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What are the best animation school programs in Washington, DC for 2025?
| Ranking | School | City |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Howard University | District of Columbia |
| 2 | The Catholic University of America | District of Columbia |
Our 2025 ranking -our fourteenth annual- of the top animation school programs in Washington, DC. For an explanation of the ranking criteria, click here.
1. Howard University, Washington, DC
Howard University (HU) is home to the Chadwick A. Boseman College of Fine Arts, which houses the Department of Art. Accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD), the department provides more than 30 programs leading to BFA, MFA, or minor. Students in all programs have opportunities to complete an internship with organizations such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met), Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, the Whitney Museum of American Art (The Whitney), Sotheby’s, and the National Gallery of Fine Arts. Many HU Art Department internships are paid.
For aspiring animators, the Department of Art at Howard University houses an Electronic Studio (eStudio) minor and concentration. Both options are open to BFA and MFA students. Tracks within the eStudio concentration include 2D Animation and Motion Graphics; Visual Storytelling and Narrative Driven Art; 3D Animation and Modeling; Digital Art Creation and Illustration; and UX/UI Design and Interactive Media. Required art electives allow students to enhance the degree further.
The eStudio curriculum combines courses in the visual arts (drawing, 2D and 3D design, illustration), video and photography with projects that utilize industry software such as Maya, Blender, Cinema 4D, and the Adobe Creative Cloud platform of more than 20 creative apps. After Effects, Illustrator, InDesign, and Premiere Pro are just a few examples.
Across degree and minor pathways, course examples include 2D Animation; 3D Modeling and Animation I-II; Image Processing; Digital Media and Multimedia; Introduction to Game Design; Presentation Graphics; Computers in the Arts; Web Development and Interactive Media; Digital Photography; Contemporary Art; Workshop in Computer Graphics; Multimedia I-II; and Independent Study. BFA students will also complete the ARTE 093 course—Internship in Digital Media Arts.
The BFA program at Howard University culminates with the Senior Workshop Capstone completed across two courses. MFA students will complete a thesis across three courses as the culminating experience for the program.
Graduates of the eStudio BFA and MFA programs at Howard University are prepared to pursue positions in the entertainment industry, game art and design, advertising, web design, and fine art.
Howard University was founded on March 2, 1867 by Civil War hero General Oliver O. Howard. The school serves approximately 9,690 students enrolled in more than 130 academic programs across 13 colleges and schools. Programs lead to the undergraduate, graduate, joint, and professional degrees. Howard University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE).
2. The Catholic University of America, Washington, DC
The Catholic University of America (CUA) is home to the Benjamin T. Rome School of Music, Drama, and Art. Within the school is the Department of Art, which provides a BA in Art and Design; an Art History BA, and Digital Art and Design certificate (minor). The Art and Design BA has five concentrations including 3D Animation and Character Design; Graphic Design and Illustration; Digital Photography; Sacred Art; and Ceramics.
The 3D Animation and Character Design and Graphic Design and Illustration concentrations are ideal for students seeking an animation degree that explores different areas of art and design. The Digital Art and Design certificate (minor) is ideal for students in other majors who are interested in a shorter animation program. The certificate (minor) features courses and electives such as 3D Modeling and Animation; Fundamentals of Design I-II; Digital Production; Character Design; Video Production; Design Tools; and Creative Studio Art and Design.
The 3D Animation and Character Design concentration focuses on experimentation and mastering industry-standard software such as Maya, Mudbox, Substance Painter, and Blender. In the core, students will take Fundamentals of Design I-II, and Drawing and Composition I-II. Other course examples include Contemporary Art; Creative Art and Design Studio; and History of Art: Renaissance to the Modern.
Animation course examples include 3D Modeling and Animation I-II; Advanced Digital Art and Design; Crypto Art and NFTs; Character Design I-II; Video Production; and Creative Studio-Art and Design.
The 3D Animation and Character Design program at CatholicU culminates with the professional portfolio and demo reel.
The Graphic Design and Illustration concentration at The Catholic University of America explores 2D animation, motion graphics, character design, digital illustration, branding, and packaging design. Course examples for the program include Fundamentals of Design I-II; Drawing and Composition I-II; Creative Art and Design Studio; Contemporary Art; and Digital Art and Design: Interactivity and the Web. Students may also take animation courses such as Character Design, and 3D Modeling and Animation as electives.
Both Graphic Design and Illustration students, and 3D Animation and Character Design students, will complete the Senior Studio Art Seminar course. Graphic Design and Illustration students will complete a final project and portfolio as the culminating experience for the program.
Students in all CUA degree programs and concentrations also have access to the state-of-the-art Salve Regina Digital Arts Lab; printmaking facilities; and the CUA Study Abroad program.
Graduates of The Catholic University of America enjoy a 90% employment rate. The Center for Academic and Career Success (CACS) at CUA attracts more than 80 major corporations and others to the CUA Annual Spring Career Fair.
Department of Art graduates are prepared to pursue careers in animation, game design, visual effects (VFX), immersive digital experiences, advertising, illustration, and graphic design.
The Catholic University of America is a national research university that was established in 1887. The school sits on a 176-acre campus, making it the largest college campus by area in Washington, DC. Serving approximately 5,170 students, CUA also has campuses in Tucson, Arizona and Rome, Italy. The school provides more than 250 programs across 12 colleges and schools. The Catholic University of America is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE).