Digital Animation BA (Hons)

Digital animation is a growing field used in a range of industries with applications in everything from Hollywood movies to advertising and video games. This programme introduces you to the technology and skills needed to seek employment in these and other industries.

Overview
About the course
Structure
Fees
Entry requirements
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The Digital Animation degree programme is designed to provide you with the skills, knowledge and experience required to become a successful image maker in an exciting creative media industry environment that is currently undergoing significant changes. You will engage with our experienced lecturers who come from a wide range of disciplines to increase your technical ability, expand your understanding of the digital animation world, a rapidly growing industry which can be seen in a wide range of areas including animated film, special effects, children’s animation, web design and games design. The technology used to produce modern animation changes and improves constantly and there is an unprecedented demand for animated films. This degree offers a unique approach to digital animation within a broad media context that will effectively prepare you for successful progression to the career of your choice.

The programme offers a stimulating and exciting programme that covers not only CGI development but also planning, character development and the principles of animation. Covering all types of animation from 2D to 3D including model making you will produce storyboards and layouts, scripts and treatments culminating in a substantial digital animation project in year three. The course covers a range of digital animation and production techniques in response to the move in the industry towards multi-skilled practitioners. The degree focuses on building essential knowledge and skills in digital animation, meeting the demands for a diverse range of realistic commercial scenarios across a range of media platforms and contexts. Core digital animation skills are supported through critical and theoretical understanding of how the industry operates in order to ensure that employability is at the heart of the programme outcomes. Graduates in this field have been successful in gaining professional experience as a first career step in the digital animation, creative media and related industries.

Why should I do this course?

The course being validated by the University of Essex is only one of the badges of recognition the Media Academy at South Essex College has. As an Accredited Apple Training Centre, a Nikon Academy and working towards Skillset Media Academy status, we are recognised across industry as an excellent provider of media training and education. Along with our Sony approved HD TV studio the Media Academy has a broad range of high quality facilities available to students who will be taught by lecturers who are industry practitioners. Excellent transport links and local amenities with easy access to central London makes us an ideal choice for those not wanting to pay London prices for a top class degree programme.

How will my work be assessed?

You will complete a range of individual and group projects including animation pieces, pre-production treatments, presentations and written essays.

What can I do after this?

The majority of our graduates find employment in film and TV production studios, advertising companies, publishing houses and web design firms. Graduates have also extended their education through postgraduate programmes at a number of established UK universities. Studio start-ups also occur among our graduates as a direct result of the positive collaborative atmosphere on the programme.

Careers

Arts, crafts and design

Performing arts, broadcast and media

Year 1:

Your first year provides an interdisciplinary approach to Digital Animation, with a broad, practical and theoretical grounding in digital media production techniques. This means you will cover a broad range of media disciplines, giving you a clear understanding of how digital media industries such as television production, lens-based techniques, ideas generation through creative writing and media law through journalism work together with digital animation. A number of modules will help you to develop an awareness of digital animation and its uses in the context of contemporary society as you acquire skills in communication, presentation, team work, problem-solving, leadership and project management.

Modules:

Contextual Studies
Ideas Factory
Lens Based Media
Production

Year 2:

The second year focuses in on specialist modules to build upon the broad practical and theoretical knowledge gained in year one. The focus is on skills based and professional practices, alongside working with external clients on live projects. Your skills will be expanded in a variety of contexts, for differing media and audiences in all genres of digital animation practice. Additionally you will be able to explore career development opportunities in digital animation and the creative industries.

Modules:

Researching Professional Practices
Political, Cultural and Ideological Representations
Visual Research for Animation
Animation and Creative Writing
Character Animation and Audio

Year 3:

The third year of the programme will allow you to apply the skills and ideas you have developed in the previous two years to your own practice. The focus is on developing independent ventures, supporting a Final Major Project and dissertation as the culmination of your practical and theoretical learning. You will complete a substantial piece of digital animation work culminating in an exhibition to help you gain employment or further academic study opportunities. You will produce a professional digital animation portfolio that is to be supported by advanced research into critical theory and the work of contemporary practitioners. The professional practice module supports your transfer into employment or higher study.

Modules:

Dissertation
Professional Practice and Preparation
Final Major Project
Storyboarding and Animatic

Low-cost higher education

Our fees are well below the national average and are among the lowest in the region, so studying with us is great value for money!

Click for more about higher education funding.

Entry requirements

A minimum of 160 UCAS Points are required from one or more of the following qualifications:

At least two GCE A levels
BTEC National Diploma/ BTEC Extended Diploma
BTEC National Certificate
Access to Higher Education Diploma

You will also need:

GCSE grades English at grade C (or equivalent)

Applications from mature students who do not possess the entry requirements as listed above, but who possess related professional experience or non-standard qualifications are welcome to apply. Candidates will need to demonstrate, by interview, admissions test and/or portfolio submission, that they are suitable for the course.

Full-time courses

Applications for full-time courses should be made through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS), quoting institution code S43 and the UCAS code for your chosen course.

Part-time courses

Applications for all part-time Honours Degree, Foundation Degree, Certificate of Higher Education and Diploma of Higher Education courses at South Essex College should be made directly to the College using the online application form or by completing a paper application form and mailing it to our freepost address:

HE Admissions
South Essex College
Freepost SMU 110
Luker Road
Southend on Sea
Essex
SS1 1BR

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