Top 20 Animation School Programs in California - 2021 College Rankings

California Institute of the Arts (CalArts) opened its doors in 1970. Formed by Walt and Roy Disney as a multidisciplinary community of artists, the school, which offers programs in art, design, film, music, theater, and dance, became the nation's first postsecondary institution to offer graduate and undergraduate degrees in both the visual and performing arts.

Serving just over 1,500 students, CalArts provides more than 70 degree programs, including the unique Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA). Programs are administered within six schools including the School of Critical Studies, The Sharon Disney Lund School of Dance, the School of Art, the School of Film/Video, The Herb Alpert School of Music, and the School of Theater.

The animation program is housed in the School of Film/Video—the largest school at CalArts. Programs options include a BFA in Character Animation, and BFA and MFA degrees in Experimental Animation. The BFA in Character Animation is an “intensive” four-year program, that “provides comprehensive artistic and technical training to help each student develop as a fully-fledged animation artist within both the traditional and computer graphic (CG) animation environments,” says the school.

Courses for the program are taught by “a faculty of experienced professionals who work at the forefront of traditional, CG and independent animation.”

Course highlights include 2D Character Animation, CG Foundation, Digital Methods, and Film Workshop. During the final year of the BFA program, students have the opportunity to customize their curriculum according to their own areas of specific interest. Graduates of the program will enter the job market with a professional-caliber portfolio and four short individually made films. 

The BFA Track in the Experimental Animation program “emphasizes the creative development of a personal aesthetic in an interdisciplinary, artist-centered environment.” Courses for the program “blend practical knowledge with creative practice and critique, allowing for a detailed examination of animation art.” Course highlights include Animation Production, BFA Workshop, Hybrid Imaging, and Motion and Meaning.

The MFA is a three-year program that encourages students to “seek out poetic, lyrical, structural and other modes of experimentation with the materials and forms of the moving image. Students are trained to become makers, as well as “critically minded contributors to the advancement of animation history and theory.” Courses such as Post-Production Sound for Experimental Animators and The Digital Path for Animation are part of the program, as well as Experimental Animation Thesis Production. Graduates will leave the program with two film projects.

Throughout both the BFA and MFA programs, students will work closely with a mentor to achieve their academic and professional goals.

CalArts has produced hundreds of successful alumni including Brad Bird (The Incredibles, Ratatouille, Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol), Chris Buck (Frozen), John Lasseter (Toy Story, Cars), Mark Andrews (Brave), Stephen Hillenburg (creator of SpongeBob SquarePants), and Tim Burton (Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands, Ed Wood), to name a few.

University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) is considered one of the leading arts and cultural centers in the western United States, hosting more than 1,000 visual and performing arts events each year and attracting more than 500,000 patrons. Founded in 1919 as the Southern Branch of the University of California, the school serves nearly 45,000 students enrolled more than 125 undergraduate majors in 109 academic departments, and master’s degrees in over 80 academic and professional fields.

Among the schools programs is a BA in Film and Television with a Concentration in Animation and the UCLA Animation Workshop. Both programs are offered in the School of Theater, Film and Television (STFT), Department of Film, Television, and Digital Media (FTVDM).

The BA program requires courses such as Cinematography, Digital Media Studies, Film Editing and Screenwriting. The Animation Concentration consists of 20 credit hours of study. Students in the program will complete Film TV – Senior Symposium and a Film TV Internship.

Founded in 1948 by Disney animator William Shull, the UCLA Animation Workshop is a three-year MFA program that accepts just 12 new students each year. Per the school, the animation area “serves as an instruction and production center for both traditional and CG animation. This includes 2D and 3D character animation; experimental; stop-motion; cut-out; interactive work and more.”

Students in the program have the opportunity to work in the “state-of-the art Walter Lantz Digital Animation Studio,” where they gain “hands-on knowledge about the latest CG innovations that continue to transform the animation field.” Just a few course highlights include Computer Animation for Film and Video, Animation Timing, Interactive Animation, Real Time Animation: Puppetry, and The Disney Feature: Then and Now.

Graduates will leave UCLA’s Animation Workshop with one completed traditional film, one computer film, one interactive project, and one thesis film. Program alumni have landed positions at Pixar and they have worked with directors such as Tim Burton, and contributed to films such as Monster House and The Simpsons Movie.

