| Ranking | School | State |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas A&M University | Texas |
| 2 | University of Texas at Austin | Texas |
| 3 | University of Utah | Utah |
| 4 | University of Colorado, Denver | Colorado |
| 5 | New Mexico State University | New Mexico |
Our 2024 rankings of the Top 5 visual effect schools in the Southwest, our third annual rankings for VFX. For an explanation of ranking criteria, click here.
Texas A&M University (TAMU) is home to the School of Performance, Visualization and Fine Arts. Newly redesigned on September 1, 2022, the school now includes Dance Science, Theater, Music Performance, and Visual Studies. The schools five undergraduate majors, three graduate programs, and 11 minors are managed by working directors, composers, computer graphics engineers, sound technologists, dancers, and many other artists.
For students seeking careers in visual effects, the School of Performance, Visualization and Fine Arts has a Visualization program leading to a BS, MS, or MFA. The MFA is one of a few programs of its kind in the U.S. and possibly the only one in Texas.
Established in 1989, the TAMU Visualization program is studio-based and cross-disciplinary, with an emphasis on experimentation. This allows students to explore areas such as interaction, computer graphics, design, visualization, and art. Through electives, students at all levels may also focus in any area of specialization. This includes visual effects.
Examples of VFX-related courses include Digital Rendering; Interactive Virtual Environments; Visualization Techniques; Digital Characters: Art, Technology, Uses and Meaning; Visual Studies Studios; Digital Compositing; Computing for Visualization; Interaction Design; Video and Time based Media; Creating Digital Environments; Multimedia Design and Development; and Virtual Reality.
To enhance the program, VFX students may add an additional emphasis area such as interactive design, animation and virtual production or visual computing. Students may also add a minor in Flim, Game Design and Development, Virtual Production, Music Technology, or other area.
All TAMU Visualization students also have the opportunity to complete 15-week, 600 hour internship; participate in the Semester Away Program in places such as Germany or Italy; and attend the Annual Career Fair. Undergraduate internships are worth six credit hours. Graduate internships are worth eight credits. TAMU Visualization students have interned at a major animation, game, and design studios.
Graduates of the Visualization programs at Texas A&M University are prepared to pursue careers in the entertainment industry, including visual effects, animation, and game design; interaction design; user interface design; and interactive design. TAMU Visualization alumni have been hired at major studios such as Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar, DreamWorks Animation, and Reel FX.
TAMU Visualization graduates have been recognized by the Visual Effects Society Awards (VES), with nominations for work on productions such as Coco, Wall-E, Brave, Finding Dory, The Peanuts Movie, Toy Story of Terror, The Incredibles, King Fu Panda: The Emperor’s Quest, The Croods, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, and Lightyear. The VES Awards honor visual effects in film, television, video games, and commercials.
Texas A&M University opened its doors in 1876 as the state’s first public Institution of higher learning. The school is one of the few universities in the nation to have land-, sea-, and space-grant designations. Serving approximately 77,490 students, Texas A&M is the largest university in Texas. With branch campuses in Galveston, Texas and Doha, Qatar, Texas A&M houses 17 colleges and schools that provide over 140 undergraduate programs and more than 270 graduate degree programs.
Texas A&M University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
Moody College of Communication at University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin) provides several paths to study VFX. Within Moody’s Department of Radio-Television-Film (RTF) are the RTF BA, RTF minor, and the Film and Media Production MFA (FMP MFA).
All UT Austin RTF and FMP students have opportunities to work and learn in the Digital Media Production Lab (DML), which provides access to software such as Blackmagic Davinci Resolve, Autodesk Maya and Mudbox, Adobe Creative Cloud Suite, and other industry VFX tools. The DML also houses five surround sound dub stages; a 70 x 20 green screen; and dedicated work spaces.
In addition to the DML access, students may sign up for an internship and courses taught by industry insiders through the Wofford Denius UTLA Center for Entertainment and Media Studies. Internships and courses take place in Los Angeles for a semester or summer.
Other RTF and MFA program benefits include Maymester—a three- to four-week study abroad program in places such as Italy, the UK, or Guatemala; UT In New York, which provides the opportunity to live, work, and learn in New York City; and one- to six-hour hybrid/blended internships to gain practical experience in film, television, digital media, or video games.
Across RTF and FMP MFA programs, students also have access to a variety of VFX and special effects courses, as well as dozens of support courses. Examples include VFX & Motion Graphics; VFX for Storytelling; CGI for Film and Games; 2D Animation; Post-Production Techniques; Advanced Editing; Producing Short Films; Advanced Cinematography; Digital Media Production; Advanced Screenwriting: Feature Film; Producing Film and Television; Storytelling in Film and Media; and Global Hollywood.
