Academy of Art University, San Francisco, USA

Overview

History, Affiliations & Rankings

Established in 1929, the Academy of Art University, San Francisco is one of the largest accredited, private design and art universities in the US. The university boasts of a hands-on curriculum taught by some of the brightest minds in the industry. The Academy of Art University offers a range of courses that have been accredited by the relevant bodies such as CIDA (Interior Design), CTC (Teacher Credential), NAAB (Architecture), NASAD (Art and Design) and more. In the 2022 US News and World Report University Rankings, the Academy has been ranked within the #94 - #122 bracket within the Regional Universities West category, meanwhile, the university ranked 121 in the Top Performers on Social Mobility category. Additionally, several institutions in the US have recognised the Academy as one of the Best Fashion Schools, Top Media and Entertainment Schools, and much more, outlining their expertise in the creative field.

Infrastructure, Campus & Courses

Located in San Francisco, California, the Academy of Art University campus is well-equipped with the latest technology, equipment, facilities and infrastructure to aid the academic and creative growth of the students. The University offers a range of programmes across the Arts and Design disciplines at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Students, both domestic and international, can choose from a range of BA, BFA, BS, B.Arch, MAT, MA, MFA and M.Arch courses. The Academy of Art University houses several schools of education such as Advertising, Architecture, Animation, Acting, Communication and Media Technology, Game Development, Photography, Web Design and much more. The courses and degrees offered by the university are among some of the best in the nation, as its Masters and Bachelors courses have been recognised among the top in the field of arts and design.

Accomplishments & Alumni

The Academy has over 50,000 alumni who have contributed to the creative arts and design community through award-winning ad campaigns, top-grossing movies, blockbuster games, and other forms of work that can be found across the globe. The success of a university or college can be measured by the success and popularity gained by its alumni, of which the Academy of Art University has many. However, there have been several accomplishments achieved by the university, through its national recognition as one of the best and top universities for Art and Illustration, Game Design, Visual Effects, Fashion and much more within the last year itself. Among the many recent successful alumni of the Academy of Art University include Jan Philip Cramer (Animation Director who worked on Spider-man: Homecoming, Avenger’s Endgame, Deadpool and more), Jason Sperling (Executive Creative Director for Reality Labs at Facebook, Dawn Carlson and Carol Perry (Owners and Principle Designers at MAS Design, LLC), Kyle Yugawa, Product Design Lead at VSCO, and thousands more.

Student Diversity & Employment Opportunities

The Academy of Art University boasts of welcoming students from all over the world without any discrimination or inequality. The university claims to have kept its stance in creating a diverse community of artists and creators for the past 90 years. Moreover, students can expect good career opportunities as the university has partnered with different companies and organisations across the nation such as Subaru, Jaguar, Nasa, Walt Disney, Habitat for Humanity, StudioX, Blizzard Entertainment, and more. As can be seen in the Academy of Art University alumni success stories, graduates of the university can expect to find employment and grow to become extremely successful in their fields. Additionally, the Academy of Art University has partnered with different companies to complete several projects with the students across different fields.