Established in 1929, Academy of Art University is one of the largest private, accredited art and design schools in the nation. Family-owned, the school is located in one of the world’s top cities for animators. Serving more than 7,200 students from 112 countries, Academy of Art offers programs from acting, animation and architecture to visual development, web design, and writing for film and television. Degrees are offered at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, and many programs are available entirely online.

The School of Animation and Visual Effects (VFX) is the only school of its kind to teach in a studio production environment (StudioX). “The “X” in Studio X stands for the valuable eXperience students gain as they prepare for animation careers,” says the school. Graduates have gone on to land positions at top studios such as Blue Sky Studios, Industrial Light & Magic, Laika, Sony Pictures, Walt Disney Animation Studios, Weta Digital and many others.

Program options for aspiring animators include a four-year Certificate program and AA, BFA, MA and MFA in degrees in Animation and Visual Effects.

The AA program “offers students a strong introduction to the core principles of animation production.” The BFA program allows students to specialize in one main area of the industry. Emphasis is placed on creating a professional demo reel and/or portfolio in tune with the latest industry trends. Specialization areas include 2D Animation, 3D Animation, 3D Modeling, Stop-Motion, and Storyboarding.

Course highlights include Cinematics for Animation & VFX, Computer Animation Production, Lip Sync & Facial Performances, Preproduction Principles, Previs & Postvis, Producing for Animation & Visual Effects, and Sketching for Communication. Students will also complete a collaborative project, internship and senior portfolio.

The MA program “provides students an opportunity to work in 2D Animation & Stop-Motion, 3D Animation, 3D Modeling, or Visual Effects, while focusing on storytelling with an emphasis on exhibiting technical skills and eliciting emotional responses.” Students can expect to take courses such as 3D Animation Physics and Mechanics, Advanced Character Animation, Feature Animation, Gesture & Quick Sketch for Animators, and Storyboarding. Students in the program will also complete a portfolio.

The MFA program “focuses on developing skills in any one of the many areas of expertise within the animation and visual effects industry. The program educates students in all aspects of animation and visual effects, from ideation to post production.” Course highlights include 3D Modeling & Animation (Maya), Acting for Animators, Perspective for Characters & Environment, Storyboarding for Thesis, Traditional Animation, and Visual Effects for Animation. MFA students will also take several Directed Study courses and Special Topics, as well as Animation: Thesis Completion, Final Portfolio Preparation, and ANM 900: Internship.

California College of the Arts (CCA) is a private nonprofit institution that has been in existence for more than 100 years. Founded in 1907 by a German-born cabinetmaker with links to the Arts and Craft Movement, CCA is one of America’s top art and design colleges that also specializes in architecture and writing. When founder Frederick Meyer opened the School of the California Guild of Arts and Crafts (now CCA), the school had just three teachers and 43 students. Today, some 100 full-time and 400 part-time faculty members serve 1,850 students from 42 states and 49 countries.

Degree options at CCA include 22 undergraduate and 11 graduate programs. The Animation Department is home one of the school’s largest majors –the BFA in Animation. Students in the program receive guidance from faculty, including visiting artists, who the school says are “part of animation teams for DreamWorks, Pixar, Tippett Studio, and other studios that have won prestigious awards for their animated films.”

With guidance from experienced faculty and industry professionals, students will learn how to make 2D animation, 3D animation, and visual effects for video games, as well as stop-motion animation, and more. “Courses hone technical expertise in timing and spacing, weight, and other key animation principles.” Students will “learn to combine the skills of both director and actor to create characters with authentic emotion and tell stories that make a real impact.”

Course highlights for the program include Advanced Animation 3D Tips & Tricks, Animation: Visual Storytelling, and Drawing for Animation as well as 3D Character Modeling, Acting for the Animator, Color & Design Visual Development, and Experimental Animation. Students will complete a number of workshops and projects, and internship opportunities are available.

In 2019, the BFA in Animation program began offering a Games Track. The option consists of a “series of courses that teach the discipline of Game Arts, the fundamentals of Game Design, the process of Games Development, and the nuances of Game Animation.” Course highlights include Game Design, Games Development, Game Making, and Worldbuilding. “Animators in the Games Track will produce collaborative and individual works of game art as their capstone projects.”

