Durham College – Good And Cheap!

A review of the Durham College - Animation - Computer Arts program.
By Andrew F. who graduated in 2008. 1,781 views.

Before coming to Durham College, I had a small background in web design, and a love for drawing. When I finally decided animation was what I wanted to do, I applied across Ontario to a handful of schools offering animation. At the time, I was very slow at putting together packages for colleges, and only ended up applying to about three programs fully. Of the schools I was accepted to, I chose Durham because after visiting the Campus and talking with some students, it was the most alluring of the options.

One of the great things about the program is that it’s fairly inexpensive when looking at the tuition of other schools. My average bill living away from home was about $12000 per year (living expenses included). I have seen people so far in debt after going to Sheridan that I couldn’t ever imagine pulling myself out of something like that.

The Program

The program overall was very enjoyable. It moves at a nice pace for students, and is catered more to people with little to no Animation experience. Because the program is relatively new, it’s constantly evolving. So those entering now will experience a stronger and more developed program than what I went through.

From my experience we never really picked a specified path (whether it be modeling/animation etc).

Since I have finished school, they have changed the program from a 3 year program to a 2 year program (with an optional extra year), so I can’t say for sure how the program divides it’s time. But from my experience we never really picked a specified path (whether it be modeling/animation etc). Instead we had a broad knowledge of every task in the studio. I think this was one area that could have been strengthened in the program. So my advice for this is, if you know what you want to be, make sure you dedicate more time to those assignments.

The faculty at the school are all great people. I consider them to be friends and they are always there to provide advice, even after graduation.

I was left with much less debt than those who went to Sheridan, and have the exact same job/salary as them.

The Verdict
I would recommend the program to anyone who is ready to work extremely hard, all the extra work will pay off. If you already have a background in animation and are trying to upgrade your skills, I would recommend one of the intensive one year programs Sheridan or Seneca offer. I am personally happy that I took the Durham route, I was left with much less debt than those who went to Sheridan, and have the exact same job/salary as them.

Is it worth it? I say it depends on you as a person. If you have the ambition to be an animator and put 100% into every one of your assignments it will definitely pay off. But the program is easy to slide through the cracks, and just doing enough to get you a degree, will probably result in you struggling to find work.

I am currently employed at CORE Digital Pictures along with a few other graduates from the same program. However, I know many people who are still looking for work.

From my experience, I really only have good things to say. So I wish you all good luck, and if you take the Durham route, I hope your experience will be as good as mine. Hope this review helps.

You can see my portfolio and demo reel after graduating from Durham at http://www.andrewjfarrell.com

(4 votes, average: 4.00 out of 5)

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2 Comments

Brandon Rand

1.24.11

I and many others have graduated from this program with very good grades and found that there was no work in the field for us. On top of that employers told us that the Durham program DID NOT provide us with the skills needed to get work. Many of the instructors are no longer working in the field and aren’t relevant. Every college in Ontario is now offering this type of program, I’d say look around more.

ex machina

6.13.11

Another year another truckload of sheep led to the slaughter.

I have just graduated from Durham and I found that all in all it was a miserable experience.
First off they promise that you will learn all those amazing things you have heard about and that you dream of doing. Once you have paid you become another number. You are shoehorned into the same box as everyone else in the program. There is little to NO true creativity, we made the same models, the same animations and the same films as everyone else. You will never learn what it was that brought you there, and if you want to, they won’t have those programs and they will tell you to go buy them on your own.
The key to the program and how to do well is to take advantage of the rampant favoritism that comes from the instructors. If you are an attractive female with half exposed breasts and can giggle your way through an evening of beers you will go far. But if you spend long hours in front of computers that constantly crash and a faulty network you will get nowhere.
Much of the inequality is due to the (now former) program coordinator who was frequently compared to the occupying force of 40′s Germany. It’s amazing that a film editor with very little knowledge of animation could be given control of a whole animation program but alas he was and my tuition money is just another mistake made on the road of higher education.
My suggestion is to AVOID DURHAM COLLEGE LIKE A LEPER COLONY!!! it is a miserable school with no culture, no fun, no creativity and a group of if you can’t do, teach! teachers. There are of course a few standouts but not enough.
Ontario is now full of schools offering Animation programs, do your homework wisely before you choose.