Bachelor of Science in Digital Technology & Design with a concentration in Animation & Motion Graphics Online
Channel your creativity into 2D and 3D animation skills for film, advertising, apps and digital media. Whether you are starting out or upskilling as a working professional, build a portfolio that shows what you can create.
Beginning Fall 2026, Game Design and Animation & Motion Graphics students will complete 81 credit hours of major-specific courses (69 credit hours of core courses and 12 credit hours of emphasis courses).
Because these courses make up the full degree plan, there will be limited flexibility for electives. Careful planning and adherence to the required course sequence will help ensure timely graduation.
Program Overview
Our 100% online B.S. in Digital Technology & Design – Animation & Motion Graphics degree at a glance
Build a versatile skill set in both 2D and 3D animation through Arkansas State University’s online B.S. in Digital Technology & Design with a Concentration in Animation & Motion Graphics. Animation is redefining how brands communicate and audiences engage. Master the tools, techniques and design principles behind engaging digital experiences.
You will begin with the same foundational art courses as on-campus studio students: photography, 2D art and art history. These courses build the visual foundation you will apply in later animation and motion graphics work.
Learning both 2D and 3D animation gives you the range to produce portfolio-ready animations in whichever specialty you choose for your career, and few comparable programs offer that opportunity.
Animation production process
A storyboard and scriptwriting course provides an in-depth exploration of the process from idea to execution. You will follow the workflow behind a finished animation:
- Storyboarding, scriptwriting and pitching your idea
- Environment and prop design
- 3D modeling
- 2D and 3D animation
- Final production in advanced animation and a capstone, where you specialize in the area that interests you
Portfolio development happens throughout the curriculum, not only in your final semester. Feedback across multiple classes strengthens each project, and you graduate with a professional body of work.
Recorded lectures let you join class online, and structured critiques give you detailed feedback from faculty and peers, creating more of an in-classroom experience. Faculty with direct industry experience offer flexible in-person and virtual office hours along with career guidance and help identifying master's programs or navigating a job search.
If you are a working professional or career upskiller who needs animation skills for marketing, business, apps and digital media, these skills apply across animation, motion design, graphic design, medical imaging, learning design and mobile and digital applications. Animation is a rapidly advancing field. This program gives you the portfolio and the creative and technical skills employers look for.
In this program you will learn:
- Both 2D and 3D animation
- A visual foundation in photography, 2D art and art history
- Design literacy, color theory, typography and composition with digital design software
- The animation workflow from storyboard, script and pitch through environment and prop design, modeling, animation and final production
- How to manage advanced digital design projects from conception to completion
- Both 2D and 3D animation
- A visual foundation in photography, 2D art and art history
- Design literacy, color theory, typography and composition with digital design software
- The animation workflow from storyboard, script and pitch through environment and prop design, modeling, animation and final production
- How to manage advanced digital design projects from conception to completion
Prepare for careers such as:
- Animator
- Motion Design Animator
- Graphic Designer
- Digital Illustrator
- VFX Artist
- Medical Illustrator
- Animator for Medical Imaging
- Animator for Learning Design and Training
- Visual Designer for Mobile and Digital Applications
- Animator
- Motion Design Animator
- Graphic Designer
- Digital Illustrator
- VFX Artist
- Medical Illustrator
- Animator for Medical Imaging
- Animator for Learning Design and Training
- Visual Designer for Mobile and Digital Applications
Learn industry-relevant skills that employers seek:
- 2D and 3D animation
- Motion graphics
- Digital illustration
- Graphic design
- Storyboarding, scriptwriting and pitching
- Environment and prop design and 3D modeling
- 2D and 3D animation
- Motion graphics
- Digital illustration
- Graphic design
- Storyboarding, scriptwriting and pitching
- Environment and prop design and 3D modeling
Also available:
A-State offers a variety of undergraduate programs in a convenient online format. Explore our full range of online undergraduate programs.
Tuition
Low tuition plus financial aid packages are available to those who qualify
A-State’s online programs are affordable and convenient. You may also qualify for financial aid. Learn more.
The B.S. in Digital Technology & Design – Animation & Motion Graphics online program offers the same low, pay-by-the-course tuition to all U.S. residents. All fees are included. Tuition may be subject to change on a yearly basis.
Tuition breakdown:
Transfer your credits for lower tuition
Use our Tuition Estimator to see how affordable your degree could be. Slide the notch to the number of credits you've already earned—which may qualify for transfer credit—to get an estimate of what your degree might cost.
Transcripts sent from other colleges and universities will be evaluated, and accepted credits will be added to the student's A-State record. The Tuition Estimator is not a guarantee or predictor of the number of credit hours that will be accepted.
You may be closer to Graduation than you think!
A-State-approved credit for prior learning recognizes your previous accomplishments, reducing your tuition costs and time to graduation.
