Drexel University

Based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Drexel University houses its animation, visual effects, and game design education within the Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts & Design. Studio instruction across these creative disciplines operates alongside Drexel's established Cooperative Education (Co-op) model, which incorporates six to eighteen months of full-time professional industry employment directly into undergraduate degree tracks.

Creative production is centralized in the URBN Center, an open, multi-level facility designed for cross-disciplinary media work. Key facilities include:

• Animation Capture & Effects Lab (ACE-Lab): A 1,200-square-foot open studio supporting complete digital media and visual effects production workflows.
• Virtual Production Studio: Equipped with an LED volume wall for real-time virtual cinematography and in-camera visual effects without green screens.
• Motion Capture Studio: A dedicated space for performance capture, creature motion, and real-time interactive asset development.
• Immersive Research Lab: A research environment focused on augmented reality, virtual reality, and immersive media creation.
• High-End Computing Labs: Workstations configured for intensive 3D rendering, dynamic simulation, and multi-layer compositing.

Undergraduate students pursuing the Bachelor of Science in Animation & Visual Effects choose among four dedicated concentrations: Character Animation, Organic Modeling, Virtual Production, or a Generalist track. The curriculum covers the 3D and visual effects pipeline from pre-visualization through post-production. The Bachelor of Science in Digital Media & Virtual Production focuses heavily on real-time asset generation, set building, camera tracking, and live LED volume integration using Unreal Engine. In the Bachelor of Science in Game Design & Production, instruction takes a platform-agnostic approach, preparing students to work across multiple engines and content creation suites, including Maya, 3ds Max, Blender, Unreal Engine, and Unity.

At the graduate level, Drexel offers a Master of Science and a PhD in Digital Media, covering interactive systems, 3D modeling, and creative research. The MS in Digital Media is offered both on campus and in a fully remote online format. Undergraduate and graduate programs culminate in collaborative capstone projects and an annual Digital Media Showcase, where final student reels, interactive prototypes, and animated shorts are presented to industry professionals.