Webster University’s Animation Program Named Among the Best in the Region

Webster University’s Animation Program in the School of Communications was named as one of the top five programs in Missouri by Animation Career Review, a website for people aspiring for careers in animation, game development/design/art, graphic design, digital art and related fields.

The program was also named among the top 25 in the Midwest in the website’s annual college program rankings. This is the third time the organization has named Webster’s program as among the best in the region.

“Webster’s animation program continues to be recognized as among the best in the region and reflects the expertise of our faculty and the dedication of our staff to provide students with one of the best educational experiences possible,” said Associate Professor of Animation Chris Sagovac, chair of the media arts department in the School of Communications. “With last year’s remodel of the School of Communications, we are now offering students access to the most advanced tools available in the profession which is preparing them to bring new ideas and innovation to their future employers the moment they are hired.”

This isn’t the first time Webster’s animation program has been ranked by Animation Career Review. In 2022, the website ranked Webster’s program among the top 25 in the country. The site also named Webster’s program as one of the best in the Midwest in 2021. 

According to Animation Career Review, the site looked at a program’s academic reputation, admissions selectivity, employment data for alumni, faculty credentials, debt levels for recent graduates, graduation rates and retention rates to score programs. Information sources included surveys to the schools, employment data from LinkedIn, data from the federal government’s Education College Scorecard and information found online about specific programs. Animation Career Review has been ranking programs annually since 2012. This year, it looked at 199 programs in the United States. 

Besides Animation Career Review, Webster’s program was named a “Toon Boom Center of Excellence.” As a Toon Boom Center of Excellence, SOC animation students will have access to a wide range of Toon Boom tools and programs, including Harmony and Storyboard Pro. Harmony and Storyboard Pro are two of the most widely-used professional animation packages for digital 2d production: being used to produce series such as The Cuphead Show, Animaniacs, Centaurworld, The Ghost and Molly McGee, and Central Park, and features including The Princess and the Frog, The Bob’s Burgers Movie, and Space Jam: A New Legacy. Harmony and Storyboard Pro will be accessible to students inside and outside the classroom. 

Webster was only one of 16 schools in the United States to earn a Toon Boom designation. To learn more about Webster’s animation program or to register, visit the animation program website.