UNIVERSITY OF BRADFORDFaculty of Engineering and Informatics School of Media, Design and TechnologyProgramme title: BA (Hons) Computer Animation
Awarding and teaching institution: / University of BradfordFinal and interim awards: / BA (Honours) [Framework for Higher Education Qualifications level 6]
Diploma of Higher Education [Framework for Higher Education Qualifications level 5]
Certificate of Higher Education [Framework for Higher Education Qualifications level 4]
Programme title: / Computer Animation
Programme approved by: / n/a
Duration: / 3 years full time; 4 years full-time including a year of study abroad and/or a work placement; 6 years part time.
UCAS code: / G450BA/Can; I701 BA/CA
Subject benchmark statement: / Computing; Art and Design; Communication, Media, Film and Cultural Studies
Date produced: / April 2005
Last updated : / May 2015
Introduction
Even in difficult economic times, creative industries are rapidly growing to keep pace with new technological advances, in the UK and internationally. As animation technology is capable of producing ever more spectacular output, the operators using the technology must be equipped with the skills and ideas to get the most from it. Graduates who can demonstrate strong creative and technical aptitude and a critical understanding of the workings of the industry are very much in demand. Studying hard on a degree here will equip you for a fast paced rewarding career.
The School of Media, Design and Technology is part of Bradford University’s Faculty of Engineering and Informatics (or SEI for short), and it offers cutting edge undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes in the fields of computer animation and computer games development. These are delivered by a team of industry experienced lectures against a background of internationally recognised research in computer animation, virtual reality, motion capture technology, distributed virtual environments, visualization, imaging, multimedia, digital video, human computer interaction, artificial intelligence and more. Our programmes are unique in that they are offered in collaboration with the National Media Museum (NMeM), giving access to students to an additional wealth of resources and expertise.
The School is a partner of Creative Skillset, the sector skills council for the creative industries, which is an acknowledgement of its clear links to industry and indicates the relevance of its programmes for employment in the media sector. Our other partners include the BBC, the NMeM, and Bradford UNESCO City of Film. Employability is one of our key values, and many of our graduates go on to exciting jobs in the animation and visual effects, games, interactive and wider new media industries, regularly winning national and international awards for their work. While our programmes provide you with specific sets of practical production skills, they also enhance your overall employability through their extensive use of team-working and problem-solving approaches to learning.
Programme Aims
The programme is intended to:
Equip students who wish to develop expertise in the creative, aesthetic and technical aspects of computer-generated animation, supported by a range of relevant audio-visual media disciplines.
On this programme you will develop your creative skills through study of the basics of 2D and 3D computer animation, observational drawing, image production and manipulation, television and audio production, putting all these elements into practice through project modules. While the main emphasis is on content creation (helping you to produce a strong portfolio of work on graduation), the programme also provides you with an appreciation of the social, aesthetic, and business contexts within which media artefacts are produced and circulated.
The School aims to provide Honours degree programmes which enable you to develop an integrated range of knowledge, understanding and skills in the field of computer animation through critical engagement with principles, applications, content design and production practice. In addition the programmes aim actively to encourage students to develop a portfolio of appropriate transferable skills and attributes. For the Computer Animation programme, these aims are achieved by:
· Delivering a programme of study with some opportunities for shared learning with other programmes offered by the School, with increasing specialization as you move towards graduation. The final year of the programme focuses mainly on project production, allowing you to integrate the skills and knowledge developed in the first two years of the programme;
· Providing a supportive, structured environment in which you are encouraged to develop independent learning skills;
· Developing subject knowledge and understanding, developing discipline skills and personal transferable skills, enabling graduates to pursue programmes of further study, or to move directly into responsible employment.
Programme Learning Outcomes
When you have completed the programme you will be able to:
LO1. Implement in practice key industrial software applications, with particular reference to 2D, 3D computer animation and compositing.
LO2. Critically compare and contrast production packages and processes across a range of media forms.
LO3. Make informed judgements in the context of rapidly developing and converging media industries.
LO4. Develop knowledge and practical understanding, of the use of interactive media products.
