Computer Games

Animation means 'to give life to'. Computer games animation brings characters to life, making them walk, run and breathe convincingly. The modern games animator must instil fear or surprise into the player, making them believe in the character. The computer games animator also brings objects and scenery to life to create an immersive gaming experience.

If you want to combine your artistic animation talents with your passion for computer games, and bring exciting charaters to life, this course gives you the skills.

Aim to produce the very best in animation for the next generation of games, phones and consoles using traditional art skills and 3D modelling, state-of-the-art animation tools and technology such as motion capture.

*This course has a Foundation Year for applicants who don’t meet the requirements for Year 1 entry.

More about the Foundation Year Games and Animation

How you learn

For each module you will learn in lectures and tutorials. The lecturers provide you with specific theoretical information related to the subject while the tutorials focus on developing your practical skills. In the later tutorials you will work on assessments and use this time to get feedback and advice from tutors. Further support will be offered online in the form of extra learning material. You are expected to manage your time to complete work outside the tutorial sessions.

How you are assessed

We believe that is essential for you to learn through the experience of doing. Assessment for all modules is in the form of practical projects, which you work on throughout the year. You will develop a portfolio of animation work throughout the course. In year 2, the Journeyman group project provides you with essential teamwork skills ready for industry. The Project in the final year allows you the freedom to set your own project based on your skills and interests.

Professional placement

You may undertake a year-long, supervised work placement between your second and final years. Placements offer you an opportunity to improve your employment prospects as you develop new skills and deepen your understanding of the subject.

The placement year is assessed and contributes to your final degree award. Students have been placed in games companies, such as Rare, Blitz Games and Ubisoft Reflections, and animation companies, such as Triffic Films. Students are selected by employers and are normally paid by the host organisation during the placement.

Career opportunities

This highly specialist degree offers the skills you will need for a career in the games industry, and also provides generic skills which open up numerous other career paths in digital media – typically areas of film, TV, advertising and multimedia – through to architectural visualisation

Graduates from our games degrees have gone on to enjoy careers as specialist animators and general production staff in a wide range of games companies including 3rd Dimensions, Atomic Planet, Bizarre Creations, Blitz Games, Codeworks, Eutechnyx, Halch, Media Molecule, Microsoft Rare, Rebellion, Rockstar North, Sega, Streamline, Traveller's Tales, Ubisoft Reflections, Venom, Weta Digital and many more.

Entry requirements

A typical offer is 280 tariff points including at least two A levels (or equivalent). You're expected to come for an interview and present a portfolio of your artwork.

If you don't have an appropriated educational background for this course, you may receive an offer in a related but more suitable area.

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