BA (Hons) Computer Animation

Youll gain an introduction to 3D computer animation and 3D digital art principles, then progress to advanced 3D CG animation and 3D digital art for games, VFX, short films and commercials. Youll specialise in areas that include character/creature animation, animated short film-making, 3D CG Art and CG for Games/VFX.

Youll gain a broad knowledge of skills and have the opportunity to discover what it is you enjoy most. So, youll excel within 3D CG Art and Animation, while steering towards an industry-facing specialism, to become a “CG Student Expert”.

As the course progresses, youll be required to specialise as a 3D CG Animator or a 3D CG Artist, to concentrate your efforts on an appropriate industry-focussed area of 3D CG practice. Youll undertake projects designed to develop your “specialism-related” CG-skills and creative abilities. During major projects, youll collaborate with your peers, in a work-simulation environment that mirrors studio practice.

USW's Computer Animation degree is part of Film and TV School Wales, which provides students with the up-to-date skills, opportunities and specialist training required by film, TV, commercials, VFX and games industries.

Year one: Computer Animation degree

• Introduction to Animation and 3D CG Art Techniques
• Bodymechanics and The Human Form (3D CG)
• Creature Creation and Animation (3D CG)
• Characters and Scenes (3D CG)
• Visual Studies: Animation
• Contextual Studies: Animation

Year two: Computer Animation degree

• Preparation and Previsualisation
• Character Creation, Animation and Implementation for Games
• Creature Creation, Animation and Implementation for Film/TV/VFX
• Personal Project (3D CG)
• Collaborative Project (3D CG)
• Narrative Forms in Animation, Comics and Computer Games
• Work Experience/Placement (optional)

Year three: Computer Animation degree

• Minor Project (3D CG)
• Final Major Project Pre-Production (3D CG)
• Final Major Project Production (3D CG)
• Industry and Employability
• Critical Research: Computer Animation (optional)
• Scriptwriting: Computer Animation (optional)
• Work Experience/Placement (optional)

 

Projects and assignments begin with a key lecture, supported with workshops, seminars and project supervision sessions. Group critiques follow the end of every project, for feedback and feed-forward advice.

Projects commence with an introduction or project brief. Tutors will communicate what they want to see in the final submission. Software workshops also take place to show students the processes required to achieve their goals.

Students will have either group tutorials or one-to-one support during the project, to ensure they achieve what the project is asking for, and to tackle any issues that occur. We have studio-based rooms for the computer animation degree, and we expect students to be in, using the facilities of their base rooms, during timetabled sessions.

All practical teaching staff have a relevant industry background, either working as freelancers, for independent small/medium companies or in larger studio environments.

Guest speakers and masterclasses

Guest speakers and masterclasses occur every few weeks. In recent years weve hosted industry visits from; Sony ImageWorks, Aardman Animations, Double Negative, Framestore Launchpad Internship, The Mill, Blue Zoo, Jellyfish Pictures, Cloth Cat Animation, PlayFusion, Wales Interactive, RunWild, Argon Effects, Bumpy Box, Painting Practice and Bomper Studio amongst others.

Continuous assessment occurs throughout the course and is weighted to reflect the effort students should place on the different elements of their work. So, youll develop a sense of responsibility for your learning, and an appreciation of the need to engage with open directed learning activities alongside taught sessions.

The assessment criteria vary for individual assignments. These are set out clearly as separate elements within the coursework briefs.

Also, there's a secondary assessment element for comments and feedback, integrated within the assessment sheets, to provide further feedback and for tutors to feed-forward.

The entry criteria below shows the qualification range within which the University will make offers. The University has a Contextual Admissions Policy, therefore, whilst most offers we make are at the top of the range, under the Policy we take certain aspects of an application into consideration and eligible UCAS applicants can receive a personalised offer or have results considered individually when you receive them.Here is a link to our Contextual Admissions Policy Statement. 

 

Combinations of qualifications are acceptable and other qualifications not listed here may also be acceptable. 

 

Applicants in the UK

Selection for this course is based on a suitable application and attendance at an interview with successful outcome. You may also be required to provide a portfolio of your work prior to attending interview where your course requires this, and full details of what is required will be provided once your application has been processed.

Applicants outside the UK

Selection for this course is based on a suitable application and submission of a portfolio of your work which the Course Leader confirms is suitable for an offer to be made.

Typical A-Level Offer

Typical Welsh BACC Offer

Typical BTEC Offer

Typical IB Offer

Typical Access to HE Offer

Additional Requirements

International Entry Requirements

Computer animation graduates have gone on to work at prestigious studios that include:

•  Sony Pictures Imageworks (USA)
• PDI/Dreamworks (USA)
• Animal Logic (Australia)
• Core (Canada)
• Framestore (UK)
• Double Negative (UK)
• Cinesite Studios (UK)
• CGI Aardman Animations (UK)

Students from the Computer Animation course have worked on the impressive animated VFX sequences in films such as:

2020 - Over the Moon, A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon, The Midnight Sky, The One And Only Ivan

2019 - The Lion King, Lady and the Tramp

2018 - Christopher Robin, Paddington 2, Solo: A Star Wars Story, Ready Player One, Avengers: Infinity War, Red Sparrow, Annihilation

2017 - Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Thor: Ragnarok, Wonder Woman, Kingsman: The Golden Circle, Alien Covenant

2016 - Fantastic Beasts, Jungle Book, Assassin's Creed, Star Trek Beyond, Suicide Squad, Alice (Through the Looking Glass)

2015 - Avengers: Age of Ultron, Ant-Man, Spectre, Terminator Genisys

2014 - Guardians of the Galaxy, Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Maleficent, Exodus Gods and Kings, Godzilla

2013 or earlier - Gravity, Thor: The Dark World, Furious 6, Total Recall, The Harry Potter Films, The Dark Knight and Dark Knight Rises, The Amazing Spiderman (1, 2 & 3), Les Miserables, Inception, I Am Legend, The Smurfs 1 and 2, Watchmen, Happy Feet

Our graduates can also be found at a range of cutting-edge computer game studios including:

• Sony Computer Entertainment
• Rockstar North
• EA Games (UK & USA)
• Rare Ltd
• Creative Assembly
• Remedy Entertainment
• Splash Damage
• FreeStyleGames

Our Careers and Employability Service

As a USW student, you will have access to advice from the Careers and Employability Service throughout your studies and after you graduate.

This includes: one-to-one appointments from faculty based Career Advisers, in person, over the phone or even on Skype and through email via the "Ask a Question" service. We also have extensive online resources for help with considering your career options and presenting yourself well to employers. Resources include psychometric tests, career assessments, a CV builder, interview simulator and application help. Our employer database has over 2,000 registered employers targeting USW students, you can receive weekly email alerts for jobs.

Our Careers service has dedicated teams: A central work experience team to help you find relevant placements; an employability development team which includes an employability programme called Grad Edge; and an Enterprise team focused on new business ideas and entrepreneurship.