Animation

Animation is the art and craft of creating the illusion of movement through sequences of images, and at degree level it encompasses both the traditional principles of character animation and the digital tools and techniques that dominate contemporary production. At Teesside University, the BA Animation with Foundation Year is a four-year full-time programme that begins with a foundation year introducing the creative possibilities of image-making and the fundamental principles of design and composition, before progressing into the main degree which includes a sandwich year and work placement. The foundation year develops your technical skills in graphics software, covering layers, composition, colour, linework, and lighting in a structured introductory environment.

In the main degree programme, you will develop your animation practice across the full range of techniques used in professional production: character animation, motion graphics, visual effects, 3D modelling and rigging, storyboarding, and the direction and production management of animated sequences. Animation education at this level draws on the rich intellectual tradition of the art form, studying the principles developed by the great animation studios and applying them to contemporary digital production contexts. The sandwich year places you in a professional studio or production environment, giving you direct experience of how animation is made commercially and building the professional networks and portfolio that career entry requires.

Work placement extends this professional engagement further.

Animation graduates work in film, television, games, advertising, digital media, and the growing field of virtual and augmented reality. Roles including animator, character animator, motion graphics designer, visual effects artist, 3D modeller, rigging artist, and production coordinator are all accessible to graduates with a strong portfolio and professional experience. The games and film industries are major employers, alongside advertising agencies, digital studios, and educational technology companies.

Some graduates work freelance, building a client base across commercial and creative projects. Others go on to postgraduate study in animation, visual effects, or game art. Teesside's programme, with its foundation year, sandwich year, and work placement, is designed to produce graduates who are both technically accomplished and professionally ready.