US animation degrees in vogue

Charting a different course

Lovers of computer animation, gaming animation and visual effects will find that the US is becoming a one-stop solution for students interested in making a career in the animation industry. India has very few colleges and institutions offering high quality professional courses in animation while colleges in the US are increasingly offering under-graduate and post-graduate animation-related degree programmes.

While figures are hard to come by, at least a dozen colleges are known to be offering animation-related programs. American InterContinental University, International Academy of Design and Technology, Briarcliffe College, Collins College, Katharine Gibbs School and Savannah College of Art and Design in the US among others are some of the colleges. Courses are being offered in 3D Studio Max, Maya, CaptureMotion and game design multimedia among other things.

Demand for these courses are on the rise which is interesting considering the fact that students from India have traditionally opted for technical and management courses. Luna Das, head, North India, USEFI (US Educational Foundation in India), notes that out of the 100-odd queries that the organisation receives on degree programmes in the US, at least 25 relate to animation courses.

On an average, an animation degree programme costs anywhere between $25,000 to $35,000 according to the United States Educational Foundation in India (USEFI). Animation programmes may be expensive in the US but the quality of the course is much higher than the degree programmes available in India, claims Das.

The explosion in the worldwide animation market makes this the right time for students to strike out a career in the animation industry. According to a study by Andersen Consulting, India's animation industry including domestic and exports will reach $2 billion by 2008. India will need three lakh professionals by then to achieve this magical figure.

According to Jason Combs, senior admission representative of Savannah College of Art and Design, every year the college admits around 85 to 100 students from India. "South Korea, India and Taiwan in that order are the top takers for animation programmes among out international students," he said.

A degree programme in animation does not require students to take SAT or GRE exams but to avail scholarships, a score of 1,100 in SAT is recommended, said Combs.

Career in animation is an exciting career option for the creatively inclined.