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What are the top New York illustration schools for 2024?
| Ranking | School | City |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | School of Visual Arts | New York |
| 2 | Pratt Institute | Brooklyn |
| 3 | Fashion Institute of Technology | New York |
| 4 | The New School’s Parsons School of Design | New York |
| 5 | Syracuse University | Syracuse |
Our 2024 ranking of the top illustration schools in New York. For an explanation of the ranking criteria, click here.
1. School of Visual Arts, New York, New York
The School of Visual Arts (SVA) is a community of creatives that includes faculty and alumni who were involved in five of the 2024 Academy Award-nominated films as Computer Animators, Illustrators, Producers, and more. Within SVA are a number of departments that provide degree programs at all levels.
The SVA Illustration Department has several paths, courses, and workshops for students seeking careers in Illustration, Entertainment, Animation, and other related areas. For degree-seeking students, the department provides an Illustration BFA and an Illustration as Visual Essay MFA. BFA program features include access to faculty and mentors who are professionals in the industry; opportunities to gain hands-on experience through internships and other experiential learning programs; and a senior portfolio curriculum that allow students to develop professional works in an area of focus.
Illustration BFA students will complete 120 credit hours, including 72 credits in studio art courses. Coursework explores drawing and illustration, painting, storytelling, writing, comics, books and zines, digital coloring, and visual computing. Elective studio courses allow students to explore areas such as motion graphics, web design, and stop-motion animation. Course examples for the program include Creating Unforgettable Characters; Pictorial Projects I-II: Illustration; Cool Books; Digital Collage Illustration: Telling Stories in Layers; Still and Moving: Low-Tech Animation; and Motion Graphics Techniques I-II.
Before graduating from SVA, Illustration students have plenty of opportunities to compete in competitions and work for places such as The New Yorker and The Village Voice. SVA Illustration graduates go on to establish successful careers in fields such as Advertising, Textile Design, VFX Art, Animation, Fashion Design, Book Publishing, Fine Art, Graphic Design, Printmaking, Film, Packaging, and Greeting Card Design.
For students seeking a degree in a specialized area of Illustration, School of Visual Arts has a Comic BFA Program. The curriculum for this program is similar to the Illustration BFA curriculum. Comic BFA students will also take other courses such as Principles of Cartooning I-II; Lettering Comics; Graphic Design Solutions for Illustrators and Cartoonists; Comic Book Superheroes and American Society; and Pictorial Projects I-II: Cartooning.
SVA’s MFA Illustration as Visual Essay Department was established in 1984. The department’s full contact MFA is a competitive 60 credit hour, two-year program that accepts just 20 students per year. All MFA students benefit from 24/7 access to personal workspaces; guest lecturers, speakers, and mentors; the Illustration Business Boot Camp; internship opportunities; and participation in exhibits and gallery shows.
Students in all SVA programs have access to the school’s study abroad program as well as SVA offices in Seoul, South Korea, and Shanghai, China, where students can collaborate, network, participate in workshops, and attend lectures.
In addition to coursework and projects in computer illustration, creative writing, storytelling, and visual essay, SVA MFA students have the opportunity to audit classes in Fine Arts, Animation, and Film. Course examples for the program include Drawing II; The Digital Book; Painting I-II; Creative Writing Workshop I-II; Book Seminar; Perpetual Appetizers; Studio Workshop I-II; History of Storytelling; and computer Illustration Portfolio.
The SVA Illustration as Visual Essay MFA program culminates with a Thesis Project completed over two courses.
For students seeking a shorter program, SVA has numerous options. Examples include Illustration as Design as Illustration (10 sessions); Animals and Creatures in Illustration (10 sessions); Careers in Illustration: A Drawing Workshop (six sessions); Crash Course for Artists, Illustrators, and Cartoonists (10 sessions); Etching: Illustrating Books with Prints (10 sessions); Comics Poetry: Experimenting with Text and Image (10 sessions); Fearless Drawing (four sessions); and Silkscreen: The Artist's Book Series (10 sessions). These single courses and workshops can last anywhere from a few days to several months, and some options can be completed entirely online.
