Course summary

Once you already have a good CGI foundation, either from our own 3D CGI Foundation Degrees, or CGI courses such as FdSc, FdA and HND at other institutions, this top-up course gives you the chance to develop specialist skills and a high level of creative awareness. This course aims to develop and nurture up-to-date talents that will help your future career progress quickly. Our assessment is all coursework based and we operate in a studio environment with small groups of students. Art is taught throughout, whatever your level, to encourage creativity and visual communication. There is an individual project element to every year which helps you build a good portfolio for future interviews. Our Industry Partners are heavily involved in the course, providing some of our assignment briefs, feedback on presentation panels and guest lectures as well as being influential in the design and development of the course content. This means you get the most up-to-date career-relevant input possible. We offer excellent facilities with 5 hi-spec computer suites with the latest versions of industry standard software and cutting edge resources including two inertial motion capture suits, a hand-held 3D laser scanner, photogrammetry equipment, a green studio and 340-core render farm – all of which are incorporated in our coursework and available to students for use in projects. Course Content On this course you will be encouraged to develop specific skills in one of two areas, Architectural Visualisation or 3D Character Design and Animation, as well as developing a high level of technical knowledge and creativity through a major piece of project work. Architectural Visualisation options will bring a deeper understanding of architectural styles and structural requirements as well as image composition, photography and colour to ensure you have a fully rounded approach to image creation. This will be complemented by technologies such as virtual reality and game engine visualisation methods which are emerging into the arch vis field, and large scene capture techniques for scanning buildings and cities. Character Design and Animation options will develop your ability to apply anatomical knowledge to 3D character models as well as creating extra depth to characters with back-stories and the use of silhouettes as emotive triggers - important principles for character designers. You will use the most current techniques for converting character ideas into fully animatable characters including digital sculpting, retopology, photogrammetry and 3D scanning. BSc Units - Level 6 Project 3 Evaluative Research Data Capture Visual Production and VFX Organic and Technical Animation or Architectural Visualisation Techniques Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the programme specification, the information is liable to change to take advantage of exciting new approaches to teaching and learning as well as developments in industry. We offer excellent facilities with hi-spec computer suites with the latest versions of industry standard software and cutting edge resources including real-time rendering, motion capture body suits, a green studio and render farm – all of which are incorporated in our courses and available to students for use in projects. In order for us to make an informed decision, as part of your application you may be asked for examples or a link to your portfolio of work.