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Universities in the UK for animation

Hi! I'm currently a student taking the IB Program in Indonesia and is planning to take up animation in the UK due to its living costs not being as expensive as the US. My uni counsellor said that Hertfordshire is really good for 3D animation, but I also saw some people on here saying Bournemouth is the best uni for animation in the UK, but my counsellor said Bournemouth is not really that good. Can someone please offer me some guidance in which universities (because I want to apply to many) are good for animation in the UK? Thank you.
What? Why what’s wrong with those unis and the major?
Original post by Bithiah
Neither are very good unis. Are you sure you want to go into animation....


What? Why what’s wrong with those unis and the major?
Original post by Bithiah
To start with those unis are in the bottom quarter of all uk unis

How so? I’ve searched through the rankings of unis for animation in the uk and those were the top ones?
Original post by evelyn.giovanie
Hi! I'm currently a student taking the IB Program in Indonesia and is planning to take up animation in the UK due to its living costs not being as expensive as the US. My uni counsellor said that Hertfordshire is really good for 3D animation, but I also saw some people on here saying Bournemouth is the best uni for animation in the UK, but my counsellor said Bournemouth is not really that good. Can someone please offer me some guidance in which universities (because I want to apply to many) are good for animation in the UK? Thank you.

I don't think your counsellor knows much about UK animation courses.

What sort of animation are you interested in?
Original post by PQ
I don't think your counsellor knows much about UK animation courses.

What sort of animation are you interested in?more interested in the design part of animation rather than the

You think so? He’s really the only source I go to for advice :frown: and he told me that I cant trust google on rankings for unis because they’re rigged and I guess that is plausible. For between 2D and 3D animation, my friend told me that if possible I should find a course which includes both (for more career opportunities)? But if I had to choose she advised me to pick 3D which i guess makes sense because its used more in today’s industry.
The

Original post by evelyn.giovanie
You think so? He’s really the only source I go to for advice :frown: and he told me that I cant trust google on rankings for unis because they’re rigged and I guess that is plausible. For between 2D and 3D animation, my friend told me that if possible I should find a course which includes both (for more career opportunities)? But if I had to choose she advised me to pick 3D which i guess makes sense because its used more in today’s industry.

Im also more interested in the design part of animation rather than the mathematical side. I saw that Coventry offered Illustration and Animation as one undergraduate degree and thought that having two assets like those would provide me with more career opportunities, but I saw some people saying that course isnt that good...
Original post by evelyn.giovanie
You think so? He’s really the only source I go to for advice :frown: and he told me that I cant trust google on rankings for unis because they’re rigged and I guess that is plausible. For between 2D and 3D animation, my friend told me that if possible I should find a course which includes both (for more career opportunities)? But if I had to choose she advised me to pick 3D which i guess makes sense because its used more in today’s industry.

If you want a balance between 2D and 3D then Bournemouth isn't a good option for you. Their course is 100% computer animation and doesn't cover a broad base (it is an excellent course though).

For a balance then Herts, South Wales and Arts University Bournemouth (not the same as Bournemouth University) are probably the best options (the Herts and South Wales courses ask you to pick a pathway of 2D/3D when you apply but the first year or more covers both and you can swap between pathways). These are the only Screenskills accredited courses that cover a broad base https://www.screenskills.com/courses/search/#/?q=&industries=Animation&coursetypes=Undergraduate&georegions=&pageindex=1&layout=list

Your adviser is right not to rely on league tables - there aren't any genuine league tables for animation (only opinion polls/paid for lists).
Original post by PQ
If you want a balance between 2D and 3D then Bournemouth isn't a good option for you. Their course is 100% computer animation and doesn't cover a broad base (it is an excellent course though).

For a balance then Herts, South Wales and Arts University Bournemouth (not the same as Bournemouth University) are probably the best options (the Herts and South Wales courses ask you to pick a pathway of 2D/3D when you apply but the first year or more covers both and you can swap between pathways). These are the only Screenskills accredited courses that cover a broad base https://www.screenskills.com/courses/search/#/?q=&industries=Animation&coursetypes=Undergraduate&georegions=&pageindex=1&layout=list

Your adviser is right not to rely on league tables - there aren't any genuine league tables for animation (only opinion polls/paid for lists).

