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1 yr (3 semesters)
Visual effects is truly a balance of left and right brain thinking. You must be able to understand and utilize both art and technology to create effective visual effects. Only by exploring the latest software and technology in-depth, will you be able to apply and grow your artistic talent.
Whether it's creating massive destruction scenes or expanding the scope of production, nearly every film now requires visual effects for support. By collaborating with students in other filmmaking programs, you'll learn to become part of the film production process and capable of creating and integrating any digital elements required to tell the story.
You'll come to Sheridan with artistic ability and experience using 3D software. We'll build on that foundation over a period of 10 months and teach you the tools and techniques to become a successful visual effects artist. We'll help you explore and realize your visions and find your path in the visual effects industry.
The Visual Effects program at Sheridan provides the industry's most comprehensive curriculum by leveraging the knowledge and facilities of our world-renowned Computer Animation and Advanced TV and Film programs. Our instructors bring years of industry experience and a passion for creating visual effects.
Graduates have gone on to careers as digital visual effects animators, compositors, motion trackers, rotoscope artists and as lighting and shading specialists.
Image credit: Montasser Khalil, Visual Effects Class of 2021 & Computer Animation Class of 2020
Sheridan College is a proud partner of SideFX — the company behind the Oscar-winning 3D animation software Houdini.
Learn about Sheridan’s campuses, programs, support services, alumni and more.
Creative, innovative learning is at the core of all Sheridan’s courses. Here are the courses you’ll take in this program.
CODE | TITLE | CREDITS |
---|---|---|
ANIM 59014 | VFX Production | 5 |
ANIM 56367 | Cinematography and Rendering | 5 |
ANIM 50261 | Compositing | 5 |
ANIM 50004 | Dynamics and Effects | 5 |
Total credits: 20
CODE | TITLE | CREDITS |
---|---|---|
ANIM 58263 | VFX Advanced Production | 5 |
ANIM 55892 | Advanced Cinematography and Rendering | 5 |
ANIM 53551 | Advanced Compositing | 5 |
ANIM 50065 | Advanced Dynamics and Effects | 5 |
Total credits: 20
CODE | TITLE | CREDITS |
---|---|---|
ANIM 58448 | VFX Capstone Project | 8 |
ANIM 52758 | VFX Industry | 2 |
Total credits: 10
Courses subject to change.
Current students should refer to their Academic Requirements in myStudentCentre to track their academic progress and outstanding course requirements.
and
and/or
Credentials earned at less than the equivalent of an Ontario College Diploma will not be considered as having met the academic entrance requirements.
A thorough understanding of 3D CG modelling, texturing and lighting (Maya or Houdini preferred) as well as basic animation and compositing skills are essential factors to qualify for this program.
Eligible applicants are selected on the basis of:
and
A portfolio review fee is required with the submission.
Postsecondary transcripts, indicating courses completed to date, must be submitted to ontariocolleges.ca at the time of application.
Domestic applicants with education outside of Canada must have their transcripts assessed for equivalency through ICAS or WES. A general (document-by-document) or a comprehensive (course-by-course) assessment is required.
Applicants who do not meet the admission requirements for this program may be advised individually regarding other related programs.
The Sheridan Visual Effects program will help to prepare you to enter the film and television industry. You'll have experienced each step in visual effects production so you may choose to continue on as a generalist or specialize in one of the skills that interests you the most.
Sample Job Titles
Sheridan recognizes and appreciates that advanced learning doesn’t always require standard classroom instruction, and that opportunities to advance skills and learn new technologies are everywhere.
If you have significant knowledge and experience in programming, web development, database and/or networking, you may choose to complete Advanced Entry Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (AEPLAR) Challenge Exams for academic credit towards your Sheridan Computer Systems Technology advanced diploma.
AEPLAR Challenge Exams are administered by and through the Sheridan College Assessment Centre or through an approved Test Centre. There are fees to write each exam (an Assessment Centre fee and a Challenge Exam fee).
Your completed Challenge Exam(s) will be evaluated to determine whether you’re eligible for credit in one or more courses within the identified program streams.
Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR) and Advanced Standing credits are subject to Sheridan’s policies and procedures. Learn more about Sheridan’s Credit Transfer policies and procedures.
No. Challenge Exams are designed for applicants with knowledge and experience gained outside of formal education. If you have previous postsecondary education, we encourage you to apply for Advanced Standing instead — you may be eligible to apply your previously earned credits towards your new program at Sheridan.
Challenge Exams for applicants to the Computer Systems Technology – Software Development and Network Engineering program are designed to test skills in specific knowledge streams within this program:
You can also choose to complete Challenge Exams for specific individual courses within the Computer Systems Technology program.
