Animation

Animation is one of the most technically and creatively demanding disciplines within the visual arts. It requires the animator to master not only the craft of movement and timing but also the storytelling, character design, visual world-building, and production knowledge that bring sequences to life. From hand-drawn and stop-motion traditions to 3D computer animation and motion graphics, the field encompasses a wide range of practices, all of which share the fundamental challenge of creating the illusion of life through sequential images.

The three-year full-time Animation programme at London College of Communication, part of the University of the Arts London, situates your practice within a vibrant creative institution in one of the world's most significant media cities. You will develop skills across the spectrum of animation practice, learning to work with both analogue and digital methods and building the production knowledge needed to take a project from concept through to finished work. The programme includes a sandwich year and a work placement, giving you substantial professional experience within the animation, games, visual effects, or broadcast industries before you complete your degree.

This time in industry sharpens your understanding of how professional studios operate, what employers and clients actually need, and how to develop and present your work effectively in a commercial context.

You will study animation history and theory alongside practical studio work, developing a critical perspective on the form and an understanding of how animation has been used across advertising, film, television, games, art, and social media. The London environment provides immediate access to studios, festivals, and industry networks that most other locations cannot offer.

Graduates from animation programmes pursue careers as animators, character designers, motion graphics artists, visual effects artists, and directors in film, television, games, advertising, and digital media. Many also work as independent artists or go on to postgraduate study in animation or related creative fields.