Bachelor of Arts (Honours) - Digital Animation

The BA Digital Animation programme is designed to develop students’ skills across contemporary animation practices, with a focus on both 2D and 3D disciplines. Teaching is delivered by experienced practitioners, providing insight into current industry techniques and creative approaches. As part of Birmingham City University’s Film suite, the course combines theoretical knowledge with practical application, preparing graduates to work within a rapidly evolving animation and screen industries landscape. Students build a strong foundation in core artistic principles, including anatomy, gesture, pose, weight distribution, perspective, and composition, and learn how these underpin effective animation practice. The programme also covers the 12 principles of animation, enabling students to create engaging and dynamic animated performances. The course introduces industry-standard project management processes and production pipelines, reflecting professional workflows used in animation studios. Students can tailor their studies through pathways such as Film and Television or Games and Interactive, depending on their interests and career goals. Throughout the course, students produce a range of practical work, which may include storyboards and story reels, animation exercises, performance pieces, specialist portfolios and showreels, collaborative short films, and game animation assets developed using industry-standard engines such as Unity and Unreal. This combination of creative, technical, and professional skills prepares graduates for a range of roles within the animation and wider creative industries. To enhance employability, students have the opportunity to undertake an optional professional placement year between the second and third years of study. This placement, which students are responsible for securing with support from university staff, provides valuable experience in industrial or research settings, although it is not guaranteed. Students who undertake a placement year can transfer to the relevant course pathway and will pay a reduced fee during this period.