Graduates of the School of Visual Arts are prepared for careers across industries. As mentioned, Illustration alumni have worked on major productions and won Academy Awards. They have launched their own studios such as Augenblick Studios and Titmouse, and worked with top studios such as Pixar, Disney, and DreamWorks. Others have worked with DC Comics and Marvel, or for brands such as Prada and Vans.
School of Visual Arts opened in 1947 as the Cartoonists and Illustrators school. Classes began with just three teachers and 35 students. Today, SVA serves approximately 3,440 students enrolled in dozens of BFA, MA, MFA, and MPS programs. School of Visual Arts is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE), with individual program accreditation by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD) and the Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA).
2. Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, New York
Pratt Institute (Pratt) has several paths to study Illustration for individuals seeking a shorter program and those seeking a four-year degree. Established in 2014, Pratt’s School of Design has a four-year Communications Design BFA that features project-based coursework in a collaborative studio environment. The program also has an Illustration emphasis that explores advanced level storytelling, image-based communication, authoring, and socio-political commentary.
Consisting of 126 credit hours, the Communication Design BFA encourages experimentation, with elective coursework that allows students to develop skills in focused areas. Examples of available topics include Animation, Graphic Novels, Children’s Books, 3D Modeling, Editorial Illustration, Illustrated Typography, Concept Art, and Independent Publishing.
Course examples for the program include Illustration Intensive 1-3; Dynamic Imagery; Integrated VisCom; Space, Form & Process; Typography and Information Design; Visualization/Representation; Branding and Messaging; Digital Prototyping; Time and Movement; and Professional Practice. The Communications Design BFA at Pratt Institute culminates with the Illustration Senior Thesis.
For students seeking a shorter program, the School of Art at Pratt Institute has a two-year Associate of Occupational Studies (AOS) and an AAS program. The Illustration AOS is a 69-credit hour program that features hands-on learning; the opportunity to earn work experience through the internship program; courses taught by industry professionals; and intensive portfolio development courses.
Also consisting of 69 credit hours is the Graphic Design/Illustration AAS, consisting of a Liberal Arts component that allows students to transfer into Pratt’s Fine Arts or Communications Design BFA programs. Both the AOS and AAS explore Illustration for print and web; industry software; drawing; traditional and digital methods; advertising and editorial; visualization; and professional practices.
Across all listed degree programs, students have access to maker spaces and labs that feature state-of-the-art equipment; and opportunities to study abroad in Berlin and the UK.
Graduates of the Communications Design and Illustration programs at Pratt Institute are prepared to pursue careers across industries. Program alumni have been hired at places such as Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), Amazon, Digital Domain, Walt Disney Animation Studios, Hasbro, Cartoon Network, DreamWorks, Pegasus Books, Gameloft, Sony Pictures Imageworks, Penguin Random House, Cricket Media, and Scholastic.
Founded in 1887, Pratt Institute was one of the nation’s first colleges to welcome students without regard to color, gender, or class. The school serves approximately 5,050 students across campuses in Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Utica, New York. More than 70 degree programs are offered across six schools and The Center for Interdisciplinary Studies. Pratt Institute is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE).
3. Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), New York, New York
Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) houses the School of Art and Design, which provides 17 undergraduate majors in Art, Design and Fashion. This includes an Illustration major leading to an AAS or BFA. Program features for both options include real-world classes; mentoring workshops led by art directors and professional illustrators; participation in student art exhibitions; and access to the Society of Illustrators—the industry's top professional organization.
Students in the BFA program also have the opportunity to participate in the FIT Internship Program and/or study abroad in Florence. The BFA has two schedule options: Traditional Daytime and the Evening/Weekend BFA.
