project that focuses on the student's area of concentration. Final works will be exhibited in the Annual Senior Show.
Graduates of the DMD and Art and Art History programs at University of Connecticut are prepared to pursue roles in areas such as animation, games, filmmaking, publishing, advertising, virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR), architecture, television production, user interface and user experience design (UI/UX), medical illustration, live performance, social media, sports, and animation or illustration for science, medicine technology, legal, aerospace, education, and research. MFA graduates are prepared to pursue advanced leadership roles in these areas.
DMD and Art and Art History alumni have been hired at companies and studios such as Pixar, Adobe, Disney, HBO, Epic Games, Food Network, ESPN, Lego, Google Creative, NBC Universal, Adobe, Viacom, CBS 2 News, NBC Sports Group, World Wide Wrestling Entertainment (WWE,) DW Advertising, Stoopid Buddy Studios, Fusion 360, AW Design, XVIVO Medical Animation Studio, YouTube Gaming, Blur Studio, Matter Communications, and Greenhouse Studios.
University of Connecticut is the state’s flagship university. Founded in 1881, the school opened with just three faculty members and 13 male students. Today, UConn is home to more than 18,000 faculty and staff that serve approximately 32,100 students across seven campuses, and 14 colleges and schools. Available programs include 245+ majors and minors, and more than 180 programs leading to a master’s, PhD, or graduate certificate. University of Connecticut is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC).
