Course summary
The BA (Hons) Visual Effects (VFX) course is a hands on, intensive learning experience for those wanting to develop a career in this vibrant area of the creative industries. You will work with industry standard software to develop content for film, broadcast, games, advertising, and virtual media. On the Visual Effects course at Coventry University you will gain experience of:
- Developing 3D assets for Film, Television and Games
- Working with complex VFX pipelines to produce engaging content
- Using high-end facilities and kit in a future facing creative environment
- These will include sculpting, UV texturing and projection mapping, hard surface modelling, rendering and the use of different render passes, mattes, keys, tracking and rotoscoping. You will also gain an appreciation of production logistics such as effective planning and project management, and legislative issues such as copyright, confidentiality agreements, GDPR and intellectual property, through to the importance of using appropriate naming conventions and version control.
- Alongside the technical requirements of various media you will also study the history, origins, and theoretical contexts of visual effects in film, animation, and interactive media, and the nuances of these media across such disciplines. Throughout the course you will be given opportunities to contribute to industry briefs, competitions, festivals, and hackathons to gain a real-time experience of working for companies and clients*. In the final year of the course you will have the opportunity to specialise in either 2D or 3D to facilitate your progression toward industry.
- You will have access to a range of digital film cameras, lighting, audio recording equipment and industry-standard software, as well as the use of television, film, greenscreen, and immersive studios, to enable you to produce high-quality visual effects.
- During the common first year you will have opportunities to work alongside students from other courses in the School of Media and Performing Arts. These collaborative opportunities are a defining feature of your learning experience and place you in an advantageous position in developing your skills and employability on graduating*.
Modules
This course has a common first year. The common first year enables you to work alongside students doing similar courses to you, to widen your knowledge and exposure to other subject areas and professions. You will have the opportunity to collaborate with other students, so you can share your insights and experience which will help you to develop and learn. If you discover an interest in a specific subject you have studied, so upon successful completion of your first year, you could swap degrees with another course in your common first year (subject to meeting progression requirements). Once you learn more about your industry, you’ll be more prepared and more clued up on how you may want to progress your education. Common first year courses Animation BA (Hons) Digital Media BA (Hons) Games Art BA (Hons) Games Design and Development BA (Hons) Year One In the first year, the curriculum is shared across related courses allowing you to gain a broad grounding in the discipline before going on, in the second and third years, to specialist modules in your chosen field. Modules Skills Lab Hack Lab and Creative Play From 2D to 3D Developing Visual Skills Narrative and Storytelling People, Pipelines and Productions Prototypes, Concept Development and Design Year Two In year two you will continue to develop the skills and knowledge you’ve learnt. We do this by embedding the following four principles into the curriculum and developing your: Technical skills – digital fluency, backed with the right academic knowledge Study skills – to be an adaptive, independent and proactive learner Professional skills – to have the behaviour and abilities to succeed in your career Global awareness – the beliefs and abilities to be a resilient, confident and motivated global citizen You will develop more advanced knowledge and skills to do with: character design, 3D modelling, and compositing, amongst others. Modules Character Design and Animation Match Moving, Mattes and Compositing Portfolio Development The Creature Workshop Tracking, Rigging and Roto Creative Collaboration Placement Year There’s no better way to find out what you love doing than trying it out for yourself, which is why a work placement* can often be beneficial. Work placements usually occur between your second and final year of study. They’re a great way to help you explore your potential career path and gain valuable work experience, whilst developing transferable skills for the future. If you choose to do a work placement year, you will pay a reduced tuition fee* of £1,250. For more information, please go to the fees and funding section. During this time you will receive guidance from your employer or partner institution, along with your assigned academic mentor who will ensure you have the support you need to complete your placement. Whilst we would like to give you all the information about our placement/study abroad offering here, it is often tailored for each course every year and depending on the length of placement or study abroad opportunities that are secured. Therefore, the placement and study abroad arrangements vary per course and per student. Final Year Year three aims to bring you to the level to enter the world of work by consolidating your knowledge and skills from years one and two. You could also work on a large final project in an area of your interest, with the support of a mentor and your Academic Personal Tutor. You will also have the opportunity to choose between two specialist modules, ‘VFX Technical Direction’ and ‘Fur, Clothing and Hair’. We regularly review our course content, to make it relevant and current for the benefit of our students. For these reasons, course modules may be updated. Before accepting any offers, please check the website for the most up to date course content. For full module details please check the course page on the Coventry University website. *For further information please check the Coventry University website
Assessment method
This course will be assessed using a variety of methods which will vary depending upon the module. In general assessment methods can include: Essays Group work Presentations Reports Projects Coursework Exams Individual Assignments The Coventry University Group assessment strategy ensures that our courses are fairly assessed and allows us to monitor student progression towards achieving the intended learning outcomes.
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
Please select a course option – you will then see the application code you need to use to apply for the course.
Points of entry
The following entry points are available for this course:
- Year 1
Entry requirements
Qualification requirements
UCAS Tariff - 112 points
A level - BBC
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016) - DMM
Access to HE Diploma
Scottish Higher - CCD
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme - 29 points
GCSE/National 4/National 5
All applications are considered on an individual basis and the whole application is reviewed which includes previous and predicted qualifications, experience, reference and your motivation to study the course. The University also accepts the BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate / BTEC Level 3 Subsidiary Diploma and BTEC Level 3 National Diploma / BTEC Level 3 Diploma for entry onto degree programmes, provided that they are studied in combination with other qualifications that total the equivalent of three A2 Levels. This may include subject specific requirements where necessary.
English language requirements
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 |
*This is a provisional fee and subject to change.
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
Provider information
Coventry University
Priory Street
Coventry
CV1 5FB