Course examples across programs include Illustration Process I-II; 2D Computer Animation; Visual Storytelling for Evolving Media I-II; Advanced Visual Story Studio; Digital Illustration Techniques; Stylistic Illustration; Illustrating the Written Word; Illustration Process I-II; Illustration Rendering Techniques; Visual Interpretation; Computer Typesetting and Design; and Advanced Pictorial Problem Solving.
The FIT Illustration BFA culminates with the Illustration Portfolio Thesis presented before faculty and peers. Graduates of the AAS are eligible to apply for admission to FIT’s Illustration BFA as well as the school’s BFA programs in Animation, Interactive Media & Game Design, Textile/Surface Design, and Toy Design.
Graduates of the Illustration BFA at Fashion Institute of Technology are prepared for immediate entry into the field or a graduate program, such as the 60 credit-hour Illustration MFA. Housed in FIT’s School of Graduate Studies, the MFA highlights field trips to studios in LA and New York; real-world projects; guest lecturers; and professional internships.
Course examples for the program include Integrating Digital with Traditional Media; Directed Projects in Illustration; Drawing for Illustration; Narrative Art; Creative Writing for Illustrators; Digital Bootcamp; Sequential Storytelling; Survey of Digital Illustration; Art is Where You Look For It: Diversifying Illustration's Application; Illustration in Motion; and The History of American Illustration. Students also have the opportunity to participate in the Studio Visits: New York or LA courses, which provide face-to-face interactions with east and west coast-based professional animators, illustrators, and art directors through in-person meetings at studios and office visits.
In the final year of the FIT Illustration MFA program, students will complete the Visual Thesis Studio course and Visual Thesis – Exhibition and Promotion. The Exhibition takes place at a gallery.
The program culminates with a Visual Thesis Exhibition at a gallery. Past projects have focused on animations, installations, children’s books, concept art, murals, reportage drawings, and graphic novels.
FIT Illustration alumni have established freelance careers and full-time employment with a wide variety of agencies, studios, and publications. Examples include DreamWorks, LucasArts, DDB, Revlon, Ogilvy, Young & Rubicam, Disney, BBDO Worldwide, Warner Bros., Hallmark, Vogue, American Greetings, and Harper’s Bazaar.
Fashion Institute of Technology opened in 1944 inside the High School of Needles Trades. On the first day of class, the school had 100 students. Today, FIT spans an entire city block and it serves approximately 8,150 students. The school is also part of the State University of New York (SUNY) System.
Programs at FIT are provided at the undergraduate and graduate levels across five academic divisions. Fashion Institute of Technology is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE), the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD), and the Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA).
4. The New School’s Parsons School of Design, New York, New York
The New School’s Parsons School of Design (Parsons) is home to the School of Art, Media, & Technology (AMT), which has an Illustration BFA program that takes four years to complete, full-time. Students have the opportunity to create an interdisciplinary path of study, which can include adding a minor such as Comics and Graphic Narrative or Immersive Storytelling, or enrolling in a dual BA/BFA.
Other program features include internships with Parsons partners such as Nickelodeon, The New York Times, Barnes & Noble, and Apple; access to The New School libraries, studios, computer labs, archives, and the state-of-the-art Making Center; Collaboration Studio courses and other collaborative projects; participation in events such as Comic Arts Brooklyn, MoCCA Fest, and Pictoplasma; and study abroad opportunities in Paris, Florence, and London.
The Illustration BFA program at Parsons also provides access to New York–based professional organizations such as American Illustration and the Society of Illustrators, which helps students connect with professional illustrators, other artists, and publishers.
Consisting of 120 credit hours, the Parsons Illustration BFA begins with the First Year Curriculum (FYC) requirement, which explores art and design concepts, 2D and 3D processes, digital design, drawing, and critical practices. FYC course examples include Integrative Studio; Drawing/Imaging; Time; Objects as History; Space/Materiality; Integrative Seminar; and Sustainable Systems. Other course examples include Language & Letterform; Core Studio 4D; History of Modern & Contemporary Art: Recitation; Introduction to Visual Culture: Lecture; Topics Studio; and Professional Practices.
