Animation BA (Hons)

Master techniques like squash and stretch, arcs, and overlap action through practical exercises. You’ll study iconic animations to understand timing, weight, and charm. Get to know the professional methods for planning and testing your animations. You’ll also get real experience using the software that industry pros use, bringing your own drawings to life, one frame at a time. Create engaging animations like ball bounces, walking cycles, and various gestures.

With experience and a solid foundation in principles, you can create polished 2D animations.

Work through the pipeline — from research to modelling, texturing, rigging, animation, lighting, and rendering. You’ll become adept at using top industry software. As you build your technical skills, you’ll breathe life into unique characters and settings. Create an engaging 3D animation short at the end, using professional techniques and workflows.

This module gives you a solid base across the key stages of 3D animation. You’ll be set up for success by creating rich virtual worlds, characters, and stories.

Bring your creativity into an extra dimension.

In hands-on workshops, you’ll learn to observe and depict the human form, structure, proportion and movement. Maintaining a sketchbook will help you critically reflect on interests and projects in progress. You’ll practice recording colours, textures, and compositions from life to inform your creative visions. 

This module will guide you in traditional and digital painting techniques, using colour and mark-making expressively. Through this, you’ll gain skills in image manipulation and movement with 2D software. 

At the end, you will have gained experience in using drawing, colour, and texture to explore ideas for characters, environments, and narratives.

Practise using industry-standard techniques and learn to create models for different production types.

By studying outstanding examples in the field, you’ll understand what’s expected in professional workflows, helping you to confidently meet creative briefs.

You’ll finish this module with enhanced technical skills and knowledge of the latest tools. Get ready to take your models from the initial concept right through to their integration into the final scene.

You’ll dissect film structure and techniques and turn your ideas into dynamic storyboards and animatics. We’ll teach you about composing scenes, editing, sound design, and timing, so you can apply these to make your narrative flow. Practise explaining your ideas clearly and working with others as you would in a professional environment.

When you finish, you’ll have experience in scriptwriting and animating your creative vision. Take advantage of this module to find your own style of storytelling and share stories that people everywhere will enjoy.

You’ll dive into the study of signs and symbols to understand how they create meaning. By looking at different animations and films, you’ll examine stereotypes and how stories are told. Discuss topics like cultural differences, identity, and how viewers see things. Improve your ability to analyse by using key theories to understand creative works. Expand your knowledge of animation across various styles and settings. Get better at explaining your thoughts on how animation affects culture. You’ll see how all these ideas apply to your own animation work.

By the end of this module, you’ll understand how to make animations that not only communicate clearly but also challenge people’s thinking and connect with audiences on a deeper level.

Working in a team, you'll research, develop, and present your own animations based on provided briefs.

This hands-on experience gives you a taste of how real animation studios operate, enhancing your understanding of the commercial production workflow.

Not only will you gain valuable animation research and practical 2D or 3D animation skills, but you'll also develop key collaborative and communication abilities.

By the end, you'll have produced an animation project and supporting materials that demonstrate your technical proficiency and ability to meet industry standards, making you career ready.

You'll explore innovative techniques to generate ideas and plan workflows, producing captivating sketchbooks and storyboards.

Through dynamic drawing exercises, you'll examine animal forms, movement, and narrative interpretation.

By experimenting with different animation methods, you'll expand your artistic vision and pre-production abilities.

This is your chance to research, visualize, and develop the foundations of incredible animations.

Building on your introductory experience, you'll work in teams on provided briefs, pushing your abilities in researching, developing, and presenting eye-catching animations.

You'll enhance your understanding of real-world animation workflows while gaining advanced technical proficiency in 2D or 3D animation.

This professional simulation will engage your creativity and curiosity as you employ a range of techniques to achieve industry-standard results.

Your final animation project and documentation will showcase your skills in managing collaborative production and meeting demanding deadlines.

By the end, you'll be ready to animate with confidence in a professional studio environment.

You’ll join lectures and seminars to talk about big ideas in animation’s development. Learn to understand and analyse the way tech, art, industries, and cultures have influenced animation styles and stories over time.

You’ll do your own research to follow animation’s journey from its early days to today’s global digital scene. Discuss important topics like diversity and representation by looking at key animations. Get to know the worldwide growth of animation fans. By getting a grip on animation’s history and now, you’ll be ready to explore new creative paths.

Enhance your ability to think critically and appreciate the pioneers who shaped animation as we know it today.

Get to grips with advanced techniques that big studios use, like how to show weight, build suspense, and add exaggerated motion.

Develop your ‘animator’s eye’ by analysing examples for timing, arcs, and appeal.

Practice workflows optimizing creativity and quality.

You’ll also create an amazing showreel showcasing your talents in animating unique characters full of life.

With professional skills for technique and performance, you’ll stand out in the competitive field of 2D animation.

As you progress, each frame you animate will let your creativity and imagination sparkle.

