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Entertainment, Design & Creative Enterprise Stackable Certificates

Program Overview

Program Overview

Join an innovative online learning experience crafted by artists, for artists. The Entertainment, Design & Creative Enterprise Stackable Graduate Certificates Program offers flexible, economical access to quintessential elements of a graduate-level education: comprehensive coursework, constructive feedback, and vibrant community.

Build your artistic repertoire and grow your industry network through 18-hour, specialized certificates in a variety of creative arts sectors. Complete one certificate at a time in your area of interest. Then combine certificates for a custom MFA in Entertainment, Design & Creative Enterprise – a degree that stands as the pinnacle of achievement in the fine arts.

Delve into the multifaceted world of arts and entertainment business empowered, setting the stage for boundless opportunities. Join the ranks of esteemed artists who share a common goal: to innovate, inspire, and instruct the next generation of creative minds. Step into your future with us – where your passion for the arts meets our dedication to your success.


Certificate + Certificate + Certificate + Capstone = Stackable Master of Fine Arts (MFA)

Choose from the following certificates to start working toward your Master of Fine Arts (MFA) degree:


More certificates to come in 2025 in film and television business and animation.

Admissions Requirements

Admissions Requirements

* Due to high demand enrollment is limited.

All applicants to the certificates or MFA graduate program must submit the following:

  • Application Form. Each applicant must complete an application form. The application form is available at grad.lipscomb.edu/apply.
  • Application Fee. Each application should be accompanied by a $50 nonrefundable application fee.
  • Official Transcript(s). Each applicant must submit an official transcript, showing degree conferral when appropriate, from all schools attended. Official transcript(s) Undergraduate degrees with a cumulative 3.0 GPA will receive priority consideration.
  • Personal statement
  • Two letters of recommendation
  • Résumé

* The admission process also includes an interview which will be scheduled through the program director. 

Portfolio Guidelines

Courses

Courses

15:1

Faculty to student ratio

Networking

The creative industry is all about people! Both our deeply connected faculty and our experiential learning opportunities offer myriad ways for you to form relationships with leaders in the industry. These connections will serve and support you throughout your career.

Feedback and Community

Build your portfolio as you receive constructive insight and feedback from professionals in the industry to improve the output of your work. Your coursework will also help you foster community and build connections with likeminded creatives.

Expert Faculty

Learn from faculty with a breadth of real-world expertise in different specialties, including former Disney Animators Tom and Tony Bancroft. These experienced masters will guide you through the skills you need to be successful in your endeavors.

Personalized Degree

Students enrolled in this program make their own custom master's degree. They select three training areas from a variety of offerings and complete a capstone project. This amounts to a total of 57-60 credit hours toward their master's in expertise that suit their individual needs.

Our Faculty

  • Melissa Forte headshot

    Melissa Forte

    Assistant Dean of Graduate Studies, George Shinn College of Entertainment and the Arts

    After six years of industry work with the Walt Disney World company in Orlando, Fla., Melissa Forte returned to Ohio University to complete an M.A. in Media Studies and an...

    Meet Melissa Forte
  • Mike Nawrocki headshot

    Mike Nawrocki

    Visiting Professor

    As co-creator of "VeggieTales," co-founder of Big Idea Entertainment and the voice of the beloved Larry the Cucumber, Mike Nawrocki has been part of the pulse of the "VeggieTales" brand,...

    Meet Mike Nawrocki
  • Tony Bancroft headshot

    Tony Bancroft

    Program Director

    Tony Bancroft is a seasoned Director, Animator, and Podcaster with over 30 years of experience in the animation industry. He's known for his work at Disney, co-directing Disney's Mulan and...

    Meet Tony Bancroft
  • Steve Taylor

    Steve Taylor

    Assistant Professor

    Steve Taylor is a filmmaker, writer, producer and recording artist who earned his "Renaissance Man" stripes (Prism Magazine) from a body of work that's garnered him multiple Grammy, Billboard, Telly,...

    Meet Steve Taylor
  • Mike Meredith headshot

    Mike Meredith

    Chair, Animation and Interactive Media Department

    Mike Meredith is a seasoned illustrator and educator with over two decades of experience in the creative industry. Currently serving as the Associate Professor and Program Chair for Animation &...

    Meet Mike Meredith
  • Diana Coco-Russell headshot

    Diana Coco-Russell

    Artist in Residence

    Diana Coco-Russell has spent most of her artistic career in animation, with her longest run at Walt Disney Feature Animation as a clean-up animator. Beginning with Beauty and the Beast...

    Meet Diana Coco-Russell
  • Eric Stars

    Eric Stars

    Visiting Professor

    With over a decade of experience working as a professional animator and visual effects artist, Eric Stars comes to Lipscomb University from Fivestone Studios. Stars' primary focus is 3D character...

    Meet Eric Stars
  • Jake Morgan headshot

    Jake Morgan

    Marketing Videography Producer

    Jake Morgan is a screenwriter living in Nashville. After graduating with an MFA in Screenwriting from Florida State University, Jake moved to Los Angeles where he worked for companies like...

    Meet Jake Morgan
  • Lori Fischer

    Lori Fischer

    Adjunct Faculty

    Lori Fischer (MFA, NYU Dramatic Writing Department) is an Independent Vision Award Nominee for Outstanding Achievement in Screenwriting for her feature film Chasing Taste. Chasing Taste was also the Feature Comedy Award...

    Meet Lori Fischer
  • Chris Riley headshot

    Chris Riley

    Adjunct Faculty

    Christopher Riley is a screenwriter, director and author with a career stretching from his groundbreaking 1999 film After The Truth, a multiple-award-winning German-language courtroom thriller, through screenwriting assignments for Disney's...

    Meet Chris Riley
  • Chris Brock Headshot

    Christopher Brock

    Adjunct Faculty

    Chris Brock lives with his wife just outside of Nashville, Tennessee in Murfreesboro close to his two sons and their families. He is an Art Director and Visual Development Artist...

    Meet Christopher Brock

Career Paths

Screen and Television Writing

Screen and television writing is the art of crafting captivating narratives for films, TV shows, and web series. It's a dynamic career that demands creativity, storytelling skill, and a deep understanding of visual language.

Animation

Animation is the fusion of art and technology, bringing creativity to life through moving images. It's an innovative field offering endless opportunities for those passionate about storytelling and design.

Film and Television Producing

Film and television production is the driving force behind bringing stories to life on screen. Producers oversee all aspects of production, from development to distribution, ensuring creative visions become reality.