Full Sail University

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Full Sail University
Established: 1979
Type: Private, for-profit university
President: Garry Jones
Staff: 1,044
Students: 5,800
Location: Winter Park, Florida, USA
Campus: Suburban (178 acres)
Former names: Full Sail Real World Education (1979-2008)
Website: fullsail.edu

Coordinates: 28°35′47.65″N, 81°18′4.77″W

Full Sail University is a private, for-profit university located in Winter Park, Florida, geared toward the entertainment industry and known for its around-the-clock schedule. It offers degree programs in Computer Animation, Digital Arts & Design, Education Media Design & Technology, Entertainment Business, Film, Game Art, Game Development, Music Business, Recording Arts, and Show Production & Touring, Web Design & Development. Full Sail awards associate's, bachelor's degrees, and master's degrees after 12 to 21 months of an accelerated education.

The school is owned by Full Sail, Inc.

Contents

[edit] History

Full Sail University in Winter Park, FL
Full Sail University in Winter Park, FL

Full Sail was founded as Full Sail Real World Education by Jon Phelps in 1979 as a recording studio workshop. A film program was added in 1988, and the school was accredited to award specialized associate’s degrees in 1990. A third degree in Digital Media was added in 1995, followed by Game Design and Show Production & Touring in 1998.

Full Sail received additional accreditation in 1998, allowing the school to issue associate of science degrees, and 1999 saw the addition of a Computer Animation associate’s degree. In 2003, Full Sail added its first bachelor’s degree in Entertainment Business (designed to be combined with an additional Full Sail associate’s degree), followed quickly by the Game Design & Development program. The company was originally called Full Sail Recorders, Inc., subsequently Full Sail Center for the Recording Arts, and finally the name was changed to Full Sail, Inc. in 2000.[1]

In 2005, three programs – Computer Animation, Digital Arts & Design (formerly Digital Media), and Film – were expanded and accredited to be offered as Bachelor of Science degrees. In 2007, the Entertainment Business Bachelor's Degree Program was altered to become the Music Business Bachelor of Science Degree Program[2], and the school introduced its first master's program, in Entertainment Business[3]. In June of 2007, a Graphic Design Associate of Science Degree was announced [4].

In August of 2007, Full Sail announced its first online degree program - an online version of the Entertainment Business Master's Degree[5].

In January of 2008, Full Sail introduced a second master's degree program in Education Media Design & Technology, as well as new bachelor's degree programs in Game Art and Web Design & Development.

On March 24, 2008, Full Sail changed its name to Full Sail University after attaining university status from the Florida Department of Education’s Commission for Independent Education.[1] At the press conference announcing the change, they also unveiled a 1,700-foot-long backlot, which includes 18 different city facades.[2]

[edit] Academics

[edit] Degree programs

As of October 2007, Full Sail is offering the following degree programs:

[edit] Campus

  • Master of Science in Entertainment Business
  • Bachelor of Science in Computer Animation
  • Bachelor of Science in Digital Arts & Design
  • Bachelor of Science in Film
  • Bachelor of Science in Game Art
  • Bachelor of Science in Game Development
  • Bachelor of Science in Music Business
  • Bachelor of Science in Web Design & Development
  • Associate of Science in Recording Arts
  • Associate of Science in Show Production & Touring
  • Associate of Science in Graphic Design

[edit] Online

  • Master of Science in Entertainment Business
  • Master of Science in Education Media Design & Technology
  • Bachelor of Science in Entertainment Business

Full Sail has become known for offering an “accelerated” education – the school’s degree programs can be completed in less than half the time of a typical college degree – the associate’s programs are 12 months long, the bachelor’s programs are 11 months long, and the master's programs range from 12-13 months long.

[edit] Scheduling

Full Sail has gained a reputation for having a challenging lab and class schedule. The school essentially operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with students in class or lab for 4 hours at a time; lectures generally take place between the hours of 9:00am and 9:00pm, while labs run throughout the day.

Full Sail’s degree programs start monthly. Throughout the course of a program, the average Full Sail student will have two courses at one time, with one course occurring on three days a week and the other course occurring on two or three depending on the class. This course load can fluctuate, however, according to the student’s program and month.

Courses are generally four weeks long, but some are longer, and new courses start every four weeks. This schedule allows Full Sail a fluid, if intense, operating method. If a student fails a course for poor grades (as opposed to poor attendance), they can take the course over again the following month at no additional cost, as long as the schedule for the degree is maintained. If a student fails a class for poor attendance, however, they must pay the course cost again to retake it.

[edit] Costs

Unlike many colleges, Full Sail’s tuition prices cover all expenses for a degree program. Course manuals (sometimes created by the school for the specific courses) for all classes are provided at no additional cost, and any art supplies or other materials are provided at no cost upon entering the course requiring them.

Tuition costs range from $33,000 to $80,000 (this increase starts in April of 2008, a ~$3000 Increase in every major) for the entire degree program due to a slight increase in tuition rates, course materials and books included. In 2007, the school introduced a new program called Apple Launch Box - every non-Game Development student in the school now receives an Apple MacBook Pro, where Game development students get HP Laptops. [6][7]. The cost of this computer is an institutional fee which is currently $3,100, but may be higher or lower, depending on the program and software configuration. This cost is separate from tuition, as students possessing a laptop of equal or higher value are permitted to opt-out of the Launch Box program. Game Development students receive a Windows-based laptop with all software necessary for the course, but its cost is not included in tuition.

[edit] Student life

Student life, like the school itself, is different from a typical college. Since a new class starts every month, classmates who start at the same time frequently stay together throughout the program. Class sizes vary from 20 to 85 students, with a maximum number of 120 students in classes where students from different degree programs are combined.

There are several groups and clubs within the different degree programs of the school, each oriented toward student interests. Students in the relevant degree program generally manage the groups, with an instructor providing support.

Full Sail does not have on-campus student housing. Most students live within 5 miles of the school in apartment complexes in the immediate area, often with roommates. The school has a housing department, which provides prospective students with information about local apartment complexes, and keeps track of students who are looking for roommates.

[edit] Notable Full Sail alumni & productions

Full Sail alumni have contributed to the following projects, among others:

[edit] Games

[edit] TV & movies

[edit] Radio

[edit] Feature Films Shot At Full Sail

Larry The Cable Guy: Health Inspector

[edit] Views of Full Sail

[edit] Accreditation

Full Sail is accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology, which is a national accreditor of primarily vocational schools and career schools within the United States. Most four year colleges and universities in the U.S. are regionally accredited, and do not recognize national accreditation such as ACCSCT (see [54]). Regional accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools would be required for Full Sail credits to be transferable to traditional four-year colleges throughout the United States. Requirements for regional accreditation would involve switching to a more conventional semester-hours based schedule, requiring a wider variety of general education credits, and utilizing teaching faculty with Master's or Doctorate degrees (see [55]).

[edit] Notable alumni and faculty

Full Sail maintains a website with notable industry activity by alumni, called Grads on the Move.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Full Sail press release, 2008-03-24
  2. ^ http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/education/orl-bk-fullsail032408,0,3428704.story
  3. ^ a b Full Sail Film Graduate Directs Saw III

[edit] External links