| Ranking | School | City |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Louisiana State University | Baton Rouge |
| 2 | Tulane University | New Orleans |
| 3 | Louisiana State University-Shreveport | Shreveport |
| 4 | University of Louisiana at Lafayette | Lafayette |
| 5 | Southeastern Louisiana University | Hammond |
Our 2023 ranking -our twelfth annual- of the top animation school programs in Louisiana. For an explanation of the ranking criteria, click here.
The School of Art at Louisiana State University (LSU) is part of the LSU College of Art and Design. The School has several pathways to study animation including BFA and MFA degrees in Studio Art with a Digital Art Concentration, a Digital Art BA, and the Master in Digital Media Arts & Engineering (DMAE).
For students in related majors seeking a digital art minor or those interested in a short program, the LSU School of Art has an arts-oriented Digital Media Art Minor (DMART) and a technology-oriented Digital Media Arts and Engineering Technology (DMAET) Minor. In addition to the School of Art, the DMAET Minor is provided in partnership with the Manship School of Mass Communication, the School of Music and the Departments of Computer Science, Electrical & Computer Engineering, and English.
Both Minors are interdisciplinary and consist of 21 credit hours, including 12 credit hours of electives. Course examples across programs include Moving Image, 3D Animation, Interactive Computer Graphics, Video Game Design, Computer Music, and Screenwriting Workshop. A three credit hour Capstone is also part of both programs.
The LSU Studio Art-Digital Art BFA provides instruction and training in Animation, 3D Modeling, Visual Effects (VFX), Games, and Experimental New Media Art. Course examples include Virtual Space and Motion, Two-Dimensional Design, Moving Image, Creative Coding, Digital Art, and Three-Dimensional Design.
The Studio Art-Digital Art MFA is an experimental program that allows students to blend courses that explore computational artmaking with coursework in animation, film, computer science, painting, electronic music, and more. Graduate MFA students will complete 60 credit hours, with 12 general electives to be taken in any specialization, and nine in an area of focus. Six credit hours are devoted to Thesis Research.
The interdisciplinary Master in DMAE is part of the College of Art & Design-School of Art and the College of Engineering. This intensive, two-year program explores Animation, Video Games, and VFX. Course examples include Principle Production Workshop, Digital Media Production & Project management, Advanced Programming & Digital Art, Interactive Production Team I-II, and Interactive Design, Rapid Prototyping, and Innovation. Electives allow students to take additional animation courses or other courses of interest. A Digital Media Internship also part of the Master in DMAE Program as well as a Capstone.
Students in all School of Art Programs at Louisiana State University have access to the Arts, Visualization, Advanced Technologies and Research (AVATAR) Initiative, and they have the opportunity to join the Digital Art and Design Association (DADA), which hosts the Annual Animation Jam.
Louisiana State University was founded in 1860 as the Louisiana State Seminary of Learning and Military Academy. The flagship institution of the Louisiana State University System, LSU serves more than 35,000 students enrolled in over 330 programs across 18 colleges, schools, and centers, and LSU Online. Louisiana State University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
Both undergraduate programs begin with the Foundations of Art Series. Students will complete a number of projects throughout the program. Studio Art BA students will complete a Senior Capstone to graduate, while BFA students will complete a final major project. Final works will be presented at the Carrol Gallery located in the Woldenberg Art Center- Newcomb Art Department.
The interdisciplinary Studio Art MFA focuses on individual studio practice and cross-disciplinary seminars. Graduate students will participate in the Thesis Show, where each artist will exhibit a culminating body of work in the Carrol Gallery.
Tulane University was established in 1834 as Medical College of Louisiana. Serving approximately 14,475 students today, Tulane was the first major research institution to require public service for graduation. More than 75 different undergraduate majors are offered within five undergraduate schools, along with dozens of graduate programs across Tulane’s other five colleges and schools. Tulane University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
Louisiana State University-Shreveport (LSUS) has two pathways to study animation. In the Digital Media and Arts Department, students can enroll in the Digital Arts BFA Program. The Computer Science Department has a Digital and Interactive Design Concentration within the Computer Science BS Program. Both options can be completed four years.
