BA Animation

Year 1

This year is about moving things.

You will be introduced to the theoretical and contextual aspects of design through a series of lectures and seminars.

Studio-based projects will introduce you to the fundamentals of animation by way of short sequential projects. Longer projects will deal with collaborative work with other disciplines. You will also attend regular life drawing classes to develop skills in research and observation.

In Design and Screen Cultures you will address the key histories and theories of design.

Option courses

You will be able to take up to 60 credits of option courses from within ECA or from the wider College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences.

These are subject to availability and discussion with your personal tutor and relevant course organisers.

This offers you the flexibility to construct a suite of courses that reflects your interests and enhances your main study.

Year 2

This year is about moving expressively.

Year 2 focuses on taking the basic theories, practices and technical instruction that has informed your learning until now. These will be expanded to include:

• character
• emotion
• fact
• narrative
• sound

Projects become slightly longer and your animated output will become subtler, and more considered.

Again, alongside Design and Screen Cultures courses, you will be able to choose option courses, subject to availability.

Year 3

This year is about moving somebody else.

The role of animation as a provided service is the emphasis of Year 3.

You will participate in a series of live projects, working with people outside the usual college environment such as:

• commercial and business interests
• creative professionals
• charities
• public bodies
• researchers

Alongside Design and Screen Cultures courses, option courses are available from within the wider College.

Opportunities for study abroad help broaden your understanding of the discipline.

Year 4

Your final year is about moving the masses.

You will showcase your learning through an extended project that will be screened to the public.

Your final project will be a sustained and complex production. It will be negotiated with programme staff, and presented to guests from the animation industry for discussion and critique.

You will also complete a written dissertation.

Programme structure

Find out more about the compulsory and optional courses in this degree programme.

To give you an idea of what you will study on this programme, we publish the latest available information. However, please note this may not be for your year of entry, but for a different academic year.

Programme structure (2021/22)

Our facilities

The animation studio facilities include:

• A CAT 6 LAN for lossless file transfer between cameras and our department server
• Specialist editing suites
• A 270+ core render farm supporting parallel processing of After Effects, Maya and 3DS Max jobs
• Multiple rostrum cameras

You will also have access to four fully equipped stopframe studios, allowing simultaneous production of multiple stopframe films.

Placements

Placements are not a requirement of the Animation programme. However, where the opportunity arises then the programme staff will advise and support you in these extracurricular activities.

Placements are possible within the Year 3 course Animation for Clients.

Study abroad

There are opportunities to study abroad in semester two of Year 3.

What are my options for going abroad?

How will I learn?

Most design teaching and learning is through involvement in a range of experiential courses situated in a studio environment.

Conceptual, material and technical issues are explored through:

• seminars
• workshops
• lectures
• tutorials
• critiques

Your development

We see research, critical thinking, and study of the visual, intellectual, social and professional contexts that shape creative design practice as essential to your development.

These elements are taught through Design and Screen Cultures courses.

This also involves participation in:

• exhibitions
• competitions
• collaborations
• live industry projects

Learning by doing

We place value on learning by doing. You become animators by animating. Independent study is a vital element to develop:

• your own sustainability as a practitioner
• your hopefully unique voice as an animator

How will I be assessed?

We use continuous formative assessment throughout your study. This helps give meaningful feedback and encourages experimentation in the studio and beyond.

Formative assessment for compulsory courses can include:

• portfolio
• presentations
• essays against course learning outcomes

There is a mid-session review, usually at the mid-point of any course you study.

Summative assessment at the end of all courses is informed by your academic and creative progress and performance throughout. Your course grades are calculated through this summative assessment plus a moderation process.

Animation programme students have extensive opportunities to work on live projects with industrial partners alongside their studies.

Where our graduates work

Our graduates have gone on to work for:

• Laika
• Tim Burton
• Aardman
• Ko-Lik Films
• Cartoon Saloon
• Mackinnon & Saunders
• Rock Star North
• Channel 4
• BBC 4
• CBBC and CBeebies

Increasing opportunities

The career options for animators are increasing each year, sometimes in surprising ways. There are opportunities for animators to work in:

• visual effects
• forensic animation
• data visualisation
• video games
• architectural visualisation
• motion graphics
• projection mapping
• pre-visualisation for film
• film, television, advertising and music videos

Many of the essential skills, such as storyboarding, are now directly applicable to a range of design disciplines such as product design, user experience design, and even the design of roller coasters.

Standard entry requirement

The standard entry requirement is:

• SQA Highers: ABBB by end of S5 or AABB/ABBBB by end of S6. BBB must be achieved in one year of S4-S6.
• A Levels: ABB.
• IB: 34 points with 655 at HL.

Minimum entry requirement

The minimum entry requirement for widening access applicants is:

• SQA Highers: ABBB by end of S6. BBB must be achieved in one year of S4-S6.
• A Levels: ABB.
• IB: 34 points with 655 at HL.

