Animation

Our course is designed for passionate students focussed on a career in animation production.

Join others who share your ambition of becoming a professional animator across film, TV, games or other creative industries.

Starting from a broad base you will study practical and technical skills across a range of traditional and digital animation media. By gaining a solid grounding in animation and related theories and concepts, you can make an informed choice as you begin to specialise in a chosen area.

Learning is reinforced by play and experimentation. Our hands-on programme nurtures creative collaboration at course level and with other subject areas at the University. This can include live briefs and international competitions, helping you apply and develop your specialism within animation. The careers focussed elements of the course are vital in giving you a broad understanding of the sector.

We encourage you to gain real-world experiences and support you to network, collaborate, and find new career opportunities and clients, giving you the edge when seeking employment in this rapidly evolving and dynamic industry.

What You'll Study

Year one – Develop a comprehensive understanding of the principles of animation, from idea generation to end production processes. Exploration of the animation cycle covers research, narrative development, worldbuilding, character design, storyboarding, background/layout, and innovative media and animation techniques. Learn skills across 2D, stop motion, and 3D computer generated animation. You’ll consider the practical, conceptual, and theoretical pathways open to you as an animator.

Year two – Collaborate with others to develop your own specialist practice using briefs and self-identified projects. You will focus on critical thinking, pre-production, animation, or post-production techniques. This enables you to further understand job roles and your interests within the animation production pipeline. Competitions, live briefs, and teamwork teaches you essential social, communication, professional, employability and entrepreneurial skills.

Year three* – Using your accumulated knowledge, you will focus on your own creative ambitions and develop a strategy for becoming a professional animator. You’ll be involved in practice-based research, negotiate your own projects, collaborate with others, participate in competitions, be encouraged to attend conferences, and meet professionals. You will build a striking and unique portfolio that reflects the skills you have to offer any future employer or client, setting you up for a successful career in the industry.

*If you choose to study this course over four years, this will include a placement year (also known as a sandwich year, work placement, industrial placement, or year in industry), which provides a fantastic opportunity to enhance your employability and gain practical experience in your field of study. The placement year typically occurs after year two and before year three. Read our placement year FAQs at www.leeds-art.ac.uk/undergraduate-placement-year-faqs.