Full Sail University, USA

One of America’s premier institutions for film, television and new media education, Full Sail offers “real world education” across a range of entertainment media disciplines

Sited in Orlando, Florida, the hub of the film and entertainment industry on the eastern seaboard of the United States, Full Sail University is widely acknowledged as one of America’s premier institutions for film, television and new media education. Its 23 degree programmes spanning a range of entertainment media disciplines are highly-rated and reputed for offering students “real world education” which supplements academic programmes with hands-on learning in state-of-the-art labs and studios. For instance, the university’s music study programme is rated by Rolling Stone magazine as among the five best in the US. Likewise its game development degree and film school programmes are rated among the best worldwide by Electronic Game Monthly and Unleashed magazines respectively.

Full Sail’s 190-acre campus in suburban Orlando which hosts more than 100 studios, production suites, soundstages, and computer labs, as well as over 50 technology-intensive classrooms, is a fully-fledged production facility on a par with the best professional multimedia studios worldwide. As such the university’s 7,000 students are afforded enviable opportunities to hone their skills in this fully-equipped institution’s 21st century labs and studios.

Founded in 1979 as a recording studio, Full Sail offered its first film study programme in 1988, and was conferred university status last year by the Florida department of education’s Commission for Independent Education. Full Sail is also nationally accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology. Today its 32,000 graduates are employed in responsible positions by blue-chip entertainment companies including Disney World, Time Warner, 20th Century Fox Television, Sony Pictures, ESPN and Universal Studios.

“Full Sail University is committed to providing students with the best learning environment possi-ble,” says Ken Goldstone, Full Sail University’s chief operating officer. “Our campus-based students train in professional studios and production suites, while online students utilise our custom-built online learning platform that brings collaboration and professional networking to the forefront. Moreover our strong relationships with entertainment and media companies allow us to keep our curriculum in pace with the industry.”

Orlando. Orlando (pop. 2 million) is a happening city in the sunshine state of Florida, a hotspot tourist destination boasting more theme parks and entertainment attractions than any other city in the US. Its array of theme parks includes Islands of Adventure, Disney World, Animal Kingdom, Epcot Center and Sea World, among other globally-renowned entertainment centres. Moreover, Orlando is the hub of the rapidly growing film, television, and electronic gaming industries, hosting Universal Studios, Disney’s MGM Studios, Electronic Arts — Tiburon, The Golf Channel among other entertainment companies and production studios. The annual Florida Film Festival, of which Full Sail has served as primary sponsor for the past five years, provides national focus to the area’s film-makers’ community, while multiple clubs and live venues support the local music scene — including Hard Rock Live, the Amway Arena, House of Blues, Bob Carr Performing Arts Center, the Social, among others.

The US modeling, simulation, and training industries are also clustered round the Orlando region, with a particularly strong presence in the Central Florida Research Park. NASA’s headquarters at Cape Canaveral is just 45 minutes away, and the Cape also serves as the starting point for many ocean cruises. The east coast of Florida is less than an hour’s drive, while Tampa Bay and the Gulf Coast are less than two hours. Orlando enjoys a warm temperate climate with summer tempera-tures averaging 32oC and winter 22 oC.

Full Sail University is sited in Winter Park, a suburb of Orlando. Winter Park features a picturesque downtown complete with sprawling parks, fine restaurants and boutiques lining the scenic Park Avenue.

Campus facilities. Sprawled across 190 acres in scenic Winter Park, Full Sail is arguably the most well-equipped university offering entertainment media study programmes in the US. Its futuristic campus hosts 680 audio, video, animation and graphic computer workstations; 170 individual audio workstations; 110-plus studios and production environments; 160 individual and non-linear video/film editing systems; 50 hi-tech classrooms/learning centres; and three live entertainment venues. The Backlot, located in the centre of the campus, is a gigantic set which recreates real world locations such as Amsterdam, Venice, New Orleans’ French Quarter etc. Moreover its Computer Animation Centre boasts labs, studios and powerful computer worksta-tions equipped with the latest software.

Other facilities include a Games Development Center, Entertainment Business Center, a virtual set, the Film Center, HD studio, walkway park, digital arts studio, soundstages, editing suites,  labs, and cafes.

Admission. The minimum eligibility criterion for admission into the bachelor of science/ associate degree programmes offered by Full Sail is completion of class XII, while for Master’s programmes a bachelor’s degree from a recognised university is required. Moreover international students need to demonstrate proficiency in the English language. A TOEFL score of 79 or IELTS score of 6 is the minimum requirement. Official transcripts of class XII exam scores, English proficiency tests, and letters of recommendation need to be submitted with the application form.

Full Sail admits students through the year. The application form is available on www.fullsail.com/enap.cfm. Students should submit the completed application form together with an application fee of $75 (Rs.3,750). Applicants are also advised to include a $200 (Rs.10,000) seat deposit at the same time to reserve their seats.

For further information contact the International Student Center, Full Sail University, 3300 University Boulevard, Winter Park, Florida 32792-7429. 800 226 7625 (toll free in the US); 407 679 6333 (outside the US); Fax: 407 215 9486; e-mail: admissionsinternational@ fullsail.com; website: www.fullsail.edu.

Accommodation. Full Sail doesn’t offer on-campus housing facilities. Students live off-campus in apartments near the university.

Degree programmes. Full Sail offers 23 associate, bachelor’s and Master’s degree programmes across entertainment media disciplines including film, music, internet and animation. A unique feature of a Full Sail education is that it gives students flexibility to accelerate completion of their degree programmes. Typically, a four-year bachelor of science degree can be completed in 21-25 months, while a two-year associate degree can be finished in 12 months and the Master of science degree in 12 months.

Summiya Yasmeen