Digital Animation

Digital animation is the art and craft of creating movement in computer-generated imagery, bringing characters, environments and visual ideas to life across film, television, games, advertising, interactive media and emerging platforms such as virtual and augmented reality. The discipline spans 2D and 3D animation traditions, each with its own set of techniques, principles and expressive possibilities. Whether working on character animation, motion graphics, visual storytelling or technical simulation, digital animators combine artistic sensibility with technical precision and an understanding of how movement creates meaning and emotion.

At Birmingham City University you will develop your skills across the full range of digital animation practice, taught by established practitioners who bring direct industry experience to the curriculum. The programme runs full time over three years and includes a sandwich year and work-placement experience, giving you a significant period of professional practice within the animation and creative industries. Working in a real production environment, on real projects with real deadlines and creative standards, is among the most valuable formative experiences available to animation students, and the degree is structured to make this possible.

You will develop competence in 2D and 3D animation principles and workflows, character design and rigging, storytelling and visual development, motion graphics and post-production, working with industry-standard software throughout. You will also build the professional portfolio and showreel that are the primary means by which animation graduates present themselves to employers.

Graduates from digital animation programmes work as animators, character artists, motion graphics designers, technical artists, visual development artists and concept artists across film, television, games, advertising, digital agencies and interactive media companies. The breadth of applications for skilled animators means graduate employment is spread across a wide and growing range of creative industries. Postgraduate study in animation or related creative-technical fields is also an option for those seeking further specialisation.