Visual Effects (VFX) BA (Hons)

Study level: Undergraduate
Student using a VR headset in front of a green screen in the Tank Studio.

The Visual Effects (VFX) BA (Hons) course is a hands-on, intensive learning experience for those wanting to develop a career in this vibrant area of the creative industries.

Year of entry

2025-26

Location

Coventry University (Coventry)

Study mode

Full-time
Sandwich

Duration

3 years full-time
4 years sandwich

Course code

W614

Start date

September 2025


Course overview

During our visual effects course you will work with industry-standard software to develop content for film, broadcast, games, advertising and virtual media. You have the opportunity to gain experience of:

  • developing 3D assets for film, television and games
  • working with complex VFX pipelines to produce engaging content
  • using high-end facilities4 and kit in a future-facing, creative environment.
A star in the centre of a rosette.

Rated Gold Overall

Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) 2023

Five stars in a speech bubble.

5 QS Stars for Teaching and Facilities

QS Stars University Ratings

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Top 5 Student City in England (Coventry)

QS Best Student Cities Index 2025

Why you should study this course

This course has been developed with input from leading practitioners in this rapidly growing field. A key focus of the course is on developing students’ technical, creative and professional skills across a variety of industry recognised roles: including 2D artist, roto artist, junior compositor, colourist and effects technical director.

Across the first two years of the course, you will study a range of subject-specific and transferable skills.

  • These will include sculpting, UV texturing and projection mapping, hard surface modelling, rendering and the use of different render passes, mattes, keys, tracking and rotoscoping. You will also gain an appreciation of production logistics such as effective planning and project management, and legislative issues such as copyright, confidentiality agreements, GDPR (data protection) and intellectual property, through to the importance of using appropriate naming conventions and version control.
  • Alongside the technical requirements of various media, you will study the history, origins and theoretical contexts of visual effects in film, animation and interactive media, and the nuances of these media across such disciplines. Throughout the course, we aim to give you opportunities to contribute to, for example, industry briefs, competitions, festivals and hackathons to gain a real-time experience of working for companies and clients2. In the final year of the course, you will have the opportunity to specialise in either 2D or 3D to facilitate your progression toward your chosen industry.
  • You will have access to a range of digital film cameras, lighting, audio recording equipment and industry-standard software, as well as the use of television, film, greenscreen and immersive studios, to enable you to produce high-quality visual effects (subject to availability). Your learning will take place in purpose facilities that embody the immersive potential of emerging media and are supported by industry professionals4.
  • You will have opportunities to learn and work on projects with students from other courses in the School of Media and Performing Arts. These collaborative opportunities can be a defining feature of your learning experience and place you in an advantageous position in developing your skills and employability2.

What you'll study

This course has a common first year.

The common first year enables you to work alongside students doing similar courses to you, to widen your knowledge and exposure to other subject areas and professions. You will have the opportunity to collaborate with other students, so you can share your insights and experience which will help you to develop and learn.

If you discover an interest in a specific subject you have studied, so upon successful completion of your first year, you could swap degrees with another course in your common first year (subject to meeting progression requirements). Once you learn more about your industry, you’ll be more prepared and more clued up on how you may want to progress your education.

Common first year courses

  • Animation BA (Hons)
  • Digital Media BA (Hons)
  • Games Art BA (Hons)
  • Games Design and Development BA (Hons)
  • Visual Effects (VFX) BA (Hons)

In your first year, the curriculum is shared across related courses allowing you to gain a broad grounding in the discipline before going on, in the second and final years to specialist modules in your chosen field.

Modules

In your second year, you will continue to develop the skills and knowledge you’ve learnt. We do this by embedding the following four principles into the curriculum and developing your:

  • technical skills – digital fluency, backed with academic knowledge
  • study skills – become an adaptive, independent and proactive learner
  • professional skills – the behaviour and abilities to succeed in your career
  • global awareness – the beliefs and abilities to be a resilient, confident and motivated global citizen.

You will develop more advanced knowledge and skills to do with: character design, 3D modelling and compositing, among others.

Modules

There’s no better way to find out what you love doing than trying it out for yourself, which is why a work placement2 can often be beneficial. Work placements usually occur between your second and final years of study. They’re a great way to help you explore your potential career path and gain valuable work experience, whilst developing transferable skills for the future.

If you choose to do a work placement year, you will pay a reduced tuition fee3 of £1,250. For more information, please go to the fees and funding section. During this time you will receive guidance from your employer or participating institution, along with your assigned academic mentor who will ensure you have the support you need to complete your placement.

Modules

Your final year prepares you to enter the world of work by consolidating your knowledge and skills from your first and second years. You could also work on a large final project in an area of your interest, with the support of a mentor. You will also have the opportunity to choose between two specialist modules, ‘VFX Technical Direction’ and ‘Fur, Clothing and Hair’.

Modules

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

Teaching contact hours

As a full-time undergraduate student, you will study modules totalling 120 credits each academic year. A typical 20 credit module requires a total of 200 hours study. This is made up of teaching contact hours, guided and independent study.