Ooo thank you that link is very useful. I saw Teeside and University for the creative arts listed in the link but noticed you didnt mention them in the previous reply, is it because they are not as good as the ones you mentioned?
And by swap pathways from 2D to 3D and vice versa, does that mean I can choose which 2D/3D classes I wanna take whenever i feel like taking them? Or is it not that flexible?
Original post by evelyn.giovanie
Hi! I'm currently a student taking the IB Program in Indonesia and is planning to take up animation in the UK due to its living costs not being as expensive as the US. My uni counsellor said that Hertfordshire is really good for 3D animation, but I also saw some people on here saying Bournemouth is the best uni for animation in the UK, but my counsellor said Bournemouth is not really that good. Can someone please offer me some guidance in which universities (because I want to apply to many) are good for animation in the UK? Thank you.

Hey @evelyn.giovanie,

It's nice to know you're considering Herts as one of your choices! :smile: Our BA (Hons) 3D Computer Animation and Modelling course is an award-winning course! You could either choose to specialise in the more technical side of CG or be a generalist. In 2017, we were listed as the top 5 best schools for animation in the world by the CG Rookies Awards :gthumb:. For 3D animations, we tend to emphasise on creativity, character design, story, cinematography, SFX and composting. Our students frequently win awards - graduate Amelie Talarmain won the Search for a Star 2016 Award for Animation. Needless to say, we have ScreenSkills accreditation and TEF Gold for our teaching quality :eek:. We have excellent facilities to support your learning and you can check out the feedback on student satisfaction at Herts here. If you have any further queries about whether Herts is the right choice for you, or would like to speak to a current student feel free to get in touch again :thumbsup:

Good luck!
Chirasree
Original post by University of Hertfordshire
Hey @evelyn.giovanie,

It's nice to know you're considering Herts as one of your choices! :smile: Our BA (Hons) 3D Computer Animation and Modelling course is an award-winning course! You could either choose to specialise in the more technical side of CG or be a generalist. In 2017, we were listed as the top 5 best schools for animation in the world by the CG Rookies Awards :gthumb:. For 3D animations, we tend to emphasise on creativity, character design, story, cinematography, SFX and composting. Our students frequently win awards - graduate Amelie Talarmain won the Search for a Star 2016 Award for Animation. Needless to say, we have ScreenSkills accreditation and TEF Gold for our teaching quality :eek:. We have excellent facilities to support your learning and you can check out the feedback on student satisfaction at Herts here. If you have any further queries about whether Herts is the right choice for you, or would like to speak to a current student feel free to get in touch again :thumbsup:

Good luck!
Chirasree

Thank you for replying! I have a question regarding the applicants UH is looking for. I read in the guidelines that applicants for 3D computer animation and modelling are expected to have tried out relevant software packages in use for the course. So does this mean UH will only accept applicants for 3D animation who have previously tried out 3D programs such as Autodesk or Maya? Or is having knowledge on how to use the 3D programs not required?

Also, can you please elaborate on what it means to be able to switch pathways between 2D and 3D?
Hello there @evelyn.giovanie,

I currently study BA(Hons) Photography at Plymouth College of Art, which is a specific Art and Design institution. PCA offers a range of courses from Glass to Interior Decoration, Design & Styling, including BA(Hons) Animation. Our course allows you to explore all areas of Animation, including 2D and 3D, as well as allowing you to practise art in a broader sense, with open studios and workshop areas to encourage students to try out other practices (for example, Illustration) as well as the discipline that they study in. Our website gives in-depth information about the course structure and modules, as well as examples of current students work and our Alumni; if you're interested, you can check out the course page here.

Personally, I think that studying at an institution full of artists and designers is wonderful, you always have that in common with the people you pass in the hallways and it definitely gives a great sense of creative community. We are encouraged to explore other areas that we may not have considered before, and we also encouraged to collaborate with students across the college, which might be great for you as you also have that interest in Illustration?). There are lots of other great things about PCA, including the bursary for all students and guaranteed accommodation for first years!

Please let me know if you'd like more information or if you want to know more about my experiences or any general questions, as I am happy to share with you and will try to answer any questions that you may have.

Hope this helps,
Harriet :smile:
Third Year BA(Hons) Photography Student and Student Ambassador at Plymouth College of Art

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