Course summary
Want to bring your artistic skills to life? Solent’s CGI and Visual Effects degree helps to develop artists for a competitive, high-tech industry that offers challenging and creative careers. The degree brings the latest cutting-edge techniques and industry standard software into the curriculum as well as offering you the flexibility to apply your learning in almost any field. Building upon classical art training, creative problem solving and ideas generation, this course offers an industry-oriented exploration of all the core 2D and 3D disciplines embodied across a range of exciting careers. You may come to us with no 3D or compositing experience, or you may have been producing your own models or animations before, either way our small group sizes let us work with you individually to develop your CGI and visual effects skills to meet industry expectations in your chosen direction. Being aware of industry practices and in contact with industry artists is vital for developing your future career. We support you to build an industry network during your degree to help you find that first entry-level position through good social media practice, guest speakers and our weekly forums, annual events such as CGFX, Viz. Arch Viz, and our Graduate Show, as well as a range of trips. Alongside this you will have access to Solent’s many incredible facilities and will attend regular weekly feedback sessions using our industry Rushes pipeline in a recognised course ranked as one of the top schools in the world by The Rookies. Our course is designed to help you evolve from being a learner to a practitioner with strong creative and technical awareness. You will explore many different areas of CGI and visual effects to help you build a wide skill base before focusing on a more specialist area with exactly the skills your chosen industry requires. The course has no exams with all assessments primarily coursework driven and with great opportunities to drive learning. What does this course lead to? This course can lead to many exciting careers in current or emerging markets. Students build a solid portfolio perfect for a generalist or entry-level position in the film, TV, video games and architectural visualisation sectors. With emerging markets, we are increasingly seeing exciting opportunities in simulation, virtual/ augmented reality, visualisation, military and many other industries that we are excited to present to our students. Who is this course for? Solent’s CGI and Visual Effects course is ideally suited to students who want to learn and develop a range of skills for entry into a range of exciting careers. Applicants should have a portfolio of design or technical work to show at interview. Although students are not expected to have examples of code, this is a perfectly valid portfolio choice for students choosing to pursue a more technical career path in the visual industries, particularly video games or visual effects.
Modules
YEAR 1 - CORE MODULES Architectural Visualisation Digital Visuals Introduction to 3D Introduction to Animation Introduction to VFX Real Time CGI YEAR 2 - CORE MODULES VFX / Simulation Set Capture Digital Character Compositing Set Capture CGI/VFX Commentary YEAR 2 - OPTIONS (please note that not all modules are guaranteed to run each academic year) Advanced Drawing Technical Art YEAR 3 - CORE MODULES Production Brief Pre-Production Final Major Project YEAR 3 - OPTIONS (please note that not all options are guaranteed to run each academic year) Dissertation Art for CGI/VFX Scripting for Graphics
Assessment method
This course is assessed via briefs, live briefs, sketchbook, PDF and video submission of digital work, written assignments and some presentations. Regular formative presentations take place across this course referred to as ‘Rushes’, these require no preparation and are constructive in nature.
How to apply
This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.
Application codes
- Course code:
- CGV1
- Institution code:
- S30
- Campus name:
- Main Site
- Campus code:
- -
Points of entry
The following entry points are available for this course:
- Year 1
International applicants
For information about applying to Solent as an International applicant, please visit https://www.solent.ac.uk/how-to-apply/entry-requirements/help-for-international-students
Entry requirements
Qualification requirements
UCAS Tariff - 104 - 120 points
A level
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016) - DMM
Access to HE Diploma
Scottish Higher
AS
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Diploma (first teaching from September 2016) - D*D
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Foundation Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate (first teaching from September 2016)
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Certificate (first teaching from September 2016)
Pearson BTEC Extended Diploma (QCF) - DMM
Pearson BTEC Diploma (QCF) - D*D*
Pearson BTEC 90-Credit Diploma (QCF)
Pearson BTEC Subsidiary Diploma (QCF)
Pearson BTEC Certificate (QCF)
Scottish Advanced Higher
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme - 28 - 31 points
Welsh Baccalaureate - Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate (last awarded Summer 2024)
Extended Project
HNC (BTEC) - P - D
HND (BTEC) - P - M
OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Diploma - DMM
OCR Cambridge Technical Diploma - D*D
OCR Cambridge Technical Foundation Diploma
OCR Cambridge Technical Introductory Diploma
OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Certificate
OCR Cambridge Technical Certificate
T Level - M
• Direct entry to years 2 (Level 5) or 3 (Level 6) We welcome applications from students currently studying a Foundation Degree, DipHE, HNC, HND or modules of an undergraduate degree course at another university, who wish to enter directly into Years 2 or 3 of one of our undergraduate degree courses. • Level 5 (year 2) entry To directly enter the second year of this course you will need to show appropriate knowledge and experience. For example, you are an ideal candidate if you have 120 undergraduate credits at Level 4 or a CertHE in a related subject area. • Level 6 (year 3) entry To directly enter the third year of this course you need to show appropriate knowledge and experience. For example, you are an ideal candidate if you have 240 undergraduate credits (at Levels 4 and 5), a DipHE, Foundation Degree or HND in a related subject area.
Additional entry requirements
Portfolio
E-Portfolio viewing required
English language requirements
Test | Grade | Additional details |
---|---|---|
IELTS (Academic) | 6 | with 5.5 in each individual component. |
TOEFL (iBT) | 80 | with a minimum of 20 in each individual compoenent. |
Solent University can also accept the following English Language Test: Duolingo English Language Test 115 overall with a minimum of 95 in each component. All international applicants need to be aware that the English language requirements to attend Solent University, and the English language requirements to obtain a visa from the Home Office, may be different. This means that if you meet the Solent University language requirement to gain a place on the course, you may still have to meet additional requirements to be granted with a visa by the Home Office. We strongly advise all applicants to visit the Home Office website which outlines all the requirements for a successful visa application and to take a look at this PDF document which outlines both Solent University and Home Office requirements for a number of language tests.
Student Outcomes
The number of student respondents and response rates can be important in interpreting the data – it is important to note your experience may be different from theirs. This data will be based on the subject area rather than the specific course. Read more about this data on the Discover Uni website.
Fees and funding
Tuition fees
England | £9250 | Year 1 |
Northern Ireland | £9250 | Year 1 |
Scotland | £9250 | Year 1 |
Wales | £9250 | Year 1 |
Channel Islands | £9250 | Year 1 |
Republic of Ireland | £9250 | Year 1 |
EU | £17750 | Year 1 |
International | £17750 | Year 1 |
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
Sponsorship information
Solent University offers a number of bursaries, grants and scholarships. For more information, please visit https://www.solent.ac.uk/finance/grants-bursaries-scholarships/bursaries
Provider information
Southampton, Solent University
East Park Terrace
Southampton
SO14 0YN