Teaching hours:

Teaching hours vary each semester, year of study and due to module selection. During your first year you can expect 15-18 teaching hours each week. You will also have the option to attend optional 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'll be digging deeper into topics, review what you've learnt and complete assignments. This can be completed around your personal commitments. As you progress through your studies, you'll spend more time in independent study.

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 will be assessed using a variety of methods which will vary depending upon the module. The assessment methods may include:

  • essays
  • group work
  • presentations
  • reports
  • projects
  • coursework
  • exams
  • 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.


International experience opportunities

International experiences on the course may be offered in terms of overseas trips to top film and technology destinations such as Vancouver, Tokyo, and the Czech Republic and Hungary2.

Anticipated course visits can potentially include tours of VFX and television studios in Canada, the phenomenal 180-degree 3D cinema at the Miraiken in Tokyo and many more outstanding locations relevant to your future career in VFX.

Please note that all international experience opportunities may be subject to additional costs, competitive application, availability, and meeting applicable visa and travel requirements, and are therefore not guaranteed2.


Entry requirements

Typical entry requirements:

Requirement What we're looking for
UCAS points 112
A level BBC
GCSE 5 GCSEs at grade 4 / C or above to include English and Maths
BTEC DMM
IB Diploma 29 points
Access to HE The Access to HE Diploma. Plus GCSE English at grade 4 / C or above

Other qualifications and experience

Our students come from a variety of backgrounds, each with a unique story. We recognise a breadth of qualifications. If your qualifications differ from the above, contact our Admissions Team who will be happy to discuss your qualifications and routes into your chosen course.

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Contextual offers and Fair Access Scheme

If you meet the criteria for our Fair Access Scheme, you could automatically receive a contextual offer that may be up to 24 UCAS points lower than our standard entry requirements. View the criteria for our Fair Access Scheme.

Select your region to find detailed information about entry requirements:


You can view our full list of country specific entry requirements on our Entry requirements page.

Alternatively, visit our International hub for further advice and guidance on finding in-country agents and representatives, joining our in-country events and how to apply.

English language requirements

  • Applicants must possess a minimum IELTS of 6.0 overall (with no component part lower than 5.5)

If you don't meet the English language requirements, you can achieve the level you need by successfully completing a pre-sessional English programme before you start your course.

For more information on our approved English language tests visit our English language requirements page.

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Fees and funding

Student Full-time Part-time
UK, Ireland*, Channel Islands or Isle of Man 2025/26 fees TBC
2024/25 fees - £9,250 per year
Not available
EU 2025/26 fees TBC
2024/25 fees - £9,250 per year with EU Support Bursary**
2025/26 fees TBC
2024/25 fees - £19,850 per year without EU Support Bursary**
Not available
International 2025/26 fees TBC
2024/25 fees - £19,850 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 of £1,250 to cover your academic support throughout your placement year.

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.

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).

Find out what's included in your tuition costs.

*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.

**EU Support Bursary

Following the UK's exit from the European Union, we are offering financial support to all eligible EU students who wish to study an undergraduate or a postgraduate degree with us full-time. This bursary will be used to offset the cost of your tuition fees to bring them in line with that of UK students. Students studying a degree with a foundation year with us are not eligible for the bursary.


Facilities

Coventry University is home to superb facilities with the course's main base being in the Ellen Terry building (a former art deco cinema). There is access to a range of cutting-edge resources such as a film studio, immersive studios, greenscreen and a motion capture suite in our purpose-built Delia Derbyshire building. We have a well-stocked Media Loan Shop where you can borrow an extensive range of specialist, professional equipment, including 4K and HD video cameras, digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) cameras, tripods, audio equipment and lighting4.

Students using the filming facilities in The Tank.

The Tank

On selected courses, you’ll have access to our on-site television studio The Tank, offering specialist equipment such as large cameras, mixing facilities and fibre-optic wiring throughout.

Student using a large AV desk.

Media Loan Shop

Our media loan shop provides you with access to all the equipment and support you need to excel in your studies – from basic audio recorders, to professional cameras and expert advice from our technicians.

Delia Derbyshire building

Delia Derbyshire Building

The Delia Derbyshire complex offers more space to learn, design and make, including a hyper-studio for students across all disciplines to collaborate on projects together, a gallery space and an events atrium.

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

This course has been written in direct consultation with industry to ensure that our graduates have the necessary skills upon graduation to apply for entry-level jobs in VFX.

  • On successful completion of the course, you will have significant knowledge of both 2D and 3D workflows, the software used to develop cutting-edge visual effects, and the ability to work collaboratively or alone to tight production deadlines.
  • During the final year of the course, you will specialise further in areas such as coding or app development and in unique disciplines such as hair, cloth and fur art, or on-set VFX supervision.

As a visual effects graduate you can look forward to a rich and engaging career in one of the UK’s most exciting industries.

UK talent has in recent years produced visual effects for films such as Gravity, Wonder Woman and the acclaimed television series Chernobyl.

Typically graduates from the School of Media and Performing Arts have gone on to work on Hollywood blockbusters, as VFX supervisors, for the BBC, for local editing and postproduction companies and for prestigious London-based advertising agencies.

Further study

You can choose to continue your studies at Coventry University with the Film and Media Production MA.

You may also 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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