You’ll explore research methods to guide your creative decisions. Learn industry workflows for rigging, blocking, and polishing animations. Sharpen your eye by analysing examples for appeal and story clarity.

You’ll practice techniques from walks and runs to emotional expressions and lip sync. You’ll also put together an impressive showreel showcasing your animation talents. Plus, you’ll learn to critically assess your work, a key to continually improving your skills.

This module will teach you all the technical skills to create amazing 3D worlds and characters like a professional.

Let your vision and artistry shine frame by frame.

You’ll master the latest animation software to craft exciting visuals and evocative soundscapes. Discover how stories can make people feel different emotions, and use that knowledge to make atmospheric, mixed-media animations. Our idea-visualising workshops will give you lots of new ways to think and create. You’ll also work with sound designers, helping you get better at working in teams and talking about your work.

When you finish, you’ll have a collection of your own animations that showcases what makes your style special. Find your unique way of making animations and to help lead the way in animation’s future.

You’ll get to spend a semester at one of our global partner universities, giving you a unique international spin on your learning. This experience is perfect for building professional skills and a global outlook, preparing you for work anywhere in the world. You’ll also get the chance to study and work on your own in a new setting, which will boost your personal growth and relate to your degree.

When you come back, you’ll be full of fresh ideas to energise your work.

This module gives you the chance to explore different approaches and build international networks in creative technologies.

You’ll experiment with simulations and procedural methods to tackle typical production issues. The aim of this will be to improve shot flow and deepen audience engagement.

You can study exemplary professional work by developing inventive approaches based on industry research. This analysis will inform your technical choices as you skillfully blend various elements to create cohesive scenes.

Join a team of creative students and do a project together. Try new things and see how they can help you.

You’ll also grasp how to use your skills with others. Sometimes you’ll be a leader, sometimes a helper. Talk about your ideas and learn from them. You’ll make something to show what you learned and share it with others.

This module helps you gain new skills and understand other fields. You’ll be a smart and creative person, ready to solve real-world problems.

You’ll choose learning tasks that add up to 60 hours, like internships, volunteering, research, or remote study that match your career plans. Workshops will help you make meaningful goals and think about what you’ve accomplished. Through this, you’ll grow the knowledge, skills, and qualities you need to thrive in the workplace.

By looking at your growth through active participation and reading, you’ll become a perceptive, eager job-seeker who stands out.

You’ll use virtual production tools to quickly create assets that meet professional benchmarks, ranging from creatures to environments. This joint effort will involve elements of staging, cinematography, and VFX compositing, pushing you to intuitively combine these aspects within strict deadlines.

This module also introduces you to technologies that improve efficiency. From this, you’ll gain a deeper industry understanding and enhance the quality of your project work.

As a team, you will embark on a journey of entrepreneurship, starting with ideation and ending with the launch of your product or service. You will analyse complex factors influencing a successful launch, conduct thorough research to assess feasibility and gain valuable insights into marketing, manufacturing, and sales strategies.

Working together on pitch presentations, you will discover your strengths as an entrepreneur or team member. This module provides transferable skills essential to thrive in creative industries, whether you plan to launch your own company or seek employment with top organisations. You will develop the mindset and abilities to spot opportunities and act on them, which will benefit your career.

It's an opportunity to design and produce your own animation-related artefact, honing professional skills in the field. This module isn't just about creating animation; it's about immersing yourself in the entire process, from conception to final presentation.

You'll gain insight into various research sources, which is crucial for developing a well-rounded understanding of short animation production. This includes the operational and technical aspects and the art of gathering and formulating ideas. The emphasis is on organising and presenting these ideas professionally, utilising appropriate technology to bring your vision to life.

"Major Project: Part 1" is designed to set the stage for a deeper dive into animation, providing you with the skills and knowledge to create engaging and professional animated content.

Join seminars and talks to explore film form, narrative, the body, representation politics, and animated documentaries. Pick a topic you’re excited about and write a detailed essay on one or two animations.

We’ll help you make solid academic points, using critical concepts from class and suggested materials. You’ll learn how to use theories like psychoanalysis, Marxism, and feminism to deepen your analysis. Use this chance to enhance your research, critical thinking, and writing skills while expressing your love for animation.

By the time you finish, you’ll have completed a substantial project that shows off your grasp of how animation works and what it means. Come explore the vast and varied world of animation with us and leave with the analytical tools to talk about this vibrant art form.

We’ll guide you in creating a standout CV, portfolio, and showreel to catch the eye of industry professionals. You’ll sharpen your online image and learn to network effectively to find jobs that excite you. Our coaching will also prepare you to excel in interviews and presentations, giving you the confidence to stand out. By the end of the module, you’ll have the belief in yourself, a clear plan, and the right tools to smoothly move into your ideal job in animation or to continue your studies.

This module is your stepping stone to join the new wave of creative talents in the industry.

Charting each step of the production process, you'll contextualise the decisions shaping your unique vision. Through critical reflection informed by research, you'll gain deeper insight into your creative practice.

