MSc
Computer Animation
Use our multimedia and games labs for project work
Course Overview
Why take this course?
This course provides a new learning opportunity for those wishing to develop highly-focused skills in ‘creative computing’, specifically the design and application of the latest computer animation software and techniques to produce creative animation and innovative visual artefacts.
It is project-based, allowing you to define the focus of your work, whilst building technological expertise, perhaps in areas such as facial animation or motion capture.
What will I experience?
On this course you can:
- Design and develop software, 3D content, and programs for a project of your choice
- Use our cutting-edge, industry-standard software, game engines and console development kits in the building of your project
- Have the opportunity to engage in real-world, client-based research
What opportunities might it lead to?
This course is ideal if you are a professional animator or someone with a sufficient computing background wishing to develop specialist skills that would enable you to enter a wide range of professional fields in computer animation industries.
Here are some routes our graduates have pursued:
- animation design
- 2D and 3D graphics
- motion capture
- virtual reality
- project planning
I’m now lucky enough to be working for Aardman Animations. I never thought I’d end up working for a world leader in animation – I’m still pinching myself when I think about it!
Lindsey Howell, computing and creative technologies student 2012
Key Facts
- Duration
- 1 year full time, 2 years part time
- Entry
An upper second-class honours degree in computing or an art-based subject with a significant computing component, or equivalent professional experience and/or qualifications. A project proposal and portfolio should be submitted with an application.
English language proficiency at a minimum of IELTS band 6.5 or equivalent with no component less than 6.0.- Fees
UK/EU/Channel Islands and Isle of Man full-time students: £5,000, part-time students: £3,330 in Year 1 and £1,670 plus inflation in Year 2
International full-time students: £11,000, part-time students: £7,330 in Year 1 and £3,670 plus inflation in Year 2
*Please note that all fees are subject to annual increase.- Contact
- create.admissions@port.ac.uk
+44 (0)23 9284 2421 - Department
- School of Creative Technologies
Structure & Teaching
On this course we emphasise the implementation, evaluation and reflection of subject-related issues, whilst building creative and technical visual computing expertise. It provides you with the opportunity to research a unique aspect of the use of computation in the composition, generation or design of software for animation.
Here are the units you will study:
- Professional, Academic and Research Development: This is a taught unit covering planning and managing development projects.
- Project Context and Definition: A unit of self-directed study that will help you specify your project’s scope and plan.
- Project Design and Development: This unit is a self-directed study covering a critical review of existing work.
- Project Evaluation and Resolution: This unit covers the development and evaluation of your project artefact, using Max/Msp/Jitter or similar.
Teaching and Assessment
The course is research based, focusing on your own chosen project. Taught units are limited to the first semester, although there is ample opportunity for contact with the staff through regular tutorials and workshops.
How are you assessed?
Assessment is solely based on your research-based project – its proposal, the artefact itself and your evaluation and technical report.
Facilities & Features
Multimedia Labs and Studios
Access excellent facilities and industry-standard equipment
Specialist Software and Equipment
You’ll have excellent resources at your fingertips
University Library
Our library offers a wealth of information
Multimedia Labs and Studios
During your studies you will participate in a range of technical and creative activities, whilst having access to a large-scale immersive 3D virtual reality system, games research laboratories, analogue and digital sound studios, a surround sound studio, as well as industry-standard multimedia, video-editing and post-production hardware and software.
Specialist Software and Equipment
A full range of industry software will be available for you to use in the computer labs. You’ll have excellent resources at your fingertips including:
- the Virtual Reality Lab
- motion capture facilities
- Half Life 2 (source game engine)
- Unreal game engine
- XNA (Dreamspark) Xbox 360 development environment
- Maya
- macromedia software
University Library
Modern, comfortable and a great learning environment, our library offers a wealth of information including 400,000 books, DVDs, maps and thousands of online ejournals and newspapers. Many electronic resources are available anywhere, 24/7 and our friendly staff are always on hand to help.
Careers & Opportunities
Career prospects
On completing this course, you will be well positioned to pursue careers in several areas of the entertainment industries, such as animation, visual effects in television/film and gaming. Careers in industries requiring visual simulation expertise, such as scientific exploration and historical or military case scenario representations, are also in demand of the creative computing skills you will master on this course.
Career planning
One of the benefits of studying at Portsmouth is the support that we provide to our Master's and Research Degrees students in career planning. Our careers and recruitment service – Purple Door – can assist you in career research and finding employment opportunities. Help is also available if you wish to find a part-time job while studying your degree. We offer our postgraduate students and alumni one-to-one appointments with a careers adviser, or an online service for those not able to travel back to the University. Our alumni can call on our career services for five years after graduation.
In addition, regular employability events offer you the chance to meet employers, find out about different career sectors and improve your applications or CV. The Graduate Summer Programme provides a range of guidance and employability seminars and workshops.