Animation

Animation is a discipline that combines artistic vision with technical execution to create the illusion of movement and life in drawn, computer-generated, or stop-motion imagery. It is a field with an extraordinary range of applications, from feature films and television series to video games, advertising, medical visualisation, and immersive digital art. What unites these diverse forms is the animator's fundamental challenge: to understand movement, timing, weight, and emotion well enough to convince an audience that something is alive and believable, whether that something is a cartoon character, a realistic human figure, or an abstract shape.

At Derby this programme includes a foundation year, which provides a preparatory stage to develop your artistic and technical foundations before you enter the main degree. A year abroad and a sandwich year are also available within the four-year structure, and work placement experience is embedded in the programme. You will experiment with the latest digital software and develop your understanding of the core principles of animation, from squash and stretch and anticipation through to timing and staging.

The programme produces distinctive animated films as a central form of creative output, encouraging you to develop your own visual voice and aesthetic sensibility rather than simply replicating existing styles. You will work in newly refurbished, dedicated production studio facilities with experienced teaching staff whose backgrounds reflect professional industry practice.

Professional awareness is developed throughout the degree alongside creative and technical skills, preparing you to understand how the industry works and how to present your work effectively to employers and clients.

Graduates move into careers in film and television animation, visual effects, game design, motion graphics, advertising, and digital media production. Many build freelance or portfolio careers combining commissioned work with personal projects. Further study options include postgraduate programmes in animation, visual effects, or related creative disciplines.