Film and Animation BA, Animation MFA: combined degree

Our Mission

The MFA degree is the highest degree available in Animation. Our combined BA-MFA in Animation degree offers FDU students the option to complete both the Bachelor and Master degrees in Animation.

This program is designed for talented, highly motivated students seeking specialized training at the terminal degree level in addition to their undergraduate education in animation. The curriculum culminates in a major Thesis work, incorporates motion capture and virtual reality technology, and also promotes career readiness. Students may apply to this program at any time from their entry into the BA in Film and Animation program up until the beginning of the senior year of their undergraduate studies.

About the Degree

During the first three years, students in the combined BA-MFA program take undergraduate classes that are required of students in the BA in Film and Animation program (3D Animation Concentration, 2D Animation Concentration, or Video Game Animation Concentration). In the junior year of undergraduate studies, students in this program are required to submit a portfolio of their best work for review. In the senior year of undergraduate studies, students in this program take 12 Master’s level credits (included in their undergraduate tuition) as well as complete the remainder of their undergraduate courses.

Transferring Credits

To transfer graduate credits completed in the undergraduate senior year into the MFA program, a grade of B or better is required. Those credits will be applied to the undergraduate degree as well as the graduate degree.

Our Degrees

Each degree and concentration offers an opportunity to develop skills that will help you pursue your artistic and professional goals. 

Student Learning Objectives

Students in the Animation Majors will be able to:

1. Develop and compose written conceptual materials effectively.
2. Convey information and ideas through visual imagery proficiently.
3. Engage actively in verbal critiques and discussions.
4. Create high-quality 2D and 3D character animations.

Industrial Application of Skills and Competencies:

Graduates of the program will be prepared to:

1. Utilize the principles of animation language as applied in the video game industry.
2. Write detailed character biographies, video game design proposals, treatments, and storylines effectively.
3. Apply animation knowledge specifically to the context of the video game industry.
4. Present animation and video game concepts, principles, and practices clearly in oral presentations.

Potential Career Paths*

The animation and video game industry is experiencing higher than average growth between 8% and 16% annually.  

• Animators
• Special Effects Artists
• Video Game Designers
• Web Developer
• Digital Designer

*Statistics and information compiled by the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics

BA: 3D Animation Concentration

(Including 12 Dual Credits)

• ANIM 1500 Storyboarding
• ANIM 1750 Motion Graphics with After Effects
• ANIM 1850 3D Computer Modeling
• ANIM 2270 ZBrush Digital Sculpting
• ANIM 2500 3D Computer Animation
• ANIM 3330 3D Environment Modeling
• ANIM 3331 Logo and Product Animation
• ANIM 3341 Character Animation using CAT
• ANIM 4500 Thesis I
• ANIM 4600 Thesis II

Major Electives (12-15 Credits)

• 4-5 ANIM 1000-4000 Level Courses

Cognates (6 Credits)

• CGD 1313 Creative Imagery with Photoshop
• SOAC 4001 Professional Practice: Animation

• 4 ANIM 5000 or Higher Level Courses

MFA: 3D Character Animation Concentration

(Including 12 Dual Credits)

Required Courses (36 Credits)

• ANIM 5300 Storytelling
• ANIM 5400 Character Design
• ANIM 6100 Digital Sculpting
• ANIM 6150 3D Character Texturing
• ANIM 6300 3D Character Animation
• ANIM 7000 Advanced 3D Character Animation
• ANIM 7250 Lip-Syncing
• ANIM 7425 Motion Capture
• ANIM 7650 Thesis I
• ANIM 7750 Thesis II
• ANIM 7850 Thesis III
• ANIM 7900 Animation Career Preparation

Major Electives (12 Credits)

• 4 ANIM 5000 or Higher Level Courses

BA: 3D Animation Concentration (Including 12 Dual Credits)

• ANIM 1500 Storyboarding
• ANIM 1750 Motion Graphics with After Effects
• ANIM 1850 3D Computer Modeling
• ANIM 2270 ZBrush Digital Sculpting
• ANIM 2500 3D Computer Animation
• ANIM 3330 3D Environment Modeling
• ANIM 3331 Logo and Product Animation
• ANIM 3341 Character Animation using CAT
• ANIM 4500 Thesis I
• ANIM 4600 Thesis II

