The Algonquin College of Applied Arts and Technology
Advanced Diploma in AnimationOttawa, Canada
DEGREE TYPE
Advanced Diploma
DURATION
3 years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
Request application deadline
EARLIEST START DATE
Sep 2025
TUITION FEES
USD 22,148
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
Key Summary
Introduction
Bring your drawing skills to life through acting and storytelling.
The three-year Animation Ontario College Advanced Diploma program provides you with the skills needed to meet the standards of the demanding international animation industry. As a student attending one of the best animation programs in Canada (as ranked by Animation Career Review, 2019), you learn industry-standard technologies, drawing, and animation skills.
This program focuses on acting and body mechanics and where you learn traditional, 3D, traditional (using Toon Boom`s Harmony), and video game animation techniques. Our faculty members are industry professionals who have worked for studios such as:
- Disney
- Sony Image Works
- Mercury Filmworks
- Jam Filled Entertainment
- Atomic Cartoons
- Warner Bros. Animation
- Corus (Nelvana)
- Pip
- Kratts
- Ubisoft
Gain the ability to communicate your ideas through drawing, and to present them visually. Learn to see images in motion a skill necessary for an animator, and ensure your animated creations are realistic and meet industry standards.
The focus is on layout, location and character design, gesture drawing, and anatomy studies of the NUDE model, all culminating in performance-based character animation.
Ideal Students
This program is well-suited for students who:
- Are creative and think visually
- Enjoy a hands-on approach to learning about the animation and game industries
- Have strong observational and analytical skills
- Have an aptitude for acting and storytelling
- Are eager to learn new drawing and animation techniques using new technologies
Admissions
Curriculum
Level 01
- ANI1513 Life Drawing for Animation I
- ANI1550 Animation Design I
- ANI1557 Animation Practices and Principles I
- ANI1559 Environmental and Visual Problem Solving I
- ANI1592 Animation Drawing I
- ENL1813M Communications I
Level 02
- ANI1523 Life Drawing for Animation II
- ANI1551 Animation Design II
- ANI1558 Animation Practices and Principles II
- ANI1593 Animation Drawing II
- ANI1618 Character Design I
- DSN2100M Design Thinking
- ENL1839 Scriptwriting for Animation
Level 03
- ANI1552 Life Drawing for Animation III
- ANI1553 Animation Design III
- ANI1567 Character Animation I
- ANI1634 3D Animation I
Level 04
- ANI1555 Animation Design IV
- ANI1590 Character Animation II
- ANI1607 Life Drawing for Animation IV
- ANI1635 3D Animation II
Choose one from equivalencies
- GED1288 General Education Elective
Level 05
- ANI1578 Life Drawing V
- ANI1626 2D Digital Animation I
- ANI1627 Independent Study I
- ANI1628 Masterclass I
- ANI1629 Gesture Drawing for Animation I
Level 06
- ANI1584 Life Drawing VI
- ANI1586 Business Studies for Animation
- ANI1630 2D Digital II
- ANI1631 Independent Study II
- ANI1632 Masterclass II
- ANI1633 Gesture Drawing for Animation II
Program Outcome
The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:
- Design, create, and animate objects and characters with naturalistic and expressive movements and poses
- Design and create hand-drawn and/or computer-generated drawings using principles of art, design and composition
- Select and use appropriate tools and technologies for the development of animation projects
- Contribute to the planning, implementation, and evaluation of animation projects
- Plan, develop, and execute a series of effective and believable animation sequences
- Create and enhance the production of animation sequences and projects using a variety of principles and techniques related to cinematography and art direction
- Use storytelling skills to create and enhance the development and execution of animation sequences
- Use performance theory and skills to create and enhance animation
- Design and produce layouts using perspective, composition, and color theory to enhance visual presentation and mood
- Present and defend a visual concept to a target audience
- Use computer skills and appropriate digital asset management techniques to function effectively within a production pipeline
- Develop, assemble, and present a demo reel or portfolio in a manner that meets current industry expectations, and highlights one`s creativity, skills, and proficiency with relevant animation software and related technologies
- Identify and apply discipline-specific practices that contribute to the local and global community through social responsibility, economic commitment, and environmental stewardship
Career Opportunities
Graduates may find employment in the booming animation industry in local (Ottawa) studios, or Canadian animation centers like Toronto, Halifax, Montreal, and Vancouver or with studios around the world. Animation grads are sought after with a hiring rate in the +90% range with 100% employer satisfaction according to post-graduate surveys. Third-year students might also have the opportunity to work in a studio during part of the school year. There are also opportunities for advanced learning to earn a degree through our articulation partners.
There are many job opportunities for graduates of this program. You may find work as a(n):
- Animator at a professional animation or game studio
- Layout artist
- Location or character designer
- 3D animator, rigger or modeller
- Background artist
- Tradigital rigger
Other employment opportunities might include working on feature films, animated TV series, or commercials.