Graduates of CCA’s Animation programs have been hired at major animation studios and companies such as Cartoon Network, DreamWorks Animation, Nickelodeon Animation Studios, Pixar, Sony Pictures Animation, and Walt Disney Feature Animation.

Graduates have also landed positions at game studios such as Electronic Arts, Phosphor Games, Vigil Games, and many others. 

San Jose State University (SJSU) was established in 1857. Today the school is known as “Silicon Valley’s Public University.” With approximately 36,000 students and nearly 4,300 employees, the school says, “SJSU is an essential partner in the economic, cultural and social development of Silicon Valley and California. Programs at SJSU are offered through eight colleges in over 250 areas of study at the bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral levels.

Animation options are offered in the College of Humanities and the Arts.  The Department of Design here houses the Animation/Illustration (A/I) Program and the Department of Art and Art History houses the Digital Media Program.

Two degrees are offered in the Department of Design: a BA in Design Studies, specializing in Animation/Illustration and a BFA in Animation/Illustration. The Department of Art and Art History offers an MFA in Digital Media Art.

The BA is a liberal arts degree that “provides instruction in A/I foundation skills, supplemented by studies in design, film, photography, and theater arts.” Students in the program receive “basic preparation for entry-level jobs in the entertainment industry or for entry into a graduate program or other fields of study.”

The BFA is a professional degree that “prepares students for careers in feature film animation, games, television, and any other media that uses animation and storytelling as a core communication tool.” The curriculum for the program covers color theory, conventional and digital painting, design, and perspective. Students will also study the principles of traditional and 3D animation, character design, modeling, physics of motion, storyboarding, and visual development.

Once students complete lower division courses, they will have the opportunity to specialize in their area of choice and complete an internship.

Graduates of the BFA in Animation/Illustration program have worked on films such as A Bug’s Life, Finding Nemo, Monsters, Inc. and Shrek and they have been hired at more than 135 animation studios, game design companies, film studios, and academic institutions. Just a few include 20th Century Fox, Animation Mentor, Blue Sky Studios, Blizzard Entertainment, Cartoon Network, Cogswell Institute, Disney Animation, Disney Interactive, Electronic Arts, Lucasfilm Animation, NBCUniversal Studios, Nickelodeon, Pixar, Sony/Columbia, and Zynga.

The MFA in Digital Media Art is a three-year program of study. Part of the CADRE Institute, which “reflects the innovative atmosphere in Silicon Valley,” the program includes art history, independent study, seminars, and studio courses. Students will “work across the boundaries of” animation, computer visualization, digital video, electronic sculpture, multimedia, sound, and virtual reality.

As students make their way through the program, they will be monitored through a series of open faculty reviews and exhibition of works. A final exhibition in the University Art Gallery is also a requirement of the program.

In 1957, California State University Fullerton (Cal State Fullerton or CSU Fullerton) became the 12th state college in California to be authorized by the Legislature. Since then, the school has awarded hundreds of thousands of degrees and it has produced more than 50 major league baseball players, along with artists and entertainers such as James Cameron, Gwen Stefani, and Kevin Costner.

Cal State Fullerton serves nearly 41,500 students enrolled in 110 undergraduate, graduate, and doctorate programs. Programs are offered in eight colleges, including the College of the Arts, which houses the Visual Arts Department. Through the Department, aspiring animators can earn a BFA in Art with an Entertainment Art/Animation Concentration. 

This 132-unit program requires a minimum of 81 units in art: The 12 units of studio art “Admission Requirements” plus 12 units of Art History and 57 units of art. The major is divided into 21 units of lower-division preparation and 48 upper-division units. In addition to the minimum 69-unit requirement for the BFA degree, students must meet the other university requirements for a bachelor’s degree.

Course highlights for the program include 3D Character Modeling, 3D Environment Modeling, and 3D Rigging & Animation, Cartooning and Caricature, Design for Interactive Art, Digital Narrative Illustration, Elements of Sequential Art, Lighting and Compositing, Motion Graphics Design, Video Art and Moving Image, Visual Development and Background Painting, and Writing in the Visual Arts.

Group Projects, Independent Research, a BFA Capstone and Internship in Art are also part of the program.

