The Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering (CSE) and the Animation Research Labs (ARL) invite you to an online Information Session that will cover the Animation Production course sequence at University of Washington Seattle. This sequence runs from Summer 2025 (A term) through Spring 2026. All summer courses are highly recommended but optional. Summer courses offered include: Facial Expressions for Animated Characters, Character Design for Real-Time Cinematics, and Story Design for Computer Animation.
The Animation Capstone series of courses culminates in a very professional and exciting collaboratively produced digital short film, similar in process to Disney/Pixar and DreamWorks productions. Examples of award-winning films that were produced in this program will be shown at the session. We will answer questions regarding applications and admissions. We all look forward to seeing you there.
Q: When I apply to the program, do I have to take all the classes (458 in the fall, 460 in the winter, 464 in the spring)?
A: Yes, we expect you to complete all three courses in order to produce a completed film.
Q: Are the summer class required in order to enroll in the 2025-2026 capstone series?
A: No they are not.
Q: Are there prerequisites for any of the courses?
A: For the summer courses there are no prerequisites. For the courses during academic year 2025-2026, you must be accepted into cse458 (no prerequisites) and continue with cse460 in Winter and cse464 in Spring
Q: What is the workload like?
A: The workload is variable but overall it's significant. You will need to ensure that you have sufficient time to dedicate to the film and classes.
Q: Is it okay that I'm not a CSE Major?
A: Absolutely. As long as you are a student at UW you are eligible and encouraged to apply
Q: What do you require for the portfolio?
A:Your best work, and work that illustrates your love of animation and film and your interest in making your first animated short in a collaborative group.
Q: Do I need to have artwork in my portfolio?
A: Put your best work and the work you think best represents your talents in your portfolio.
Q: Can I be accepted into the program if I haven't made any animated short films before?
A: You should only apply to the program if you have NOT created any animated short films before, especially if the film you created was part of a team effort. You won't need this course of study. It is intended for folks who want a first experience.
Q: I've never done anything with animation before. Is this program a good fit for me?
A: It is probably better suited to someone who has some overlapping interest and experience such as a film editor, designer, illustrator, musician, programmer, writer, graphic artist, sculptor, game designer, architect, etc. However there have been many students from unrelated areas who take the class and do a great job in it.
Q: How do I apply?
A: You can find the application linked here when the application opens
Q: For the application process, it asks for a recommending professor. What is this?
A: We require that professor who knows you recommends you for this course of study. We want them to let us know that you are a committed student and whether you would work well as part of an interdisciplinary student team.
Q: What if there aren't any professors on campus that know me well enough personally?
A: It's OK if the professor doesn't know you personally. They just need to assess your academic success and ability to work on a team
Q: When will I hear back for my application?
A: We do our best to get back to you as early as we can. The latest we will send out acceptances to the program will be in mid July. You may be placed on a waiting list in which case you may not hear from us until the third week in August.
Q: The question that I had wasn't on here.
A: If you have any other questions, please email stront2@cs.washington.edu and/or duera@uw.edu
