The Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts at Arizona State University (ASU) was created in 2009 after the ASU College of Design and the Katherine K. Herberger College of Fine Arts merged. Today, Herberger employs more than 600 faculty members that serve nearly 9,000 students enrolled in 130 different programs across the School of Art; the School of Arts, Media and Engineering; the Design School; The Sidney Poitier New American Film School; ASU FIDM; and the School of Music, Dance and Theater. The Herberger Institute also houses the ASU Art Museum.
The School of Art and the School of Arts, Media and Engineering provide several paths to study animation. In the School of Art, students can enroll in the Art BFA with a concentration in Animation; the Art MFA; or the 18 credit-hour Animation minor. School of Arts, Media and Engineering students can enroll in the Digital Culture BA program; the interdisciplinary 21 credit hour undergraduate minor; or the 18 credit-hour Digital Culture certificate.
The Digital Culture BA features a variety of courses that allow students to focus in animation. Examples include Introduction to Computer Animation; Experimental Video Art; 2D Computer Animation; 3D Tools; Stop Motion Animation; Introduction to Animation for Film; Animating Virtual Worlds; 3D Computer Imaging and Animation; Fundamentals of Sound Art; and Motion Graphics and Animation. The program culminates with a final project.
Graduates of the Digital Culture BA program at Arizona State University are prepared to pursue roles in areas such as animation and film, video game development, media arts, computing, and graphic communications.
The Art BFA with a concentration in Animation requires 120 credit hours of study. Courses for the program are led by industry professionals with expertise in animation filmmaking, emerging technology, and computer-generated imagery. Course examples include Animation Motion Studies; The Art Experience; Storyboarding and Narrative Sequencing; 3D Computer Imaging and Animation; Illustration; and Junior Animation Projects I-II.
Elective options for the program allow students to gain experience in other areas such as stop motion animation, visual effects (VFX), experimental video art, game art, and screenwriting.
Other Art BFA/Animation program benefits include access to state-of-the-art facilities and resources at the Media and Immersive eXperience (MIX) Center in Mesa, Arizona; internships with local studios, companies, and arts organizations; visiting artist lectures supported by the School of Art galleries, the Ceramics Research Center and Archive, and the ASU Art Museum; and participation in public exhibitions.
The Art BFA program at Arizona State University culminates with the Animation Capstone completed across two courses. The capstone results in an independent short film or a full-length film produced as a team.
The Art MFA program at ASU Herberger provides the opportunity to complete projects in a discipline of the student’s choice. Examples include animation, intermedia, drawing and painting, photography, and printmaking. Other program benefits include workshops; teaching opportunities; visiting artist lectures; and access to private, state-of-the-art studio space at Grant Street Studios.
Located in downtown Phoenix, Grant Street houses several galleries and resources such as printmaking presses, a computer lab and 3D print lab, and a photography darkroom.
The Art MFA program at Arizona State University culminates in a solo thesis exhibition in Step Gallery, Northlight Gallery, or Harry Wood Gallery. All galleries are part of the School of Art.
Graduates of the Art BFA/Animation and MFA programs at Arizona State University are prepared to pursue careers in the creative, technical, and scientific industries, among others. Examples include animation and film, robotics, medical illustration, scientific and data visualization, games and game development, cinema and television, AR/VR, illustration, and fine arts.
ASU Art and Animation alumni hold titles such as Animator, Creative Director, VFX Artist, Graphic Artist, Art Director, and Multimedia Designer.
Founded on March 12, 1885, Arizona State University is the state’s first higher education institution. The school opened its doors on February 8, 1886 as Territorial Normal School (TNS). On the first day of class, TNS welcomed 33 students to a four-classroom building in Tempe, Arizona. Today, ASU sits on 1,550 acres that house multiple campuses, 16 colleges and schools, and ASU Online. Approximately 152,810 students from across the U.S. and nearly 160 other countries have access to more than 800 degree programs.
Arizona State University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). Engineering at ASU is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET.