USC – Animation Studies

The University of Southern California (USC) was found in 1880 and is located in downtown Los Angeles. It offers degree programs in a wide variety of studies including cinema and animation. Its animation school is called the John C. Hench Division of Animation & Digital Arts and is part of the USC School of Cinematic Arts.

Since 1929, the cinema school has offered numerous studies to students on how to carry out entertainment and education through such areas as cinema, new media as well as television. The school has been renowned for the numerous directors, writers, scholars, entrepreneurs, animators as well as interactive designers that have come out of its program. Its student base is extremely international, including students from the Americas, Asia, Africa and Europe.

Students enrolled in USC’s animation studies explore how traditional painting and drawing, sculpting work and video have been incorporated into the art of animation. The belief in this program is that animation arts developed as a means of reflecting on the physical and mental development of the human being.

The different types of advanced degrees offered include Bachelor of Arts and Master of Fine Arts. As an undergraduate student, one is able to pursue a minor in Animation & Digital Arts or a minor in Science Visualization.

Bachelor of Arts
In this 4-year program, students are required to enroll in a broad range of liberal arts studies. They’ll also get a specialized focus depending on what they want to study. Some areas of concentration include 3D computer animation, interactive animation or character animation.

Master of Fine Arts
The MFA degree program is a 3-year graduate program. These students are and want to become even more specialized in their area of study. They learn special techniques and approaches that encourage individual development and creativity. Advanced computer animation software and media skills are taught in the process.

Animation and Digital Arts Minor
This program gives students an overview about the history and application of animation. Students explore an opportunity of topics such as stop motion, painting, digital media and more.

Science Visualization Minor
This program is an interesting area of study that combines science viewed in 3D renderings. Students acquire the skills in computer graphics that is applied to different scientific research projects. This is the perfect minor for those interested in exploring animation and science.

USC is a highly respected institution that offers quality education to all students. Its School of Cinematic Arts offers a wide array of degree programs in animation.

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Sources:
http://cinema.usc.edu/animation/index.cfm
http://about.usc.edu/