Animation Degree: Is It Right For You? Pros and Cons to Keep In Mind

A question that I get asked often by students looking to pursue a career in animation is: Is it worth it to pursue an animation degree? It is an excellent question. Your answer will vary depending on which facet of the animation career path you find most interesting. Although no clear-cut answer covers everyone, I will do my best to ensure you have enough information to make an educated decision.

With competition steadily increasing for job availability, costs of education, and interest levels rising right along with it, it is normal for someone to want to make sure that their investment in time and money is going to yield enough returns at least to pay back their initial investment in their chosen animation career path. After all, we are all hopefully passionate about our pursuit of a career in animation. With the demand for more artists increasing, there are many places that potential animation students can go to learn their craft. 

There are online animation schools like Animation Mentor, Ianimate, and Animschool, with their animation industry battle-tested instructors, as we have covered in other articles, and there are brick-and-mortar schools such as SCAD, Calarts, and Ringling College, where students can go to study animation from top-notch instructors who have worked in the animation industry for years or are continuing to work while teaching. The difference between taking animation courses online versus deciding to learn animation at a school at this time is primarily the decision of whether to pursue a degree in animation or learn the crafts you need for a particular animation skill set to enter the industry as fast as possible. There are of course pros and cons to both, and it all is subjective depending on your overall goals and needs. Here is a list of pros and cons of pursuing an animation degree versus taking Animation Courses online:

The PROs of an Animation Degree:

1. getting the actual degree! At the end of your studies and expenses, you will have the degree to show for your accomplishments and the money that you have invested. The degree also shows employers a level of commitment from the individual. Now, some will say, “That’s just a piece of paper.” Well, it could be, depending on how much you individually put into your work at the animation college that you went to and what your overall animation demo reel and portfolio turned out to look like in the end.
2. Attending an animation school will also give you a tremendous opportunity to forge relationships with classmates in the same “boat” as you. These relationships will stay with you throughout your career, giving you an excellent start at networking. We have all heard the expression, “It’s not just what you know, but also who you know.” This is very true in the animation industry. Essentially, you are paying to be a part of an extremely valuable alumni group.
3. Pursuing an animation degree will also give you the time to explore many facets or roles in animation. You may start animation school with the idea that you would like to be a character animator, but in the end, you excel at 3D lighting or character setup. Most good animation schools will provide means for their students to experience every aspect of the animation pipeline, starting with traditional animation, progressing through all the 3D animation skill sets, and ending with the student creating a final film. That experience is so valuable, and for most, it is the only time that the artist has to make a personal film before heading out into the busy workplace.
4. Did you ever think of teaching one day? Some people do, and for others, it doesn’t cross their minds early on. Either way, if you ever plan on teaching one day, it is customary to have a terminal degree (a Master of Fine Arts in Animation degree) to teach at the college level. At the very least, a bachelor’s degree in fine arts in animation and extensive experience in the animation industry is required. Everyone’s goals and tastes change throughout their lives; you never know if 20 years down the line you might want more time to develop your projects while working in academia. Many professors and instructors get their start by actually teaching while on production, only to discover what a rush it brings to be able to develop new talent to carry on the legacy of the art form.

The Cons of an Animation Degree:

1. It can be cost-prohibitive. Private animation schools can be very expensive. It may not be in your budget. Attending an online animation school is a lot less expensive and allows the animation student to enter the workforce a lot sooner, allowing them to recoup their initial investment depending on their reel.

 The PROs of an Online Animation School:

1. Again, an online animation school can be a lot less expensive. An animation student can take classes at their own pace, and because most online animation schools are highly specialized in particular facets of animation, like character animation, for example, an animator can cherry-pick particular paths to further cut down on their costs and not pay for classes that they are not interested in.
2. Online schools will also be more conducive to working individuals. An experienced animator or animation artist may want to change career paths within the animation field, and by taking online classes, they can take specific classes based on their needs without enrolling in an entire animation degree program.
3. The flexibility of the schedule with an online animation degree is excellent for individuals with full-time jobs and family situations, or those who are living in areas of the world without too many animation school choices and are looking to improve their craft.

 The CONs of an online animation school:

1. If an artist is enrolled in a specialized animation school, then there’s a chance they won’t be exposed to the various facets of animation production. They may lose the chance to discover something new that they may enjoy more, or even more so, the opportunity to grow as an artist.
2. Online animation students are often separated from their colleagues. They work at remote locations, often without the chance to develop relationships with others that may be instrumental in their employment in the future, other than their instructor. Some online animation schools are aware of this and have meet-up opportunities for their students and alumni.

 Confused yet? Don’t be. In conclusion, when deciding whether or not to pursue an animation degree or enroll in an online animation school, it boils down to this:

• Know what your overall goal is. In other words, have a pinpoint focus. Do you want to work at a large studio where you can specialize in a particular aspect of animation, such as that of a character animator, a character TD, a lighting artist, or a 3D modeler? Or do you want to be a generalist at a smaller studio where your variety of animation skills can change from day to day, providing new challenges? Have you looked into other facets of animation? Do you wish to direct, or make your films? Do you hope to teach one day? These questions will help with your focus.
• What is your budget? If you do not have the means or scholarships, then perhaps taking out a huge student loan is not a good idea. If you decide to pursue a degree in animation, look into taking foundation classes at an inexpensive local community college or state school. Then, inquire with the private school of your choice how many of those credits will transfer when you apply to take your major.

I hope you have found this helpful. Please let me know your thoughts by leaving a comment below with your comments or questions. If there are any other questions that you may have on different topics, I would love to hear them as well.

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