A masters in animation in Canada is a two to four degree designed for those with special creative skills in animation. Everything related to digital media requires some sort of animation whether it is movies, advertisements or tv shows. Master's degree in animation is way broader than the bachelor's degree as it involves the creation of several portfolios, thesis or writing before the degree is completed.

After completion of a masters in animation in Canada, the students will not only master themselves in animation but also learn and prove their communication skills, analytical skills as well as thinking skills. Nevertheless, there are endless career opportunities after this degree such as character artist, storyboard artist, concept artist, graphic designer, and much more.

Let's explore the top universities in Canada offering master's degrees in animation with eligibility requirements and placements.

Top universities for masters in animation in Canada

Below are the universities and colleges that offer master's degree programs in animation, their QS ranking and annual fees.

University/College Annual Tuition Fee QS World Ranking 2023
University of British Columbia 9,313.92 CAD #47
University of Calgary 8,242.68 CAD #242
Simon Fraser University 20,074.78 CAD #328
Centre For Digital Media 20,074.78 CAD N.A

Master's Degree in Animation in Canada: Eligibility Requirements

Below are mentioned the general admission requirements to pursue a master degree in animation in Canada.

  • Previous academic transcripts
  • A 4 year Bachelor's degree
  • A minimum GPA of 3.0 on the scale of 5.0 or an overall average of 75 - 80%
  • English language Proficiency
  • Work samples to demonstrate skills
  • Portfolio
  • Statement of Purpose
  • Letter of Recommendation
  • Resume

University of British Columbia

University of British Columbia offers a two year master's in animation as a master of digital media program. Those graduating from this program may pursue a career as designers, producers, technical arts and entrepreneurs. The university invites students from all parts of the world with majority of them having a background in computer science, social science, business and engineering. The program animation program offers at UBC is primarily focused on experimental learning with 65% project based learning and the rest theoretical based.

Category Minimum Requirements
GPA Required A 4 year bachelor's degree with a minimum of 65%
GMAT/GRE GMAT score of
English language Proficiency IELTS: 7.0 | TOEFL-IBT: 100
Letters of Recommendation
Additional Requirements 2 to 3 work sample in design, arts and engineering, work sample summary in 250 to 300 words

University of Calgary

The University of Calgary offers a M.Sc in computational media design for those with a background in design, arts, drama, music and computer science. The program is jointly offered through six departments combined. The animation program at University of Calgary is highly competitive and it only admits those with strong academic profile. Those competing this degree can be hired in companies that mainly deals in film production, game development & design, simulation, animation, wearable computing, and web design. It is a two year program that can also be completed in 4 years.

Category Minimum Requirements
GPA Required An overall GPA of 3.0 in bachelor's
IELTS Score Required IELTS: 7.5 | TOEFL-IBT: 105
Letters of Recommendation Required
Additional Requirements Portfolio with 10 work samples, Letter of intent, short formal essay, resume, and introduction video

Simon Fraser University

Simon Fraser University offers a 16 months master of digital media as graduate animation degree. With completion of animation program from Simon Fraser University, the graduates will improve their communication skills, leadership and collaboration skills. The curriculum is highly based on the needs required by the advanced digital media across all sectors including education, healthcare, entertainment and business.

Category Minimum Requirements
GPA Required An overall GPA of 3.0 in bachelor's
IELTS Score Required IELTS: 7.0 | TOEFL-IBT: 100
Letters of Recommendation Required
Additional Requirements A portfolio with 5 work samples, work summary in 250 to 500 words

Centre For Digital Media

The master of digital media program offered at Centre for Digital Media is designed in collaboration between University of British Columbia, Emily Carr University of Art + Design, Simon Fraser University, and British Columbia Institute of Technology. The students enrolled in digital media program come from academic backgrounds in arts, design, film, architecture, business and history.

Category Minimum Requirements
GPA Required An average of 80% in the 3rd and 4th of bachelor's degree
IELTS Score Required IELTS: 7.0 | TOEFL-IBT: 100
Letters of Recommendation Required
Additional Requirements Work samples or portfolios

Master in Animation Placements in Canada

A diverse range of job opportunities are available after completion of a master's in digital media from a Canadian University. Tabulated below are the top job and average annual salary according to payscale.com.

Job/Position Average Annual Salary
Graphic Designer 35,000 - 59,000 CAD
Senior Graphic Designer 44,000 - 77,000 CAD
Graphic Artist 37,000 - 64,000 CAD
Art Director 45,000 - 90,000 CAD
Architectural Design 40,000 - 75,000 CAD

There is a huge demand for those with expertise in animation field in the entire media industry and other businesses. Due to this, many students from across the globe are looking forward to pursuing a master's degree in animation after completion of a 4 year bachelor's degree. The industry has a great scope in a country like Canada which also house some top ranked universities that offer Master's degree in animation.