The Digital Arts BFA Program explores 2D and 3D animation, digital illustration, game design, Photoshop, drawing, painting, and more. Fifteen credit hours of electives allow students to focus in areas such as animation, game design or graphic design. Other program highlights include hands-on learning in a collaborative environment, internship opportunities with local companies and studios, and the chance to join ACM SIGGRAPH, the American Advertising Federation, and/or the Game Development Club. All provide opportunities to participate in workshops and network with other artists and professionals.
The Computer Science BS with a Digital and Interactive Design Concentration prepares students for technical roles in the animation and visual effects industries. CS students work and learn in technology-enabled classrooms and state-of-the-art labs dedicated to animation, bio-informatics, computer game development, and network security. Students in the CS Program also have the opportunity to rub elbows with representatives from companies such as Cisco, Kobus Technologies, and Ingalls during the Department’s monthly Lunch & Learn event.
Students in both the BFA and BS Programs will graduate with a resume and a professional portfolio of their best work. Graduates of the Digital Arts and CS Programs at Louisiana State University-Shreveport are prepared for careers in animation, game art, artificial intelligence (AI), game development, software design, visual effects, advertising and marketing, film and video production, and graphics, among others.
Part of the Louisiana State university System, Louisiana State University-Shreveport began in 1967 as a two-year college. Serving close to 10,000 students, LSUS offers more than 20 undergraduate degree programs, a dozen master's degree programs, and a Doctorate of Education (Ed.D.) in Leadership Studies. Louisiana State University-Shreveport is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
The Department of Visual Arts at University of Louisiana at Lafayette (UL Lafayette) houses the oldest established Computer Animation Program in the state of Louisiana. Part of the College of the Arts, the animation program launched in 1992. Today, the Computer Animation Program at UL Lafayette can be taken as a Concentration within the Visual Arts BFA Program.
The Computer Animation curriculum is taught in a studio environment equipped with industry software such as Adobe Creative Suite and Maya, as well as classrooms, workstations, Mac computers, digital cameras and projectors, and more. Students also have access to the Animation and New Media & Digital Art studios equipped with compositing and editing software, a Green Screen production studio, and a video/audio system.
The Computer Animation Concentration explores animating, concept development, video and audio editing, scriptwriting, creating animatic studies, storyboarding, and compositing. The program also emphasizes hands-on computer experience, animation history, and contemporary works and theory in animation.
During the final year of the program, students will complete the Senior Capstone Art Project consisting of two courses totaling six credit hours and 12 lab hours. The project leads to a completed professional portfolio and exhibition.
Graduates of the Visual Arts BFA/Computer Animation Program at UL Lafayette have worked on numerous projects for Pixel Magic in Lafayette, Louisiana. Examples include The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, Men in Black, Looper, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part One and Part Two, Looper, and The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part One.
University of Louisiana at Lafayette was established in 1898 as the Southwestern Louisiana Industrial Institute. The school serves approximately 18,865 students, making UL Lafayette the second largest university in Louisiana. University of Louisiana at Lafayette provides more than 300 programs across 14 colleges and schools. The University of Louisiana at Lafayette is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
The College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at Southeastern Louisiana University houses the Department of Visual Art + Design, which provides 11 areas of study leading to a BA degree. Students in all areas have access to the state-of-the-art New Media + Animation Lab and other Southeastern facilities, semi-private studio spaces in the senior year, visiting artist lectures and workshops, and internship opportunities in the art, design, and entertainment industries
The Southeastern Louisiana University Visual Arts BA with a Major in New Media + Animation explores areas such as history and theory of new media, 2D animation, digital imaging, and internet technology. Advanced studies explore 2D and 3D interactive multimedia, digital video, sound design, physical computing, 3D printing, 3D computer graphics, and emerging computer art technologies.
Course examples for the program include 3D Digital Modeling and Animation, New Media and Animation, Three Dimensional Digital Media and Animation, Time-Based Media, and Advanced Web Arts. Students must complete the Senior Project: New Media + Animation course to graduate.
Graduates of the Visual Arts BA Program at Southeastern Louisiana University are prepared to pursue positions in animation game design, special effects, broadcast design, TV/film, multimedia art, videography, and directing, among others.
Serving 14,300 students, Southeastern Louisiana University is the state’s third largest public university. The school consists of five academic colleges offering more than 150 majors, minors, and concentrations. Established in 1925, Southeastern Louisiana University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). Southeastern is also accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD).