LO5. Evaluate effectively the inherent challenges that creative and systematic problem solving encompass.
LO6. Evaluate the cultural significance of creatively in a technical context.
LO7. Demonstrate an understanding of the social, political, cultural, technical, and business conditions of animated media production and reception in national and international contexts
LO8. Draw on professional industrial knowledge and understanding of the use of computer animation and special effects for film and video post-production.
LO9. Critically evaluate the relative efficacy of different approaches to computer animation problem solving.
LO10. Demonstrate an awareness of the concepts surrounding sustainability, as these relate to computer animation.
LO11. Effectively implement complex project management in an individual and group context.
LO12. Analyse and interpret aural, visual, and audio-visual material.
LO13. Evaluate the challenges surrounding teamwork and leadership.
Although the University does not recruit directly to Ordinary degrees this route is available to students for whom a less intense programme of study is appropriate.
A Bachelor’s degree (Ordinary) is awarded to students who have demonstrated:
· a systematic understanding key aspects of their field of study, including acquisition of coherent and detailed knowledge informed by aspects of computer animation.
· an ability to deploy accurately established techniques of analysis and enquiry within computer animation.
· conceptual understanding that enables the student:
o to devise and sustain arguments, and/or to solve problems, using ideas and techniques.
o to describe and comment upon particular aspects of current research, or equivalent scholarship, or practice in computer animation.
· an appreciation of the uncertainty, ambiguity and limits of knowledge.
· the ability to manage their own learning, and to make use of primary sources.
Typically, holders of the qualification will be able to:
· apply the methods and techniques that they have learned to review, consolidate, extend and apply their knowledge and understanding.
· communicate information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialist and non specialist audiences.
And holders will have:
· the qualities and transferable skills necessary for employment requiring:
o the exercise of initiative and personal responsibility
o the learning ability needed to undertake appropriate further training of a professional or equivalent nature.
Curriculum
The map of your studies is detailed further below showing core (C) and optional (O) modules. Each year, or stage, of an Honours programme comprises 2 semesters with 60 credits being studied in each semester. It is also possible to study on this programme on a part time basis over 6 years, with 60 credits per semester being taken. Ordinary degrees comprise 100 credits at stage 1 and 100 credits in stages 2 and 3 respectively.
Stage 1 [Level 4]
By the end of this stage, you will be able to:
1. Demonstrate a broad knowledge base of fundamental technical, practical creative and theoretical concepts
2. Recognise select and apply the above to your work.
3. Show an awareness of practical and conceptual knowledge of major subjects including the practical application of key 2D and 3D animation software
4. Apply creative skills to successfully accomplish straightforward tasks
5. Work effectively as an individual, able to organise and manage yourself, to secure completion of tasks
6. Demonstrate an awareness of technical / creative / theoretical subjects in the field, with an additional emphasis on core elements such as visual literacy, observational drawing, and 2D and 3D computer animation.
7. Collect information, ideas and concepts from recommended sources and organise and reference them appropriately;
Module Code / Module Title / Type / Credits / Level / SemesterEM-0139D / Introduction to 3D Computer Animation / C / 20 / 4 / 1
EM-0149L / Observational Drawing / C / 10+10 / 4 / 1+2
EM-0106D / Visual Literacy and Imaging / C / 10+10 / 4 / 1
EM-0151L / Creative Technology - Foundations / C / 10+10 / 4 / 1+2
EM-0128D / Conventions of Animation / C / 20 / 4 / 2
EM-0140D / 3D Character Modelling & Animation / C / 20 / 4 / 2
Students who have achieved at least 120 credit points at Level 4 may exit the programme and are eligible for the award of Certificate of Higher Education.
Stage 2 [Level 5]
By the end of this stage, you will be able to:
1. Analyze and evaluate information on animation and the global media industry market and will be able to relate this information to your own work.
2. Explain, and manipulate specialist (technical and creative) issues and apply them to your individual and group projects.
3. Demonstrate a technical and conceptual application of topics such as dialogue with animation, character and prop design, key concepts in film, character acting, character animation subtleties, character and prop modelling, CG lighting and visual effects.
