Animation BA (Hons)
Course Code
UCAS Code: WW27
International Code: AHU059
Location
Coventry University (Coventry)
Study mode
Full-time
Sandwich
Duration
3 years full-time
4 years full-time with study abroad / professional placement
Start date
September 2022
Course overview
Study level: Undergraduate
The BA Animation at Coventry University is for storytellers and artists who want to bring life to their creations through the application of movement.
- For an artist who feels driven towards character-based narrative, nowhere is this more refined than in animation. By the end of the course, our aim is that you will be confident to engage with the industry across the diverse roles associated within the subject area.
- Our graduates will be expected to work as 3D animators, 2D animators, riggers, modellers, character designers, environment artists, story boarders, animation directors, writers and comic artists.
- The course cultivates a form of teaching where students experiment, exercise and practise. Our students explore, experiment and design with both analogue (drawing and primary visual research) and digital technologies and generate outcomes in 3D and 2D.
- The Animation team fosters inclusivity in character development and narrative, drawing upon the traditions of cultures from around the globe, both contemporary, historical and mythological, with considerations of race, age, gender, disability and variety of body type.

Global Ready
An international outlook, with global opportunities
Teaching excellence
Taught by lecturers who are experts in their field
Employability
Career ready graduates, with the skills to succeedWhy you should study this course
From the outset, this course gives you the opportunity to create a highly creative portfolio relevant to your chosen area of creative practice. Other benefits include the following:
- The outward facing nature of the course. Professional practice is a key component of the course with scope to undertake placements and briefs that respond to the needs of the creative industries.
- A flexible approach enabling you to individually develop your creative practice and portfolio towards a wide range of potential career paths.
- Opportunity to develop skills and experiment with a wide range of technology and traditional media.
- Opportunity to take a placement or study abroad year (subject to additional costs).
- Teaching staff are industry experienced practitioners and/or research active. Staff have worked for a wide range of clients and on major arts funded projects. Staff bring this experience into the teaching environment through practical teaching activities and project work that is core to the curriculum - it also helps to maintain currency and professional alignment to course content. Staff maintain a continuous relationship with industry and have a significant and growing portfolio of collaborative and industry-focused projects that inspire student research and development activities.
More than just a degree
Studying animation has helped me with numerous things. But the one thing that stands out the most is that it guided me out of my comfort zone. This helped me find my own style of drawing and approach to animating my characters which I’m truly grateful for. This method and study helped make my portfolio more diverse and unique which got me where I am today.

What you'll study
This exciting course aims to keep you up to date with the latest industry developments and encourages you to enhance your abilities to respond to creative briefs. We adopt a diverse learning approach, familiarising you with a wide range of software packages, digital and physical production, character design and animatics.
Our current links with local, regional, national media industries, including companies like The Walt Disney Company, ITV and Aardman Animations, provide numerous opportunities for location work, site visits and talks by visiting media professionals, together with live projects and a professional experience scheme. In short, you’ll be taught to tell interesting stories and distribute those stories to the largest possible audience.
We regularly review our course content, to make it relevant and current for the benefit of our students. For these reasons, course modules may be updated.
How you'll learn
Each year builds upon the previous one to allow you to enhance your abilities to respond to creative briefs with an increasing focus on your plans beyond graduation. The course responds to developments in the industry and this is supported not only by the expertise of the teaching staff and contextual studies lectures, but with the input of experts from the creative industries in the form of visiting lectures and externally generated briefs.
Teaching is a mixture of lecture, seminars, workshops and tutorials with an emphasis on conceptual development, skills acquisition and an increased awareness of the expectations of professional creative practice.
The modules are designed to enable practical skills acquisition, experimentation and risk taking, confidence with processes and the development of conceptual development skills.
In a typical teaching week, you will have approximately 17 ‘contact’ hours of teaching. Typically this might include some or a combination of the following:
- Lectures
- Seminars
- Studio Practice
- Workshops
- Personal and group tutorials
- Online teaching delivery
Assessment
This course will be assessed using a variety of methods which will vary depending upon the module. Assessment methods include practical project work, presentations and written work.
The Coventry University Group assessment strategy ensures that our courses are fairly assessed and allows us to monitor student progression towards achieving the intended learning outcomes.
International experience opportunities
Our sandwich degree option allows a full-year placement, which can be taken abroad. The art and design course teams work hard to ensure that all students have the opportunity to widen their cultural understanding and feed their creative research through travel. Our students have gone on study trips to Lisbon, Barcelona, Paris and Copenhagen (subject to additional costs). These experiences often underpin independent projects and allow you to gain confidence in travelling abroad.
Entry requirements
Fees and funding
2022/23 Tuition fees
Student | Full time | Part time |
---|---|---|
UK | £9,250 per year | Not available |
International | £18,050 per year | Not available |
For advice and guidance on tuition fees and student loans visit our Undergraduate Finance page and see The University’s Tuition Fee and Refund Terms and Conditions.
We offer a range of International scholarships to students all over the world. For more information, visit our International Scholarships page.
Tuition fees cover the cost of your teaching, assessments, facilities and support services. There may be additional costs not covered by this fee such as accommodation and living costs, recommended reading books, stationery, printing and re-assessments should you need them. Find out what's included in your tuition costs.
Facilities
Coventry University is home to superb facilities and our new Arts and Humanities building is set to open in 2022. With access to industry-standard software, workshops and studio environments, you’ll gain practical experience through a mix of in-house assignments, self-initiated tasks, national and international competition opportunities, project briefs and concept visualisation briefs.
We have a thriving studio culture with dedicated workspaces for all students in purpose-built studios with permanent exhibition displays, supported by wide-ranging technical facilities in both traditional and new technologies. In our Media Loan shop, you will have access to a range of photographic and media resources.
Fashion studios
You will have access all kinds of industry-grade equipment* for a range of textiles: from laser cutting, digital embroidery, sonic wielding and screen printing, to manufacturing tools for accessories, embroidery and garments.
Clay studio
In our clay studio*, your ideas become realised by using technological software and clay. Here you can create whatever you imagine, whether that’s an animated character, a sleek car design or theatre props.

