| Ranking | School | City |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Colorado Denver | Denver |
| 2 | Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design | Denver |
Our 2025 ranking -our fourteenth annual- of the top animation school programs in Colorado. For an explanation of the ranking criteria, click here.
University of Colorado Denver (CU Denver) is a public urban research university that encompasses some of the oldest areas in the city. Examples include Tivoli Student Union (housed in a former brewery), and Ninth Street Historic District. CU Denver also houses the College of Arts and Media (CAM), home to the Department of Visual Arts (VA) and the Digital Animation Center (DAC).
Students in the CAM Visual Arts BFA program will learn and create in the DAC, which is a state-of-the-art facility that houses labs, studios, and production areas. This includes include 100 workstations outfitted with the latest industry 3D software including Maya, Houdini, and ZBrush; a large volume Vicon Motion Capture System; and a dedicated render farm with more than 4,300 cores.
Other Visual Art BFA features include internships at major studios such as Pixar, Disney, and NBC Universal; study abroad experiences in places such as the UK, Greece, Italy, France, and South Korea; and access to the CU Denver Comcast Media and Technology Center (CMTC). The CMTC is a partnership between CAM and the College of Engineering and Applied Science (CEAS) that focuses on research and development in everything from artificial intelligence (AI) to the performing arts.
The Visual Art BFA program at University of Colorado Denver also houses a 3D Graphics and Animation emphasis. Course examples for the program include Animation Foundations; Surfacing and Lighting; Advanced Character Animation; Modeling I-II; Introduction to Animation and Rigging; Production Practices; Creating Visual Story; Art History Survey I-II; Digital Cinematography; 3D Design; Dynamic Simulation; International Perspectives Through Animation; and Production I-III.
In the beginning of the third year of the 3D Graphics and Animation program, students will start production on the Senior Film requirement. This 18-month Capstone experience is a collaboration across departments in the College of Arts and Media. Animation students will work in all areas of design and production to create an industry-ready film, which will be screened at the Visual Arts Thesis Exhibition at Redline Contemporary Art Center or other venue.
To date, CAM 3D Graphics and Animation graduates have produced works that have been screened at more than 300 film festivals across 22 countries. Program graduates have also won more than 75 Best Animated Short awards in non-student categories.
CU Denver CAM alumni also work in a variety of roles at major companies and studios across the U.S. Examples include Disney, Nickelodeon, Sony, LucasArts, Pixar, HBO, Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), Google, Apple, AEG Live, Comcast, and Rolling Stone. Some CAM alumni also go on to launch their own independent studios or freelance businesses.
University of Colorado Denver opened in 1912 as an extension of the University of Colorado Boulder. The school became the University of Colorado Denver Center in 1965. In 1973, the UC Denver Center became University of Colorado Denver, making it an independent campus. Today, CU Denver serves more than 15,000 students enrolled in approximately 115 degree programs across seven colleges and schools. University of Colorado Denver is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).
Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design (RMCAD) is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD). The school houses an Animation Department with a collaborative BFA in 2D Animation or 3D Animation. Consisting of 123 credit hours, the program curriculum has a liberal arts component that emphasizes critical awareness, information literacy, and global consciousness.
Both 2D and 3D Animation students will take courses that explore texture mapping; storyboarding; character design; line of action; modeling; and observational drawing. Each option requires 27 credit hours. Designed for students interested in traditional animation, the 2D Animation program requires 21 credits in animation and six studio elective credits. With a focus on computer animation, the 3D Animation program requires 18 credits in animation and nine in studio electives.
Across programs, students will learn the 12 principles of animation and master software such as Adobe Creative Cloud including Photoshop; Toon Boom Harmony; Autodesk Maya; and Storyboard Pro.
Course examples include The Art of Villainy; Digital Painting for Film and Games; Experimental Animation; Character Animation and Motion Studies; Character Rigging; 3D Computer Lighting and Materials; Fundamentals of Animation; 3D Character and Production Design; Creative Visualization; Video Editing and Sound Design for Animation; Scriptwriting for Animation; Tools and Techniques of Contemporary Animation; 2D Computer Animation I-II; Animation Layout and Production; 3D Computer Animation Motion Studies; Stop Motion Animation; World Building; and Special Topics.
At the sophomore, junior, and senior levels, Animation BFA students will participate in intensive portfolio reviews. The culminating experience for the programs is the final project and presentation. Programs can be completed in four years, with year-round online and on-campus courses.
Graduates of the Animation BFA programs at Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design are prepared to pursue roles across the entertainment, games, and advertising industries. Program alumni have been hired at major networks, companies, and studios such as Nickelodeon, Pixar, Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), Cartoon Network, Blizzard Entertainment, LAIKA, Sony Pictures Animation, Walt Disney World, Warner Bros., Microsoft, Epic Games, Adobe, Design Republic, and Pentagram.
Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design opened in 1963 as Rocky Mountain School of Art. Serving more than 1,000 students, RMCAD provides 16 degree and certificate programs in campus/hybrid and online formats. In addition to NASAD accreditation, Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).
