Woodbury University’s Game Art & Design Program Ranked 10th in the West, 43rd Nationally

June 11, 2014 - PRLog -- LOS ANGELES, Calif. (June 11, 2014) – Woodbury University (http://www.woodbury.edu) today announced that its Game Art & Design program ranked 10^th among the Top 20 game design/development schools in the West and 43rd among the Top 75 schools in the nation by Animation Career Review (http://www.animationcareerreview.com), an online resource for people who aspire to a career in animation; game design, development and art; graphic design; digital art; and related fields.  The online publication previously ranked Woodbury’s Animation Department (http://woodbury.edu/mcd/majors/animation/) 13^th among the Top 25 animation schools in the West and 40th among the Top 100 nationwide.

Woodbury’s popular Game Program offers a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Game Art & Design that combines the study of art, game design, computer technology, animation, storytelling, and animation.  Students may choose between a Game Art Emphasis and a Game Design Emphasis.

The 2014 rankings are based on the overall quality of the program, including technology and facilities available to students; consistency and quality of student design work; proximity to employment opportunities; and reputation of the program in the industry. [The publication’s review of Woodbury’s Games program can be found here: http://www.animationcareerreview.com/articles/top-20-game-design-and-development-schools-west-2014.]  Animation Career Review defines “West Coast” as California, Oregon, Washington, Alaska, Hawaii and Idaho.

“Woodbury University is very much a part of Southern California’s burgeoning new media community, and our Game program represents a fusion of creative talent and technology acumen,” said Eddie Clift, Ph.D., dean of Woodbury’s School of Media, Culture and Design, which encompasses the Game Program.  “Our commitment is to provide our students with state-of-the-art tools and state-of-the-industry talent, so they can begin to truly shape the games aesthetic, even before they graduate.”

“Game Art & Design marries digital art, interactive design and technology in the service of what has become a remarkably vibrant medium within popular culture,” said William Novak, chair of the program.  “Our students learn from those who continue to shape the discipline.  Whether their skills lie in conceptualizing gameplay and animation, or executing those ideas, students in our Game program are in a perfect position to kick-start their careers.”

Woodbury University is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC).   In 2012, Game Art & Design received Plan Approval from the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD) and will be considered for full accreditation approval once it has graduated its first class.

About Woodbury University

Founded in 1884, Woodbury University is one of the oldest institutions of higher education in Southern California. Woodbury offers bachelor's degrees from the School of Architecture, School of Business, School of Media, Culture & Design, and Institute of Transdisciplinary Studies, along with an MBA program, Master of Architecture (MArch), Master of Science in Architecture (MSArch), and Master of Organizational Leadership.  The San Diego campus offers Bachelor of Architecture, Master of Real Estate Development for Architects (MRED), and Master of Science in Architecture, Landscape, and Urbanism degrees.  Visit www.woodbury.edu for more information, and Reflections on Excellence (http://www.drluiscalingo.com/), a twice-monthly blog written by Woodbury University President Luis Maria R. Calingo, Ph.D.

Media Contact:

Ken Greenberg

Edge Communications, Inc.

(323) 469-3397

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