By culminating the skills nurtured throughout your degree, you'll breathe life into an animated film that showcases your abilities. Let your imagination run wild and develop a personal project you can be proud of.

Through practical tasks and projects, you’ll master technical aspects — like timing, rhythm, weight, and motion — to make your drawings come alive. Expert instructors will guide you in crafting a diverse collection of animations that showcase your talent in character animation, movement, and composition.

When you finish, your portfolio will display your abilities with professional 2D animation tools and processes. You’ll have more faith in your skills as an animator ready for a creative career.

Through practical projects and exercises, you’ll learn advanced 3D animation techniques — like modelling, texturing, moving, and compositing — with industry software. Skilled 3D animators will help you as you imagine and make high-quality 3D images and animations. Use your creativity to solve design problems in a way that fits your unique animation style and strengths.

By the end, you’ll have a portfolio that displays your technical flair and artistic talent in 3D animation, ready for professional use.

This module gives you the skills you need to start your career as a 3D animation professional.

You’ll delve into the thrilling world of pre-production, from concept to final art. Under expert guidance, experiment with techniques and mediums to create captivating characters, worlds, and stories that illustrate your own vision and strengths. Analyse your methods and deeply assess your design choices to gain a deeper understanding of your creative identity.

By the end of this module, you’ll have a polished portfolio that showcases your artistic versatility and equips you with the knowledge to confidently plan future film projects.

Embrace your imagination and discover how to make your ideas come alive on the silver screen.

You’ll experiment with physics simulations and procedural methods to significantly improve shot flow and audience engagement.

As you tackle the usual production challenges, you’ll have the chance to study examples from the industry. This research will help guide your artistic and technical choices.

Armed with a deeper industry understanding and digital expertise, you’ll be capable of seamlessly blending unique elements into coherent stories.

You’ll experiment with various digital design and compositing techniques, learning to blend elements seamlessly into scenes. This will enhance how viewers perceive each scene, thanks to improved visual continuity.

You’ll also look at industry terminology to effectively discuss the aesthetic and procedural aspects of complicated projects.

This module offers thorough training for working in professional environments where creative problem-solving is key to producing visually convincing effects.

In this fascinating module, you’ll delve into this enthralling next-gen realm. Explore the latest techniques for digitally capturing human motion and seamlessly applying it to 3D character animation.

Join us in our futuristic mocap studio and master the entire process — from capturing data to animating it using industry software. Experts will guide you as you critically assess different technologies and develop skills to preserve the authenticity and nuance of performances.

By the end, you’ll have firsthand experience with this powerful storytelling tool, widely used to create captivating virtual characters in films, games, and beyond. Your creativity will soar as you explore the boundless possibilities of bringing digital worlds to life.

During this module, you'll spend 6 months working on your own business venture, then 3 months gaining industry experience. This opportunity allows you to apply what you've learned in a practical setting while exploring different career options. You'll also have the chance to develop professional relationships and expand your network.

Assess your personal strengths and weaknesses to set goals for the future. Throughout the module, you'll demonstrate increasing independence while still valuing the support of others. Gain a broader understanding of the world through real-world experiences and insights. Additionally, you'll earn valuable credits for your CV and enhance your skill set.

By the end of this module, you'll graduate with the practical experience that employers are seeking.

This experience lets you learn firsthand how to set up and run a small business. You’ll absorb professional practices and business situations that matter to your entrepreneurial goals. Make important connections while working independently within set rules. Think deeply about your strengths, weaknesses, criteria for success, and future plans.

This opportunity is useful for your career. It lets you use what you’ve learnt in your degree in the real world and helps you understand your capabilities.

After finishing this placement and the related assessments, you’ll get more credits for your sandwich degree. This practical experience is a valuable step in developing an entrepreneurial way of thinking.

You’ll spend 24–48 weeks at a chosen company, learning from professionals and helping out with actual projects. Gain confidence, knowledge, and skills by taking on more responsibility with gradually less help. As you progress, you’ll make professional connections and think about how you’re doing. Take in what you learn about how industries and businesses work.

This placement is an ideal chance to grow in your career. By using what you’ve learnt in a workplace, you’ll understand more about your own strengths, what you need to work on, and your plans after you graduate.

After this placement and the related assessments, you’ll get extra credits for your sandwich degree. This practical experience is a valuable part of your education.

Showcase specialised abilities by completing relevant assignments abroad. Then examine your global experience critically: how has immersion in foreign creative culture expanded your perspective? Identify new cross-cultural transferable skills to empower your continued educational and professional journey.

Evaluating international contexts, you'll critically connect on-site activities to your disciplinary knowledge, gaining global insights. Working independently overseas, you'll complete relevant assignments, honing skills transferable to future studies and careers.

Upon you'll reflect on new worldviews and cross-cultural competencies. This invaluable module provides an opportunity to broaden your creative and technical knowledge while developing adaptability as a global citizen.