Why study MA 3D Computer Animation at BU? 

  • Industry-Ready Skills: Develop skills for a variety of fields including films, games, TV, commercials, scientific visualisation, virtual environments, and more, ensuring you're prepared for diverse career opportunities
  • Collaborative Learning: Collaborate with students across NCCA Master’s courses and attend masterclasses and lectures from industry professionals and BU alumni from leading companies such as Disney Animation Studios, Pixar, Framestore, and Industrial Light & Magic
  • State-of-the-Art Facilities: Study in a professional studio environment with industry-standard 2D and 3D software, motion capture studio, green screen studio, and animation labs
  • Strong Industry Links: Benefit from our connections with top VFX and animation studios like Pixar, DreamWorks, EA Games, and Sony Picture Image Works. Complete a Master’s project with dedicated production time, showcased at a degree show in London attended by top industry recruiters
  • Recognised Excellence: Our Houdini and Rookies certifications highlight the quality of our courses, ensuring our students are highly sought after by industry leaders
  • BFX Festival: Participate in the annual BFX Festival hosted by Bournemouth University, featuring a week-long schedule of inspiring talks, panels, and masterclasses delivered by industry experts, fostering the next generation of artists, technicians, and engineers. 

Find out more about the content of this course.

Study at the National Centre for Computer Animation (NCCA)

The NCCA is one of the most established and highly regarded centres for computer graphics and animation education and research. As one of very few research-intensive animation centres in the UK, our expertise not only ensures our courses remain at the forefront of education, but also helps to define new industry practices. 

The NCCA is ranked as the UK’s top animation school, third in Europe and fourth internationally (Animation Career Review 2024 International Animation School Rankings).

This course is industry-recognised by ScreenSkills, the industry-led skills body for the UK’s screen-based industries, and carries the ScreenSkills Select quality-mark which indicates courses best suited to prepare students for a career in the screen industries.

ScreenSkills Select logo

Watch our playlist of students’ work to see what you could be creating on this course.

Key information

Next start date:

September 2025, September 2026

Location:

Bournemouth University, Talbot Campus

Duration:

1 year full-time including an optional 3-month placement during the Master's Portfolio unit

Accreditations:

ScreenSkills

Entry requirements:

A Bachelors Honours degree with 2:2 in any subject. A portfolio is also required in support of your application. For more information see our full entry requirements.

International entry requirements:

If English is not your first language IELTS (Academic) 6.5 with a minimum of 6.0 in each component of writing, speaking, listening and reading. For more information see our full entry requirements.