Through a partnership with Nickelodeon Studios, the Entertainment Art/Animation area has “developed educational opportunities to further the career goals of its students.” In addition to Nickelodeon, graduates of the BFA program have landed positions at Cartoon Network, Disney Feature Animation, Disney TV Animation, Electronic Arts, Lucasfilm, Sony Games, and Sony Pictures Imageworks, to name a few.

Graduates have also worked on productions such as Alvin and the Chipmunks, Avatar, Ice Age 2, Spiderman 3, SpongeBob Squarepants, Superman Returns, and The Simpsons.

Laguna Beach College of Art and Design (LCAD) began as Laguna Beach School of Art (LBSA) in 1961. The school was inspired by “pioneering cultural ventures” of the early 1900s such as the Laguna Playhouse, the Laguna Beach Art Association, the Festival of Arts, Pageant of the Masters, and Laguna Art Museum. Today, this not-for-profit institution serves more than 700 full-time students, and it is considered one of the leading colleges of art and design in the U.S.

LCAD offers around 30 degree programs, minors, and specialized minors in areas such as animation, experimental animation, game design, illustration, and painting.

The Animation Program is the largest program at LCAD and offers BFA degrees and Minors in Animation and Experimental Animation. The BFA in Animation covers traditional animation techniques and classic art. Course highlights include CG Modeling, Character Design for Animators, Digital Skills, Directing for Animators, Layout, and Storyboarding. Students in the program will become skilled at storytelling, creating “compelling frame-by-frame performances,” says the school, and the “entire process of filmmaking from script to screen.”

Graduates of the BFA in Animation program have landed positions at major studios and networks such as Cartoon Network, Disney, DreamWorks, Fox, Industrial Light & Magic, Laika, Nickelodeon, Obsidian Entertainment, Pixar, Sony, South Park Studios, The Jim Henson Company, Titmouse, Warner Brothers Feature Animation, and more.

The BFA in Experimental Animation exposes students to “all of the digital tools, skillsets, and techniques that are the new standard in television and internet animation,” says the school. The first year of the program covers traditional animation. Students will then “branch out into purely digital approaches to narrative character animation,” along with alternate approaches to stop-motion and CG techniques. During the junior and senior years of the program, students will have the opportunity to specialize in an area of interest. The program culminates in a thesis project.

Graduates of the program will demonstrate advanced skills in 2D digital puppetry & 2D, 3D modeling and animation, character design & storyboarding for limited animation, new media authorship, paperless animation, show design & series design, and stop-motion.

Founded in 1958, California State University-Northridge (CSUN) is one of the 23 campuses of the California State University System. Situated on a 356-acre campus in the heart of Los Angeles’ San Fernando Valley, CSUN is a community of 38,310 students and more than 4,000 faculty and staff. Nine colleges provide bachelor's degree programs in 133 disciplines, 84 master's degree options, and doctorates in educational leadership and physical therapy.

The Mike Curb College of Arts, Media, and Communication houses the Department of Art—home of the Visual Arts Program. Here, aspiring animators can earn a BA in Visual Arts with a 2D Design, 3D Animation or Game Development Track.

The 2D Animation Design Track “provides students with a foundation in drawing, design and the essential software skills necessary to thrive in post-graduation careers,” says the school. Upon completing four lower division foundation courses, students take courses in 2D animation (flash/toonboom), pre-production and visual development, with optional classes in compositing and 3D computer animation classes. Students concentrating in the 2D design track spend their senior year focusing on their portfolios and/or collaborative group projects.”

The program prepares students for an artistic career in 2D animation as storyboard revisionists, in visual development, background design or painting, or as animators with a proficiency in flash and/or toonboom.

The 3D Animation Track offers four core CG animation courses with options in compositing, game animation, and Visual Development. Students concentrating in this track spend their senior year focusing on their portfolios and/or collaborative group projects. Career paths for 3D Animation graduates include Pre-Vis artist, character animator, CG modeler, texture painting and lighting artist, and compositor.

Students in all tracks have the opportunity to participate in industry and studio events, organized studio tours, and ongoing collaborative educational partnering with DreamWorks studios and Seoul Institute of the Arts. Students also participate in industry events and internships with Nickelodeon, Disney, Film Roman, Warner Bros., and others. Students in all programs have access to two award-winning student run animation clubs—the Animation Students League of Northridge and the Game Development Club.

