The motion design department at Ringling College of Art and Design is now recognized as a Houdini-certified school. Developed by Toronto-based company SideFX, Houdini is a 3D animation software application used for film and TV, game development, motion graphics and  virtual reality. Its exclusive attention to procedural generation—or creating data algorithmically—distinguishes it from other 3D computer graphics software.

Houdini is most commonly used in VFX departments for the creation of visual effects in film and games and by major companies such as Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar, DreamWorks Animation, Double Negative, ILM, MPC, Framestore, Sony Pictures Imageworks, Method Studios, and The Mill. The Houdini certification allows Ringling College to issue its trained students fully featured licenses of Houdini FX for home use, and when they graduate a one-year Core or six-month FX license.