Animation

Animation is an art form that creates the illusion of movement through the sequential presentation of images, and in its contemporary forms it encompasses everything from hand-drawn character animation and stop-motion to three-dimensional computer-generated imagery and motion graphics. It is a discipline that requires both creative imagination and technical mastery, and both the patience to build complex visual sequences frame by frame and the ability to work collaboratively within the structures of a production pipeline. Animation is central to film, television, advertising, games, and interactive media, making it one of the most widely practised and economically significant of the visual arts.

At the University of Westminster this three-year programme develops your imaginative and creative skills alongside a thorough knowledge of animation processes, techniques, and critical theory. You will work across a range of approaches and technologies, developing your own artistic practice while understanding the broader history and theory of the form. The course includes a sandwich year, a year abroad, and work placement experience, which means your three years of formal study are supplemented by genuine professional exposure and an international dimension.

The placement and sandwich experience allow you to develop industry relationships and professional skills before you graduate, which is highly valued in a field where portfolio and personal connections matter as much as qualification.

Animation graduates work in film and television production, visual effects, games design, advertising, interactive media, and the digital arts. Roles include character animator, motion designer, visual effects artist, storyboard artist, and technical director. The London location of Westminster provides strong connections to the UK's significant animation and visual effects industry.

Further study at postgraduate level in animation, visual effects, or related fields is an option for those wishing to deepen their specialism, and many graduates use the placement experience to move directly into professional practice in the studios they worked with during their degree.