4. Critically and practically implement motion capture technology.
5. Demonstrate stronger project management skills, being able to select and deploy strategies to secure outcomes and aiding your development as an autonomous learner.
Module Code / Module Title / Hons / Ord / Credits / Level / SemEM-0264D / Advanced Character Animation / C / C / 20 / 5 / 1
EM-0138D / Key Concepts in Film Studies / C / C / 20 / 4 / 1
EM-0275D / Advanced Observational Drawing / C / C / 20 / 5 / 1
EM-0274D / CGI Lighting, Rendering & Look Development / C / C / 20 / 5 / 2
EM-0242D / Computer Generated Visual Effects / C / C / 20 / 5 / 2
EM-0253D / Option: Facial Modelling/Animation / O / - / 20 / 5 / 2
EM-0272D / Option: Environment, Set/Prop Creation / O / - / 20 / 5 / 2
EM-0283D / Option: 3D Character Creation / O / - / 20 / 5 / 2
EM-0288D / Option: Motion Capture / O / - / 20 / 5 / 2
Students who have achieved at least 120 credit points at Level 5 may exit the programme and are eligible for the award of Diploma of Higher Education.
Stage 3 [Level 6]
By the end of this stage, you will be able to:
1. Effectively implement deeper, more rigid project management on both, a personal and group standing.
2. Fashion your own specialist and career focused goals.
3. Undertake to completion a live client lead brief.
4. Implement personal choice regarding a leaning towards a favoured industrial environment.
5. Demonstrate advanced academic, conceptual, communicational, and project management skills.
6. Initiate, plan, design, research and sustain an extended piece of independent intellectual work based on individual initiative.
Module Code / Module Title / Hons / Ord / Credits / Level / SemEM-0375Q / Individual Project / C / C / 40 / 6 / 1
EM-0337D / Specialisation / C / C / 20 / 6 / 1
EM-0376Q / Design For Industry / C / C / 40 / 6 / 2
EM-0272D / Option: Environment, Set and Prop Creation / O / - / 20 / 5 / 2
EM-0283D / Option: 3D Character Creation / O / - / 20 / 5 / 2
EM-0253D / Option: Facial Modelling/Animation / O / - / 20 / 5 / 2
Students who have achieved at least 120 credit points at Level 4 may exit the programme and are eligible for the award of Certificate of Higher Education.
Students who have achieved at least 120 credit points at Level 5 may exit the programme and are eligible for the award of Diploma of Higher Education.
The curriculum may change, subject to the University's programme approval, monitoring and review procedures.
You have the option to undertake an industrial placement, or of studying or working abroad for a year between stages 2 and 3; this option is strongly encouraged. The School has an industrial training co-ordinator who has contacts with a large number of outside organizations and who assists in helping you find a placement. The university’s International Office provides a wide range of opportunities and support for students to gain international experience. Both options provide the opportunity to gain valuable experience, and are viewed favourably by prospective employers.
Teaching and Assessment Strategies
You will experience a wide range of teaching and learning environments. Concepts, principles and theories are generally explored in formal lectures, discussed and debated in associated tutorials and seminars, and demonstrated in laboratory classes. Practical skills are developed in studio, laboratory, and workshop sessions, taking advantage of the University’s, and its partners’, extensive software and hardware provision. Professional, personal, and presentational skills are developed through discussion and small-scale project work which involves problem solving and design exercises. These are often tackled through collaborative learning in small groups supported by members of academic staff. Larger–scale project work is used to bring various aspects of your programme together. A particular strength of this programme is the contribution made to the teaching programme by successful practising animation professionals.
Each 20-credit module on the programme requires you to commit 200 hours of study. Some of these hours will be formally timetabled - lectures, laboratories, seminars, tutorials and workshops – and others will involve you in carrying out private study. The balance between these forms of study changes as you pass through the three years of the programme. There are a lot of “contact hours” (time spent with tutors) in the earlier stages of the programme; the final year is mostly project based, and at this stage you will be expected to manage your own learning, under the general guidance of your tutors.