Bachelor of Fine Arts in Animation and Visual Effects (STEM)

at Academy of Art University USA

The Visual Development MA program provides professional development with advanced coursework in still life painting, figure drawing, character design, concept painting, layout design for animation, and other core skills of professional visual developers.

The School of Animation & Visual Effects BFA program provides students with the skills necessary to master today’s digital technology.

2D animation and Stop Motion
The 2D animation and Stop Motion emphasis BFA is designed for students interested in acquiring basic to advanced skills in either hand-drawn or stop motion animation. 2D animation focuses on digitally hand drawn and computer generated movement. Stop motion animation involves both digitally captured and generated work as well as a significant amount of hand crafted art.

The Visual Development MA program provides professional development with advanced coursework in still life painting, figure drawing, character design, concept painting, layout design for animation, and other core skills of professional visual developers.

Entertainment Art
Entertainment Art emphasis students will develop professional skills needed to provide intelligent and informative visuals for new market areas of web publishing, app building, e-publishing, and VR experiences. Students will create unique portfolios incorporating data driven visual problem solving as well as fluency in time based media. Beyond distinct style and problem solving skills, students will develop professional portfolios emphasizing conceptual skills, current digital tools, appropriate motion based imaging skills, and the ability to work individually and in teams for online applications and digital publications. Professional skills needed to enter and sustain a career in the online marketplace for both contract and staff work will be emphasized.

The Masters of Arts in Fashion Merchandising program provides students with the professional skill set necessary for success in today’s fashion merchandising and management environment. Graduates will have the focus and strategic capabilities necessary to run a successful operation including planning, managing, and selling fashion products.

The BFA program teaches students the creative and technical skills needed to thrive as career artists. Advanced instruction is offered in non-figurative and figurative fine art, including painting, sculpting, and printmaking. Our Sculpture department has one of the largest and most advanced facilities of its kind in North America, and our state-of-the-art printmaking facilities merge traditional tools with cutting edge technology.

The MFA in Illustration provides the skills to develop portfolios with samples in Children’s Book, Editorial, Licensing, Package Illustration, Concept Art, Book Covers, Preliminary Art, Advertising, or Institutional Art portfolios. Both representational and stylistic approaches for print and or web are taught. Students graduate with a portfolio created in a personal style and medium of choice that is market appropriate.

Graduate programs in the School of Fashion refine and focus your individual artistic vision with degree options in Design, Knitwear Design, Textile Design, Costume Design, Footwear & Accessory Design, Fashion Product Development, Fashion Merchandising & Management, and Fashion Marketing & Brand Management. Studio courses hone your knowledge of industry standards, combining design excellence with the mastery of the latest digital tools. Graduate candidates are guided through Directed Study which culminates in the production of a final collection, portfolio, or project.

The BFA program provides students with a comprehensive education in the principles of modern web design and new media. Taught by a faculty that works in the San Francisco Bay Area creative industry, our students are provided a unique opportunity to learn from teachers immersed in the field. The curriculum focuses on visual design, user experience, design strategies, web design, and motion graphics.

The Master of Fine Art program provides students a framework for advanced study in drawing and painting, printmaking, and sculpture. Students are focused on technical and conceptual development in figurative, abstract or landscape work. The School of Fine Art provides graduate students with studio space, exhibition galleries, and world class facilities.

The Fashion Marketing M.A. program offers future fashion marketers and managers a firm foundation to gain strategic consumer and market insights and knowledge on the fast-changing fashion industry, and to identify emerging trends in fashion business, marketing, technology and consumer in a global context. Through hands-on projects and courses that emphasizes research and analysis, students will learn both strong foundation in theory and creative and analytical skills to develop real world applications to discover global trends and digitally connected consumers.