The Digital Media Production course allows students to select an area of interest such as compositing and VFX; CGI and interactive game design; or animation and simulation. Areas of interest allow students to delve deeper into topics such as simulating effects, virtual cinematography, and lighting.
VFX courses are also accessible to students in the Arts and Entertainment Technologies BS program (AET BS) and the UT Austin Game Development and Design (GDAD) program.
The AET BS is housed in the School of Design and Creative Technologies. The GDAD program is a partnership between the AET, Computer Science (CS), and RTF Departments, with courses on immersive experiences provided by the Texas Immersive Institute (TXI). This GDAD program leads to a BS.
Recent graduates of the RTF and Film programs at UT Austin have been hired at some of the world’s top studios. Examples include DreamWorks Animation, Sony Pictures Classics, Lionsgate, Paramount Pictures, Walt Disney Studios, Shondaland, Searchlight Pictures, and Amazon Studios.
Founded in 1883, University of Texas at Austin serves approximately 53,865 students, making it the second the largest university in Texas. UT Austin provides more than 170 undergraduate degree programs, 125 master’s degree programs, and more than 80 doctoral programs across 15 colleges and schools. University of Texas at Austin is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
University of Utah (The U) houses the College of Architecture and Planning. Within the college is an Entertainment Arts and Engineering (EAE) emphasis, provided in conjunction with the School of Computing. Leading to a BS in Computer Science (BS CS), this 123 credit hour program features a computer science curriculum along with courses that cover computer-generated special effects, 3D animation, and game design and development.
Course examples include Interactive Machinima; Asset Pipeline; Digital Content Creation; Computer Systems; Alternative Game Design; Software Practice 1-2; and Human-Centered Computing. The program culminates with the Senior Capstone, completed over two courses. Graduates are prepared to pursue careers in the entertainment industry or to enroll in a graduate program, such as the Master of Entertainment Arts and Engineering (MEAE) at University of Utah.
The MEAE is a two-year program that provides a Technical Arts track. Areas of specialization within the track include Visual Effects; Simulation; Rigging; Technical Animation; Lighting; Procedural Content Creation; Scripting; Pipelines; and Shaders. Through the project-based Technical Art I-III courses, students will focus on topics such as procedural workflows in Side Effects Houdini; using programmable GPU Shaders to customize graphics pipelines to produce visual effects; and pipelines from concept to engine. Students will master Maya, C++, Maya Embedded Language (MEL), Unreal Engine, and Python.
Other course examples for the program include Level Design; Rapid Prototyping; 3D Modeling; Character Design; Texturing for 3D; Shader Development; Advanced 3D Character Production; Narrative in Game Design; Paper Prototyping; Hard Surface Modeling; Experimental Gameplay; Environment Art for Games; Technical Art IV; Narrative in Game Design; and Games User Interface Design.
In the Technical Art IV course, students have the opportunity to experiment with techniques and use what they have learned so far to create visual effects, games, animations, and more. The course also focuses on branding and portfolio presentation.
Upon completion of the program, students will have a demo reel and/or portfolio of their best work. Graduates are prepared to pursue titles such as VFX Artist, Visual Effects Animator, VFX Editor, VFX Production Coordinator or Production Manager, Video Game FX Artist, Computer Animator, Film Editor, 3D Animator and Digital Filmmaker.
Founded in 1850, University of Utah is the state’s public flagship institution. A top-tier research university, The U serves more than 36,000 students, making it the second largest public university in the state. The school is also classified by the Carnegie Foundation among the 137 research universities with the highest research activity in the nation.
Students at The U have access to more than 200 programs across 18 colleges and schools and nearly 100 departments. University of Utah is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU). The school is also member of the Association of American Universities (AAU).
The College of Arts and Media (CAM) at University of Colorado Denver (CU Denver) houses the Department of Visual Arts (VA) and the state-of-the-art Digital Animation Center (DAC). The two areas have partnered to provide a Visual Arts BFA with an emphasis in 3D Graphics and Animation.
Consisting of 120 credit hours, the program features courses such as VFX Rigging and Animation; Intro to Film; DAC: Visual Effects; Character FX; Surface Modeling; DAC: Dynamic Simulation; 3D Design; DAC Modeling I-II; Surface and Lighting; Digital Cinematography; Production I-III; and Character Creation.
