Animation/Concept Development at Madison College is an employment-oriented, two-year Associate Degree Program within the College Art Department, under the guidance of the Dean of the Center for Business and Applied Arts. Animation students prepare to seek employment in contemporary 3D animation and related 3D industries. Successful graduates are versed in current methods of concept-development and drawing, 3D asset creation, 3D keyframe animation, and standards & practices expected in business and corporate environments.
Campus and Facilities
The Program is located at Madison College's Downtown Education Center (DTEC) on the isthmus in Madison, Wisconsin, two blocks from the State Capital. DTEC is convenient to major city-bus routes and rental housing, and is located next to a large municipal parking ramp.
The Animation suite includes a drawing studio and adjacent computer lab to facilitate easy transition of students' ideas from paper to 3D. In keeping with current industry standards and direction from our professional advisory committee, the computer lab is installed with contemporary professional 3D software running on PC-platform. Proficiency in current Windows operating systems is required and assumed upon entry into the Animation Program. Several peripheral software packages are also emphasized as directed
by the committee and industry practices.
The Curriculum
The Program curriculum is constantly guided and reshaped by a professional advisory committee of fifteen to twenty full-time animation professionals. The committee meets annually, with informal input and suggestions occuring more often. Faculty maintain close contact with employers and revise Program syllabi as industry practices develop.
Animation study at Madison College requires a large amount of realistic concept-drawing, built into the curriculum from beginning to end. Anime, Manga, and cartooning are not permitted since they are not skills currently sought by North American employers.
The Madison College Animation curriculum is a concentrated and demanding program of study, requiring substantial effort, time, and energy. Entertainment industries are extremely competitive and fast-paced, and the Animation Program reflects that intensity. All of the following habits are required for a student to succeed:
-- Disciplined work habits
-- The ability to consistently meet deadlines
-- Professional habits and a professional attitude
-- The ability to organize and execute overlapping tasks
-- The ability to handle technical and conceptual complexity
Because of the pace of change in professional studios the curriculum tends to change rapidly—Part-time attendance is therefore strongly discouraged, although some students have found it inevitable.
Course syllabi in the second year include industry internship and mentorship opportunities, run by full-time professionals. These opportunities have proven invaluable to students in the past, and frequently lead to permanent employment once the internship is concluded.
Admissions
Application materials can be obtained through the Madison College Center for Business and Applied Arts. Due to the Animation Program's success and popularity, there may be a substantial wait for admission. Please contact the College Art Department office or the Admissions office to check the status of your application—Program faculty do not have access to these records. MATC cannot under any circumstances make an exception to the wait-list order.
Preparation for study
Wait-listed candidates are encouraged to begin taking their core-courses (courses required by the college but not within the Animation Program), and all students are encouraged to study as much REALISTIC art (drawing, painting, sculpture) as their schedules allow. Studio art courses can be taken ahead of the rest of the curriculum. We recommend that students draw as much as possible. Please contact Program faculty if you have questions about the drawing courses and related skills.
Most successful students arrange access to hardware/software at home during their studies, but we DO NOT recommend making such purchases before beginning the digital courses—registration in these courses qualifies students for discounts on the software worth several thousand dollars. Also, some students find that professional animation is not what they anticipated, and subsequently choose a different program of study -- software purchases are normally not refundable. Finally, software requirements and emphasis may change with each new incoming class, so an expensive purchase prior to registration may be rendered irrelevant to your studies.
Employment
The Madison College Animation Program enjoys a solid reputation among employers, and our graduates regularly and successfully compete with those of four-year institutions. Our graduates are working in several video-game studios, simulation studios, and a few are successfully self-employed. Nearly all Program graduates have found related employment within the multi-county Madison College District, although the faculty continually seek and develop contacts across North America. It is possible that a graduate may have to leave the State to find employment.
Thank you for your interest in the Madison College Animation Program. Please contact the College or Program faculty with additional questions. Good luck with your professional pursuits.
