Gain a degree in animation, with an initial foundation year to prepare for the course.
Prepare for the degree with an extra foundation year at the start.
Work across a variety of forms including 2D drawn and digital-based animation, stop motion and 3D CGI animation.
Specialise in your preferred animation discipline for your major project film.
Produce a portfolio of project work to showcase your skills to potential employers.

Learn a broad range of techniques and theoretical knowledge underpinning the form, including storyboarding, life drawing and concept art with this practical animation course. You graduate with the experience necessary to work in the animation industry, or in a wide range of other sectors that require creative professionals with animation skills.

Work placements

You will have the opportunity to arrange a year-long work placement in between your third and fourth years. This gives you a real-world experience to prepare you for your future career.

Field trips

To help create a stimulating environment and to ensure that you gain the latest industry knowledge, you attend animation festival trips, film seminars and guest lectures by industry experts. Our industry links include Aardman, Double Negative, Frame Store, MacKinnon and Saunders, Cartoon Saloon, Finger Industries and Mew Lab.

Competitions

In your fourth year you have the opportunity to submit your work for the Nick Park Award, an annual competition exclusive to Sheffield Hallam students which is judged by the team at Aardman.

All our courses are designed around a set of key principles based on engaging you with the world, collaborating with others, challenging you to think in new ways, and providing you with a supportive environment in which you can thrive.

The course is suitable if you don’t meet the entry requirements for our BA (Hons) Animation course, or you want extra preparation before starting degree-level study. You share the first year with other media arts and communication foundation year students, then move on to the degree.

Throughout the course you will experience a range of teaching methods, from specialist workshops and media labs to lectures and seminars, individual tutorials and group work. You will be able to develop your own area of interest and specialise in your preferred discipline for your major project film (including 2D drawn, stop motion or 3D CGI animation).

You learn through

• coursework
• portfolios
• projects
• written reports
• peer critique groups

In the foundation year, you’ll study wide-ranging media arts and communication topics, while also focussing on your particular subject area and completing assignments in that field. You’ll grow as a creative, and begin developing a professional portfolio. You’ll also become familiar with Hallam’s exceptional facilities and staff, so you’re fully prepared for undergraduate study.

This course prepares you for a career as a

• stop motion animator
• 3D CGI animator
• set designer
• puppet builder
• lighting technician
• texture artist
• modeller
• rigger
• compositor
• producer
• editor
• storyboard artist
• character designer

Previous graduates of BA (Honours) Animation have gone on to work for

• Industrial Light and Magic
• BBC (CBeebies)
• Double Negative
• Warner Brothers studios

 

UCAS points

• 80

With at least 32 points from one A level or equivalent BTEC National qualifications. For example:

• CDD at A Level.
• MMP in BTEC Extended Diploma.
• A combination of qualifications which must include an A level grade C or BTEC grade M.

GCSE

• English Language or Literature at grade C or 4 or equivalents*
• Maths at grade C or 4 or equivalents*

You can find information on making sense of UCAS tariff points here and use the UCAS tariff calculator to work out your points.p>

• An Access to HE Diploma with at least 45 credits at level 3 and 15 credits at level 2. At least 15 level 3 credits must be at merit grade or above from a QAA-recognised Access to HE course, or an equivalent Access to HE certificate.

We may also accept you, if you have limited qualifications but can show evidence of ability and a genuine commitment to studying Media Arts and Communication.

We treat the foundation year as part of the Media Arts and Communication degree programme. Offers made to students will be for four years of study (or five years of study including a placement). This is made up of the foundation year plus one of our Media Arts and Communication degrees.

Some applicants may be invited to attend an informal interview with the course leader to ensure that the programme is suitable for themselves and their aspirations.

If English is not your first language, you will need an IELTS score of 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in all skills, or equivalent. If your English language skill is currently below IELTS 6.0 we recommend you consider a Sheffield Hallam University Pre-sessional English course which will enable you to achieve an equivalent English score.

Please note the University will only admit students who are aged 18 or over at the point of enrolment.

Important notice:

The structure of this course is periodically reviewed and enhanced to provide the best possible learning experience for our students and ensure ongoing compliance with any professional, statutory and regulatory body standards. Module structure, content, delivery and assessment may change, but we expect the focus of the course and the learning outcomes to remain as described above. Following any changes, updated module information will be published on this page.

You will be able to complete a placement year as part of this course. See the modules table below for further information.

 

Year 1 Compulsory modules
Module	Credits	Assessment
Creative Synergies In Media Production	40	Coursework
Media In Context	20	Coursework
Media Project	40	Coursework
Preparing For Independent Practice And Study	20	Coursework

 

Year 2 Compulsory modules
Module	Credits	Assessment
2D Animation Foundation	20	Coursework
Animation Analysis	20	Coursework
Cgi Animation Foundation	20	Coursework
Creative Challenges	20	Coursework
Drawing For Animation	20	Coursework
Stop Motion Animation Foundation	20	Coursework

 

 

Year 3 Compulsory modules
Module	Credits	Assessment
Level 5 Live Industry Project	20	Practical
Showreel Project	60	Coursework
Visual Storytelling	40	Coursework

 

Year 4 Optional modules
Module	Credits	Assessment
Placement Year

 

Final Year Compulsory modules
Module	Credits	Assessment
Dissertation	20	Coursework
Major Animation Project	80	Coursework

 

Elective modules
Module	Credits	Assessment
Life Drawing	20	Coursework
Sound Design And Sonic Arts Practice	20	Coursework
Visual Effects Project	20	Coursework