Calendar
The schedule for our online digital animation program
Our B.S. in Digital Technology & Design – Animation & Motion Graphics is a flexible online program featuring accelerated coursework and multiple start dates per year.
| Term | Program Start Date | Application Deadline | Document Deadline | Registration Deadline | Payment Due | Last Class Day |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall 2 | 10/12/26 | 9/28/26 | 9/28/26 | 10/8/26 | 10/9/26 | 12/4/26 |
| Spring 1 | 1/11/27 | 12/28/26 | 12/28/26 | 1/7/27 | 1/8/27 | 2/26/27 |
| Spring 2 | 3/8/27 | 2/22/27 | 2/22/27 | 3/4/27 | 3/5/27 | 4/30/27 |
Now enrolling:
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Ready to take the next step toward earning your degree online from A-State?
Admissions
Applying to A-State is easy – just follow these steps
Review the admission requirements for the online B.S. in Digital Technology & Design – Animation & Motion Graphics program and take the next step toward earning your degree.
Applying to A-State Online is simple. Our streamlined process and dedicated enrollment specialists are here to help you complete your application quickly and confidently.
Admission Requirements:
- Online application
- Official transcripts
- 2.0 GPA for transferring credits
Admissions Requirements Details
Arkansas State University offers multiple admission pathways for undergraduate students, based on your academic background and prior college experience.
Transfer Students (13+ College Credits)
You may be admitted as a transfer student if you:
- Have 13 or more transferable college credit hours
- Earned a 2.0 cumulative GPA or higher on all transferable coursework
First‑Time Freshmen (0–12 College Credits)
All freshman applicants are required to submit official ACT or SAT scores.
Recent High School Graduates (within the last 5 years)
You may be automatically admitted if you meet one of the following criteria:
- 3.0 cumulative high school GPA (or equivalent GED score), or
- ACT 19+ (super score) or SAT 990+, or
- Top 20% of your high school graduating class
Applicants who do not meet automatic admission criteria may still be considered through an admissions appeal process.
Non-Traditional Students (Out of High School 5+ Years)
If you have been out of high school five years or more and have completed 12 or fewer college credit hours, you may be admitted if you:
- Hold a high school diploma or state‑approved equivalent
- Submit official Accuplacer, ACT or SAT scores
- Have not previously enrolled at Arkansas State University
High school GPA is not considered for this admission pathway. Applicants are admitted based on diploma status and test scores.
Note: Regardless of admission type, if you have 0-12 transferable college hours, test scores will still need to be submitted for reporting purposes to the Arkansas Department of Higher Education (ADHE). Although test scores are not needed for an admission decision, they are needed to register for your first course. Accuplacer test scores are an acceptable alternative to ACT/SAT scores and must be dated within the past five years.
Application Submission Requirements
Submitting your application takes three easy steps: filling out the application, submitting your documents and paying the application fee.
- When completing the online application, select 100% online student and then complete all the steps on the online application.
- Pay $30.00 non-refundable application fee.
- Submit all official college transcripts.
- Submit official high school transcripts (if applicable).
- Submit official ACT/ SAT test scores (if applicable).
If you have any questions along the way, call us at 866-621-8096 and we’ll be happy to help answer questions.
Document Submission Address
Submit all documents to:
A-State OnlineP.O. Box 2520
State University, AR 72467
Fax: 870-972-3548
Email: [email protected]
For Non-US Postal Mail Overnight Delivery Only:
A-State Onlinec/o Central Receiving
2713 Pawnee St.
Jonesboro, AR 72401
Courses
Requirements for the online digital animation courses
To earn your B.S. in Digital Technology & Design – Animation & Motion Graphics, you need to complete 120 credit hours of coursework. The program includes 38 credit hours of general education courses, 27 credit hours of major courses, 12 credit hours of concentration courses, and 43 credit hours of electives. You can finish faster by transferring previously earned credit hours. Transfer credit hours will be evaluated during the admission process.
You can view your schedule of courses for this degree through the Course Smartsheet:
View the AOS Course Smartsheet
How to Use the Course Smartsheet
You must complete 40 credit hours of electives to satisfy the 120 credit hours required for this program. Courses must be chosen with the assistance of an advisor and per your degree plan. Electives can come from any courses offered as long as prerequisites are met.
Students must take the following courses.
First-year course - Students must take the following Making Connections online course. If you transfer in more than 12 credit hours, you will not be required to take the Making Connections course. You may replace that 3-hour course with a 3-hour elective course.
First-year course (3 hours)
UNIV11033
Departmental (3 hours)
SPCH10003
Communication Requirement (6 hours)
ENGL10103
ENGL10203
Mathematics Requirement (3 hours)
Students must take MATH11003 or any MATH course that requires MATH11003 as prerequisite.
Arts and Humanities Requirement (6 hours)
ARHS10003
MUSC10003
THTR10003
Social Sciences Requirement (9 hours)
MCOM22603
PLSC20003
PSYC11003
Life Science Requirement (4 hours)
Students must complete BIO 1003 with BIO 1001 lab.
Physical Sciences Requirement (4 hours)
Students must complete CHEM12103 with CHEM12101 lab.