Complete a free self-assessment test to help you determine whether Challenge Exams are a good option for you.
You must meet the program admission requirements to be eligible for admission and PLAR.
Complete a free self-assessment test for each knowledge stream you wish to challenge. This will help you determine whether your current skills will enable you to succeed in the Challenge Exam(s).
Apply to the Computer Systems Technology – Software Development and Network Engineering program.
To be eligible to complete Challenge Exams for this program, you must select "Advanced Entry" as the level of the program on your application.
Once Sheridan receives your application, we’ll send you an email with instructions on how to register and pay for your Challenge Exam(s). Follow those instructions.
Once you’ve completed your Challenge Exam(s), subject matter experts in Sheridan’s Faculty of Applied Science and Technology will evaluate them within 10 business days. The Faculty will forward your results to the Office of the Registrar, and any approved credit transfers will be posted in your Credit Transfer centre. Exam feedback will not be provided.
If you receive an offer of admission to Sheridan, please follow the instructions to confirm your offer and pay your fees by the due dates indicated in order to reserve your spot in the program.
We wish you success in this process and look forward to seeing you at Sheridan!
Fees shown here are estimates only. Fees are in Canadian dollars and include tuition, health insurance and ancillary charges.
The fees shown here are for the 2023–2024 academic year, and are subject to change. The fees displayed are for the first two (2) academic terms of study at Sheridan unless otherwise noted; fees for subsequent terms are not reflected on this website.
Notes: Fees shown are for three academic terms
Your education is a big investment, and we're here to help! Keep an eye on our Financial Aid & Awards page for regular updates, and check out these important links:
All new international students beginning their full-time postsecondary studies (ESL and programs with tuition reduction excluded) in Spring 2023, Fall 2023 or Winter 2024 semesters in Year 1 (Semester 1) will receive an entrance scholarship ranging from $500 to $2,000.
By the end of the program the student will demonstrate the artistic and technical abilities required in visual effects by producing a demo reel showing the creation and integration of live action footage and 2D and/or 3D computer generated images.
Sheridan's Honours Bachelor of Interior Design curriculum and its delivery are designed to address current social issues pertinent to the design industry. This enables students to broaden their understanding of their place within the world.
Fundamental to the vision of the program is the balance of creative and conceptual thinking with the technical and business aspects of the profession. Courses follow a logical sequence with the degree of difficulty building vertically from first year to fourth year.
The various streams provide a range of design problems building in size and scope, from simple to complex in various design sectors. The curriculum builds on fundamental introductions that ensures a strong foundation for students to apply additional more complex learning and skills developed later in the program.
Studio projects are designed to mimic professional practice and require applied theory, creativity and strong technical knowledge. Curriculum is also connected horizontally across each semester to help support the learning in courses happening simultaneously. This demonstrates the inter-connected knowledge and skills required to practice in the industry.
The program provides many opportunities that expose students to practicing professionals and professional practice. Industry leaders and representatives from professional associations like ARIDO and IDC are invited into the classroom as jurors and guest speakers throughout the four years. The internship also provides professional design work experience for students before they enter their final year of study.
The curriculum is student-centric and designed to equip students with the skills that are required for entry-level design positions and advanced study. Manual skills such as drafting, drawing and model making are developed alongside digital skills using current software. Students are also well-versed in the applicable building codes and regulations required to practice in Ontario. Students are exposed to valuable research skills and encouraged to continue their learning past graduation.
Sheridan's Honours Bachelor of Interior Design program aspires to:
If you've graduated from a health-science degree other than athletic therapy or kinesiology, your application will be assessed on an individual basis.
If you're a graduate of Sheridan's Athletic Therapy or Kinesiology degree program, you may be eligible to start in the second year of this program after completing three bridging courses.
This bridging program will be available in Spring/Summer 2024.
After successfully completing the assigned bridging courses, you'll be admitted into Year 2 (Semester 3) of our Osteopathy degree. In order to earn your Osteopathy degree, you'll need to complete all courses in the remaining three years of the program, with the following exceptions.
*Athletic Therapy graduates are also exempt from the following course:
Our mission is to utilize harmonious, comprehensive and specialized training to empower our learners with the knowledge, skills and attitude required to demonstrate the Professional Competencies for Canadian Pharmacy Technicians at Entry to Practice.
Our vision is to graduate highly-skilled life-long learners who uphold professional integrity and promote quality and safety in practice.
