Welcome to UIW's Animation & Game Design program! Here you'll find samples of student work, alumni success and more detailed info on the degree plans we currently offer. We currently offer 4 concentrations inside our ANGD program: animation, modeling, programming and production. Upon completion of your concentration, you'll have developed the skills & portfolio necessary to pursue employment in each respective area.
So with all the possibilities, why choose 3D@UIW? Well, to be frank, we might not be the program for everyone. We are an aggressive program with demanding classes that aim to push our students into new areas and make their outlook broad and their skills sharp. We work very hard; but we have lots of fun while we’re doing it. We empower our students to do more, and expect empowered work.
Our professors and instructors are well trained, well qualified, and active in the industry. They are out and about within the industry continually taking the pulse of the dynamic market and investigating new options for our graduates. The work of our professors can be seen in movies and games around the world.
Have any questions? Would you like to see the campus or the facilities? Please contact us and let us know; we’d be glad to provide any info about what we do and why we do it.
The 3D Animation & Game Design Department at the University of the Incarnate Word offers a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA). The BFA is considered a “professional prepratory” degree, meaning that when you graduate with a BFA, you’re ready to enter to enter the workplace. Our program offers four concentrations: Animation, Modeling, Programming & Production Management
Through classes like Animation for Games, Stop Motion for Animators and Rigging, students learn more about the connection between the story, performance, movement and mechanics.
Through classes like Character Modeling and Environmental Production, students discover character creation, about developing the worlds and platforms on which they will live.
Programming for Games emphasizes scripting and programming for contemporary game engines.
The best of the technique and skill of animation and the production administration of management are emphasized in the Production Management Concentration.
Our professors and instructors are well trained, well qualified, and active in the industry. They are out and about within the industry continually taking the pulse of the dynamic market and investigating new options for our graduates.
Our students have gained internships at studios such as Disney & Sony. Also, our graduates work can be seen in movies and games around the world.
Our professors have over 25 combined years of teaching experience.
We keep our class sizes small which means every student gets noticed and receives quality feedback. Our classes become a small community where we are all there to help each other succeed.
Our computer labs, which are available to our students 24/7, are constantly updated with the latest software and hardware, keeping out students up to date with industry standards.
Our students create portfolios & demo reels that are held to an industry standard
A graduate of UIW’s BFA program in Animation, Professor Arevalo comes back after working at Immersed Games.
After a most recent stop at Bluepoint Games in Austin, Professor Mishler has recently worked on projects like Shadow of the Colossus, Everquest Next, and Everquest 2. Mishler leads the Environment Arts modeling side of the program.
A graduate of the School of Visual Arts in New York City, Professor Li is also a graduate of the prestigious China Central Academy of Fine Arts. Li leads the character modeling, design, and rigging courses.
Professor Tovar has worked on such blockbuster films and games as: Marvel's Avengers, Uncharted: The Lost Legacy, Call of Duty: Ghosts, The Last of Us, The Amazing Spiderman, Uncharted 3: Drakes Deception, Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time just to name a few. Professor Tovar is a 2008 graduate of UIW’s animation program.
Professor & Coordinator
Watkins has been teaching 3D animation and game design techniques for over 20 years. He is the author of over ten books including current industry best sellers Getting Started in 3D with Maya and Creating Games with Unity as well as over 100 articles on animation and game creation techniques.
Watkins has served as Chief Technology Officer, Creative Director or Studio Manager for a variety of studios including the Justice Media Lab and VISIBLE Studios at the Los Alamos National Laboratory. He is currently the owner and CCO of the 3D studios Spoon Designs, LLC and Augmented Ideas, LLC.
Watkins currently serves as the department coordinator for 3D Animation & Game Design.