Full Sail University is a for-profit university
in Winter Park, Florida.[2][3]
The school was founded in 1979 in Dayton, Ohio as Full Sail Recording
Workshop.[4]
Full Sail relocated to Florida in 1980,[5]
adding video production and film production courses
and, with the move in 1989 to its current campus, expanded its
curriculum to include other entertainment and media-related areas
of study. Full Sail began offering online degrees in 2007.[6]
The school is partly owned by TA Associates, a private equity firm.[7][8]
Full Sail is not regionally accredited, but is
nationally
accredited by the Accrediting
Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC) to award
associate's,
bachelor's degrees, and master's degrees in audio, film, design, computer animation, business, and other
fields.[9][10]
The school offers 49 degree programs and 2 graduate certificates
and lists a student population of around 16,100.[1]
History
Full Sail was founded by Jon Phelps in Dayton, Ohio in
1979.[11]
Operating under the name “Full Sail Recording Workshop”
at that time, the school was established to train students on the
production side of entertainment and music.[12]
The curriculum was solely focused on recording arts at first,
consisting of courses for students to learn how to become
audio
engineers.[13]
The school relocated to Orlando, Florida
in 1980 and new courses were added to the core recording arts
program. Later that decade, coursework expanded beyond audio-only
programs—beginning with the addition of a film program in
1988.[14]
In 1989, Full Sail moved to its current location outside of Winter
Park, Florida, in unincorporated Orange County;[13]
the following year, it was accredited to grant specialized
associate's degrees.[14][15]
Full Sail began to receive notice within the audio industry for
its programs, and for three years in a row, 1989–1991, the
school won Mix magazine's TEC (Technical Excellence
and Creativity) award for Best Recording School/Program.[16]
Enrollment doubled between 1989 and 1991, at a time of increased
interest in film and media studies.[17]
Full Sail expanded accordingly by adding classrooms and equipment,
and increasing the number of courses offered. This accelerated
period of expansion was not without its challenges and the school
encountered financial difficulties in 1992, which were subsequently
resolved as it entered a period of more conservative
growth.[18]
Between 1995 and 1999, specialized associate's degrees or
associate's degrees were added in computer animation, digital
media, game design and development, and show production and
touring. All of these degrees were later expanded into full
bachelor's degree programs.[14][15]
The school began to receive notice in the early 2000s within the
recording arts industry for its programs,[19]
with Rolling Stone naming Full Sail as
“one of the five best music programs in the country” in
its 2005 book, Schools that Rock: The Rolling Stone College
Guide.[20][21]
The first bachelor’s degree program, a Bachelor of Science
degree in entertainment business, was made available at the school
in 2005.[22]
In 2007, the first master's degree program was
offered—also in entertainment business.[23]
Online degree programs began in 2007 as well—the first of
which was an online adaptation of the existing Entertainment
Business Master of Science.[23]
In 2005, the school launched its first bachelor's degree
program, in Entertainment Business. In 2007, the school introduced
its first master's program, also in Entertainment Business,[24]
launched a Graphic Design Associate of Science Degree, and
announced its first online degree program — an online
version of the Entertainment Business Master's Degree.[25]
Full Sail's online offerings have expanded since that time to
include fields not represented among their campus degrees,
including Internet Marketing and Sports Management, as well as
online versions of their campus degrees, such as Web Design &
Development and Computer Animation.
The additions of the master’s degree programs, among other
factors, led to the school being recognized as a “University” by the state of Florida. Its
name was officially changed from Full Sail Real World Education to
Full Sail University in 2008, after attaining university status
from the Florida Department of
Education's Commission for Independent Education.[26]
The campus expanded at this time with the addition of a 1,780 foot
long backlot with 18 city facades, designed to
replicate the sets used in production of actual Hollywood films and television shows, which later
expanded to 2078 linear ft.[26]
As the university grew in size and student body between 2006 and
2011, the curriculum and degree programs were broadened as
well,[27]
adding programs such as a bachelor of science in sports marketing
and media[28]
and a master of science degree in game design.[29]
Full Sail drew national attention when 2012 presidential
candidate Mitt Romney cited it as an example of the way rising
costs of education can be solved. Romney did not mention that its
chief executive, Bill Heavener, is a major campaign donor and
fund-raiser.[30]
Later that year, World Wrestling
Entertainment began filming all episodes of its internet show
WWE NXT as well as the television shows for
its developmental territory "NXT Wrestling" at Full Sail
University.[31]
Full Sail is also home to the U.S. syndicated morning television
show The Daily Buzz, which like Full Sail also
began in Dayton, Ohio before moving to Orlando.
