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MA 3D Computer Animation

This Master’s is the perfect launch-pad for a career in a wide range of disciplines, including concept design, character and creature animation, modelling, lighting, rigging, texturing, compositing and simulation.

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  • Delivery:
    Full time according to Funding Council definitions

Why study MA 3D Computer Animation at BU? 

  • Develop the skills to work in a number of areas where computer animation is applied, including films, animated features, computer games, television production, commercials, illustration, scientific visualisation, flight simulation, virtual environments, architectural visualisations and interactive media. 
  • Collaborate with students from across the NCCA Master’s courses providing a realistic setting to discover what it’s like working with other creative and technical people 
  • Attend regular masterclasses and our visiting practitioners lecture series where you’ll learn about the 2D and 3D industry from practising artists and companies, including BU alumni 
  • Undertake a Masters project with dedicated production time to create a substantial and original project in preparation for the degree show attended by top industry recruiters  
  • Study in a professional studio environment, facilities include a full suite of industry-standard 2D and 3D software, a motion capture studio, green screen studio and animation labs. 

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, second in Europe and third internationally (Animation Career Review, 2021).

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.

Take a glimpse at life on Talbot Campus

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The new Poole Gateway Building opened in spring 2020 and provides a range of high-quality technical facilities to support undergraduate and postgraduate courses as well as research. It is used predominantly by students from the Faculty of Science & Technology and the Faculty of Media & Communication, although it’s also open and accessible to students from other faculties.
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Talbot Campus is where you'll find facilities such as The Sir Michael Cobham Library, the Student Centre (where our Students' Union offices are based), the £22 million Fusion Building and the brand new Poole Gateway Building
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Inside the Fusion Building, which features 27 seminar rooms, three lecture theatres, research space, a 24-station PC laboratory, rooftop terraces and numerous catering facilities, topped with a glass-domed roof. The building has achieved an Energy Performance Certificate rating of A and BREEAM Excellent; it features a range of the latest technologies designed to reduce its environmental impact.

Key information

Next start date:

September 2022, September 2023

Location:

Bournemouth University, Talbot Campus

Duration:

1 year full-time including an optional 3-month placement during the Masters 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.

Guest speakers

Over the past five years we have attracted some of the best Visual Effects, Animation and Games studios from around the world to present to our students.

Course details

On this course you will be taught by a range of staff with relevant expertise and knowledge appropriate to the content of the unit. This will include senior academic staff, qualified professional practitioners, demonstrators, technicians and research students. You will also benefit from regular guest lectures from industry.

The course is split into four terms, each lasting ten weeks. The first three terms are the Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip), and the final term is the Master’s term.​

Download the programme specification (pdf 449kb)

Your application

This Masters in 3D computer Animation programme has been specifically designed for students who wish to pursue a career in the field of computer animation, and is the perfect launch-pad for a career in a wide range of disciplines, including concept design, character and creature animation, shader development, groom, modelling, lighting, rigging, texturing, creature FX, real-time visualisation, rendering, look development, compositing and simulation.

Although our graduates work in a wide range of 3D fields, we place particular emphasis on future employability for film, games, television and visualisation. Applicants should be passionate about art, design and technology, whilst remain grounded, personable and determined to learn as much as they can whilst with us.

Entry requirements

Careers

Graduates from our computer animation courses are highly sought after within the industry. Our alumni have worked on many high-profile projects, including movies such as Venom, Paddington 2, Avatar, Star Wars, the Lord of the Rings trilogy, King Kong, Shrek, Guardians of Ga'hoole, the Harry Potter series, Sucker Punch, Happy Feet, Monsters vs Aliens, James Bond and Judge Dredd, among many others.

They have also been involved with the animation for a range of computer games, such as Grand Theft Auto, Crysis 2 and Fable II. Our graduates have worked for a number of the world's top VFX and computer games studios, including Pixar, DreamWorks, EA Games and Sony Picture Image Works.

All information shown has been taken from Destination of Leavers from Higher Education (DLHE) or BU institutional data unless otherwise stated.

Costs and fees

You can find full information about the deposits required and how to pay your fees in our postgraduate fees and funding section, including details of the Postgraduate Loan (subject to fee status).

All fees are quoted in pounds sterling and are per annum. Fees quoted are for tuition only unless stated otherwise. Your tuition fees will be the same for each year of your course.

Find out more about living expenses for postgraduate students

Our staff

On this course you will be taught by staff with relevant expertise and knowledge appropriate to the content of the unit. This could include senior academic staff, qualified professional practitioners and research students, many of whom are actively engaged in research and/or professional practice which is integrated into the teaching of this course. You may  also benefit from guest lectures from industry, including our alumni. Please note that teaching staff can change.

Course changes

What our students say

Emanuel Bonnici

The course is well connected with industry and prepares us for our future careers with visits from industry professionals who share their experiences with us.

Hear from our staff

Steve Harper

We take people from broad backgrounds and introduce them to the wonderful world of computer animation.

Hear from our alumni

Ahmad Habash

The World Health Organisation contacted me after seeing my graduation project and they told me yup, we just want you to do this film for us. That was how it happened.

Statistics shown throughout this page are taken from Unistats and BU institutional data unless otherwise stated.