BSc (Hons) Visual Effects and Animation - Full-time

Bachelor's degree

In Bolton

£ 9,250 VAT inc.

Description

  • Type

    Bachelor's degree

  • Location

    Bolton

  • Duration

    3 Years

Visual effects (VFX) and animation is at the heart of creating spectacular imagery for the film, TV, commercial and music video industries. VFX is an integral part of nearly every global blockbuster film in the modern era. Whether it’s the creation of hideous monsters, futuristic vehicles, or epic alien landscapes, VFX is the driving force behind the magic that you see on screen.

Our BSc (Hons) Visual Effects and Animation course is ideal if you wish to combine design creativity with cutting-edge 2D and 3D computer generated imagery and animation to create visual effects. We offer hands-on experience covering the whole workflow of a digital VFX pipeline – from concept design, pre-production and visualisation, to the production of photorealistic 3D models/environments, and computer generated and composited images.

Our dedicated and experienced team will lead you in an exploration of 3D computer modelling, texturing, lighting, rendering, rigging and animation, as well as the established areas of compositing, matte paintings and environments.

VFX artists need transferable skills too, including communication, project and time management, team-working and entrepreneurship. We aim to support you to develop these attributes, alongside the imagination, flair and curiosity that will enable you to design and deliver inventive VFX and animation solutions for film, TV and advertising.

Facilities

Location

Start date

Bolton (Greater Manchester)
See map
Deane Road, BL3 5AB

Start date

On request

About this course

As a BSc (Hons) Visual Effects and Animation graduate you’ll be able to demonstrate and combine creative skills with high levels of technical ability. You’ll possess a strong understanding of the technical aspects of 3D computer modelling, texturing, lighting, rendering, rigging and animation as well as the areas of compositing, matte painting and environments. You’ll also be able to demonstrate a wide range of transferable skills, including team work, planning and organisation, working to briefs and deadlines, communication both oral and written, presenting work and changes, critical analysis and logical thinking.

Advertising and marketing communications
Production
Games
Photo imaging
Publishing
Teaching
Arts management
Research and development
Fashion and textiles

Your Level 3 subjects must include at least one subject that supports you to showcase either creative OR technical skills that are relevant to the study of visual effects and animation. Creative subjects such as art and design, fine art, film, photography or media are welcomed. Alternatively, technical subjects such as computing, engineering, physics and mathematics can also be a great starting point for this degree.

The University of Bolton’s BSc (Hons) Visual Effects and Animation degree holds Tick accreditation from Screen Skills, the industry-led skills body for the UK's screen-based creative industries, including animation, film, games, television including children's TV and high-end drama, VFX and immersive technology. Working with industry experts, ScreenSkills awards the quality mark of the Tick to practice-based degree courses that most effectively provide students with the skills and knowledge required by employers in the screen industries. ScreenSkills provides the highest level of industry-led accreditation for VFX focused degrees, meaning our degree is globally recognised for its outstanding levels of teaching, employability and links into the VFX industry.

Key Features:
The course is designed and regularly reviewed in collaboration with professional visual effects artists and studio directors. This ensures that the content is industry-relevant and includes the latest techniques and innovations.
We’ll help and support you to develop a portfolio of work/show reel that demonstrates your skills in readiness to impress potential employers.
Course assignments and projects mimic industry pipelines and standards so your experience is a realistic preparation for a career in visual effects and animation.
Our dedicated staff team have a wide range of professional experience, industry knowledge, technical expertise and academic credentials, offering you a variety of perspectives and broadening your horizons.
We prefer to keep student numbers relatively small in lecture and practical classes, so that you have plenty of opportunities to ask us questions and get individual help, as well as benefit from the ideas and support offered by your classmates.
We’ll encourage you to research, analyse, design and develop visual effects techniques so that you can take an idea from a brief or script scene and find the most time-efficient, cost-effective and visually impressive way to turn that vision into reality.

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Subjects

  • IT
  • Industry
  • Skills and Training
  • 3d training
  • 3D
  • Project
  • Film and Television
  • Prototyping
  • Design
  • Model Making
  • CGI
  • Full Time
  • Production

Course programme

Modules

Modules listed below are a mixture of compulsory and optional. You may not have the opportunity to study all the modules as part of the course.

  • 3D Assets and Environments for VFX
  • Creature Concept and Digital Sculpting
  • Cinematic Shot Compositing
  • VFX Studio Project 1
  • VFX Integrated Shot Production
  • Technical FX and Dynamics
  • Build and Look Development
  • VFX Studio Project 2
  • Advanced VFX for Film and TV
  • Industry Project
  • VFX Major Project
Teaching, Learning And Assessment

We use a wide variety of teaching and learning methods to help you achieve your potential, and you can expect our blended style to include lectures, seminars, tutorials and critiques, self-directed learning, e-learning and laboratory/workshop sessions, as well as online learning. You’ll be given access to over 400 tutorial videos recorded by our lecturing team as soon as you join the course in first year.

Lectures are used to introduce the core course content, while seminars allow you to explore subjects in greater detail. Practical skills and techniques are gained through technical introduction and support, workshop sessions, demonstrations and activity-based assignments. Tutorials allow you to ask any questions you have, ensuring you understand the topics covered in lectures and workshop sessions.

Guest lectures and visits give you opportunities to engage with and learn from respected professionals working in the visual effects arena. Our highly practical and project-based approach promotes active learning, and our specialist facilities create realistic industry-like learning environments. Our project modules encourage you to interact and collaborate with students specialising in both your own and other areas of film FX, helping to give you a taste of working on group and multidisciplinary projects.

Personal and independent study is essential and you should expect to devote a significant amount of time to activities such as project work, background reading, preparation for seminars and tutorials, research, design and creative thought.

You’re not expected to sit ‘traditional’ written examinations as part of this course. In terms of assessment, you can expect assignments, projects, case studies, quizzes, interviews, and presentations, as well as practical exams that usually take the form of short animation video files that demonstrate the work you’ve done over several weeks or months and chart your progress. As far as possible, we set project-based work that simulates professional situations. These pieces contribute to your final marks and allow you to demonstrate that you’ve met the learning outcomes.

We also use other forms of assessment to help you learn, provide you with feedback and inform your development, though these don’t count towards your final marks. For instance, you might be asked to complete quizzes or take part in group critique sessions that aim to strengthen your critical evaluation skills. You’ll also receive feedback on assessment drafts. This will help to identify any areas that would benefit from extra attention on your part, or where you need extra support from your tutor.

Disclaimer

The university will use all reasonable endeavours to deliver your course as described in its published material and the programme specification for the academic year in which you begin your course. Please be aware that our courses are subject to review on an ongoing basis. The content of course modules and mode of associated assessments may be updated on an annual basis. This is to ensure that all modules are up to date and responsive to employment and sector needs. The published course material and the programme specification contain indicative ‘optional modules’ that may be subject to change due to circumstances outside of our control. For this reason we cannot guarantee to run any specific optional module.

Additional information

International Fees - £12,450

BSc (Hons) Visual Effects and Animation - Full-time

£ 9,250 VAT inc.