Game Design “builds on 3D computer animation courses to a two sequence game production classes.” Students who complete the track will take optional animation production, compositing, and character animation courses. Graduates of the program are prepared to seek positions in quality assurance, level design, modeling, texture painting & lighting, and character animation.

Cogswell University of Silicon Valley (USV) was founded in 1887 as Cogswell College. When it opened, the school became the first technical training institution in the West. Serving more than 500 students, USV offers cross-disciplinary programs and project studios that prepare students for careers in creative technology.

Options for animators are offered through the schools Department of Digital Art & Animation (DAA). Pathways include a BA in DAA with four concentrations including 3D Animation, 3D Modeling, Entertainment Design, and Technical Art. All concentrations allow students to “experience what it’s like being in the full animation and VFX pipeline,” says the school.

Core courses for the BA in DAA Program include 2D Design, Color Theory, Figure Drawing, Perspective and Rendering, Principles of Management, Sculpture, Sketching, and Storyboarding. The remaining courses will depend on the concentration.

Course highlights for the 3D Animation Concentration include 2D and 3D Animation, Acting, Character Rigging, Drawing Animation, Media Works for Animation Students, Scripting: Python, and Storyboarding. Students will also complete Animated Film Production, where they will work in teams to create a shore animated film.

3D Modeling students will take courses such as Character Rigging and Introduction to 3D Modeling, and, while course highlights for Entertainment Design include Perspective & Rendering and Texturing. Entertainment Design students will also take a portfolio course that will prepare them to create a finished portfolio that demonstrates their abilities in Entertainment Design.

Graduates of the Cogswell Digital Art & Animation Program have landed positions at major studios and companies such as Activision Blizzard, Cartoon Network, Disney, DreamWorks, and Pixar. Alumni have developed characters for blockbuster animated films like Big Hero 6, Deadpool and Frozen.

Founded in 1887, California State University, Chico (CSU Chico) has one of the highest graduation rates in the CSU systems and the lowest average student debt amounts in the U.S. Located just a few hours from the San Francisco Bay Area, CSU Chico serves 16,600 students enrolled in over 300 undergraduate and graduate academic programs. These include 70 undergraduate majors in the liberal arts and in professional and technical areas. Programs are offered in seven colleges, five schools, and 29 centers and institutes.

For aspiring animators, the College of Humanities & Fine Arts (HFA), Department of Department of Art & Art History offers a BFA with an Emphasis in Digital Media. The College of Engineering, Computer Science, and Construction Management offers a BS in Computer Animation and Game Development (BS CAGD) and a Minor in Applied Computer Graphics.

The Minor requires Computer-Assisted Art, Concept Design & Storyboarding, and Digital Photography. Students may also select three units from any CAGD courses and nine units from upper-division CAGD courses.

The Digital Media Emphasis has three areas of focus to “help students establish a professional art practice,” expand their skill sets, and “create a cohesive portfolio while investigating technical, conceptual, and aesthetic questions,” says the school. Areas include Digital Illustration, Fine Arts, and Time-Based Media. Digital Illustration covers storytelling and using digital software and tools. Fine Arts covers drawing, painting and other areas of fine art as well as new and traditional media.

In Time-Based Media, students will “explore the art of the moving image using a wide range of techniques, with an emphasis on experimental digital filmmaking, hand-drawn, and computer-assisted 2D and stop-motion animation.” They will “examine contemporary and historical works and create time-based art that challenges conventional thinking, inspires action, and elicits emotion.”

Students in all Digital Media focus areas have the opportunity to customize their course choices to meet their creative needs. They also have access to a “contemporary digital studio, which includes cutting-edge software, Cintiq monitors, fine art printers, 3D printers, vinyl cutters, and more.”

The BS in CAGD program is “designed to guide students through curricula which will enhance their knowledge of industry standards and expectations through hands-on experience, collaboration on group projects, and skill development in 3D modeling, 3D animation, rigging, digital lighting and texturing, game design and development, game scripting, motion capture and digital art.”

Course highlights for the program include 3D Character Modeling, 3D Character Rigging, 3D Computer Modeling, Advanced Animation Production, Computer-Assisted Art, Concept Design & Storyboarding, Digital Animation, Digital Lighting and Texturing, Digital Modeling, Motion Capture for Games, and Video Game Design.

BS in CAGD graduates are prepared for careers in animation, business, commercials, film, television, video games, web design, and more.