Skip navigation
Advanced 3D Animation at Buckinghamshire New University - UCAS

Course options

There are other course options available which may have a different vacancy status or entry requirements – view the full list of options

Course summary

If you have an undergraduate degree, some industry experience or a genuine love for Animation, you could take your career to the next level, with this advanced course. Upon graduating you’ll be able to showcase an industry-standard animated short or showreel, which could help you join this ever-growing industry. Split between our High Wycombe campus and BNU teaching base at Pinewood Studios, you’ll have the opportunity to learn the skills and knowledge you need for your future, all whilst studying right in the heart of the famous creative hub. Experience of 3D software such as Maya is highly recommended. Why study at Buckinghamshire New University? This course will offer you the chance to focus on creating high quality animation or animated sequence. During your time with us you will be supported by knowledgeable lecturers and industry professionals while also taking advantage of our excellent resources. The standard of animation at BNU is very high and this is reflected in the proportion of our students who go on to work successfully in the industry afterwards. We also run small classes which ensures that students gain meaningful access to our tutors. You’ll also be invited to join online groups where you will be able to meet the other students taking our animation, visual effects, game art and visualisation courses, both MA and BA, online and attendance. These help to foster a sense of community and are also places where extra-curricular collaborative projects, such as game jams, take place. You will also be able to meet our alumni in these broader forums. All forums are moderated by the lecturers. What facilities can I use? During your time on this course you’ll spend your time split between our High Wycombe Campus and Pinewood Studio, animation teaching base. On campus you’ll have access to our state-of-the-art library, computer suites and student services. You’ll also be able to access a range of specialist software and hardware, including:

  • Maya
  • ZBrush
  • Nuke
  • Mari
  • Substance Suite
  • Marvellous Designer
  • Adobe Creative Suite
  • Cinema 4D
  • Redshift Renderer
  • Shotgun
  • Houdini
  • Houdini Engine
  • Unreal Engine
  • Megascans Asset library
  • Advanced Skeleton
  • Ziva
This can all be accessed online through our virtualised computer system which will provide you with all the necessary hardware power to complete the course no matter where you are based. Our licences can also be accessed and used on your own machines by using our Bucks Anywhere service. What will I study? On this degree you will cover abroad range of topics, from researching into the field of animation, looking at both historical and contemporary practice, to drafting a short sequence of your own derived from your research findings. This will help you to establish and personalise the overall direction of your studies and practice. You will also look at the wider production pipeline needed for an animation, covering areas such as:
  • modelling
  • rigging
  • texturing
  • lighting
  • rendering
You’ll also look at how to convey effective storytelling and emotion in a visual narrative as achieving this is one of the hardest challenges which animators face. Lastly, you’ll enter the preproduction phase before moving on to the production phase for your main project. This may be a continuation of your short sequence or something new and may be done individually or in a group.

Modules

Year One Core Research Experimentation Production Pipeline 1 Production Pipeline 2 Storytelling in Animation: Preproduction Storytelling in Animation: Production Production Project

Assessment method

We understand that to succeed on a creative course, you must be hands-on with learning. That’s why this degree is 70% practical work and 30% will involve reflective learning journals, presentations and academic reports. This course will be delivered through lecturers, group sessions and 1:1s with tutors. You’ll also take part in a range of workshops, talks and lecturers with current industry professionals. In class, you’ll be challenged to defend your storytelling choices in front of the group, as well as assessing other learners’ work, helping you to become aware of the importance of cultivating your own artistic voice. During workshops, you’ll have the chance to work on projects to tight deadlines and have regular ‘dallies’ sessions, mirroring industry practice. You will attend two two-hour sessions per week with a lecturer over the full 10 weeks of the modules except for the final production project. During these sessions, you will have the opportunity to ask questions to the lecturers and get answers and feedback. Normally these will begin with a group seminar and then break into 1:1 sessions where you will have the opportunity to discuss your individual progress. You will be able to submit your work for asynchronous formative review which will be delivered as a video commentary on your work. Each week you will be set a task related to the weekly content or be working towards your own project objective as agreed with the lecturers. You will be able to complete your work using the hardware at the university and will also be able to access the Bucks Anywhere service, which provides remote access, from any location, to a catalogue of University software applications for learners using personal or BNU devices. You will also be able to remotely access our VDI, which is a powerful computer that will give you access to all the software relevant to the course. This will enable you to work as and when suits you outside of the scheduled hours You will also be expected to join a closed online group where you will be able to discuss the work and ask questions throughout the week. It is expected that both lecturers and learners will contribute and answer questions. This will also be a place for learners to post work for peer discussion and review. We encourage you to enter competitions, which will challenge you to produce your best work, and access feedback on your works in progress. We also run a monthly art challenge and provide additional life drawing classes, including online. You will create detailed and complex projects which you will then present for assessment. During the presentation you will be expected to discuss and critically evaluate your output and production processes. You will be expected to make interim presentations for formative feedback and to ensure work is proceeding on track. You will be expected to keep a formal learning journal of your progress as a source of notes for the final presentation. This will contain not only your progress but also your research and concept work.

Qualified teacher status (QTS)

To work as a teacher at a state school in England or Wales, you will need to achieve qualified teacher status (QTS). This is offered on this course for the following level:

  • Course does not award QTS

How to apply

International applicants

For information about applying to Buckinghamshire New University as an International applicant, please visit https://www.bucks.ac.uk/study/international

Entry requirements

Graduate entrants to the programme will normally hold an Honours degree or equivalent in a relevant subject. The University also welcomes applicants who have significant industry experience and no formal qualifications. Applicants with a suitable portfolio can be offered places based on artistic ability and experience. This degree is aimed at learners who have already mastered animation tools to a good extent and are looking to focus their efforts on creating professional standard work that is highly creative and expressive.


Fees and funding

Tuition fees

No fee information has been provided for this course

Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website .

Additional fee information

For fee information, visit our website: https://www.bucks.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/ma-3d-animation

Sponsorship information

Buckinghamshire New University offers a range of bursaries and scholarships. For more information, please visit bnu.ac.uk/bursaries

Advanced 3D Animation at Buckinghamshire New University - UCAS