The United States International University has had a long history in Kenya and is at the forefront of emerging fields in education.
In 1977, the university began to offer accredited full degree programs in Business Administration, Psychology and International Relations and has had its door open to all willing to learn. At the forefront of emerging trends in education, USIU has also introduced the Animation undergraduate program under the School of Science and Technology.
The Sauce spoke to Dr. Rachael Diang’a Chair of the Department of Cinematic Arts in the School of Communication, Cinematic & Creative Arts. She shares some of the most aspects of the degree, in creating a new generation of storytellers in Africa. Here are 7 aspects to consider:
1. When did the program begin?
The Animation program was launched in Summer 2018 and has currently one concentration in Film Animation. However, the university is at the advanced stages of introducing a concentration in Gaming. The program was introduced to respond to market needs and advances in technology, especially in filmmaking. This degree targets future film directors and gamers in Kenya. Kenya is an advanced technological country with a growing youth that has affordable access to internet connectivity. This market needs to be tapped into and develop programs that meet their needs. This program cuts across all ages where one can develop games for children and adults alike.
2. What course units are offered?
Some of the courses taught in this program include drawing, character design, storyboarding, scripting, composition and sound design, the business of animation, among others. As a four-year program, we offer both 2D and 3D animation courses modeled along industry and technology trends. This ensures that our graduates remain the most marketable in the region.
3. What differentiates the USIU-Africa degree from other short courses in the same field?
USIU-Africa’s Animation degree is the first one in Kenya and the region. It offers both a theoretical and practical approach to learning. Other colleges/universities offer only a diploma and no degree. Students who want to enroll for the program must have attained the minimum requirement to join university (C+) or diploma in Animation or related field. Students can also transfer their credits from any university offering the same program.
4. What new industry trends are integrated into the course?
We are currently offering courses in film animation by adjusting the program to include a Gaming concentration, which is an emerging trend across the globe. Many gamers learn on the job. Our philosophy is that gamers need formal training for professionalism and for formal recognition; on the other hand, animators need to know about gaming since it is currently trending and there’s more demand for computer games.
5. Must students own a computer to take the degree?
Students don’t have to own a computer since our Animation labs are fully equipped with state of the art facilities and are accessible to all animation students. They can, however, own a computer to use at home.
6. What sectors can students explore after graduation?
A majority of graduates will explore all aspects of content creation including TV, animated filmmaking, gaming industry, corporate media production, etc. This industry is in its infancy stages and has great potential to grow. We also encourage our students to start exploring global industry trends and needs right from their first year of taking the program.
7. What is the future of animation in Kenya?
The future is very bright since we are just starting to explore the animation more seriously. Animators can translate their work in several languages hence multiplying revenues. Gaming is yet to be fully explored here in Kenya and our students have an opportunity to change that.
And finally, we cannot ignore the positive impact that technology is having on young people. Animation is the future of filmmaking and there is no limitation to what animators can create given that we are in the age of computer-generated images (CGIs) and animation.
Therefore, Animation graduates have a lot of potential in terms of job opportunities. One animated project can be translated to a limitless number of languages.
