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Animation BA (Hons)
Study level: Undergraduate
This course combines creativity and motion, helping you develop the skills to turn your ideas into animated visual content.
Course features
Year of entry
Location
Coventry University (Coventry)
Study mode
Full-time
Sandwich
Duration
3 years full-time
4 years sandwich
Course code
WW27
Start date
September 2027
November 2027
January 2028
March 2028
May 2028
July 2028
The information on this page is for 2026-27 entry and should be used as guidance for 2027-28 entry. Please keep checking back on this course page to see our latest updates.
Course overview
This course explores animation through historical, contemporary and global perspectives, combining traditional and digital techniques. You'll have the opportunity to develop inclusive visual storytelling and build a versatile portfolio that reflects industry-relevant skills.
- Develop skills in animating characters, environments and objects in 2D and 3D formats.
- Create a portfolio reflecting a broad range of styles, influences and storytelling traditions worldwide.
- Prepare for careers as 3D and 2D animators, riggers, modellers, character designers, storyboard artists, animation directors, writers and comic artists.
Rated Gold Overall
Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) 2023
5 QS Stars for Teaching and Facilities
QS Stars University Ratings
Top 5 Student City in England (Coventry)
QS Best Student Cities Index 2026Why you should study this course
- Engage in industry placements and live project briefs with UK and international creative companies, building professional experience aligned with current animation sector demands.2
- Tailor your animation practice through a curriculum that supports specialisms such as 2D, 3D, character animation, environment design and storytelling for diverse career paths.
- Explore a wide range of animation technologies and traditional techniques, including digital rigging, modelling, stop-motion and hand-drawn animation.
- Learn directly from industry practitioners who have worked on major arts-funded projects and commercial productions, integrating real-world expertise into your projects (staff subject to change).
- Learn to use animation studios and software like Maya, Blender, Toon Boom and Adobe Creative Suite, and become proficient as you prepare for a career in film, television, gaming and immersive digital media.4
About the School of Arts and Creative Industries
- Our hands-on, practitioner-led approach is rooted in project-based learning. This creates opportunities for cross-disciplinary working and engagement with external collaborators. Where appropriate, you may work with peers from other courses, bringing specialist skills to interdisciplinary projects in ways that reflect the collaborative nature of creative studios and agencies in the creative industries.
- Our learning and teaching mirror the needs of the creative industries, so our graduates have the opportunity to develop the skills and attributes needed to become industry specialists, leaders and innovators.
- Our studio culture seeks to ensure you are socially responsible in our creative community and develop critical thinking in research and making processes.
- Our global initiatives aim to give you skills to become a collaborative communicator and make you culturally competent.
- Our industry links typically enable us to host an exciting programme of guest speakers covering topics such as building a showreel, animation skills and career development.2
- Past students have worked on projects as diverse as animated TV shows and graphic novels.
20th
for Animation and Game Design
Guardian University Guide 2026
DOT DOT DOT ... Graduate Festival 2026
The Coventry Degree Show is an annual festival to celebrate and showcase our graduating students’ work.
Explore the festival's eventsWhat you'll study
We regularly review our course content to keep it relevant and current for our students. Consequently, we may update modules to reflect the latest industry standards.
How you'll learn
Teaching and learning methods may include:
- lectures
- seminars
- tutorials
- presentations
- group projects
- workshops
- practical studio sessions
- practical workshop sessions.
Teaching contact hours
As a full-time undergraduate student, you will study modules totalling 120 credits each academic year. A typical 30-credit module requires 300 hours of study. Study hours are made up of teaching contact hours and guided and independent study.
Teaching hours
Teaching hours may vary, depending on where you are in your studies, but on average, you will have between 12 and 15 teaching and learning hours each week. You will also have the option to attend additional sessions, including time with a progress coach or to meet with staff for advice and feedback. As you progress through your studies, teaching hours may reduce.
Guided and independent study
Throughout your studies, you will be expected to spend time in guided and independent study to make up the required study hours per module. You will be digging deeper into topics, reviewing what you’ve learnt and completing assignments. This can be completed around your personal commitments. As you progress to the end of your studies, you’ll spend more time on independent learning.
