Master of Design (MDes) in Animation

Applications Open — Deadline: March 1st

With a strong focus on both content creation and digital technology, SJSU’s Master of Design in Animation is the perfect incubator for your creative ideas and animation career. Two years and 60 units complete this new degree. 

This program is designed for advanced students and professionals who have achieved a solid command in their area of interest and are committed to the development of innovative intellectual property for animation (short films, film,TV series, etc). This program doesn’t focus on game design, but we can certainly help you with the visual and narrative aspects of your game if that is your main area of interest.

The program is tailored to nurture the creativity and vision of each student by providing opportunities for individual accomplishment and collaboration. Ours is a creative community that will help promote the expression of unique and exceptional work.

This rigorous program pairs content creation with a strong technical component that goes hand in hand with its artistic aspects. The central piece of our program is the development of a Major creative project, which can be individual or collaborative. Courses in story structure and narrative, 3D animation, lighting, rendering, sound design, contextual studies etc are designed to expand the realm of possibilities and enhance the quality of your project. 

Our connections with industry professionals provide the opportunity for mentorships as you work on your projects. You will have several opportunities to interface directly with a range of artists and with several animation and game studios, greatly expanding your professional network. The vibrant culture of our animation program will inspire and lift you to conquer new heights as a professional artist and content creator.

The MDes is an incubator for new ideas and methods. The MDes degree is equivalent to an MFA degree and it is considered a terminal degree in the area of Design and Animation.

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Deadline for Applications: March 1st, 2025

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Next Info Session
Saturday, January 18th at 9:00 AM PST
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