Animation (Full-time) (MA)
Our full-time MA in Animation is designed to build your skills in both the art and science of animation. Here, we offer a deep investigation into the animation theory and practice that underpins every animated scene, from 2D Animation to CG Animation. This course encourages students to explore their creativity while developing technical expertise, empowering you to tell your stories and share them with audiences in fresh, engaging ways.
As an MA Animation student, you will learn the animation practice involved in controlling motion and timing to make animations look realistic and compelling. You will master techniques to create lifelike actions, such as weight, inertia, and friction, which give animations depth. This knowledge helps animators build scenes that feel real and showcase every detail, no matter the style or technique, whether in stop-motion animation or fully digital environments. By learning to blend techniques in experimental animation, youll be equipped to find your style while working with animations traditional roots and the latest digital approaches.
A significant part of the course focuses on visual storytelling to make stories come alive on screen. You will build a visual library that you can draw upon in every project, learning to craft sequences that connect with audiences. From the very start, we aim to expand your creative potential, pushing your creative boundaries as you take on different styles, tools, and methods. With access to our animation resources and facilities, including both traditional and digital tools, youll be able to explore the entire animation process, from the basics to the advanced techniques used by todays industry.
As the course progresses, students work on their final projects and progress toward mastery in computer animation through realistic production workflows. By this point, you will have moved beyond the basics and developed a personal approach to animation, gaining insight into whats needed to work in the industry. This experience prepares you for a career by building a professional portfolio that includes all the essential skills, techniques, and knowledge of industry standards.
Throughout the course, youll connect with animation industry links that give valuable insights into the real world of animation. Our MA in Animation is an ideal path for anyone wanting to push the limits of their creative work, discover new ways to tell visual stories, and pursue a career in this exciting field.
Course details
- On-campus
- Full-time
- English
Why choose this course?
What you will learn
Our full-time MA in Animation focuses on animation knowledge, art, and production techniques that bring creative ideas to life. With an emphasis on exploring new technologies and industry-standard practices, the course is ideal for both experienced animators and those looking to expand into computer animation. We prioritise innovation and collaboration, ensuring students build technical skills and a professional portfolio suited for studio work or independent careers.
Year 1
In this one-year MA, students dive into courses like Advanced Studio Workflow and Techniques and Animation Alchemy and Motion, focusing on core skills in animation development. The curriculum covers story universe creation, production management, and world-building, giving students hands-on experience with industry-standard software. They learn to build cohesive animation projects that combine 2D, 3D, and other animation art forms.
Throughout the year, students expand their professional skills through Research-Led Practice and Immersive Worlds, applying their knowledge in real-world contexts. The Masters Project culminates the course, allowing students to integrate their skills in production techniques, project management, and software integration into a final animated film, preparing them for industry standards and practices.
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(60 credits)
Disclaimer
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We listen to student feedback and insights from industry and from professionals to ensure that course content is high-quality and up-to-date, and that it offers the best possible preparation for your future career or study goals.
For this reason, there might be modifications to the content of your course over time, to keep up to date with changes in the subject area or in the sector. If a module is no longer running, we’ll make sure to keep you informed, and work with you to choose a different suitable module.
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Staff
Our People
You will be taught and supported by a wide range of professional staff and teams here to help you get the university experience you are looking for. Our teaching staff were ranked 2nd in Wales for Teaching, Assessment and Feedback and Academic Support (NSS 2024) meaning that the support and feedback you get will help you learn and develop strong academic skills. Our students have placed us 1st in Wales for Learning Opportunities and Student Voice (NSS 2024) meaning that there are a wide range of opportunities available to enhance your studies and that students play an active role in shaping their learning experiences. Our commitment to your learning has seen our students place us as 1st in Wales and joint 3rd in the UK for student satisfaction (Times Higher Education, 2024, Overall Positivity measure). Find out more about our academic staff who teach across our courses.
Accommodation
Further information
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We normally require an undergraduate 2.1. However, we also consider candidates with relevant experience and aim to interview all applicants. Where possible, we invite prospective students to book a taster session and/or Open Day, to discuss this application further, to see if it suits their expectations.
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Class content, exercise and theoretical content is communicated through demonstrations and lectures. Workshops enable the student to further investigate techniques, methodology and procedures demonstrated, to create functional animated sequences. Coursework set encourages the students to develop their visual literacy skills, to create appealing designs and evocative computer-generated animation.
Through further study time and experimentation and the student will develop a mastery of the technical requirements in the production of computer animation. The approach is systematic and requires each student to experience a wide range of animation tasks, challenges and experiences.
The first part of the MA Computer Animation degree requires each student to advocate their individual idea for animated film production. The major project offers an opportunity for full time and part-time students to work together on a common major project or to provide input or services between each others major projects.
Ideas are pitched to tutors and the rest of the student cohort and the selected project is taken forward and further developed in the second part of the module. Under supervision they have an opportunity to identify an ambitious and challenging Part II Project which is academically rigorous and to be completed as a team project, to break down the production material so that every team member has a specialist area to work in.
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Our students have access to a diverse range of equipment and resources which, in most cases, is sufficient to complete their programme of study. We provide the basic materials necessary for students to develop their practical work within our extensive workshop and studio facilities.
However, it is likely animation students may incur some additional costs in the extension of their personal practice. Examples include purchasing their own specialised materials and equipment, software and hardware, joining optional study trips, paying for printing, etc.
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You may be eligible for funding to help support your study. To find out about scholarships, bursaries and other funding opportunities that are available please visit our Scholarships and Bursaries section.
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The main career opportunities that the MA in Computer Animation offers are found in:
- TV Broadcast Content
- TV Commercials Content
- General Digital Media Content
- Feature Film Content
- Computer Games Content
- Computer Games Promotion
- Corporate Sector Promotion
- Corporate Sector Training
- Education Sector Training