Curious about studying Animation - BA (Hons)at University of Staffordshire? We've gathered all the key details—entry requirements, modules, fees, and more. Hear from real students by checking out reviews, or take the next step by booking an open day to explore it for yourself.
Bachelor of Arts (with Honours) - BA (Hons)
Stoke-on-Trent Campus
Full Time
Sep 2026
3 Year
From Wallace and Gromit through to The Lion King and Kung Fu Panda, animation has been the creative force behind countless hit movies. Now you can pursue your own career as a character animator by taking our BA (Hons) in Animation. It’s an ideal platform for working in feature or short film production, games, VFX, advertising or other creative industries. Our focus on employability skills means you’ll develop a professional showreel. We’ll also give you lots of other opportunities, such as entering competitions like the RTS Awards and British Animation Awards, attending public screening events, and visiting studios and galleries. We also work with animation festivals, giving you the chance to exhibit your projects. During the first year, you will cover a wide range of animation techniques, including 2D digital, 3D digital, stop motion, motion capture and the growing trend for hybrid animation. You can then specialise as you progress through the course. Drawing skills are at the heart of animation and are highly sought after by industry. We’ll get you involved in lots of observational drawing to help you understand depth, pose and other artistic concepts. We’ll also cover life sculptures so you can develop a character from clay through to CGI. Other skills include 3D modelling, compositing, keyframe animation, character design and environmental design. For stop motion, you’ll learn all about casting, armature building and fabricating puppets. And you’ll explore animation rigging, which involves constructing digital skeletons of characters to introduce movement, performance and the ability to talk realistically. You could be collaborating with students from across the Media, Performance and Communication department, including sound designers, musicians, actors and visual effects specialists. Our collaborative work involves industry as well. We have global connections with brands like Aardman, Pixar, Walt Disney, Nickelodeon, Blue Zoo and Carse & Waterman. Guest speakers have included voice artist Marc Silk, who has worked on Star Wars films and voiced Johnny Bravo for the Cartoon Network; BAFTA and Emmy award-winning animator and director Joanna Quin; and Tab Murphy, screenwriter of Disney’s Hunchback of Notre Dame and Atlantis: The Lost Empire. The degree also delves into the history of animation and how it has evolved over time. This will help deepen your appreciation for animation’s impact and significance in the world of performance and storytelling. Throughout your studies, you’ll have access to industry-standard software, including Maya, Toon Boom Harmony, Adobe Animate and Dragonframe. Our well-equipped studios feature Cintiq suites for 2D and 3D digital content, a 4K editing suite, sound recording booths and VR suites. We also have a motion capture studio, virtual studio, high-definition cameras and LED lighting, stop motion rooms and a dedicated life drawing room. And you’ll benefit from the extensive expertise of our academic staff, who have worked in CGI, stop motion and the commercial sector. We also have a technician who offers valuable assistance in sessions and is your go-to person if you need support with practical work or software-based projects. With so much support, you’ll be industry-ready by the time you graduate. On successful completion of study, we will issue the following award: BA (Hons) Animation with the option of achieving a specialism in 2D Digital Animation, 3D Digital Animation, Computer Games Animation or Stop Motion Animation.
How do animated characters express personality, emotion, and story for different audiences? In this module, youll design, develop, and animate characters for short narrative performance scenarios. Youll explore character design, storyboarding, movement, environments, sound, and lip-sync across 2D, 3D, and stop motion workflows. By focusing on audience-led storytelling and performance, youll build practical and creative skills that strengthen your progression through the course and prepare you for character-driven animation practice in professional contexts.
Ever wondered how animated characters come to life across 2D, 3D, and stop motion? In this module, youll explore the core principles and production processes that underpin animation practice. Youll develop skills in drawing, sculpture, timing, movement, camera, lighting, and digital workflows, while working with industry-standard tools and software. Through hands-on experimentation and analysis, youll learn how ideas move from concept to screen. This module builds essential creative and technical foundations that support your progression across the course and towards professional animation practice.
This introductory contextual module enables you to explore diverse cultural identities and examine how they influence creative expression. You will choose a topic related to your discipline and undertake guided research that informs the development of a creative artefact or technical output using materials and processes of your choice. Through investigating and celebrating cultural identities, you will develop a stronger understanding of the relationship between culture and creative practice, supporting your transition into higher-level study.
How can creative practice respond responsibly to the challenges facing society today? This module introduces you to key social issues and explores how culture and creative work can reflect, question, and respond to them. You may investigate topics such as sustainability and climate change, inequality, representation, migration, or social justice. Working in a small group, you will create a sustainable and ethical creative project informed by research and contextual understanding. Through reflection, you will develop teamwork, communication, and critical thinking skills that support your growth as a socially aware creative practitioner.
What does it take to produce polished, professional character animation for the screen? In this module, youll develop refined narrative animation performances by designing, building, and animating original characters and scenes using industry-focused production pipelines. Youll specialise in two animation routes across 2D, 3D, or stop motion, strengthening your skills in movement, performance, and lip-sync. The module supports your progression towards advanced animation practice and prepares you for professional, production-ready workflows within your degree.
Dreaming of being a showrunner on your own animated series in the future? This module gives you the skills and knowledge to start that journey by teaching you how to professionally develop and present original animation concepts. Youll explore story, character, world-building, and visual style through industry-standard pre-production and previs methods, using digital and physical tools to test ideas and communicate them clearly. The module supports your creative progression across the course and prepares you for professional pitching, portfolio, and industry-facing practice.
How do creative teams tackle real-world problems together?In this module, youll collaborate in interdisciplinary teams to explore themed, problem-based projects that respond to contemporary social and cultural challenges. Youll develop collaborative, reflective and creative thinking skills through teamwork, co-design and professional-style project processes. By engaging with diverse perspectives and working across creative disciplines, youll gain insight into your own strengths and contributions, supporting your development as a confident, adaptable creative practitioner within your overall qualification and future career.
Is there an area of cultural production that you are passionate about, and you want to find out more? This module gives you that opportunity to conduct a significant critical investigation to explore an aspect of creative practice and culture more deeply than you have before. Whether you produce a written report, an audio essay, or an interactive digital publication, the process that you follow in this module will enable you to further enhance your critical thinking, communication, and problem-solving skills, and ultimately help you to gain a better understanding of your specialist field.
This module will directly build upon the fundamental skills and knowledge acquired in Drawing for Animation: 1 (Human). By gaining a better understanding of animal anatomy and animal motion, it will help you become a better animator. Furthermore, the greater your understanding of animal motion and anatomy the better your designs, understanding of movement and imagined creations will become. You will demonstrate growing skill and discipline in observation, analysis and expression, allowing you to develop an individual approach to drawing and animation with an increased ability to articulate weight, volume and believability of motion.
In this module, you explore career pathways, enterprise opportunities, and the expectations of the creative and cultural sectors. Youll learn how to communicate your ideas professionally, develop your portfolio, and build skills in networking, planning, and self-promotion. Through investigating different professional contexts, youll identify where your strengths and personal style fit within the wider landscape of employment, freelance work, or postgraduate progression. By the end, youll feel more confident, independent, and ready to take informed next steps towards your chosen creative career.
CCC Grades/points required
Not currently available, please Contact University for up to date information.
4.2
