Profiles of Schools/Colleges in Montana (MT) Offering Animation, Design, Gaming, and Media Related Programs

Breaking into the creatively-powered, passionate and playful animation industry may sound like cakewalk to those who have spent the better part of their lives doodling and watching cartoons, but the pursuit of perfection makes the industry chew up and spit out all but the crème de la crème. Hence, it’s no longer enough to take a few crash courses in animation and expect to break into an exciting career in animation, let alone stay there.

If you’ve ever wondered how any given graphic design school ends up on the list of top schools, there’s a simple answer. Students, student groups, education bloggers, alums, and even small media companies create these lists based on a number of factors that they feel are most important to students. They assess the nations colleges and universities based on tuition cost, geographic location, job placement services, variety of clubs and organizations, cultural activities, sports teams, and student life.

In today’s aggressive world of graphic design, professionals in this field are expected to do more than just create eye-catching designs. They create websites, they produce animated productions, and they use dozens of high-end software programs on a daily basis. Because companies expect more from today’s graphic designers, the average graphic design program requires intense study in multiple areas. Just think, the industries with the highest levels of employment in this field include publishing, printing, advertising, and even computer systems design. Fortunately, the U.S. is home to more top-tier graphic design schools than any other place in the world.

Montana is home to more than 20 Title IV degree-granting institutions. To become a Title IV school, an institution must grant an associate's degree or higher, they must offer a program of at least 300 clock hours in length, they must have accreditation recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, they must be in business for at least 2 years, and they must sign a participation agreement with the Department. Based on fulfillment of these requirements, Montana’s 20+ Title IV schools are eligible federal financial-aid programs. This makes them more accessible to students with financial need.