Online learning
As an innovative university, we use different teaching methods, including online tools and emerging technologies. So, some of your teaching hours and assessments may be delivered online.
Assessment
This course is assessed using methods that vary by module. These approaches are intended to prepare you for the complex and evolving contexts of professional practice.
Assessment methods may include:
- artefacts
- practical coursework
- digital coursework
- individual work
- group work
- presentations
- reports
- projects
- individual assignments.
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.
Entry requirements
Typical entry requirements:
Fees and funding
| Student | Full-time | Part-time |
|---|---|---|
| UK | 2027/28 fees TBC 2026/27 fees: £9,790 per year |
Not available |
| International | 2027/28 fees TBC 2026/27 fees: £20,800 per year |
Not available |
If you choose to study this course with a professional placement2 or study abroad year, you will need to pay a tuition fee3 to cover your academic support throughout your placement year. As an indication, students commencing their professional placement in the academic year 2028/29 will pay £1,575 if they are paying UK fees, or £1,900 if they are paying international fees. The University will charge the tuition fees stated above for those on a placement during Academic Year 2028/29. The University will review professional placement tuition fees each year. For UK (home) students, the University may increase fees for each subsequent year of study, but such that it will be no more than 5% above inflation.
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.
The University will charge the tuition fees that are stated in the above table for the first Academic Year of study. The University will review tuition fees each year. For UK (home) students, if Parliament permits an increase in tuition fees, the university 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.
For international students, we may increase fees each year, but such increases will be no more than 5% above inflation. If you defer your course start date or have to extend your studies beyond the normal duration of the course (e.g. to repeat a year or resit examinations) the University reserves the right to charge you fees at a higher rate and/or in accordance with any legislative changes during the additional period of study.
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.
The following are additional costs not included in the tuition fees:
- Any optional overseas field trips or visits: £400+ per trip.
- Any costs associated with securing, attending or completing a placement (whether in the UK or abroad).
*Irish student fees
The rights of Irish residents to study in the UK are preserved under the Common Travel Area arrangement. If you are an Irish student and meet the residency criteria, you can study in England, pay the same level of tuition fees as English students and utilise the Tuition Fee Loan.
How do you know if you need to pay UK or international tuition fees?
Facilities
Coventry University is home to superb facilities4 and our fantastic new Delia Derbyshire Arts and Humanities complex provides fantastic new learning spaces. 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 briefs2.
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 resources4.
Hyperstudio
The Hyperstudio is designed to be an experimental space where staff, students, community, and industry can collaborate to solve real world problems. It is a cube with high-speed connectivity and power, that is both a making and showing space into which an array of physical and digital technologies can be brought to support project needs.
Immersive media studio
The immersive media studio is a studio space designed to allow design, collaboration and testing of immersive experiences that combine audiovisual elements in diverse ways. It is centred on performance capture and high-end XR capabilities and includes capability for immersive audio integration.
Hacklabs: Electronic and Digital
The two hacklab spaces are experimental spaces on the bleeding edge of emerging technologies and processes where students and staff can be guided in their exploration of new and emerging practices in an array of fields. A library of resources such as sensors and other physical computing solutions, and software for experimentation will be available.
Take a virtual tour
Facilities are subject to availability. Access to some facilities (including some teaching and learning spaces) may vary from those advertised and/or may have reduced availability or restrictions where the university is following public authority guidance, decisions or orders.
Careers and opportunities
Graduates could be 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. In the past, graduates have returned to share their experiences and advice as visiting lecturers and have continued to support the next generation of Animation students.
After studying, students go on to work in the following areas: advertising, comic books, tv and film production, children’s picture books, artists, art direction, games art and animation, teaching and study at postgraduate level.
The graduate destinations listed above illustrate potential career paths. You may need to gain additional qualifications or practical experience, pass professional examinations, complete training, cover associated costs and meet specific visa or immigration requirements to secure employment in these fields.
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.
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