Level: Undergraduate
Study Mode: Full-time/Part-time
Duration: 3 years (full time), 6 years (part time)
Application: via UCAS (full time), Direct to College (part time)
Application Deadline: 15 Jan 2010
UCAS Course Code: W615
Institution Code: H18
Validated By:

‘Animation is everywhere’
Professor Paul Wells, author of ‘The Fundamentals of Animation’
Animation is magic. Making something that is fundamentally inanimate and bringing it to life, is a craft that mesmerises and fascinates. Everyone likes animation. Children and adults love to be taken into alternative worlds of imagination and wonder and to share the experiences of make believe characters. Playing tricks with reality has never been easier or as much fun. Digital technology has meant that adding special effects to films is easier and more convincing than ever, resulting in a huge surge in films that transport us to unimaginable places beyond our dreams.

The possibilities for animation are limitless. Older techniques that were thought to be obsolete are being reinvestigated by a new generation of animators and designers who are not frightened to experiment and innovate creating title sequences, music videos, stings, bumpers, short films, interactive narratives, games, and commercials for an ever increasing range of digital platforms.

Click here to view the on-line gallery of student work

Click here to view the programme specification of this course

The course seeks to develop skills necessary to explore a range of animation techniques and assess the way these techniques have been, and are being used for specific tasks. 2D drawn Animation, Stop Motion and Digital Animation skills will all be developed and applied to acquire a specific, specialist skill with which to enter the industry as a valued contributor.

The course will look at action, gesture, movement and performance and explore some of the theory relating to good storytelling and narrative structure. There will be short micro projects focussing on script-writing and audio design gradually building communication skills and confidence in engaging specific target audiences. Visiting speakers such as Professor Paul Wells, master classes from people like Ed Hooks ‘Acting for Animators’ will combine with trips to Animation Festivals like FLIP and studios such a Passion Pictures (creators of Gorillaz) to give students a real feel for the animation landscape and a passion for life long learning.

The modular course is defined at each of the 3 year levels in order to make it clear as to exactly what the learning is and why we are learning it. Students at each level will work both individually and as part of a team to encourage, support and develop knowledge and understanding in a variety of contexts. Theory and practice are ‘integrated’, where possible, in order to keep learning meaningful, relevant and engaging. A wide variety of assessment tasks are used to develop key and core skills that will be necessary to deal with all aspects of lifelong learning and working.

Year 1
Focusses on the fundamentals and principles of animation. Drawing, sculpture, and an exploration of animation techniques and methods through workshop based study. Copying, imitating, testing, making and experimenting combine to form an essential practical skills base. Historical and theoretical knowledge are combined in a discourse programme that begins to look at the practical application of animation in a range of historical and contemporary contexts.

Year 2
Begins to apply this knowledge on a range of real and simulated projects that begin to explore the potential of animation to entertain, explain, challenge, educate and provoke audiences, with a special effort to explore digital platforms and outcomes, including gaming and other interactive developments. There is a distinct emphasis on developing a personal visual interest in terms of subject matter and technique.

Year 3
Offers an opportunity to develop a specialist skill in one (or more) aspects of animation. Based on a clear career goal, individual projects will be designed to create work suitable for Festival entry, on-line screening and show-reel content to begin the process of becoming an animator or a practitioner in a related field.

Graduates with a BA (Hons) in Animation from HCA will be well placed to continue their studies on MA programmes or develop careers as free-lance or studio based animators or in related fields.

Minimum age 18
Successful portfolio interview
200 UCAS Tariff Points
Mature Students with related experience

English as a second language: IELTS score 6.0 (or equivalent) on enrolment

All applications to our Full Time Higher Education courses should be made via UCAS – for more details on how to apply, click here