Animation at Manchester Met

Hi guys,
I've just received all my offers from universities to study animation and now I need to make some decisions. I'm seriously considering accepting my offer from Manchester Met however I'm torn between that and the University of Edinburgh. Can anyone give me any insight to what the teaching/course is like, rough class sizes and whether there's a particular focus on one kind of animation (e.g. 2D drawn animation or stop motion) or whether you're encouraged to try many different types?
Thank you

HI @zimz212

Congratulations on receiving offers from us and The University of Edinburgh Whoo!

We understand it can be hard to decide which university you would like to go to! I graduated from Manchester Met in 2019 and although I did not study Animation I truly loved my time there and now I work in the course enquiries team. I thought it might be of some help if I tell you a bit more about Manchester Met.

Our Manchester Met campus is based right in the city centre and is only a short walk/bus ride to many local attractions in Manchester. We have elite sports, a legendary music scene and a rich cultural history. From our fashion-forward shopping to our restaurants that serve food from every corner of the globe, you’ll never run out of reasons to love Manchester. The city is a hotbed for media and creativity, and a growing powerhouse driven by science, engineering and big business.

Students who will study on our BA(Hons) Animation course in September 2021 will be based in our School of Digital Arts. The School of Digital Arts is a purpose-built, interdisciplinary school at one of the UK’s leading universities.
It is a £35m investment into the workspaces, networks, teaching and research that will drive ideas and innovation across all forms of creative content – a new School of Digital Arts.

Our brand new building has been specially designed for us, now and in the future. Offering spaces for collaboration and innovation, through to state of the art facilities, the building has been created with the capability to adapt and respond to emerging technologies. The building has been designed with the needs of all our courses in mind. Not only will our students have access to the latest technologies but also the shared work and social spaces, such as the double-height digital hall and village green, offer the opportunity for innovative collaborations. Specialist facilities include a digital innovation and UX lab, film studios, green screens, edit suites, sound, music and production studios, a screening room, and a gallery. You can view all of the new facilities here: https://www.schoolofdigitalarts.mmu.ac.uk/facilities/

As an Animation student, you will work across a range of creative practices – just as the professionals do – to collaborate on cross-disciplinary group projects, alongside photographers, sound engineers, filmmakers, games and media professionals. And, just as we mirror industry practices, we also work with industry-standard tools – learning within a brand new, purpose-built building that comes equipped with the latest emerging technologies for animation, filmmaking and more.

Manchester offers an ideal setting as an animation student. A global, creative city, it has a long-established history of animation and is home to Cosgrove Hall Films – creators of numerous children’s animations and whose company founders were both students of Manchester Metropolitan University. Today the city has a thriving industry, with a significant TV, film and digital production presence at MediaCityUK, which is home to the BBC, ITV and a host of independent media companies, all of which offer you some inspiring opportunities.

On the course, we have a wide variety of units in which you will explore different techniques, approaches and styles, as well as delving into the practicalities of working in the creative industries. You will have a mix of taught sessions and practical assignments, giving you the opportunity to work with a variety of digital artists and creative specialists – not only helping you develop your skills, but also your industry network. The course also features a series of guest lectures, letting you hear from high-profile professionals from a range of animation practices as well as the wider field of digital arts.

You can find more information or course unit and content here:https://www.mmu.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/course/ba-animation/#course-information

You may find it useful to chat with one of our current Students on our Access Platform. Students can chat with you about student life and what it is like studying courses at Manchester Met https://www.mmu.ac.uk/chatwithus/

Sorry if I have thrown a lot of information at you! I hope you are able to find some of it useful and gain some further insight into Manchester Met.

Best of luck
Carly

Hi Carly
I hope you dont mind me asking, I applied to do film through UCAS (and have got offers for all my choices)but i am having a change of heart and thinking Id prefer to do animation. Do you know if there is anyway of applying to get into Manchester animation for this year through clearing even if I have offers for other choices?
Sam

Hi @samfried202. If the course is available through Clearing, then you are welcome to apply. We may make you an offer, but if you have other offers, you will need to contact them and decline them.

I hope this helps, best wishes,

Jacob

Thanks Jacob. Its a bit nerve wracking declining all the offers but i guess its better than starting the wrong course.