3D Animation with Integrated Foundation Year

Year 0 in animation is not a standalone course: it is the first stage of a full four-year undergraduate degree. When you successfully complete your preparatory year, you will be able to progress smoothly into the first year of our BA (Hons) Animation degree. This course is aimed at students who require more time to develop their portfolio and skillset prior to year one of undergraduate study. If you are not quite ready for year one of our three-year undergraduate degree then this course is for you.

This course will ignite your creativity and imagination, so you can discover new ways of making, thinking and documenting. Your tutors will nurture your creative potential and support you while you learn the essential practical, intellectual and transferable skills needed to confidently enter year one.

As well as developing fundamental skills, you will also be given a broad grounding in your chosen specialist area, an understanding of the cultural contexts of the creative industries, and the ability to develop hardware and software suitable for animation practice.

This is your entry point into a thrilling academic journey and career in animation and related creative disciplines.

Why study this course?

• Develop essential, practical, intellectual and transferable animation skills

• Excellent location with a host of animation studios on the doorstep

• Opportunities for mentorships with top industry players

• Collaborate on live briefs within industry

• Gain an understanding of the cultural contexts of the creative industries

• Excellent teaching from experienced staff and industry practitioners

• Acquire the technical skills to apply your creative talent to a successful career in character animation

• Work collaboratively with other students to tackle creative briefs and bring ideas to life.

Career pathways

Animation graduates often go on to secure work as 3D/2D generalists or specialists in areas such as: games, film and TV production as character animators or Previs artists.

For more information, please visit our website.

You'll explore animation fundamentals, body mechanics, acting performance, visual narrative and rigging. You’ll engage with the animation industry and collaborate with different disciplines to explore a range of observational and contextual subject-related areas. For more information, please visit the course page on our website.

You will be continuously evaluated based on project presentations, written work, essays, experimentation and research evidence, blogs, and reports. Modules have both Formative and Summative assessment points with feedback and advice provided, and a final grade awarded. Visit our website for more information.

To work as a teacher at a state school in England or Wales, you will need to achieve qualified teacher status (QTS). This is offered on this course for the following level:

• Course does not award QTS