Emily Carr University of Art + Design (ECU) is among the top post-secondary schools in the world for studying animation, according to Animation Career Review (ACR).

ECU ranks sixth among post-secondaries worldwide for animation and is the only school in Western Canada to crack the top 50. It ranks second in Canada.

“ECU proposes a holistic approach to developing artistry and voice in animation,” says Celeste Martin, Dean of the Ian Gillespie Faculty of Design + Dynamic Media at ECU.

“Our Bachelor of Media Arts (BMA) programs are guided in the development of a process-oriented technical craft as much as the vital role story-making plays in how we understand ourselves, our communities, our cultures, ultimately our humanity in specific historical contexts. Our academic project privileges process and story in animation practice and is supported by the very talented and dedicated faculty and technical staff.”

ECU’s animation grads are consistently represented in awards programs and across professional industries both nationally and internationally.

Among the many award-winning animators to have graduated from ECU are Ivan Li (BMA 2019) and Cameron Kletke (BMA 2023), both of whom had films accepted to the prestigious Annecy International Animation Festival in 2024, following on the heels of Oscar-nominated fellow alums, Wendy Tilby (alum 1986) and Amanda Forbis (alum 1988). Both Cameron and Ivan also took home awards from the Ottawa International Animation Festival for their respective fourth-year student films, while Cameron recently debuted her latest film via the National Film Board of Canada’s lauded Hothouse animation mentorship program.

The 2024 Animation School Rankings comprise the latest edition of an annual report on post-secondary animation programs published by ACR. ACR is an online resource for information on animation, game design, graphic design and digital arts schools and careers. The annual report assesses animation schools based on metrics including academic reputation, employment data, depth and breadth of programs and value for money. Nearly 200 schools from across the globe were considered for this year’s rankings.

Visit ECU online today to learn more about studying 2D + Experimental Animation and 3D Computer Animation at Emily Carr.