Campus
Full Sail University’s main campus is located outside of
Winter Park, Florida, in unincorporated
Orange County, 8.6 miles (13.8 km) northeast of downtown
Orlando. The college campus
contains the central administrative offices, university library,
and academic buildings, including a production backlot, more than
110 studios and production environments, film backlot, auditorium,
and Full Sail Studios. The university moved to Winter Park in 1989.
Renovation and expansion into surrounding buildings began in 1995,
growing into three additional buildings by 2004. In 2009, the
university expanded into a fifth building, a 49,000-square-foot
(4,600 m2) space near campus to accommodate
educators for the online degree program.[32]
A 2.2 acre (0.89 ha) facility named Full Sail Studios opened in
2010, consisting of a 22,000-square-foot (2,000 m2)
multi-purpose venue and a two-story 10,600-square-foot
(980 m2) recording studio and game production
studio named Blackmoor after the late Dave Arneson, co-creator of Dungeons & Dragons and instructor
from 1999 to 2009. This addition also completed the film backlot,
totaling 2078 linear ft (633 m) and 19 outdoor scenic
environments.[33][34]
In November 2010 the Sports Lab Powered by ESPN
was added to the campus, a facility for research and development of
new studio and remote technologies. The lab works in association
with the ESPN Innovation Lab located at ESPN Wide World of Sports
Complex at Walt Disney World and is the only sports
technology lab to be constructed at a Florida college or
university.[35]
Two months later, approximately 200 Full Sail Online administration
and support team employees moved into the Gateway Center in
Downtown Orlando.[36][37]
Also in 2011, the university announced plans to construct an
86,000-square-foot (8,000 m2) educational building
to house 475 faculty and staff, additional film and television
soundstages and classrooms, and is scheduled for completion in
Spring 2012.[38]
Academics
Full Sail University is an entertainment media institution
offering on-campus and online degrees, including 2 graduate
certificates, 2 associate degrees, 25 bachelor's degrees, and 8
master's degrees.[39][40]
Academic degree programs are primarily focused on audio, film and
media production,[41]
video game design,[42]
animation[43]
and other studies related to the media and entertainment
industries.[44]
Over 70% of students and graduates have used financial aid to cover
some or all of their education expenses. Students must complete the
Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
before applying for student loans through the university.[45]
The college’s education is accelerated, typically
completed in half the time of a traditional four-year
college — associate's programs are 12[46]
to 13[47]
months long, bachelor's programs are 20 to 36[48]
months long, and master's programs are 12[49]
months long. Degree programs begin monthly. Courses are generally
four weeks in duration, with students taking an average of two
courses at a time.[50]
According to The New York Times, Full Sail has many of
the same problems as other institutions in the for-profit college
industry.[30]
They reported that some of the university's academic programs have
high loan burdens and low graduation rates. The $81,000 video game
art program graduated 38 percent of its students, who carried a
median debt load of nearly $59,000 in federal and private loans in
2008.[30]
The Times cited other Full Sail degree programs as having
higher graduation rates, noting that the master's in entertainment
business, "a yearlong program with a $36,245 tuition, graduated 80
percent of its students, nearly 63 percent of them on
time."[30]
According to Inside Higher Ed, "a closer look at the numbers
reveals that graduation rates are not a major problem at Full Sail:
the overall graduation rate is a fairly high 78 percent, according
to federal data."[2][9]
In the same article, however, The New York Times noted that
Full Sail's own students have posted criticisms of the school,
including some that call Full Sail a "scam" because of its high
costs, low placement, and difficulties with credit
transfer.[30]
The college was named FAPSC School/College of the Year (an award
