Program Overview

Visual Effects MA

Overview

The Visual Effects MA course is designed for individuals who want to pursue a career in visual effects for film and TV. The program enables students to create photorealistic 2D and 3D visual effects, assets, and simulations seamlessly composited into shots for film, TV, and 3D animation.

Course Details

Core Modules

• Advanced Compositing: Develop compositing knowledge and practical skills in footage acquisition, green screen studio setup, CG integration with live action, effective lighting, deep compositing, camera projections, set extensions, digital matte painting, and look development.
• Advanced Effects Animation: Explore advanced simulation tools and techniques used in effects animation, studying the underlying physics and computer graphics theory behind these simulation techniques.
• Asset Creation: Gain a deep understanding of all aspects of asset creation for visual effects, focusing on artistic pipelines employed by industry to streamline the creation of assets for production.
• Group Project: Complete a multidisciplinary group project to create a short film or video game cutscene, working in an individual production role within small teams.
• Master's Project: Visual Effects: Undertake a major, in-depth, individual study in an aspect of visual effects, involving research and investigation in relevant aspects of a very specific area of study followed by the production of a major deliverable portfolio.
• Research and Development: Gain knowledge and skills to understand the research process in computing and digital media, and the necessary skills to undertake the master's project.
• Visual Effects Pipeline: Gain a deep understanding of 3D animation and visual effects pipelines crucial in any CG production pipeline, and how the work produced needs to integrate with other departments involved with the process.

Advanced Practice (2-year full-time MA only)

• Internship: Spend one semester working full-time in industry or on placement in the University, or develop research and academic skills by undertaking a research internship within the University.

How You Learn

• Keynote lectures and tutorials using case studies and examples.
• Critical reflection is key to successful problem-solving and essential to the creative process.
• Develop reflective practice at an advanced level, then test and assess solutions against criteria developed in the light of research.

How You Are Assessed

• Programme assessment strategy has been designed to assess subject-specific knowledge, cognitive and intellectual skills, and transferable skills applicable to the workplace.
• Mix of practical work (usually in the form of a portfolio), poster and viva presentations, written reports, and professionally presented 'breakdown' videos commonly used in industry.

Entry Requirements

• At least a UK 2.2 honours degree in visual effects or equivalent.
• Other first-degree subjects may be accepted when combined with a portfolio of creative work at an acceptable standard.
• For international students (Tier 4) - IELTS 6.
• International and EU students must also pass a University English test.

Employability

• Career opportunities in studios around the world working on visual effects for film, television, animation, and games.
• 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: International applicants - 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.

Professional Accreditation

• This course has been officially certified by SideFX and the school is a member of the SideFX Certified Partner Programme in recognition of knowledgeable instructors, the high quality of student work, and efforts devoted to connecting students to industry.

Full-time

• Fee for UK applicants: £8,365 a year, £5,417.50 a year with advanced practice.
• Fee for international applicants: £17,000 a year, £10,000 a year with advanced practice.
• Length: within 1 year (September start), 16 months (January start) or 2 years with advanced practice (September or January start).
• Start date: January or September.

Part-time

• Fee for UK applicants: £930 for each 20 credits.
• Length: 2 years (September start) or 3 years (January start).
• Start date: January or September.

Choose Teesside

• Stand out from other job applicants with your higher-level qualification, specialist knowledge, and expanded networks.
• Improve your project management, critical thinking, research skills, time management, presentation skills, and teamwork.
• The median salary for working-age postgraduates (£45,000) was £6,500 more than for working-age (those aged 16 to 64) graduates (£38,500) in 2022.
• Study in our friendly town-centre campus with £280m of recent investment.
• Study at Europe's first Adobe Creative Campus and develop your creative and digital skills.