Animation Certificate: Requirements to Complete an Animation Certificate Program

Published Aug 10, 2009

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A certificate program in Animation prepares students for Animation careers in such fields as entertainment, multimedia design and software development. The following article tells you what you need to know to enroll in and complete an Animation certificate program.

Enrolling in an Animation Certificate Program

Most schools that offer an Animation certificate program require students to have earned a high school diploma or its equivalent. Beyond that, in order to enroll in an Animation program, students generally only have to complete an application form and pay a registration fee. Many schools charge a registration fee each semester. Some schools also require students to enroll in a minimum number of courses per semester. Although most schools do not require students to have a background in art, previous coursework in art and design is generally helpful.

Completing an Animation Certificate Program

A 1-year certificate program in Animation provides students with a basic understanding of 2-dimensional (2D) and 3-dimensional (3D) computer animation and frame-by-frame motion animation for film and television. A certificate equips students with the skills they need for an entry-level job in advertising, software design, website development, the entertainment industry and related industries. Many students, however, continue their education and earn an associate's or bachelor's degree in Animation.

Most Animation certificate programs place a high degree of emphasis on realistic character animation and include coursework in anatomy and physiology as it pertains to animation. In addition, many schools expect students to complete an Animation project as a final requirement for the certificate program. Among the topics you can expect to learn in an Animation certificate program are the following:

  • Creating images and graphics
  • Manipulating video and sound files
  • Fundamentals of human motion
  • Special effects
  • Website animation
  • Storyboarding
  • Digital imaging
  • Video game development

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