Certificate of Achievement in Visual Storytelling and Comic Arts

The Certificate of Achievement in Visual Storytelling and Comic Arts provides an immersive foundation for students interested in pursuing a career in the comic arts, film, TV, or game animation industries, and for students planning to transfer to a baccalaureate program in comic arts, film, TV, or game animation. Students are exposed to professional pre-production and production comic arts, film, TV, or game animation methods, including storyboard design, character design, layout design, environment design, 2-D animation, and 3-D computer animation.

20 students are projected to complete the Certificate of Achievement in Visual Storytelling and Comic Arts, based on averaging the total student enrollment of the historical enrollment data from the past two years. After five years, 100 students are projected to complete the certificate, based on using the projected number of students to complete the program after the initial year, and then multiplying it by 5. However, this does not consider the positive effect and impact that marketing and outreach would have to help increase the awareness and overall enrollment for the certificate.

The Certificate of Achievement in Visual Storytelling and Comic Arts would provide a foundation for students interested in pursuing a career in the comic arts, film, TV, or game animation industries, as well as for students planning to transfer to a baccalaureate program related to comic arts, film, TV, or game animation. Objectives would be to expose students to professional pre-production and production animation methods that include storyboard design, character design, layout design, environment design, 2-D animation, and 3-D computer animation. Students will also learn skills in verbal, written, and visual communication.

Program Learning Outcomes:

• Students will be prepared to transfer to a baccalaureate program related to comic arts, film, TV, or game animation.
• Students will be prepared to pursue a career in the comic arts, film, TV, or game animation industries.
• Students will be prepared for a career as 2-D and 3-D animators, illustrators, storyboard artists, visual development artists, or background artists.

The certificate requires 5 core corses which can be taken within a span of one year. 

While the Proposed Sequence projects students to complete this Certificate of Achievement within one year, students can take these courses out of sequence and complete them within two years, or longer if needed, as well. All of the courses are offered in multiple modalities—F2F, Hybrid, and Online.

Per LMI report: 

Based on the data included in this report, there is a large labor market gap in the Bay region with 2,778 annual openings for the Animation occupational cluster and 407 annual (3-year average) awards for an annual undersupply of 2,371 students. In the Silicon Valley Sub-Region, there is also a gap with 664 annual openings and 59 annual (3-year average) awards for an annual undersupply of 605 students.

De Anza College currently offers a Certificate of Achievement in Animation, as well as an Associate in Arts Degree in Animation. Similar successful programs outside of Foothill’s service area include the Academy of Art University, San José State, and University of Silicon Valley (formerly Cogswell College), to name a few.

We have spoken with De Anza Faculty, Milena Grozeva & Mark Hamer, as well as Dean Kristin Skager.  They support the offering of this certificate.