Skip to main content
Design Department

Apply: Animation BFA

High School Prep
For the Pre-Major
For the Pre-BFA
For the BFA

HIGH SCHOOL PREPARATION

While still in high school, you can do the following things to prepare for the Animation program at BYU:

  • Take any art courses offered at your high school- AP Art, Figure Drawing, Traditional Animation, Art Foundations, etc. While these courses will not be counted as a pre-requisite to the Animation program, faculty members recommend prospective students to take advantage of any courses offered prior to high school graduation.
  • Apply for a Design Dept Talent Award Scholarship in November. These applications are available 30 days prior to the deadline, Dec 1st, and are available to prospective BYU students. In addition, if you are granted a talent award, you automatically bypass the first application process. This means you would be recognized as a pre-BFA student and you would simply take DESAN 101, CSANM 150, DESAN 102, and DESAN 162 before applying to the BFA program in June. For more information about Talent Awards and Department Scholarships, please visit our Financial Aid page.
  • Start carrying around a sketchbook at all times, drawing from life rather than from cartoons or computer images. The most important aspect of an animation portfolio is the ability to draw proportions accurately (especially of human figures), so practice drawing realistically.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Admissions

Prospective BYU students wishing to be admitted into the Animation program for Fall semester must first apply to BYU through BYU Admissions. Admission to BYU does not guarantee admission into Department of Design degree programs.

Faculty

Our program has excellent experienced faculty who will work personally with you as you progress through the program. Professors will be mentors, offering advice and direction. Our faculty are all award-winning, established animators with years of teaching professional experience. Visit our faculty page to see individual bios, contact information, or work they have completed.

Software/Hardware

Incoming BYU design students are asked to purchase a computer for their own convenience and to maximize their academic experience. Pre-major courses can be completed with the use of university labs, however most students prefer having their own computer. Animation Majors are required to own a Wacom “Grip Pen” stylus. Animation is a collaborative discipline, so most work will be done in the computer labs on campus as opposed to on personal computers. However, if students wish to work outside of lab hours, laptops/computers should have the specs to be able to run Maya: https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/maya/learn-explore/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticles/System- requirements-for-Autodesk-Maya.html

PRE-MAJOR

Deadline: End of Fall 1st term, end of Winter 1st term.

As a new student to BYU and prospective Animation major, you must declare your major as Pre-Animation. This status does not guarantee admission into the program and can be changed at any time, but gives you access to the first pre-requisite course, DESAN 101. To declare as a Pre-Animation student, please visit MyMAP or contact the Advisement Center at (801) 422-3777.

After declaring yourself as a Pre-Major, register for the pre-requisite, DESAN 101. DESAN 101 is only offer 1st term fall & winter semester. Keep in mind that it takes a couple hours and sometimes days to register your Pre-Major status, so do well in advance to the day you hope to register for courses.

During DESAN 101, the professors will give more information on what the Pre-BFA portfolio review will require. Based upon review of the work completed in DESAN 101, students will be promoted to Pre-BFA Animation status.

IF YOU GET PROMOTED INTO THE PRE-BFA

After being promoted to Pre-BFA status from DESAN 101, you will then have access to the next 3 pre-requisite courses: DESAN 102, DESAN 162, CSANM 150. Complete these three courses in any order prior to applying for the Animation BFA program.

BFA portfolio reviews and applications are reviewed once a year in June, and more information on the application process will be available as the deadline approaches. You may review the current requirements for the BFA application, but keep in mind that it is subject to change.

If you are not accepted into the program after your first application, you have another opportunity to submit your portfolio to the next portfolio review. If unaccepted the second time, faculty members will then recommend you to pursue another major.

BFA APPLICATION

June 2025 (actual date TBD)

BFA application information will be available 30 days prior to the deadline date.

Application Portal: https://designdept.slideroom.com/#/Login

Students may apply for the Animation BFA degree program only after first obtaining Animation Pre-BFA status.

BFA portfolio reviews and applications are reviewed once a year in June, and more information on the application process will be available as the deadline approaches. You may review the current requirements for the BFA application, but keep in mind that it is subject to change.

If you are not accepted into the program after your first application, you have another opportunity to submit your portfolio the next portfolio review in June. If you are unaccepted after applying a second time, faculty members will then recommend you pursue another major.

    BFA PORTFOLIO INFORMATION


    The portfolio should have a selection of 8-15 examples of your best, most current artworks. A curated sampling of projects and assignments from your classes (DESAN 102 or DES 150, DESAN 160/DESAN 162, and CSANM 150). You may optionally include some of your personal work a well.

    While other work may be submitted, evaluations will primarily consider fundamental drawing skills and 3D proficiency. Figure drawing is imperative, as well as observation drawing that shows proper shape, proportion, and use of line. 3D models should show an understanding of the software and the ability to create an artistic image using that software.

    A sketchbook will be also submitted digitally. The sketchbook is supplementary to the work in the main portfolio.

    IF YOU ARE ADMITTED TO THE BFA

    During your time in the Animation BFA program at BYU, you will have the opportunity to collaborate on larger projects, perfect traditional and computer Animation skills, network with various studios, and learn from celebrated faculty members. For more information about the courses available to Animation students during the program, please visit the Animation Undergraduate Catalog.