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Students
Tuition Fee
GBP 17,000
Per year
Start Date
2025-09-01
Medium of studying
On campus
Duration
36 months
Program Facts
Program Details
Degree
Bachelors
Major
Animation | Digital Media | Visual Effects
Area of study
Arts | Information and Communication Technologies
Education type
On campus
Timing
Full time
Course Language
English
Tuition Fee
Average International Tuition Fee
GBP 17,000
Intakes
Program start dateApplication deadline
2025-09-01-
About Program

Program Overview


Visual Effects and Motion Graphics BA (Hons)

Overview

Combine your technical and creative skills to produce live-action and digital 2D and 3D content into sequences for film and TV.


Course Details

Full-time and Part-time

I706 BA/VEMG

Animation, Concept Art & Visual Effects

Course routes:

  • Degree: 3 years (or 4 with a work placement)
  • Plus foundation year: 4 years (or 5 with a work placement)

Top Reasons to Study Visual Effects and Motion Graphics at Teesside

  • £2,000 Accommodation Award: you may be eligible for £2,000 towards your accommodation fees if you live outside the TS postcode and are in your first year of study on a games or animation course.
  • International acclaim: ranked 19th in the world in the Animation Career Review International Animation School Rankings 2024.
  • SideFX recognition: this course has been officially certified by SideFX and the school is a member of the SideFX Certified Partner Programme.
  • ScreenSkills recognition: this course is industry recognised by ScreenSkills, the industry-led skills body for the UK’s screen-based industries, and carries the ScreenSkills Select quality-mark.

Course Structure

Year 1 Core Modules

  • Animation Principles
    • Fundamentals of 2D animation
    • Fundamentals of 3D animation
    • Animation in context
  • CG Essentials
    • Asset creation
    • 3D texturing
    • CG lighting
    • Rendering
  • Technical Animation
    • Character and prop rigging
    • Motion capture
    • Visual effects
  • Visual Development for the Moving Image
    • Cinematography and film language
    • Character and storyboard development
    • Digital compositing

Year 2 Core Modules

  • 3D and VFX Techniques
    • Performance capture
    • Mocap production pipeline
    • Visual effects and compositing pipeline
  • Animated Effects
    • Character and creature animation
    • Effects animation
    • Motion graphics and motion design
  • Moviola
    • Team project to produce an animation or visual effects sequence
  • Professional Research and Development
    • Experiment in a specialist area of your choice
    • Develop your independent learning skills

Optional Work Placement Year

  • Work placement
    • Spend one year in industry learning and developing your skills
    • Gain experience favoured by graduate recruiters

Final-year Core Modules

  • AVFX Project
    • Large-scale piece of individual work relating to your chosen specialism and career aims
  • Creative Industry Briefs
    • Choose from a selection of briefs which reflect specialist industry roles
  • Kino
    • Team project to produce a short film or visual effects sequence

How You Learn

  • Variety of learning and teaching methods
  • Active learning using authentic approaches
  • Team working and external guest speakers

How You Are Assessed

  • Practical projects
  • Teamwork and industry input
  • Final-year project based on your skills, interests, and career aspirations

Entry Requirements

  • 96-112 points plus a portfolio if your Level 3 qualifications do not include a creative subject
  • UCAS tariff calculator
  • International applicants: find out what qualifications you need by visiting Your Country

Employability

  • Career opportunities in studios around the world
  • Graduates have gone on to work in a range of areas including previs, modelling, rigging, production, effects animation, matte painting, tracking and matchmove, lighting, look development, and compositing

Information for International Applicants

  • Qualifications: find out what qualifications you need by selecting your country
  • Useful information: visit our international pages for useful information for non-UK students and applicants

Other Course Routes

  • Foundation year: study this course with a foundation year if you need additional preparation or if you don't have sufficient grades to join Year 1
  • Work placement: study this course with an optional work placement year, at no extra cost

Full-time

  • Entry to academic year: September
  • Fee for UK applicants: £9,535 a year
  • Fee for international applicants: £17,000 a year
  • Length: 3 years (4 with work placement)
  • UCAS code: I706 BA/VEMG

Part-time

  • Entry: September
  • Fee for UK applicants: £4,635 (120 credits)
  • Length: Up to 6 years
  • Attendance: Daytime

Choose Teesside

  • iPad, keyboard, and up to £300 credit for learning resources
  • Affordable accommodation right on-campus
  • Study in our town-centre campus with £280m of recent investment
  • Europe's first Adobe Creative Campus

News and Events

  • Emmy success for Teesside University graduate
  • New scholarship will help break down barriers to the animation and games industries
  • Global ranking for animation at Teesside

Student and Graduate Profiles

  • Rebecca Pearce: BA (Hons) Visual Effects

More Information

  • Animation, Concept Art & Visual Effects
  • ExpoTees Creative

Get in Touch

  • UK students: email and telephone
  • International students: email and telephone

Open Days and Events

  • Undergraduate open day: September

Part-time DiscoverUni Data

  • View the part-time DiscoverUni data
  • How to understand the DiscoverUni data
  • What is DiscoverUni?