More information for widening access applicants

Required subjects

The grades used to meet our entry requirements must include:

• SQA: Highers: no specific Higher subjects required. National 5s: English at C.
• A Levels: no specific A Level subjects required. GCSEs: English at C or 4.
• IB: HL: no specific subjects required. SL: English at 5.

Additional requirements

Mini-portfolio

Applicants will be asked to submit a digital mini-portfolio to provide evidence of artistic aptitude and potential, this will form an important part of the selection process.

Portfolio guidance

Important dates

Dates for the opening of the mini-portfolio submission site, and deadlines for submission, will be posted in March 2021.

BTEC/UAL Diplomas

Applicants studying Pearson BTEC Level 3 Nationals in Art and Design will be considered for entry with the following:

• Pearson BTEC Extended Diploma with DMM.
• Pearson BTEC Diploma with MM plus one A Level at A (or DM plus B at A Level).
• Pearson BTEC Extended Certificate / Subsidiary Diploma with D plus two A Levels at B (or M plus AB at A Level).

Applicants studying the University of the Arts London Level 3 Extended Diploma in Art and Design will be considered with Merit.

Find out more about entry requirements

International applicants

We welcome applications from students studying a wide range of international qualifications.

Entry requirements by country

International Foundation Programme

If you are an international student and your school qualifications are not accepted for direct entry to the University you may be eligible for admission to this degree programme through our International Foundation Programme.

International Foundation Programme

Mature applicants

We welcome applications from mature students and accept a range of qualifications.

Mature applicant qualifications

Entry to the second year is available. Successful completion of a Foundation Diploma (at Merit grade), a relevant HND or equivalent is required. Applicants with a Foundation Diploma will normally be expected to have undertaken these qualifications in addition to having met the first year entry requirements (Highers, A Levels, IB, relevant HNC, etc). In some of our less competitive degrees it may be possible to consider applicants presenting ABC (or equivalent) or above at A Level. These must have been achieved in one set of exams, at first attempt.

A list of accepted HNDs, along with further information for adult returners, can be found on our adult returner page:

Adult returner applicants

(Revised 25/05/2021 to provide more accurate information and link to further details.)

You must demonstrate a level of English language competency at a level that will enable you to succeed in your studies, regardless of your nationality or country of residence.

SQA, GCSE and IB

For SQA, GCSE and IB students, unless a higher level is specified in the stated entry requirements, a pass is required in English at the following grades or higher:

• SQA National 5 at C
• SQA Standard Grade at 3
• SQA Intermediate 1 at A
• SQA Intermediate 2 at C
• GCSE/IGSCE at C or 4
• Level 2 Certificate Grade C
• IB Standard Level at 5 (English ab initio is not accepted for entry)

English language tests

We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:

• IELTS Academic module overall 6.5 with 5.5 in each component.
• TOEFL-iBT (including Special Home Edition) 92 or above with 20 in each section. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
• Cambridge English: Advanced or Proficiency overall 176 with 162 in each component.
• Trinity ISE: ISE II with a distinction in all four components.

We also accept a wider range of international qualifications and tests.

English language qualifications must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of the degree you are applying to study, unless you are using IELTS, TOEFL, or Trinity ISE, in which case it must be no more than two years old.

English language requirements

This information is part of a government initiative to enhance the material that higher education institutions provide about their degree programmes.

It is one of many sources of information which will enable you to make an informed decision on what and where to study.

Please note that some programmes do not have Discover Uni data available.

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees for BA Animation

Additional costs

Field-based projects

In the case of proposed study trips and individual field-based projects, you will usually be required to cover accommodation, subsistence and travel costs.

These activities are optional and usually restricted to the UK and Europe. This helps to keep costs down and ensures students who do not take part are not disadvantaged in their studies.

Materials and equipment

You will be expected to provide your own consumable materials for drawing etc. Your materials costs will vary depending upon how you choose to fulfil the project briefs you are given and your choice of materials.

The programme has access to all the equipment necessary for you to deliver your film projects. However, for convenience, independence, and your future career we would advise you consider purchasing:

• a laptop, see our advice below
• a pegbar, vital for consistent registration of your frames
• a portable USB 3 HDD, for saving and rendering work to
• a decent 3 button mouse, most apps work best with these
• a Wacom Tablet
• a lightbox

Choosing a laptop

Although there are desktop computers widely and freely available at ECA, you will need a laptop if you want to continue working when you aren't in the studio.

You should consider a high-end Mac, dual booted to run both a Windows or Mac operating system. This should enable you to work with whatever software you want.

A good PC can be just as viable and we have no operating system preference within the programme. You should look for RAM and CPU speed as well as hard drive space, which can always be added to.

Funding

For more information on how much it will cost to study with us and the financial support available see our fees and funding information.

Fees and funding

• Enquiry Management Team
• Email: futurestudents@ed.ac.uk