Study Animation in the UK!

Students that study animation in the UK acquire the basic drawing, character animation, graphic design, and video production skills required for a successful profession. teach pupils the essential drawing, character animation, graphic design, and video production techniques needed for a fulfilling career in these domains. A large number of classes are taught by industry professionals with extensive backgrounds in this highly specialized field. You will need to have a foundational talent in both creativity and technical ability because you will be creating work for computer games, cartoons, movies, and television advertisements.

In addition to learning the core practical skills required for success, the students will also study theoretical and conceptual areas including screenwriting, art, design, communication, and narrative. With the usage of animation media, students can become part of production networks for 3D, CG, games, and films in the UK and around the world.

UK Careers in Animation

If you have a degree in animation, you will be ready for careers in more general digital media domains such as computer game development, television, film, and advertising. Due to the intense competition in the animation industry, young graduates may need to begin their careers in entry-level roles as they look for their first job. Since it allows them to choose the projects they work on and the clients they engage with, animators are increasingly choosing to freelance as their careers progress.

The characters were created by a few persons, but the animation team was ultimately in charge of giving them life. Design software and hardware help bring characters to life through the application of technology and talents. There are a variety of career profiles and industries that you can choose from once your training is complete. Some of the most significant ones are as follows: The online media, which is another name for new media, Printing press, Animation Film Production, Video Game Promotion, Film & TV, and Online Education.

Qualifications to study animation in the United Kingdom

Portfolio of creative work: All animation programs ask applicants to present a portfolio of their best work as part of the application process, even though most do not specify which courses you should have taken in school.

A total score of 6.0 and no single part score lower than 5.5 are the usual requirements for taking the IELTS.

Top UK institutions offering animation programs:

The top UK institutions with animation and game design degrees are shown here, ranked by the Guardian University Guide 2023. This will assist you in learning more about the UK's top respected animation programs.

1. University of Hertfordshire

Obtaining a degree in 3D Digital Animation and Modelling from the University of Hertfordshire will provide you with the sophisticated skills and knowledge needed to succeed in the modern 3D animation market. In this game, a lot of weight is placed on creativity, character design, story, cinematography, special effects, and compositing. Focus on honing your talents in digital modeling, virtual lighting, virtual camera work, and character animation. You will be in charge of the voice acting, sound effects, and music, including writing, commissioning, and buying the music for the movie.

2. Bristol UWE

UWE Bristol is located inside the city of Bristol and consists of three distinct campuses. Due to its large student population, active and diverse city, and educational opportunities, it is an interesting area to live and attend school. Bristol is a hub for industry, so there are lots of opportunities for networking and graduate employment nearby.

It was ranked 36th out of 121 UK institutions in the Guardian's league ranking for 2022. The campus facilities have received more than 300 million British pounds in investments over the last six years or so. Employers highly regard this university, according to the Graduate Outcomes Survey results published by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) in 2021.

The fact that, fifteen months after graduation, 90.2% of university graduates are either employed or pursuing further education lends credence to this.

3. Metropolitan University of Manchester

If you decide to major in animation at Manchester Metropolitan University, you will join the campus community. You will collaborate on group projects that bridge numerous academic disciplines while working with experts in photography, sound engineering, filmmaking, video games, and the media. You will use a range of creative approaches, just like the pros do. In a brand-new, specially designed facility equipped with the newest cutting-edge technology for animation, filmmaking, and other media production, instruction is provided.

They utilize industry-standard tools in the same manner that they imitate industry practices. Manchester offers the ideal learning atmosphere for students studying animation.

4. London University of Arts

As you build a specialized personal practice in this era of unparalleled opportunity for seasoned visual gamers and sequential image-makers from University of Arts London, you will create, experiment, and have fun with 3D digital technology. The rapid evolution of the business is leading to remarkable breakthroughs in two areas: real-time animation and immersive digital world-building. You can develop original tactics that are driven by critical understanding and reflective thought by experimenting and gaining advanced technical skills.

You will create 3D computer animation sequences and materials during the course of the program, either on your own or in collaborative groups with students majoring in various media fields.

5. University of Anglia Ruskin

Use your creative abilities to your advantage in the animation or illustration industries to earn a career doing something you enjoy. The importance of these two fields in visual discourse is growing, as is the need for creatives who can produce eye-catching, original visual content. In their Illustration and Animation course, you might study the foundations of visual painting and animation. Due to the dynamic and captivating nature of the profession, as well as the widespread use of digital technology in conjunction with conventional methods, they often use visual language to communicate complex concepts and data.

6. University of Teesside

For people who want to work in visual effects and animation for movies, TV shows, or video games, this program is perfect. Our state-of-the-art facilities let you develop a wide range of technical and creative skills that will help you in many different professions. Gaining proficiency in areas like 2D and 3D animation, digital visual effects and compositing, 3D modeling and rigging, 3D lighting, texturing, and rendering, concept design and storytelling, sophisticated computer-generated techniques, professional portfolio development, and teamwork are all highly valued.

7. Trent University, Nottingham

With this cutting-edge degree program, you may explore every aspect of 2D and 3D animation. By taking classes, you can learn character development, storyboarding, scriptwriting, and cinematography as well as the technical and analytical skills required to produce animated works. This course will cover all of the professional, creative, intellectual, and technical abilities required for success in the global animation industry. Discover animation in a way that reflects the current state of the art as well as industry practices.

You'll get the opportunity to learn about the several subgenres that make up animation through study, research, and studio work.You will be ready to start a career as an animator at the end of the course, having produced an animated thesis film and a professional show reel tailored to your own career objectives.

8. Bolton University

Faculty at the University of Bolton's School of the Arts have strong domain expertise and substantial professional experience in their respective professions, which they use to support the creative and student-centered programs offered there. They ensure that you have access to the most up-to-date knowledge and abilities by continually revising their curriculum to meet changing industry standards. You may develop your technical skills and gain commercial acumen by earning an animation degree and artwork from them.

Many opportunities will be provided for you to hone your talents using a range of digital software tools, animation, and illustration techniques that are currently in use in the industry. The second half of the course allows you to concentrate on animation or illustration while exploring more advanced digital and experimental image-making techniques after covering the principles of both.

9. Bedfordshire University

The increasing use of computer animation and visual effects in TV, movies, and design has led to an increase in the demand for individuals with both creative and technical skills in the digital creative industries. To assist with filling these new roles in the digital creative industries, the animation course will offer theoretical and practical teaching in all aspects of the creative process, from ideation to the finished result. As you learn to use industry-standard technologies to generate digital content for promotion, education, and entertainment, your proficiency with computing for the creative industries will advance.

10. University of Lincoln

An alternative integrated entrance path into a range of Bachelor's and Master's degree programs at the College of Arts is Lincoln's Arts Foundation Year. In the Arts Foundation Year, students complete a series of required modules intended to provide them with a general overview of the creative arts as well as the fundamental skills and knowledge they'll need to pursue more focused studies in the arts at the sophomore and junior levels. After their first year, each student's foundation year curriculum is tailored to fit the criteria of the degree program they want to pursue.

Last remarks

The shared interest between the two is animation! A wide range of components, including motion design, visual graphics, and special effects, are frequently used in animated shorts. Creative types will find it much easier to break into this industry and increase their prospects. However, before you can even think of looking for work, you must first have a specialized degree in animation.