MA Animation
    Duration12 month(s)
    Tuition Fee
    GBP 21,593 / Year
    Next IntakeSeptember 1, 2026

    MA Animation

    About

    Introduction

    UWE Bristol's accredited MA Animation is ideal if you want to study a practice-led curriculum in a diverse, creative postgraduate community. This course is led by internationally renowned industry professionals in a city recognised as a global centre for animation production.

    Accreditations and partnerships:

    Why study this course?

    The MA Animation course at UWE Bristol positions animation as an artform at the forefront of contemporary storytelling. New technologies, diversifying media, and emerging audiences offering exciting opportunities for tomorrow's filmmakers and designers.

    Throughout the course, you'll study alongside a purposefully small group of peers. Our celebrated staff team and extensive industry links ensure you'll learn your craft from skilled professionals, whether you choose to focus on stop-motion, digital 2D, or CG technologies.

    Why UWE Bristol?

    As a creative student, you'll be perfectly placed studying in Bristol. As a socially and politically progressive city, it's widely recognised as a global centre for animation production. Our strong partnerships with local organisations – including Aardman Animations – mean you'll benefit from their input, along with many valuable networking opportunities in this thriving creative context.

    MA Animation is based at our Bower Ashton site, part of our City Campus. Here, you'll have access to exceptional technical facilities and resources including 2D, CG and stop-motion animation studios, sound recording suites, and fabrication workshops. You'll also have access to a combination of traditional tools and the latest technology.

    Accredited by ScreenSkills, the UK's skills body for the screen industries, you'll gain a recognised master's degree and join our extensive network of industry-active alumni. You may also be eligible for the BAFTA scholarship.

    Where can it take me?

    Whether you're an experienced practitioner with a story to tell or a creative looking for a career in animation, you'll have the chance to tailor your animation projects to fit your own career aspirations.

    You'll graduate with a globally recognised qualification and have a broad range of career options available to you regionally, nationally and internationally. Our graduates leave with the skills and knowledge for careers in film production, character animation, production design and storytelling.

    The image above shows the fantastic work from our Animation graduates (top left: Hend Esmat and Lamiaa Diab, 2018, top middle: Cornelius Joksch, 2016, top right: Andreas Fobes, 2022, middle left: Luke Frangeskou, 2023, middle: Madeleine Homan, 2023, middle right: Hugo Docking, 2023, bottom left: Karolina Bielskyte, 2018, bottom middle: Ché Dedames, 2024, bottom right: Chris Lambourne, 2022).

    To see more of our graduate's work visit our online UWE Showcase.

    Disciplines

    Creative and Cultural Industries

    Requirements

    Entry Requirements

    We're seeking highly motivated students from any background, committed to creative growth in our supportive School of Arts community. Most applicants would have an honours degree in the Visual Arts, but those with qualifications in other disciplines or prior professional experience are also encouraged to apply.

    While some students enter the course after years of independent work, we also welcome entries from ambitious applicants directly from undergraduate courses.

    International applicants

    For country specific entry requirements please find your country on our country information pages.

    Selection process

    Applicants will be asked to provide a portfolio of practical or project-based work and a personal statement for review.

    In your portfolio you may want to include your most recent or ambitious works alongside developmental or process-based details. The work you include can be in media from outside or beyond your chosen discipline, and may include personal or professional outcomes. We are looking for applicants with the potential to connect creatively with contemporary practice; the motivation to excel; and the capacity to contribute to our dynamic campus.

    Your personal statement should communicate confidently and coherently your rationale for application: what you hope Master's study will help you achieve in your future. You may want to include detail of the influences that have led you to application, and the attributes you think will be important for success as a postgraduate. We would like to know more about you, and your understanding of what we do.

    Most personal statements we receive are around 500 words in length.

    Applicants may be invited for an online interview, if we have any further questions about your portfolio.

    English Requirements

    • PTEMin 62
    • IELTSMin 6.5
    • TOEFLMin 90

    English Program Requirements

    International and EU applicants are required to have a minimum overall IELTS (Academic) score of 6.5 with 5.5 in each component (or approved equivalent*).

    *The university accepts a large number of UK and International Qualifications in place of IELTS. To find details of acceptable tests and the required grades please visit English Language requirements.

    Career

    Careers

    Careers / Further study

    You'll will be taught by practising designers, makers, and researchers, bringing their skills and expertise exclusively to you studying at postgraduate level. Our students frequently go on to screen work in worldwide animation and short film festivals. Others have gone on to launch their own start-up studios, supported by UWE Bristol's Launch Space incubation hub.

    You'll have the opportunity to enter or continue employment in the animation industry. You might run your own business, or progress to PhD study at UWE Bristol or elsewhere. Past students have gained employment and worked on productions throughout the world with companies such as: Aardman Animations, Wonky, Rumpus, Sun and Moon, Wild Seed Studios, Blue Zoo and Laika.

    Learn more about our graduate destinations.

    Get inspired

    Our award-winning careers service will develop your employment potential through career coaching and find you graduate jobs, placements and global opportunities.

    We can also help find local volunteering and community opportunities, provide support for entrepreneurial activity and get you access to employer events.

    Visit our employability pages to learn more about careers, employers and what our students are doing six months after graduating.

    Fee Information

    Tuition Fee
    21,593 / year

    MA Animation

    University of the West of England (UWE Bristol)

    University of the West of England (UWE Bristol)

    United Kingdom

    United Kingdom, Bristol