• Our three-year graduate program attracts advanced students seeking to further their animation knowledge and refine their production and motion design skills.
  • Students are encouraged to explore a diverse array of techniques and tools in both theory and practice in preparation for their thesis film or project.
  • They invite top tier guest lecturers to many of the classes to inspire the students and open doors to trajectories and pathways beyond their USC education.
  • Students have opportunities to collaborate across the School of Cinematic Arts divisions as well as work in partnerships with other USC students from the Thornton School of Music, the Glorya Kaufman School of Dance, the School of Dramatic Arts, the Viterbi School of Engineering and the School of Architecture to name a few.
  • The faculty are accomplished digital and traditional artists and professional from the animation industry and independent media production.
  • The program requires a minimum of 50 units: 36 units are in prescribed, sequential courses in the School of Cinematic Arts. The other 14 units are cinematic arts electives, 4 of which must be taken at the 500-level.
  • A thesis is required for the MFA degree.
  • Ongoing workshops in new technologies, traditional and digital media provide additional educational opportunities for students.
  • Admission is granted once a year in the fall; there are no spring admissions.
  • Approximately 10 students will be enrolled in each incoming class.
  • In addition to practical production, students would be notified of opportunities for extracurricular projects and internships that they may apply for.
  • Applicants for the MFA in Animation and Digital Arts must apply online
  • In order to begin work on the thesis project, students must first successfully propose their project to a committee of MFA animation and digital arts program faculty. Their proposal is prepared during the spring semester of their second year as part of their pre-thesis class .
  • In order to pass the pre-thesis class, the thesis proposal must be presented and approved by the thesis committee at the end of the fourth semester.