Animation Degree

Transform your creative vision into professional-ready skills with Champlain's Animation program.

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Artistry Meets Technology

Get Ready to Animate Your Future

At Champlain College, we turn dreamers into industry-ready animators. Our BFA in Animation blends cutting-edge technology with deep artistic foundations—preparing you for a career that’s as technical as it is creative. Dive into 2-D and 3-D animation, character development, storyboarding, and more starting in your first semester.

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Why Champlain College?

START ANIMATING DAY ONE

Our Upside-Down Curriculum puts you in animation classes your first semester. While other students are taking general education courses, you’ll already be building your portfolio.

LEARN FROM INDUSTRY VETERANS

Our faculty come from Warner Brothers, HBO, and National Geographic. They don’t just teach animation—they bring real-world experience directly to your classroom.

ACCESS PROFESSIONAL-GRADE TOOLS

Work with the same motion capture equipment, green screen technology, and industry-standard software used by top studios worldwide.

COLLABORATE ACROSS DISCIPLINES

Create alongside students in Filmmaking, Game Art, and Graphic Design in studio-like environments that mirror real-world production pipelines.

Facts & Stats

4%

Job growth for animators and visual effects artists expected between 2023 to 2033 by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

$99,800

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Special Effects Artists and Animators earn competitive salaries, reflecting the high demand for their specialized skills, according to major job boards.

a professor posing as a reference for a character animation on a projector behind him

What You’ll Master

By graduation, you’ll have a professional portfolio showcasing your unique creative voice and technical expertise.

  • 2D & 3D animation techniques
  • Character development & storyboarding
  • Motion capture & virtual production
  • Visual effects & compositing
  • Animation workflows
  • Stop-motion & experimental animation

Academic Excellence

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Industry Standard Software

Develop comprehensive technical skills through hands-on experience with industry-standard software. Throughout your coursework, you’ll master:

  • Autodesk Maya (3D Animation)
  • Maxon Zbrush
  • Adobe Substance Painter
  • Adobe Creative Suite
  • Unreal Engine
  • Toon Boom Harmony (2D Animation)

These tools will form the foundation of your professional portfolio, preparing you for diverse career opportunities in animation, gaming, and visual effects.

student explaining her video game character model design to another individual while making hand signals

Your Career Outlook

Animation graduates find careers as:

  • Visual effects (VFX) artist
  • Virtual production artist
  • Motion graphics animator
  • Marketing and advertising creative
  • Virtual environment designer
  • Stop-motion animator or claymator
  • Web and mobile designer

Anthropic

Through a new partnership with Anthropic, a leader in AI safety and research, Champlain is integrating AI literacy and innovation into the student experience. You’ll learn how to think critically, work responsibly with AI, and use it to solve real-world challenges. Gain future-proof skills across every discipline and be ready for what’s next in AI and beyond.

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