About Animation BA Honours in Middlesex University

Animation for the modern age

Animation is at the heart of the movie industry, from the latest blockbuster to the small budget indie. Here you will develop your vision as an artist, animator, designer and director, equipping yourself with the essential skills to establish yourself in the animation industry. You'll be encouraged to experiment and be given the space to explore your own creativity and develop your own style. You’ll study across a broad range of animation practice, including traditional and digital 2D, motion graphics and stop motion, as well as 3D computer animation and even working directly onto 16mm film.

Space to develop your own creativity

While studying animation you'll combine both theory and practice to develop your skills and knowledge. In class discussions and lectures, you'll learn about the history of animation, building your understanding of the changing practices of animation and being introduced to new concepts around animation and games.

When it comes to practical work, you'll develop and consolidate your own approach to animation in our state-of-the-art animation studios. Using building your own animated films as part of your portfolio development module. Using industry standard software you'll build and refine your technical skills with a focus on designing and directing your own animated films. You'll also learn storytelling, scriptwriting and characterisation alongside film and sound editing techniques to convey compelling narratives.

You’ll learn alongside our BAFTA winning academic team who all work professionally in film making, each with their own set of skills in long and short animation, commercials, TV shows, motion graphics and music videos. They have worked with companies like Dreamworks, Warner Bros, Cartoon Network and the BBC with nominations and wins across events such as Cannes Film Festival and London International Animation Festival.

What will you study on the BA Animation?

On this course you will study a broad range of animation practice including:

• Traditional 2D: Drawing, Painting, Mixed Media
• Digital 2D: Flash, After Effects, Cel Action, TV Paint and Adobe Photoshop
• Stop Motion: Puppet, Claymation, Cut Out, Sand on Glass, Paint on Glass and Pixilation
• 3D Computer Animation: Cinema 4D and Motion Capture

In your first year you will develop a personal approach to animation and learn to apply an understanding of film language, narrative and the technical processes of animation to the creation of your own animation sequences. You will learn about changing practices in the history of animation and explore and experiment with different forms of graphic media.

In your second year you will further develop your animation practice and begin to identify specific areas of interest. The second year of study gives you the opportunity to refine your technical and problem-solving skills. In the Digital Cultures module you will be introduced to a range of concepts regarding animation in games and play, particularly in relation to computer games.

In your final year you will consolidate your skills to a professional standard and fully prepare for a career in the animation industry, identifying potential career paths and preparing a graduation showreel, portfolio and promotional material.

What will you gain?

You will learn to:

• Research and develop your own ideas and turn them into compelling and emotive screenplays
• Develop strong and believable animated characters that your audience can empathise with
• Explore and experiment with image making as a means to developing a personal visual language
• Effectively use film language to communicate concept, character, personality and emotion
• Plan and manage all aspects of an animation production and deliver on time according to an agreed schedule
• Use film editing techniques to effectively convey concepts and narrative
• Use sound recording and editing techniques to create professional soundtracks for your films.

Minimum 55% or above from a Local Board Examination or its equivalent.

Students must also satisfy our standard English language requirements. 

Required IELTS scores

• Undergraduate (bachelor) programmes - 6.0 (with minimum 5.5 in all components)

Middlesex University Highlights

Middlesex University Average Tuition Fees And Other Expenses

Middlesex University International Student Admissions

Middlesex University accepts students from all around the world and currently has over 160 international partnerships.

Application fee: 40 GBP

Academic Documents:

• Transcripts and certificates of all the educational institutions previously attended by the applicant.
• References
• CV or Resume
• Personal statement
• Language proficiency test scores
• Interviews, portfolio and auditions might also be required for some courses.

The transcripts must be either copy of the original documents on letter headed paper or with a stamp from the academic institution. Applicants must provide their permanent details like post address or email address. If applicants are looking for a research degree, they must also include a research proposal along with their application. This must outline their research plans and highlight which is of research interests them.

English Proficiency Test Score Required for International Students

The applicants whose native language is not English are required to submit one of the following test scores to Middlesex University. The minimum test scores required for both UG and PF courses are as follows:

Visa Process for International Students

• All international applicants need to have the Tier 4 visa clearance for six months.
• Applicant must be at least 16 years old in order to apply for a Tier 4 visa.
• Financial and documentation requirements need to be fulfilled by the applicant.
• Passports, travel documentation and a tuberculosis test result are required when applying for Tier 4 visa.
• A minimum of 40 points are required for Tier 4.
• Out of these 40 points, 30 points are for a valid CAS from a Tier 4 sponsor, which will be Middlesex University.
• 10 points are for financial means for college tuition, living costs and application fee.
• A CAS (Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies) is sent to the applicant when he/she is admitted at the university.
• This CAS contains a reference number that must be stated on the visa application form.
• The validity of the visa depends upon the duration of the course taken by the applicant.