Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Animation & Visual Effects
- San Francisco, USA
- Online
Master degree
DURATION
6 semesters
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
Jan 2027
TUITION FEES
USD 1,615 *
STUDY FORMAT
Distance Learning, On-Campus
* per unit for international students / USD 1,407 per unit for domestic students
Key Summary
About: The MFA in Animation & Visual Effects at Academy of Art University trains students from ideation to post-production, focusing on communication, collaboration, and time management. Requirements include a Final Thesis Project, 63 required units with minimum grade C and a minimum 2.0 GPA. Students take one Art Historical course and one Cross-Cultural Understanding course. The university offers 120+ programs and 29 STEM OPT-qualifying degrees.
Career Outcomes: Graduates enter studio, film, TV, gaming, advertising, or digital roles. Common jobs include animator, VFX artist, compositor, 3D modeler, technical director, and motion graphics designer. Training covers storytelling, compositing, rigging, modeling, and teamwork.
The MFA in Animation & Visual Effects program focuses on developing skills in any one of the many areas of expertise within the animation and visual effects industry. The program educates students in all aspects of animation and visual effects, from ideation to post-production. Communication, collaboration, and time management skills are emphasized throughout the program to ensure graduates are acclimated to the intense professional culture that awaits them.
Unit Requirements
Degree Requirements
MFA Animation & Visual Effects Degree Requirements
- Successful completion of the Final Thesis Project
- Minimum grade of C in all required 63 units
- Minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA and the following Academic Study requirements:
- 1 Art Historical Awareness & Aesthetic course
- 1 Cross-Cultural Understanding course
Graduate students will meet the following student performance criteria:
MFA Thesis Project
- Present an original thesis concept worthy of the MFA degree
- Demonstrate the feasibility of the thesis project
- Produce a professional-standard project, with topical content for the industry, showcasing a technical and artistic ability
Technical Skills
- Demonstrate facility with animation technology and software
Presentation Skills
- Clearly discuss work and workflow process with a review committee, using industry terminology
- Effectively pitch ideas to the review committee
- Create visually compelling, professional-quality presentation materials
Preproduction Skills (Project Development)
- Execute projects that demonstrate attention to research, analytical thinking, detail, flexibility in problem-solving, and revision
Collaboration
- Collaborate effectively to produce creative projects
Professional Readiness
- Present a comprehensive demo reel/portfolio demonstrating professional-level achievement of specialty skills
- Demonstrate accountability for planning complex projects, prioritizing tasks, and meeting project milestones
- Document project workflow
Specialty Skills: Traditional Animation
- Demonstrate strong drawing skills and facility with anatomy, proportion, figure, animals, perspective, color and design, and composition
- Develop visual stories that support comedic or dramatic situations
- Stage stories through effective camera placement choices
- Draw convincing characters, layouts, storyboards, and animatics
- Apply the principles of animation to create animated movement and performances
Specialty Skills: Storyboarding
- Demonstrate strong drawing skills and facility with composition, and color and design
- Create value studies that set the mood for each scene, applying an understanding of the light source
- Demonstrate continuity in visual storytelling through effective camera placement choices
Specialty Skills: 3D Animation
- Apply the major principles of animation
- Create pieces that showcase expression and emotion
- Stage stories through effective camera placement choices
Specialty Skills: Modeling
- Convincingly model forms in 3-dimensions that demonstrate a thorough understanding of anatomy and sculptural form
- Display a range of modeling skill sets including hard surfaces and organic
- Create textures that will be applied to the surface of models
- Produce industry-standard turnarounds and wireframes
Specialty Skills: Visual Effects
- Design digital effects that meet the needs of the imagery
- Create believable images by combining elements from different sources
- Compose shots for narrative power
Academy of Art University Learning Outcomes
Graduates of the Academy of Art University will demonstrate the ability to:
- Produce a body of work suitable for seeking professional opportunities in their chosen field of art and design.
- Solve creative problems within their field of art and design, including research and synthesis of technical, aesthetic, and conceptual knowledge.
- Communicate their ideas professionally and connect with their intended audience using visual, oral, and written presentation skills relevant to their field.
- Execute technical, aesthetic, and conceptual decisions based on an understanding of art and design principles.
- Evaluate work in their field, including their own work, using professional terminology.
- Recognize the influence of major cultural and aesthetic trends, both historical and contemporary, on art and design products.
- Learn the professional skills and behaviors necessary to compete in the global marketplace for art and design.
Semester 1
- ANM 609: Gesture & Quick Sketch for Animators
Major / 3 Units - ANM 623: 3D Modeling & Animation 1 (Maya)
Major / 3 Units - ANM 688: Traditional Animation
Major / 3 Units - GLA 621: History & Techniques of Character Animation
Graduate Liberal Arts / 3 UnitsSemester 2 - ANM 683: Storyboarding for Thesis
Major / 3 Units - ANM 686: 3D Character Animation 1
Major / 3 Units - GLA 636: Acting for Animators
Graduate Liberal Arts / 3 Units - ILL 625: Perspective for Characters & Environment
Major / 3 UnitsSemester 3 - ANM 670: Preproduction
Major / 3 Units - ANM 687: 3D Character Animation 2
Major / 3 Units - ANM 703: Visual Effects for Animation
Major / 3 Units - GLA 617: Mythology for the Modern World
Graduate Liberal Arts / 3 UnitsSemester 4 - ANM 620: Advanced Character Animation
Elective / 3 Units - ANM 800: Directed Study
Directed Studies / 3 Units - ANM 801: Group-Directed Study
Directed Studies / 3 UnitsSemester 5 - ANM: Directed Study
Directed Studies / 3 Units - ANM 699: MS: Special Topics
Elective / 3 Units - ANM 800: Directed Study
Directed Studies / 3 UnitsSemester 6 - ANM 770: Final Portfolio Preparation
Major / 3 Units - ANM 891: Animation: Thesis Completion
Directed Studies / 3 Units - ANM 900: Internship
Directed Studies / 3 Units