for which only career colleges in Florida were eligible) by the
Florida Association of Postsecondary Schools and Colleges (FAPSC)
in 2008 and 2011,[51]
21st century best practices in distance learning by the United
States Distance Learning Association (USDLA) in 2011,[52]
and was the recipient of a 2011 New Media Consortium Center for
Excellence award.[53]
In 2007, Full Sail University offered its first online degree program, a
master's degree in Entertainment Business.[25]
Currently, the school offers a total of 22 online degree programs:
seven master's degrees, thirteen bachelor's degrees, and two
graduate certificate programs.[54]
Nine of the online degree programs are directly based on
campus-based degree programs, and the other thirteen are exclusive
to Full Sail University Online. Online students at Full Sail
utilize much of the same software and creative tools students use
in campus-based programs.[55]
Additionally, Full Sail custom-built a learning management system for use
with their online courses; the LMS is Macintosh-based, and utilizes
content created by an in-house curriculum development team in
conjunction with campus-based instructors.[6][56]
The curriculum used for Full Sail University Online is generated
utilizing the same educators and advisory boards as campus-based
programs.[57]
Although the university is not regionally accredited, it is
nationally
accredited by the Accrediting
Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC).[9][58]
The college has been subject to criticism regarding transferability
of credits, as credits from nationally accredited schools often do
not transfer to regionally accredited schools.[59][60][61]
Student
life
The college does not have on-campus dormitories. A housing
department coordinates housing and roommate arrangements with
approximately 50 apartment complexes located within a 5-mile radius
of the campus, most of which are within walking distance.[62]
Students participate in 25 different clubs and organizations
oriented toward entertainment and media industries, including
student chapters of AES,[63]
AIGA, Grammy
U, IGDA, MEISA
and DECA. Other clubs include the Entertainment Networking Society,
Gay–Straight Alliance, International Film
Society and Veterans Group. Students generally manage the groups,
with an instructor providing support.[64]
Notable
people
More than 36,000 alumni have graduated from Full Sail University
as of 2011.[65]
Among the most notable alumni are Gary
Rizzo, Oscar Award winner for Best Achievement in the Sound
Mixing category for his work on the film Inception;[66]
Sebastian Krys, eight-time Latin Grammy
winner[67]
and four-time Grammy winner;[68]
three-time Grammy winner Phil
Tan,[69]
Darren Lynn Bousman, screen writer and
director whose credits include director of Saw
II, Saw III,
Saw IV, and Repo! The Genetic Opera;[70][71]
and JD Harmeyer, Head Media
Producer on The Howard Stern Show. Notable
graduates are recognized during an annual awards event named the
Full Sail University Hall of Fame.[72]
Dungeons & Dragons co-creator
Dave Arneson taught at the school from
2000[73]
through 2008. Stedman Graham began teaching as an adjunct
professor in 2009.[74]
Full Sail University's Hall of Fame
On April 20, 2009, Full Sail marked its 30th anniversary with
the opening of the Full Sail University Hall of Fame.[75]
The event included testimonials from Neil Portnow (president of the National Academy
of Recording Arts and Sciences), filmmaker Kevin Smith, recording artist Anthony Hamilton, and
others. Six graduates were inducted into the Hall of Fame
including[76]
Sebastian Krys (producer/engineer,
four-time Grammy Award winner, seven-time Latin Grammy Award
winner), Gary
Rizzo (sound re-recording mixer and Oscar award winner for Best
Achievement in Sound), and Phil
Tan (mix engineer and three-time Grammy Award winner). In June
2010, the second set of inductees was selected and added to the
Hall of Fame including[77]
Leslie Brathwaite (mix engineer and Grammy award winner), Marc
Fishman (sound re-recording mixer, Emmy winner), and Martin "Tike"
Santos (live sound engineer, Paul McCartney).
Sound engineer Demo Castellon attended Full Sail,[78]
as did electronic music producer (who studied audio engineering)
Travis Stewart a.k.a.Machinedrum.[79]