Program Outline


Visual Effects and Motion Graphics, BA (Hons) at Teesside University


Degree Overview:

This program equips students with the technical and creative skills necessary for a career in the visual effects and motion graphics industry. It emphasizes hands-on learning, providing experience with the entire production pipeline, from pre-visualization to compositing and animation.


Key objectives:

  • Develop expertise in 2D and 3D animation, compositing, and visual effects production.
  • Foster creativity and technical proficiency for creating live-action and digital content for film, TV, and games.
  • Gain understanding of industry-standard software and techniques.
  • Prepare for a career as a visual effects artist, animator, motion graphics designer, and other related roles.

Outline:


Course structure:

  • Three years full-time (four years with a work placement)
  • Four years with a Foundation Year (five years with a work placement)

Year 1 core modules:

  • Animation Principles
  • CG Essentials
  • Technical Animation
  • Visual Development for the Moving Image

Year 2 core modules:

  • 3D and VFX Techniques
  • Animated Effects
  • Moviola
  • Professional Research and Development

Optional work placement year:

  • Available to gain practical experience in the industry.

Final-year core modules:

  • AVFX Project
  • Creative Industry Briefs
  • Kino

Assessment:

Assessment methods primarily rely on practical projects throughout the course, allowing students to demonstrate their learning and development. Final-year modules provide opportunities to showcase individual skills and interests.


Teaching:

  • A variety of teaching methods are employed, including:
  • Active learning
  • Authentic projects
  • Team working
  • External guest speakers
  • Seminars
  • Research-based activities

Careers:

Graduates are well-equipped for careers in:

  • Previsualization
  • Modeling
  • Rigging
  • Production
  • Effects animation
  • Matte painting
  • Tracking and matchmove
  • Lighting
  • Look development
  • Compositing
  • Notable employers include Industrial Light and Magic, Weta Digital, Double Negative, Moving Picture Company, Cinesite, The Third Floor, The Mill, Pixar, Digital Domain, and Framestore.

Other:

  • The course is ranked 18th in the world in the Animation Career Review International Animation School Rankings 2023.
  • Teesside University is the first Adobe Creative Campus in Europe.
  • Students may be eligible for an iPad, keyboard, and learning resources credit.

Additional notes:

  • The course description mentions that students gain experience in the production of live-action sequences.
  • However, the modules listed seem to focus primarily on animation and VFX.
  • The course description also states that students can choose a work placement year.
  • However, the information provided about the work placement year is limited. I hope this detailed response is helpful. Please let me know if you have any other questions.

Tuition Fees and Payment Information:

  • Full-time
  • Entry to 2024/25 academic year
  • Fee for UK applicants: £9,250 a year
  • Fee for international applicants: £17,000 a year
  • Part-time
  • 2024/25 entry
  • Fee for UK applicants: £4,500 (120 credits)
SHOW MORE
Admission Requirements

Entry Requirements:


UK Applicants:


Points:

  • You'll need 96-112 points from your qualifications.

Qualifications:

  • Level 3 qualifications:
  • A Level 3 qualification such as A-levels, BTECs, or other equivalent qualifications.
  • If your Level 3 qualifications don't include a creative subject like art, design, drawing, animation, or games art/design, you'll need to submit a portfolio.

Portfolio:

  • Your portfolio should showcase your fundamental drawing skills like life drawing and observational drawing, alongside your creativity.
  • You can find tips and advice on how to prepare a portfolio here: [LINK]
  • If you've already gained credits at Level 4 or higher in a related subject from previous studies, you might be able to get credit transfer towards your new course.

Points Calculator:

  • You can use the UCAS tariff calculator to find out how many points your qualifications are worth: [LINK]
  • If your qualifications aren't listed, contact the admissions team for alternative options.

Additional Support:

  • You may be able to fulfill the entry requirements through Summer and Winter University modules.
  • For general information on entry requirements, see the overview here: [LINK]

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL):

  • If you have gained considerable knowledge from work, volunteering, or life experiences, you may be able to get credit for this through RPL.
  • This can be credited towards the course you want to study.
  • Find out more about RPL here: [LINK]

International Applicants:

  • You can find out what qualifications you need by selecting your country here: [LINK]
  • For more information for international applicants, visit the international pages: [LINK]

Other Entry Routes:

  • Foundation Year:
  • If you need additional preparation or don't have enough grades to join Year 1, you can study this course with a foundation year.
  • See the details here: [LINK]
  • Work Placement:
  • You can study this course with an optional work placement year at no extra cost.

Additional Notes:

  • The entry requirements mentioned above are based on the information provided in the context.
  • It's always recommended to check the official website of Teesside University for the most up-to-date admissions information.
  • Be sure to get in touch with the university if you have any questions or need clarification on the entry requirements.
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