Games Technology laboratory
Our gaming lab is a technological paradise, equipped with high-end gaming PCs that have all of the industry-standard software necessary for your course*. It also houses virtual reality game development and motion capture technology.
Careers and opportunities
Graduates are expected to work as animators, graphic novel artists, environment artists and storyboard artists as well as pursuing careers in teaching and study at postgraduate level. Many graduates return to share their experiences and advice as visiting lecturers and continue to support the next generation of Animation students.
Where our graduates work
After studying, students go on to work in the following areas: fashion, advertising, comic books, tv and film production, children’s picture books, textiles and homewares design, artists, art direction, games art and animation, teaching and study at postgraduate level.
Further study
You can choose to continue your studies at Coventry University with the Illustration and Animation MA. You may be entitled to an alumni discount on your fees if you decide to extend your time with us by progressing from undergraduate to postgraduate study.
How to apply
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UK Students
Full-time students applying to start in September should apply for this course through UCAS. Part-time students should apply directly to the university. Read our application pages to find out your next steps to apply.
For further support or more information about your course get in touch with us today.
Chat with our admissions team
Complete our contact form.
-
International Students
Full-time students applying to start in September should apply directly to the university. Read our application pages to find out your next steps to apply.
How to applyFor further support for international applicants applying for an undergraduate degree view our International hub.
You can also download our International guide which contains lots of useful information about our courses, accommodation and tips for travel.
Get in touch with us today for further advice and guidance.
Chat with our admissions team.
Complete our contact form.
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Disclaimer
Student Contract
By accepting your offer of a place and enrolling with us, a Student Contract will be formed between you and the university. A copy of the 2021/22 Contract can be found here. The Contract details your rights and the obligations you will be bound by during your time as a student and contains the obligations that the university will owe to you. You should read the Contract before you accept an offer of a place and before you enrol at the university.
Tuition fees
The tuition fee for the course that is stated on the course webpage and in the prospectus for the first year of study will apply. We will review our tuition fees each year. For UK and EU students, if Parliament permit an increase in tuition fees, we may increase fees for each subsequent year of study in line with any such changes. Note that any increase is expected to be in line with inflation. Following the UK’s exit from the European Union, EU students should be aware that there may be a change to UK laws following the UK’s exit, this may change their student status, their eligibility to study part time, and/or their eligibility for student finance. We will act in accordance with the UK’s laws in force in relation to student tuition fees and finance from time to time.
For International students the tuition fee that is stated on the course webpage and in the prospectus for the first year of study will apply. We will review our tuition fees each year. For international students, we may increase fees for each subsequent year of study but such increases will be no more than 5% above inflation.
Accreditations
The majority of our courses have been formally recognised by professional bodies, which means the courses have been reviewed and tested to ensure they reach a set standard. In some instances, studying on an accredited course can give you additional benefits such as exemptions from professional exams (subject to availability, fees may apply). Accreditations, partnerships, exemptions and memberships shall be renewed in accordance with the relevant bodies’ standard review process and subject to the university maintaining the same high standards of course delivery.
Facilities
Facilities mentioned on this page may not be relevant for every course. Due to the ongoing restrictions relating to COVID-19, some facilities (including some teaching and learning spaces) and some non-academic offerings (particularly in relation to international experiences), may vary from those advertised and may have reduced availability or restrictions on their use.
Placements and study abroad opportunities
Please note that we are unable to guarantee any placement or study abroad opportunities and that all such opportunities may be subject to additional costs (e.g. travel, visas and accommodation etc.), competitive application, availability and/or meeting any applicable visa requirements. To ensure that you fully understand the requirements in this regard, please contact the International Office for further details if you are an EU or International student.
Additional costs
This course may incur additional costs associated with any field trips, placements or work experience, study abroad opportunities or any other opportunity (whether required or optional), which could include (but is not limited to), equipment, materials, bench fees, studio or facilities hire, travel, accommodation and visas).