| Ranking | School | City |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Minneapolis College of Art and Design | Minneapolis |
| 2 | Minnesota State University – Moorhead | Minnesota |
Our 2019 rankings of the top animation school programs in Minnesota. For an explanation of the ranking criteria, click here.
1. Minneapolis College of Art and Design, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis College of Art and Design (MCAD) was established in 1886. It is home to more than 800 students from 45 states and 15 countries. The school offers more than 20 programs across several departments. The Animation Department offers a BFA in Animation and an MFA in Visual Studies. Per the school, the BFA Program consists of rigorous foundation studies and collaborative projects that allow students to “expand their work” and “move into the world beyond with visual communication skills and up-to-date technical proficiencies.”
Course highlights include Stop-Motion Animation, Character Animation, 3D Animation, 3D Modeling, Filmmaking, Storyboard, Sound, and Drawing. A required internship is also part of the program as well as optional study abroad experiences in Japan, Germany, England, Italy, and other places. MCAD students have interned at Nickelodeon, MTV, Walker Art Center, and Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art.
Housed in an all-MFA studio and gallery space, which includes fifty individual studios, smart classrooms, facilities for creative making, and a large gallery space, the 60 credit hour MFA Program allows students to pursue creative work in areas such as Animation, Comic Arts, Filmmaking, Illustration, Installation Art, and Web and Multimedia. Other program highlights include an internship, study abroad opportunities and the Master’s Trip to NYC. During the trip, students and alumni will visit artist studios, art and design venues, agencies, and more.
2. Minnesota State University – Moorhead, Moorhead, Minnesota
Founded in 1887, Minnesota State University – Moorhead (MSUM) serves nearly 6,000 students enrolled in 247 academic programs through five colleges and the Graduate School. The College of Arts, Media & Communication houses the School of Media Arts & Design and the School of Art. The School of Media Arts & Design offers a BA in Animation and the School of Art offers a Certificate in Sequential Art that prepares students for careers in animation, comic illustration, printmaking, and other sequential art forms.
Per the school, the BA in Animation at MSUM “concentrates on the creation of technical graphics, 3D modeling, and techniques used in the animation industry, including game graphics and 3D simulations. Classes also include film studies and video/audio production.” Students will learn techniques for traditional stop motion animation and 2D and 3D computer animation, and they will become familiar with hardware such as cameras, lights and animation stands, as well as software such as 3D Studio Max, MAYA, Final Cut Pro, Adobe Illustrator, After Effects, Photoshop, InDesign and more.
The curriculum for the program provides students with the unique opportunity to “develop a background in film and a foundation in live-action shooting, which is highly beneficial for animation professionals.”
Graduates of the BA in Animation at MSUM may find employment with animation studios, video production houses, television stations, music industry, multimedia, web, and advertising agencies.
