MFA
The Expanded Animation Research + Practice program offers a creative environment for advanced artists to explore a broad spectrum of animation techniques and genres, critical theory, and animation history and contemporary practice.
XA faculty nurture each student’s ‘iconic self’– their unique, individual identity and their vision for the future. Students are encouraged to research deeply, to tell their original personal stories, create a persuasive call to action, experiment with abstract animation or immersive installations.
Our research concentrations include character, experimental and documentary animation, stop motion animation, animation for robotics, virtual humans and AI, cinematic installations, fine art animation practice, gesture movement, and science visualization.
XA is a three-year, six-semester Master of Fine Arts degree and requires a minimum of 50 units– 30 units are prescribed sequential XA courses and 20 units are selected electives from the USC School of Cinematic Arts. In addition, the MFA degree requires completion of a thesis project.
Admission is granted once a year in the fall. There are no spring admissions. Approximately 15 students are enrolled in each incoming class.
Upon successful completion of the XA MFA program, students will have
- Advanced understanding of the principles of animation.
- Understanding of cinematic concepts such as development, storyboarding, design, cinematic concepts, 2D or 3D animation real-time and immersive production, directing, editing, cinematography, and sound design with an emphasis in innovation and creativity.
- Broad knowledge and appreciation of international animation history and contemporary practice across the animation industry, academia, and the fine arts.
- Development and refinement of narrative and/or abstract cinematic skills to communicate effectively, and demonstrate these skills in the execution of a creative project.
- Awareness of, and experimentation with, the evolving nature of media, organic materials, and technology, and expanding the boundaries of existing parameters.
- Specialization in one creative animation production with substantial proficiency, which is demonstrated in completion of an advanced thesis project produced as a film, VR, AR, game, installation, or other new media platform(s). Critical research to support the creative project, such as a website, research paper, documentation, or publication, is required.
MFA
MFA
The Expanded Animation Research + Practice program offers a creative environment for advanced artists to explore a broad spectrum of animation techniques and genres, critical theory, and animation history and contemporary practice.
XA faculty nurture each student’s ‘iconic self’– their unique, individual identity and their vision for the future. Students are encouraged to research deeply, to tell their original personal stories, create a persuasive call to action, experiment with abstract animation or immersive installations.
Our research concentrations include character, experimental and documentary animation, stop motion animation, animation for robotics, virtual humans and AI, cinematic installations, fine art animation practice, gesture movement, and science visualization.
XA is a three-year, six-semester Master of Fine Arts degree and requires a minimum of 50 units– 30 units are prescribed sequential XA courses and 20 units are selected electives from the USC School of Cinematic Arts. In addition, the MFA degree requires completion of a thesis project.
Admission is granted once a year in the fall. There are no spring admissions. Approximately 15 students are enrolled in each incoming class.
The Expanded Animation Research + Practice program offers a creative environment for advanced artists to explore a broad spectrum of animation techniques and genres, critical theory, and animation history and contemporary practice.
XA faculty nurture each student’s ‘iconic self’– their unique, individual identity and their vision for the future. Students are encouraged to research deeply, to tell their original personal stories, create a persuasive call to action, experiment with abstract animation or immersive installations.
Our research concentrations include character, experimental and documentary animation, stop motion animation, animation for robotics, virtual humans and AI, cinematic installations, fine art animation practice, gesture movement, and science visualization.
XA is a three-year, six-semester Master of Fine Arts degree and requires a minimum of 50 units– 30 units are prescribed sequential XA courses and 20 units are selected electives from the USC School of Cinematic Arts. In addition, the MFA degree requires completion of a thesis project.
Admission is granted once a year in the fall. There are no spring admissions. Approximately 15 students are enrolled in each incoming class.
Upon successful completion of the XA MFA program, students will have
- Advanced understanding of the principles of animation.
- Understanding of cinematic concepts such as development, storyboarding, design, cinematic concepts, 2D or 3D animation real-time and immersive production, directing, editing, cinematography, and sound design with an emphasis in innovation and creativity.
- Broad knowledge and appreciation of international animation history and contemporary practice across the animation industry, academia, and the fine arts.
- Development and refinement of narrative and/or abstract cinematic skills to communicate effectively, and demonstrate these skills in the execution of a creative project.
- Awareness of, and experimentation with, the evolving nature of media, organic materials, and technology, and expanding the boundaries of existing parameters.
- Specialization in one creative animation production with substantial proficiency, which is demonstrated in completion of an advanced thesis project produced as a film, VR, AR, game, installation, or other new media platform(s). Critical research to support the creative project, such as a website, research paper, documentation, or publication, is required.
Upon successful completion of the XA MFA program, students will have
- Advanced understanding of the principles of animation.
- Understanding of cinematic concepts such as development, storyboarding, design, cinematic concepts, 2D or 3D animation real-time and immersive production, directing, editing, cinematography, and sound design with an emphasis in innovation and creativity.
- Broad knowledge and appreciation of international animation history and contemporary practice across the animation industry, academia, and the fine arts.
- Development and refinement of narrative and/or abstract cinematic skills to communicate effectively, and demonstrate these skills in the execution of a creative project.
- Awareness of, and experimentation with, the evolving nature of media, organic materials, and technology, and expanding the boundaries of existing parameters.
- Specialization in one creative animation production with substantial proficiency, which is demonstrated in completion of an advanced thesis project produced as a film, VR, AR, game, installation, or other new media platform(s). Critical research to support the creative project, such as a website, research paper, documentation, or publication, is required.