The DAC: Visual Effects course is delivered in a lecture/lab format that explores the theory and techniques of creating VFX sequences. Students will explore how to develop complete effects shots such as camera tracking, shooting live plates, VFX, and compositing with an emphasis on artistic distinction through the application of current 3D technologies.
Visual Arts BFA students can develop additional VFX skills through electives such as Editing and Post-Production Techniques, Lighting, Grip, and Sound, and Sound for Film and TV.
In the junior year of the Visual Arts BFA program at University of Colorado Denver, students will begin production on their senior films. Throughout this 18-month capstone experience, students will have the opportunity to collaborate with departments across CAM and work in all areas to create their final projects.
Visual Arts students will create visual effects, sound, motion graphics, storylines, special effects, and soundtracks. Students may also participate in the internship program during the final two years of the program.
Other CAM features include guest speakers; access to state-of-the-art studios, labs, and production facilities; and participation in the CU Denver Visual Arts BFA Thesis Show at Redline.
Graduates of the Visual Arts BFA program at CU Denver are prepared to pursue careers as filmmakers, visual effects artists, animators, production and post-production artists, special effects artists, and many others. BFA alumni have produced films that have been screened at more than 300 film festivals across 22 countries, and they have won more than 75 Best Animated Short awards in non-student categories. Visual Arts graduates have also landed positions at major studios such as Lucasfilm, Pixar, and Sony.
University of Colorado Denver began as an extension of the University of Colorado Boulder in 1912. The school became CU Denver in 1973, making it an independent campus. Organized into eight colleges and schools, CU Denver serves approximately 15,000 students enrolled in 112 academic degrees University of Colorado Denver is accredited by Higher Learning Commission (HLC).
The College of Arts and Sciences at New Mexico State University (NMSU) houses the Creative Media Institute for Film and Digital Arts (CMI). Within the CMI are several paths to study visual effects. Options include a Bachelor of Creative Media (BCM) program with an emphasis in Animation and Visual Effects (BCM-ANVE); an 18 credit hour Animation and Visual Effects minor; and a Digital Filmmaking BCM.
All BCM students have access to state-of-the-art animation and post-production labs, production spaces, and a digital projection screening room. Students also have opportunities to complete a co-op experience with one of more than 100 employers from across the U.S. Examples include Disney, NASA, Amazon, IBM, Lockheed Martin, Peraton, and Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory.
The BCM-ANVE at New Mexico State University is a 120 credit hour, cross-disciplinary program with two paths including 3D and VFX Production Studio, and 2D Production Studio. Across paths, students will explore digital filmmaking, animation, and digital arts. 3D and VFX Production Studio emphasizes 3D rigging, modeling, and motion capture techniques. In 2D Production Studio, students explore 2D rigging, drawing for animation, digital illustration, and writing for animation. Both paths allow students to learn about and practice visual effects, character design, and storyboarding.
The Digital Filmmaking BCM at NMSU requires 27 elective credits of study, allowing students to focus their studies in animation. Examples of required courses and electives include Visual Effects; Cinematography I-III; Digital Video Production I-II; Introduction to Sound Design for Film; Principles of Sound; Digital Video Production and Editing; 2D Animation; Storyboarding; Sound Design I-II; Advanced Screenwriting; 3D Animation; Directing I-II; Business of Filmmaking/Animation; and Pre-Production Management.
In the final year of the Digital Filmmaking program at New Mexico State University, students will complete FDMA 497: Portfolio Design and Development. This course entails refining marketing strategies, building portfolios and resumes, and developing individual promotion and demo packages.
For the BCM-ANVE program at NMSU, students will complete 3D Production I and II—the yearlong culminating experience for the degree. Activities for 3D Production I include pre-production (pitch, script, visual and sound references, storyboards, 3D previsualization, scheduling/project management). 3D Production II consists of production, post-production, and distribution of the work created during 3D Production Studio I. Students will graduate with a professional quality production that demonstrated advanced skills in their chosen area of specialization.
All BCM students are eligible to enter their films or animated productions into the Las Cruces International Film Festival. Entry is free for NMSU students. BCM graduates are prepared to pursue careers in areas such as visual effects for film, VFX for animation, visual effects for television, VFX for advertising, and visual effects for games.
Founded in 1888 as Las Cruces College, New Mexico State University is a system of five colleges that serves approximately 22,750 students. Las Cruces serves nearly 15,000 students, making it the largest campus in the NMSU system. More than 100 programs are provided across seven colleges and the graduate school. New Mexico State University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).
