Cultivate Your Creativity
At John Paul the Great Catholic University, we believe in the power of beauty to transform culture. We’re shaping the next generation of artists and innovators with academic excellence, unparalleled creativity, and an authentic community centered on Jesus Christ.
JPCatholic’s Animation program features industry professionals, hands-on projects, and rigorous preparation for your career in creative media. Our unique curriculum model combines a well-rounded overview of the entire Animation pipeline with the flexibility to specialize in your area of interest by taking a track of courses suited to your goals.
Choose from Animation electives within three different tracks: Story Art & Directing, 3d Modeling, and Animation. In addition to the hands-on coursework in digital media, you’ll also take our core curriculum which includes Theology, Philosophy, Humanities, and Business
Choose an Animation Track
(Or mix and match between them)
STORY ART & DIRECTING
Focus your animation electives on courses in drawing, screenwriting, storyboarding, 2d animation, and pre-production, with cross-training in film courses like cinematography and directing.
3D ART
Focus your electives on 3d modeling and texturing for props, environments, creatures, and characters.
ANIMATION
Focus your electives on Animation in the specific sense of the term - bringing your characters to life with carefully designed motion.
General Education
THEOLOGY & PHILOSOPHY
Grow in faith and understanding with a rich sequence of coursework in Scripture, Theology, and Philosophy.
BUSINESS
Prepare yourself for the industry with foundational skills in marketing, management, and entrepreneurial thinking.
HUMANITIES
Study the human condition by actively engaging in an exploration of art, literature, culture, politics, economics, and more
What Makes Us Different?
Graduate in 3 Years
Our unique academic model prepares students for the real-world pace of professional life in the industry, with a focus on hands-on projects, internships, and portfolio preparation. The program is structured on a year-round quarter system, and you graduate with your Bachelors Degree in just 12 quarters. Each quarter is 10 weeks long, with about 3 weeks of break between each quarter.
LEARN MORE
Related Videos
Curriculum Overview | Animation Program
Prof. Eric Van Hamersveld | Faculty Spotlight
Faculty Mentorship | Animation Program
Portraying Anxiety Through Animation: Senior Project Spotlight
Marie-Thérèse Hallagan: Creating in Community | Why We Create
Creating VFX for “Roy” That Serve the Story
Using MoCap to Composite a Robot | Compositing Class
Faculty Spotlight: Nate Sartain
Sam Wurth: The Vital Power of Creativity | Why We Create
Designing a Film with Emotional Impact | Guest Speaker Tim Reckart
Colin Brady: Working on Toy Story 2 | Crash Course in Storytelling
Meet the Faculty
JPCatholic’s professors have a wealth of experience, and many still actively work in the industry.
Chris Riley
Professor of Story
Max Hulburt
Professor of Animation & Chair of Animation and Gaming
Jacqueline Nicolini
Adjunct Professor of Art
Eric Van Hamersveld
Adjunct Professor of 2D Animation
Nate Sartain
Adjunct Professor of Art & Design
George Castro
Adjunct Professor of Animation
Colin Brady
Visiting Professor of Animation
Ricky Ho
Adjunct Professor of Illustration
Testimonials
“I have the privilege of being a part of the design team at Drive Studio - I am involved with the entire spectrum of the creative process, including creating concepts, designing logos, building 3D models, compositing, animating and video editing."
Nate Sjogren
Class of 2011
Broadcast Designer at Drive Studios
“Even by sophomore year, my knowledge and production has far surpassed where I thought I would have been at this point in my academic career. The professors are wonderful!”
Stephanie Franco
Class of 2015