Animation, BA (Hons)

Course summary

The BA Animation at Coventry University is for storytellers and artists who want to bring life to their creations through the application of movement.  From the outset, this course gives you the opportunity to create a highly creative portfolio relevant to your chosen area of creative practice. Other benefits include the following:

• Our graduates will be expected to work as 3D animators, 2D animators, riggers, modellers, character designers, environment artists, story boarders, animation directors, writers and comic artists.

• The course cultivates a form of teaching where students experiment, exercise and practise. Our students explore, experiment and design with both analogue (drawing and primary visual research) and digital technologies and generate outcomes in 3D and 2D.

• The Animation team fosters inclusivity in character development and narrative, drawing upon the traditions of cultures from around the globe, both contemporary, historical and mythological, with considerations of race, age, gender, disability and variety of body type.

• The outward facing nature of the course. Professional practice is a key component of the course with scope to undertake placements and briefs that respond to the needs of the creative industries.

• A flexible approach enabling you to individually develop your creative practice and portfolio towards a wide range of potential career paths.

• Opportunity to develop skills and experiment with a wide range of technology and traditional media.

• Opportunity to take a placement or study abroad year2 (subject to additional costs).

• Teaching staff are industry experienced practitioners and/or research active. Staff have worked for a wide range of clients and on major arts funded projects. Staff bring this experience into the teaching environment through practical teaching activities and project work that is core to the curriculum - it also helps to maintain currency and professional alignment to course content. Staff maintain a continuous relationship with industry and have a significant and growing portfolio of collaborative and industry-focused projects that inspire student research and development activities.

This course has a common first year The common first year enables you to work alongside students doing similar courses to you, to widen your knowledge and exposure to other subject areas and professions. You will have the opportunity to collaborate with other students, so you can share your insights and experience which will help you to develop and learn. If you discover an interest in a specific subject you have studied, upon successful completion of your first year, you could swap degrees with another course in your common first year (subject to meeting progression requirements). Common first year courses Animation BA (Hons) Digital Media BA (Hons) Games Art BA (Hons) Games Design and Development BA (Hons) Visual Effects (VFX) BA (Hons) Year One Modules Hacklab and Creative Play Narrative and Storytelling Skills Lab From 2D to 3D: Developing Visual Skills Prototyping, Concept Development and Design People, Pipelines, and Production Year Two In Year two, you will continue to develop the skills and knowledge you’ve learnt. We do this by embedding the following four principles into the curriculum and developing your: Technical skills – digital fluency, backed with the right academic knowledge Study skills – to be an adaptive, independent and proactive learner Professional skills – to have the behaviour and abilities to succeed in your career Global awareness – the beliefs and abilities to be a resilient, confident and motivated global citizen In year two, you will develop more advanced knowledge and skills to do with: character design, creature creation, and modelling, amongst others. Placement Year There’s no better way to find out what you love doing than trying it out for yourself, which is why a work placement* can often be beneficial. Work placements usually occur between your second and final year of study. They’re a great way to help you explore your potential career path and gain valuable work experience, whilst developing transferable skills for the future. If you choose to do a work placement year, you will pay a reduced tuition fee* of £1,250. For more information, please go to the fees and funding section. During this time you will receive guidance from your employer or partner institution, along with your assigned academic mentor who will ensure you have the support you need to complete your placement. Final Year Year three aims to bring you to the level to enter the world of work by consolidating your knowledge and skills from Year one and two. You could also work on a large final project in an area of your interest, with the support of a mentor and your Academic Personal Tutor. Modules Animation Challenge Project Animation in Context Professional Practice Portfolio Working in Collaboration Final Major Project We regularly review our course content, to make it relevant and current for the benefit of our students. For these reasons, course modules may be updated. Before accepting any offers, please check the website for the most up to date course content. For full module details please check the course page on the Coventry University website. *For further information please check the course page on the Coventry University website