Upon graduation, students in Sheridan’s Pharmacy Technician diploma program will have demonstrated the ability to pursue the career of pharmacy technician and to practice safely in a community or hospital while adhering to the scope of practice for pharmacy technicians.
Each year, Sheridan’s Honours Bachelor of Creative Writing & Publishing (CW&P) program hosts a Writer-in-Residence. The 8-month residency is awarded to a writer who embodies the distinctiveness and dynamism of the & in our program name.
In addition to working on at least one specific writing project of their own during their tenure, the Writer-in-Residence is responsible for creative leadership, mentoring and public outreach in the area of creative writing and/or publishing.
Students in our CW&P program benefit from the work and mentorship of our Writer-in-Residence, who:
Award-winning fiction writer, playwright and poet Kate Cayley is joining Sheridan as the 2023–24 CW&P Writer-in-Residence.
Cayley has published two short story collections and three collections of poetry, and her plays have been performed in Canada, the U.S. and the UK. She has won the Trillium Book Award, an O. Henry Prize and the Mitchell Prize for Poetry, and been a finalist for the Governor General’s Award for Fiction, the Firecracker Award for Fiction, the ReLit Award for both fiction and poetry, and the K.M. Hunter Award for Fiction.
Her writing has appeared in such literary publications as Brick, Electric Literature, Joyland, Best Canadian Poetry and Best Canadian Stories, and she has been a writer-in-residence at McMaster University and the Toronto Public Library.
"Kate’s diverse work plumbs meaning, strangeness and beauty from the spaces we inhabit, even in our domestic lives, while tackling some of the big philosophical questions we all face," says Dr. Genevieve Amaral, Associate Dean, School of Humanities and Creativity. "Our Sheridan community welcomes her capacious intellect, limpid style and wonderful mentorship with full hearts, open ears, and pens, paper and keyboards at the ready!"
Are you a business lead who's looking to level up your company's culture of creativity and entrepreneurship?
Sheridan offers FREE, one-hour masterclasses on topics such as:
These masterclasses will catalyze your climate of innovation and give your team an exclusive look into Sheridan’s one-of-a-kind graduate certificate in Applied Creativity and Innovation.*
Register your team for a FREE online one-hour masterclass!
Our new graduate certificate in Applied Creativity and Innovation is a great professional development (PD) opportunity for many company teams. The program teaches complex problem-solving, creativity, innovation and negotiation skills — competencies that make companies more resilient and adaptable as they face the unique challenges presented by the future of work.
This new graduate certificate is currently accepting applications for Fall 2023.
Sheridan is a Ministry-approved Apprenticeship Exemption Test centre, authorized through the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training & Skills Development (MLITSD), for both apprentices and non-apprentices.
The AET provides a chance for students who are learning a skilled trade to bypass in-class studies.
You need to score 70% or higher to pass the AET. If you score lower than 70%, you'll need to wait three months before you can try again. If you have questions about this, please contact the MLITSD.
After successfully completing an AET, you have two years to become a registered apprentice. You're responsible for reporting your test results to the MLITSD.
To register for an Apprenticeship Exemption Test, please email skilledtrades@sheridancollege.ca. We'll help you confirm that your discipline offers an AET, and let you know about our upcoming test dates.
Apprenticeship Exemption Tests are administered monthly at the Davis Campus (Brampton) through the Magna School for the Skilled Trades. Tests begin at 6:30 p.m., and most take three hours to complete.
You must book your test at least 24 hours in advance. If you require special accommodation, please book your test at least 7 days in advance.
When you book your test, you’ll receive an automated confirmation email.
We'll also send you a reminder email one week before your test date, once registration closes. This email will include information about parking and what room you'll be writing your test in at Davis Campus.
Fees are $160.15 ($150 + $10.15 Eventbrite fee) and are paid online through our Eventbrite website (credit/debit cards and PayPal are accepted). We'll provide payment instructions when you contact us to register for your AET.
All refund requests are subject to an administrative fee.
To find out more about Apprenticeship Exemption Tests at Sheridan, please email skilledtrades@sheridancollege.ca
Magna School for the Skilled Trades Program Office
Davis Campus, Room A203
7899 McLaughlin Road
Brampton, Ontario, L6Y 5H9
For more information on employment, training and certification, visit Skilled Trades Ontario and Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training & Skills Development (MLITSD).
The talent of our students and graduates says it all. Check out this sample of work from students in our Visual Effects program.
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Find your fit and choose with confidence. Choosing the right education is a big decision. At Sheridan we’re committed to providing you with the learning, support and services you need to achieve your goals and reach your full potential. Take a look around, and please connect with us if you have any questions!
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