The Illustration BFA program at Parsons School of Design culminates with the Thesis Project, completed over two courses. Graduates are prepared for positions in illustration, publishing, comics, animation, installation design, toy design, advertising, game art, motion graphics, graphic novels, product design, fine art, and surface design. Program alumni have been hired by companies and organizations such as Rockstar Games, The New York Times, Urban Outfitters, Viking Books, LAIKA, Tiffany & Company, The Society of Illustrators, Amplify, Manhattan Youth, Curriculum Concepts, Brooklyn Print House, and Vice Media.
The New School was founded in 1919. Parsons School of Design was established as The Chase School in 1896 by American Impressionist William Merritt Chase. In 1904 Frank Alvah Parsons joined the school, eventually becoming its sole director. The Chase School became Parsons in 1941, and joined The New School in 1970. Today, The New School serves 10,000 students, with 5,000+ enrolled in Parsons School of Design.
The New School provides more than 120 degree and diploma programs across six colleges and schools, including Parsons Paris. The New School is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE), with Parsons School of Design included within the scope of MSCHE accreditation.
5. Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York
Syracuse University (SU) is home to the College of Visual and Performing Arts (VPA), which houses the School of Art. Within the school is an Illustration program with BFA and MFA options. BFA students have the opportunity to focus in one or more of the following areas: Editorial, Visual Development, Product, and Sequential. The Editorial Focus is for students who would like to specialize in illustrating for magazines, book covers, newspapers, and online publishing.
Visual Development is designed for students with an interest in character development for gaming and animation. In the Product Focus, students will explore illustrating as it relates to packaging, patterning, and products. Students in the Sequential Focus will learn to illustrate for comics, graphic novels, and children’s books.
Other Illustration BFA program benefits include a two-week animation and film industry immersion in LA; participation in on-campus workshops and lectures; access to state-of-the-art production facilities, labs, and studios; participation in the SU internship program; and the opportunity to study overseas through the VPA study abroad program in Italy, or through Syracuse SU Study Abroad. More than 100 programs are accessible across 60 countries.
The SU Illustration BFA program requires 122 credit hours of study. Students will take courses such as Illustration I-II; Media Arts Techniques I-II; Introduction to Digital Illustration; Observational Drawing Workshop; Intermediate Illustration I-II; and The Business of Illustration. In addition to one or more focus areas, BFA students may complete 18 credits of studio electives. The program culminates with the Senior Portfolio, completed across two courses.
Graduates of the Illustration BFA program at Syracuse University are prepared to pursue roles across many creative industries. Program alumni work in children’s book publishing, visual development for games, editorial illustration, graphic novels and comics, animated films, licensing, advertising, and marketing, greeting card design, and television production.
The Illustration MFA at Syracuse University is an experimental, cross-disciplinary, and research-focused program that provides opportunities to interact with professionals at New York studios and within the arts and publishing industries. Consisting of 60 credit hours, the program includes 27 credits of studio electives. Other electives, such as elective travel courses, allow students to take an intensive three-credit course for four hours Monday through Friday during the two-week long MAYmester and the Summer Program.
Course examples for the program include Story Lab; Play Matters; Visual Integration; Visual Voice I-II; and Entrepreneur. The culminating experience for the SU Illustration MFA is the 12 credit-hour Thesis. Graduates are prepared for advancement opportunities in their current careers, and for leadership positions in fields such as comic book publishing, film and animation, game design, advertising and marketing, magazine and newspaper publishing, book publishing, medical and scientific illustration, fine art, product and toy design, and education.
Founded in 1870, Syracuse University is an R1 research university that serves approximately 22,700 students from all 50 states and 120 countries. More than 200 majors, 100 minors, and 200 advanced degree programs are provided across 13 colleges and schools. In addition to campuses in Syracuse, Manhattan, Washington DC, and Los Angeles, Syracuse University operates overseas centers in France, Italy, London, Poland, Chile, and Spain. Syracuse University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE).