Online Education (animation & Multimedia Degree)

By Author: John Srob
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Degree programs in multimedia and animation are generally 4-year, liberal arts programs that focus on the creation of written, visual and audio art in all forms of media, from print to radio and cinema to television. Degree titles you can find include the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Graphic Design, B.A. in Animation and Digital Arts, B.A. in 3D Animation/Game Development and B.A. in Multimedia Communications. Within these programs, you can often specialize in a particular area such as 3D computer animation, special effects or experimental animation.

Some skills you may develop in the course of your curriculum are computer programming, writing, drawing, 2D and 3D animation, layout and design, broadcasting and podcasting. The intangible skills of creativity and ingenuity are also necessary to success in these programs.

What Courses Will I Take?

You will usually be required to complete a combination of general education requirements, major course requirements and elective studies. Most programs have a heavy foundation of art history, especially as it pertains to media. Many programs also have an internship ...
... option in later semesters to help you acclimate to the job field. Some examples of course titles include:

History of film
History of graphic design
Drawing
2D and 3D design
Writing for multimedia
Illustration
Photography
Broadcasting

Can I Enroll In Continuing Education?

Typically, if you want to continue your education in this field, you would enroll in a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) program. Some available programs are the MFA in Computer Art and MFA in Animation. The major focus of these programs is to stretch your creativity and imagination by experimenting with new technology to develop the future of digital media.

What Careers Might I Pursue?

With a bachelor's degree in animation or multimedia, you can pursue a variety of careers with magazines, radio stations, video game companies, television broadcasters and film producers. Some titles you might hold are graphic designer, character artist or game designer. As a graphic designer, you could work in almost any multimedia field. Your duties might be to illustrate and design layout for articles, create visual and written advertisements or design the format of a website. As a character artist, you would use computer animation to create 2D or 3D creatures and people for video games; as a game designer, you would draw and write the plot in which those creatures and people interact.

Can I Earn A Degree Online?

There are online bachelor's degrees in multimedia and animation arts available. Because the nature of this field is highly technological, the computer requirements are extensive. You will need a computer that meets minimum operating system requirements, the Internet and e-mail. You might also be required to purchase a color printer and scanner, digital camera, DVD player and CD burner, along with software for photo and video editing, drawing and audio playback such as Adobe Photoshop, Dreamweaver, Acrobat Professional and After Effects. Other than the extra electronic necessities, online courses operate similarly to classroom versions.

You May Qualify For Financial Aid.