Art Degrees Online

What is Animation?
Animation is a discipline that includes everything from traditional, character-based narrative to experimental work. It is an increasingly malleable and sophisticated art form that is well-positioned to take full advantage of ongoing technological development.

Why study Animation at UArts?
The University of the Arts offers a broad base in traditional hand-drawn animation, computer animation, and under-the-camera animation (clay, puppet, cut-out, paint-on-glass, etc). The UArts Animation degree program encourages the development of well-rounded artists in possession of a strong sense of personal vision and solid, technical competencies in all aspects of content creation.

What’s the Animation degree program like?
• Sophomore year: an introduction to the techniques of drawn and under-the-camera animation, 2D and 3D computer animation, and live-action film via a series of exercises and two final projects.
• Junior year: creation of a short personal piece, as well as client-based and interdisciplinary group projects.
• Senior year: studies culminate in a thesis project that demonstrates the ability to successfully complete a longer, festival-worthy piece.

What Animation facilities are available?
You will have access to excellent facilities for 2D, 3D, stop-motion, and other animation techniques, including:
• State-of-the-art 2D/3D computer animation lab
• Animation classrooms equipped with iMac workstations
• Digital audio sound studios
• Multi-format dub room
• Digital imaging lab
• AVID digital video editing systems
• Master Series Oxberry animation stand

Are the faculty practicing animators?
Yes. They include award-winning artists whose animation work has screened both nationally and abroad, notably at the Philadelphia Museum of Art; New York’s Museum of Modern Art; the Philadelphia, Ottawa, and Hiroshima International Animation Festivals; and many others. Our instructors come from a diverse mix of fine-art and commercial backgrounds, combining technical expertise with a strong sense of personal vision

The increased speed of production means that animated content has spread to interactive events, on-line games, business and educational presentations, as well as ‘shorts’ on mobiles and the web.

This course equips you with a comprehensive understanding, theoretical knowledge and the practical skills for creating products that have audience involvement through animation. Working within a wide range of communication media, you will gain the opportunity to attend film and animation festivals at home and abroad.

In Level 1, you will be immersed within the syllabus for Animation while undertaking specific introductory modules linked to interaction design. In Levels 2 and 3, the majority of your time will be in practical, interactive discipline-specific activities as they relate to animation. We also encourage industrial contact through working on live projects.

The course uses facilities in the University’s digital media production centre, which houses purpose-built production and animation studios. Guest and industry professionals will
visit regularly.

What you do

Interactive Animation produces graduates who create animated content for cross-media. You will gain a comprehensive, practical understanding of creating believability and audience involvement through animation.

At Level 1, you will develop a practical understanding of the cross-media production process and learn skills, issues, concepts and creative processes of animation. You will receive a structured practical grounding in aspects of two dimensional animation (2D), three dimensional (3D) Computer Generated Imagery (CGI), stop motion animation production techniques and interactive coding.

At Level 2, you further your technical knowledge and practical understanding of animation and can choose further coding, graphics, illustration, media production or sound modules.

Level 3 provides guided independent work involving major personal projects in areas of interactive production relevant to your career ambitions.

Where next

Graduates from this course will be able to seek employment in a variety of sectors of the media industry, in new media production and design companies and also games and broadcast companies. Former students have gone on to work at the BBC, Cosgrove Hall Animations, Ragdoll,
Rolls-Royce and Imagemetrix, whilst others are taking a producing route or working in education and training. The quality of the animation work produced within the faculty has been recognised nationally.