BSc Animation
University of Bradford
Key Information
Campus location
Bradford, United Kingdom
Languages
English
Study format
On-Campus
Duration
3 - 4 years
Pace
Full time
Tuition fees
GBP 9,250 / per year *
Application deadline
Request Info
Earliest start date
Sep 2024
* sandwich year: £925 | international: £22,180; sandwich year: £2,218
Introduction
Animation is a key part of the UK's £84 billion creative industry. Throughout this course, you will develop the skills and understanding to make a successful career in this exciting and dynamic field.
This rare BSc degree in Animation is designed to equip students with the knowledge, skills and vocational experience needed to enter this dynamic and rapidly growing industry.
With access to high-tech facilities such as our six camera Motion Capture Studio, you’ll use innovative techniques and practices to create professional standard digital animations, and develop a strong foundation of knowledge in areas such as:
- classical animation techniques
- storytelling
- still and moving image capture/manipulation
- design, cinematography, modelling and animation
- concept art
- digital sculpting and compositing
- CGI lighting
Admissions
Curriculum
The programme is intended to equip students who wish to develop expertise in the creative, aesthetic and technical aspects of computer-generated animation, supported by a range of relevant audio-visual media disciplines.
Please note that for the 2020 entry, the module information is subject to change.
First year
Core
- Creativity and Imagination (FAM4001-B)
- Introduction to 3D Computer Animation (GAV4007-B)
- 3D Character Modelling and Animation (GAV4003-B)
- Conventions of Animation (GAV4001-B)
- Drawing for Production (GAV4012-B)
- Creative Industries - Foundations (GAV4006-B)
Second year
Core
- Advanced Character Animation (GAV5007-B)
- Classical Animation (GAV5021-B)
- Script Programming and Technical Animation (GAV5001-B)
- Facial Modelling/Animation (GAV5005-B)
- 3D Character Creation (GAV5012-B)
Option
- Look Development, Lighting and Advanced Rendering (GAV5016-B)
- Digital Compositing and Post Production (GAV5018-B)
- Motion Capture and Digital Scanning (GAV5017-B)
Final year
Core
- Individual Project (GAV6003-D)
- Major Project Pre-Production (GAV6007-B)
- Major Project Production (GAV6008-D)
Option
- AI for Games (COS6017-B)
- Effects Animation and Dynamics for VFX (GAV6002-B)
- Application Programming and Development (GAV5019-B)
Sandwich year
This course offers you the opportunity to take up a placement year working in industry between your second and final year.
During the second year of your study, we organise a number of activities to help students find placements. These include sessions on CVs, interviews etc. from the Careers Service at the University and presentations by both employers and previous year's students on their placements.
Students who endeavour to, and take up the placement year will have support and guidance from a placements tutor throughout to monitor and support your progress.
After completing the year, students return to study the third academic year of their course, and we often find students return with a drive to continue their studies.
Many students continue their relationship with their placement employers working for them part-time, developing Final Year Projects with them or going back to them into graduate positions.
Learning and assessment
Learning takes place in a wide variety of formats. Some days you will be in lectures and seminars, others you will be having personal tutorials, having a casual chat in a group project, or even having a transatlantic discussion with an industry professional.
All modules require you to undertake independent study, supported through distance learning technologies such as our Virtual Learning Environment.
Reading lists and suggested resources for independent study provide further direction, and regular contact hours and informal feedback throughout the course provides you with ongoing guidance and support. Assessments for modules mostly take the form of practical coursework, lab tests and written exams.
Study abroad
All of our courses offer the opportunity to study abroad, with two semesters in an international partner institution.
Recently two of our Animation students studied in Japan.
Study support
A comprehensive support network is here for you to ensure you reach your academic potential and go on to further success in the future.
You’ll benefit from a range of support services, including:
- Personal Academic Tutor
- student support/administration team
- Academic Skills Advice service
- Career and Employability Services
- award-winning Disability Service
- well-stocked libraries and excellent IT facilities
Our academic team is friendly and easy to access. We always answer communication promptly and all have regular office hours to provide advice and support.
Research
All our staff are research active and are pushing the boundaries of their disciplines.
The University of Bradford has a strong pedigree of world-leading research, and our aim is to ensure that students benefit from our staff’s insight into the future of their subject.
The integration of new and innovative research findings into our curriculum, known as Research Informed Teaching, is a core value and one of the key principles driving the design of our programmes and our modules.
Program Outcome
Throughout this course, you will develop the skills and understanding to make a successful career in this exciting and dynamic field.
In addition to using state-of-the-art processes and technologies to create digital animations, you will gain a solid grounding in classical animation techniques, drawing, cinematography, storytelling and the conceptual understanding to ensure that you become a creative, competent and confident professional.
Our industry-experienced team will help you become an accomplished animator through a combination of practical and theoretical work. Our emphasis is on creating as many animations as possible while still placing it in a cultural and industrial context.
You will do more than simply learn how to use the software, you will develop the crucial critical thinking skills that will enable you to produce work of the highest quality – something that the industry desperately wants.
Career Opportunities
Career support
The programme has been designed to meet the needs of the industry.
We have regular industry student engagement, and as many of our staff still work on their own projects and commercial work they are best placed to offer advice on the best way to approach industry to secure employment.
The University is committed to helping students develop and enhance employability and this is an integral part of many programmes.
Specialist support is available throughout the course from Career and Employability Services including help to find part-time work while studying, placements, vacation work and graduate vacancies. Students are encouraged to access this support at an early stage and to use the extensive resources on the Careers website. Discussing options with specialist advisers helps to clarify plans by exploring options and refining skills of job-hunting.
In most of our programmes, there is direct input by Career Development Advisers into the curriculum or through specially arranged workshops.
Career prospects
This course will prepare you for a successful career in computer animation. We are very proud of our graduates: they have gone on to work in the UK and overseas for organisations including the BBC, Warner Brothers, Vicon, MGM, Industrial Light and Magic, Disney, Universal, Weta Digital, Pixamundo, Dreamworks, Andy Serkis’ Imaginarium and many others.
Our graduates have worked on blockbuster movies including Avatar, Hugo, Gravity, Inception, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, Warhorse, The Dark Knight trilogy and all of the Harry Potter films as well as numerous games. Over the last five years, our post-graduate employment and study rates have been significantly better than the national average for animation courses in the UK.
Employment statistics
94% of our 2017 graduates in Animation, Games and Visual Effects found employment or went on to further study within six months of graduating.*
*These DLHE statistics are derived from annually published data by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), based on those UK domiciled graduates who are available for employment or further study and whose destinations are known.
Program Tuition Fee
Scholarships and Funding
Over £4m invested in scholarships every year
The University of Bradford offers a wide range of financial help to assist you on your university journey and invests over £4m annually in the Access Agreement and other scholarships to support students from all backgrounds.
Every year we award numerous non-repayable scholarships to UK, EU, and international students on the basis of academic excellence, personal circumstances, or economic hardship. Some of our scholarships are also linked to studies in a specific subject area. You can apply for more than one type of scholarship but you can usually only be granted one award.