Animation Design BA (Hons)

About the course

Animation Design is a challenging and exciting course offering real-world production experience and professional practice as you develop your skills in 3D character animation, 2D animation, drawing, concept art, compositing and VFX.

Reasons to study Animation Design at DMU

• One of only six animation courses in the UK with close links to the largest VFX company in Europe

• Our graduates work for companies including the BBC, Double Negative, Ubisoft International Shanghai, Jagex, MPC, The Mill, Blue Zoo, RJDM Animations and Ragdoll Productions

• Work on live client briefs and national and international competitions and build a professional showreel of your work

Focusing on developing your artistic talents, the course will enable you to bring your ideas and imagination to life. It has been designed with input from industry to provide you with the knowledge and a broad range of skills for those seeking a career in animation.

You will develop a broad range of creative and technical skills that can lead to exciting job opportunities in the animation, gaming, film and VFX industries.

Throughout the course there are opportunities to gain industry experience and understand professional practice. You will have the chance to network and visit studios and work on live project briefs set by industry within a studio environment.

Close all sections| Open all sections|

Key facts

UCAS course code: W615

Duration: Three years full-time, six years part-time

Institution code: D26

Entry and admission criteria

Entry requirements for 2014

A good portfolio and normally:

• Art and Design Foundation or
• 260 UCAS Points from at least two A Levels or equivalent, including a grade C or above in Art and Design
• Five GCSEs at grade C or above, including Maths and English
• BTEC requirements: Distinction Merit Merit (DMM) at National Diploma Level.
• Additional qualifications can contribute towards the points score such as a third A Level or AS Levels
• International Baccalaureate: 28+ points.

If you are unsure about the amount of UCAS points your qualifications may attract you can use our UCAS Tariff Chart|.

We welcome applications from mature students with non-standard qualifications and recognise all other equivalent and international qualifications.

If English is not your first language, an IELTS score of 6.0 or equivalent when you start the course is essential. English language tuition| is available at DMU both before and during the course if required.

Teaching and assessment

Our vibrant studio culture encourages you to achieve your full potential. Teaching is delivered primarily through lectures and practical sessions, with access to keynote lectures and support from industry mentors. Practical classes provide hands-on experience of creating animation and manipulating VFX tools. Extensive use is made of web based tools - including Facebook |- to support an enthusiastic course community. Tutorials are used to provide feedback and a framework for ensuring you see improvements in your work. Additional learning materials are also offered online.

Assessments include regular presentations of artwork and reports for peer, tutor and industry critique. You will produce your own showreel of professional standard work, guided by experts from the animation industry and the teaching team. We work closely with leading companies such as CITV, Double Negative| and RJDM Studios. Industry representatives make regular visits to give presentations and review showreels.

Course modules

Year one

• Animation Design
• Critical Studies 1
• Animation Production 1
• Visual Communication 1

Year two

• Visual Effects Design
• Critical Studies 2
• Animation Production 2
• Visual Communication 2

Year three

• Professional Brief
• Optional Placement
• Major Project

Work experience and placements

There are opportunities to gain industry experience and understand professional practice by undertaking placements, which have previously been offered by companies including RJDM Animations and CITV. There are also opportunities to network and visit studios, and work on live project briefs set by industry within a studio environment.

Graduate careers

Our graduates are working as animators, producers, high-flying VFX technical directors, lead technical runners, compositors, modellers and designers working on TV series and films. They are working with international companies like Double Negative, Ubisoft (Shanghai), Jagex, MPC, The Mill, Blue Zoo, Character Shop, RJDM Animations and Ragdoll Productions and have worked on major films including ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ and ‘Total Recall’.

Fees and funding

UK/EU Full-time £9,000 Placement year £650 Part-time (Where available) 4 year course £5,925 per year 6 year course £3,950 per year Per module £988 per 15 credits International
Full-time £11,250 Placement year £750

For more information please take a look at our Fees and Funding| section.

Scholarships

Scholarships and bursaries are available to home undergraduate students studying on a full time basis. To see if you are eligible, take a look at the Fees and Funding| section of the website.

Facilities

Practical sessions are conducted by an Autodesk-certified Maya professional. We have excellent specialist facilities including animation, recording and sound studios, editing suites and dedicated graphics studios, computer suites for lectures and practical workshops, screening rooms for viewing dailies and presentations, VFX greenscreen, exposure to latest software and motion capture facilities to ensure you achieve the high level of professional skills required by industry.