Major Electives (12-15 Credits)

• 4-5 ANIM 1000-4000 Level Courses

Cognates (3 Credits)

• CGD 1313 Creative Imagery with Photoshop
• SOAC 4001 Professional Practice: Animation

Dual Courses Applied to BA and MFA Degree (12 credits)

• 4 ANIM 5000 or Higher Level Courses

MFA: Visual Effects Concentration (Including 12 Dual Credits)

• ANIM 5300 Storytelling
• ANIM 5500 Digital 2D Animation
• ANIM 5600 3D Layers in After Effects
• ANIM 5700 Dynamic Effects and Particle Systems in After Effects
• ANIM 5800 Compositing in After Effects
• ANIM 6350 3D Particle Systems and Effects
• ANIM 6700 Animating Fluids
• ANIM 6805 Motion Tracking
• ANIM 7650 Thesis I
• ANIM 7750 Thesis II
• ANIM 7850 Thesis III
• ANIM 7900 Animation Career Preparation

Major Electives (12 Credits)

• 4 ANIM 5000 or Higher Level Courses

BA: Video Game Animation Concentration

(Including 12 Dual Credits)

• ANIM 1650 Game Design
• ANIM 2240 Low Poly 3D Modeling
• ANIM 2270 ZBrush Digital Sculpting
• ANIM 2500 3D Computer Animation
• ANIM 3330 3D Environment Modeling
• ANIM 3341 Character Animation using CAT
• ANIM 3350 3D Game Creation using Unreal
• ANIM 3450 3D Game Creation using Unity
• ANIM 4500 Thesis I
• ANIM 4600 Thesis II

Major Electives (12-15 Credits)

• 4-5 ANIM 1000-4000 Level Courses

Cognates (9 Credits)

• ART 1201 Drawing I
• CGD 1313 Creative Imagery with Photoshop
• SOAC 4001 Professional Practice: Animation

MFA: Video Game Concentration

(Including 12 Dual Credits)

• ANIM 5400 Character Design
• ANIM 5500 Digital 2D Animation
• ANIM 6100 Digital Sculpting
• ANIM 6400 3D Animation for Games
• ANIM 6600 Game Creation
• ANIM 7500 Advanced Game Creation
• ANIM 7525 Virtual Reality
• ANIM 7600 Video Game Team Project
• ANIM 7650 Thesis I
• ANIM 7750 Thesis II
• ANIM 7850 Thesis III
• ANIM 7900 Animation Career Preparation

Major Electives (12 Credits)

• 4 ANIM 5000 or Higher Level Courses

Other Animation Electives

• ANIM 1450 Drawing for Animation
• ANIM 2243 Advanced After Effects
• ANIM 2245 3D Character Modeling
• ANIM 2280 3D Printing
• ANIM 2285 3D Asset Creation for Video Games
• ANIM 2300 Texturing for 3D Production
• ANIM 3000 Fundamentals of Animation II
• ANIM 3100 2D animation with OpenToonz
• ANIM 3225 Vector Animation II
• ANIM 3250 3D Particle Animation and Effects
• ANIM 3343 Advanced Character Animation
• ANIM 3345 Custom 3D Character Rigging & Animation
• ANIM 3420 2D animation with Toon Boom
• ANIM 4100 Design & Development of Video Games
• ANIM 4422 Internship in Animation I
• ANIM 4423 Internship in Animation II
• ANIM 4800 Independent Study in Animation
• ANIM 4900 Faculty/Student Research
• ANIM 4901 Faculty/Student Research
• ANIM 5100 History of Animation & Special Effects
• ANIM 5200 History of Video Games
• ANIM 5650 3D Modeling
• ANIM 5750 3D Character Modeling
• ANIM 5850 Advanced Digital 2D Animation
• ANIM 5900 Expressions and Scripting in After Effects
• ANIM 6200 Animation with Houdini
• ANIM 6900 Digital 2D Game Creation
• ANIM 7100 3D Character Animation – Weight, Overlap and Follow through
• ANIM 7200 Character Animation – Emotion and Personality
• ANIM 7300 Animation with Hair/Fur
• ANIM 7400 Animation with Cloth
• ANIM 7550 Internship I
• ANIM 7700 Faculty/Student Research I
• ANIM 7775 Internship II
• ANIM 7805 Faculty/Student Research II