BA/BSc (Hons) Game Art & Animation
You will create 3D art for games played across multiple platforms and you'll build worlds that players want to lose themselves in.
March and September 2024
Students studying higher education courses may be eligible for various forms of funding, including student loans and grants. There may be some differences depending on the region you come from.
YOUR CAREER IN ANIMATION BEGINS NOW


Tools & Software





Animation skills
Course Structure
BA/BSc Game Art Animation is broken up into three distinct stages, each designed to develop different skills.‘2D Fundamentals’ is the first element to be explored in the Game Art and Animation award. It looks at the basics of classical drawing and digital imaging for the creation of 2D assets, introducing you to the workflows and pipelines required. You will also receive a grounding in the conventions of academic writing, and the concepts of intellectual property and copyright in the creative industries.
Topics include:
- Principles of design and composition
- Colour theory
- Image acquisition
- Drawing
- Digital image editing
- Academic writing & referencing
- Intellectual property & copyright
Topics include:
- Principles of 3D
- Low- and High-poly modelling
- Texturing and texture baking
- Asset creation pipeline
- Presentation skills
- Time management
Topics in Trimester 2 include:
- Digital sculpting
- Physically Based Rendering
- Real-time rendering fundamentals
- Optimising 3D models for real-time applications
- Texture baking
- Asset design and development
- Production briefs
- Project management
Topics include:
- Rigging
- Animation
- Lighting
- Rendering
From this, students learn the importance of working to guidelines; identifying techniques and approaches for a given style; and understanding the cultural context of relevant media.They will also learn the technical process for designing and creating detailed game assets, building on the foundation established in Level 4.
In this module, investigation and applied knowledge will help students to develop a proposal for their Major Project exploring existing research methodologies, scholarship, production techniques and current industry developments. Students will have a choice to undertake structured industry-based activities, or pursue a research project using real-time or animation technology.
This module will build a thorough awareness of professional practice and the student's ability to direct their professional development. At the end of the module, students will have a Major Project proposal informed by systematic investigation and an informed perspective on how it fits into their future career plans.
Previously, students have used the Major Project as a springboard into industry, creating award winning projects, establishing their own businesses or making connections with industry professionals that have led to employment.

Bachelor or Animation Career Outcomes
What jobs will this course lead to?
Character Artist
Environment Artist
Technical Artist
Production Coordinator
Quality Assurance (QA)
Motion Designer
Lighting Artist
Lighting Artist/Lighting TD
Animator
Character Animator
Illustrator
Layout Artist
3D Generalist
Concept Artist
Graphic Designer
2D Artist
Rigging Technical Director (TD)
Compositor
Freelance Artist
Animation/Art Intern
FX Artist
Previs Artist
Texture Artist
Look Development Artist
Pipeline TD
3D modeller
Visualisation Artist
Matte Painter
VFX Supervisor
Art Director
Student Spotlight
Course FAQs
While we would recommend that anyone who is studying Game Art & Animation should invest in their own hardware, our labs are kitted out with high end PCs that you will have access to for your classes. Students can also book access to PCs when they aren’t in use.
Yes, there is an SAE Student Store with discounts available to students who have fully enrolled.
Our students are encouraged to collaborate with other disciplines as much as they can. There are many opportunities and requirements to work with students from other courses throughout the study path.
