CSUN has been crowned once again as one of the top animation schools in the nation by Animation Career Review, an online source for aspiring artists seeking careers in animation, game development, and digital art and design.
With nearly 200 schools across the United States in consideration, CSUN was ranked No. 9 among the Top 20 Animation Bachelor’s Programs of 2021 and No. 15 among the Top 40 Public Animation Schools.
CSUN was recognized alongside other prestigious schools such as the University of Southern California, California Institute of the Arts, University of California, Los Angeles, and Carnegie Mellon University.
To determine the rankings, Animation Career Review used criteria including academic reputation, admission selectivity, depth and breadth of the program faculty, graduation rate, location, employment data, affordability and student debt.
CSUN’s animation program, located in the Department of Art in the Mike Curb College of Arts, Media and Communication, offers three essential animation tracks: 2-D design, 3-D animation and game development. Students have access to computer labs featuring state-of-the-art, industry-standard software and equipment.
Mark Farquhar, a CSUN professor of animation who has more than 20 years of experience working on feature animation productions for companies such as DreamWorks, Disney, Sony Pictures and Warner Bros., said the program provides students with a well-rounded liberal arts education, with a focus on professional preparation, so they can hit the ground running when they graduate.
“Any area of animation that you go into takes a lot of skill and knowledge, so there is a culture of mentorship and apprenticeship,” Farquhar said. “We are fortunate to be located so close to studios and companies at the forefront of creating entertainment media content. It allows us to bring in part-time faculty and guest speakers with a wealth of real-world industry experience.”