Location

Farnham

Start date

Sept 2026, Sept 2027

Duration

3 years full-time

UCAS logo

UCAS codes

Course: W615
Institution: C93

+1

Foundation year

Optional extra year of study

+1

Placement year

Optional extra year of study

Entry requirements

Check qualifications

Tuition fees

Check fees and funding options

Animation at UCA

Discover the animator you are, one film at a time on our renowned BA (Hons) Animation degree course at UCA Farnham.

Films first, tools and software second

Animation at UCA is built around a broad definition of the medium: any frame-by-frame manipulation of visual imagery. You'll learn techniques and tools across 2D, 3D, stop motion, and experimental approaches – always in service of the films and projects you're making. The tools support your ideas, but your ideas drive the work.

An art school with animation at its heart

Because UCA is a specialist creative arts university, you have access to resources most animation students don’t. Printmaking, ceramics, glass, woodworking, metalwork – all staffed by specialist technicians who'll induct you and let you experiment. The result is work that draws on real-world textures, materials, and craft – a hybrid approach driving the cutting edge of the industry right now.

Taught by filmmakers. Visited by Oscar winners

Every one of your tutors is a practising filmmaker. You'll also learn from guest lecturers and visiting practitioners including Oscar and BAFTA-recognised animators, directors from studios like Aardman, and international festival jurors. Industry professionals give regular one-to-one feedback on your work – specific, personal responses to what you're making.

Festival-ready from second year

International film festivals are where studios discover new talent – and UCA students are there early. Many students have work selected for festivals, with second-year films regularly getting picked. You'll learn how to submit, contextualise and present your work professionally, building visibility and industry connections well before graduation.

The UCA Way

UCA courses are built around the things we know matter most to creative students:

Learn by making

Get practical and stuck in – spend most of your time in studios and workshops. Over 80% of our teaching spaces are studios, workshops, or labs.

See your place in the bigger picture

Understand history, culture and context to give your work depth. Our degrees were established by BAFTA and Oscar winners.

Find your people

Collaboration is built into the curriculum, where you’ll make friends and future creative partners. Our Shared modules link work from students from up to 15 courses. This module focuses on how you collaborate, not what you deliver. Setting you up for success in a creative community.

Gain career confidence for the long game

Build skills, resilience, and industry awareness that prepare you for a successful creative career. Our courses have been designed with industry, focussing on your professional pathway, you’ll learn about grant applications, self-employment, and how to nail creative job interviews.

Learn in a way that works for you

Inclusive assessment, synchronised deadlines, and a student experience built with real life in mind. Our courses are focussed on being inclusive. We listen to our students, and you learn and get feedback how you want it.

Watch our Animation videos


Animation at UCA

Animation at UCA
Lizard at art exhibition

Please Don't Eat The Art: Animal Life Drawing at UCA
Thumbnail for Animation Portfolio Advice video

Animation portfolio advice

View our student work

We’re privileged to be able to share our graduates’ incredible work with the world, click on the work below to see more images and find out about the project.

Two minute stories


Discover the stories of our Animation students
James Doherty - Gold - Taiwan International Student Design Competition
James Doherty
Grad film wins gold at Taiwan International Student Design Competition (TISDC)
Lizard at art exhibition
Please Don't Eat The Art
Animal Life Drawing at UCA
BAFTA
Ross Stringer
Animation graduate celebrates BAFTA win
A picture of animation graduate Izzy Argent, her head is tilted and she wears a striped top
Izzy Argent
Exploring body positivity through animation
“Where do all the socks go?”, Kimberley Davis
Kimberley Davis
Kimberley’s animation answers a curious question...
Image shows the two main M&M characters, red and yellow, from a commercial designed by David Hulin
David Hulin
Creating an advertising icon

What you'll study

The content of the course may be subject to change. Curriculum content is provided as a guide.

UCA’s Integrated Foundation Year is designed to give you the skills you’ll need to start your degree in the best possible way – with confidence, solid knowledge of creative practice, study skills and more.

You’ll explore a range of creative techniques and develop your portfolio, with your chosen subject in mind. We’ll work with you throughout the year to ensure you’re on the right track and give you the tools to achieve your highest potential on your degree.

Find out more about the Integrated Foundation Year

Animation Principles; 30 credits
You will be introduced to the fundamental principles of animation through structured, practice-led learning, alongside an introduction to key historical and contemporary contexts. You will explore core concepts such as movement, timing, weight, rhythm and performance, developing an understanding of how animated motion communicates meaning. Practical animation exercises are supported by engagement with animation history, enabling you to situate your own work in relation to established practices, movements and filmmakers. The module emphasises observation, experimentation and reflection, establishing a foundation for both technical development and critical awareness across a range of animation techniques.

Career Catalyst: Skills & Capability; 30 credits
In this module you will begin to understand how your animation skills operate within wider creative and professional contexts. You will work on short, focused projects that develop your ability to communicate ideas clearly, respond to briefs, and present work professionally, while continuing to build core animation skills. Alongside making, you will be introduced to how animation skills translate beyond individual films, including roles within creative studios, collaborative environments and applied contexts such as graphics, screen-based media and visual communication. The emphasis is on developing confidence, adaptability and professional awareness early in the course, while retaining a strong focus on creative experimentation, originality and learning through practice. This module helps you recognise that employability is not separate from creativity, but is rooted in your ability to think clearly, make decisions, communicate ideas and work productively with others.

Group Film; 30 credits
You will work collaboratively to plan, develop and produce a short animated film as part of a team. The module introduces key aspects of collaborative filmmaking, including communication, role allocation, shared decision-making and workflow management. Through group-based production, you will gain experience of working within creative teams, developing an understanding of how individual contributions come together within a collective animation project.

Hybrid Practices; 30 credits
In this module you will be encouraged you to explore animation as an expanded and interdisciplinary practice. You will experiment with hybrid approaches that combine digital, physical, experimental or cross-disciplinary methods, testing how animation can operate across different contexts and formats. The module supports creative risk-taking and reflective practice, enabling you to explore new ways of thinking about animation while developing confidence in adapting processes, materials and ideas.

Short Film; 30 credits
This module supports the development and production of an individual short, animated film. You will develop ideas through research, concept development and experimentation, refining your creative intentions and technical approach. The module encourages you to strengthen your personal voice as an animator while applying animation principles within a coherent and resolved work. Emphasis is placed on the relationship between research, process and outcome, supporting increasingly independent and self-directed practice.

Career Catalyst: Communities & Influence; 30 credits
In this module you will apply your animation skills within social, cultural or professional contexts, working with others to produce animation in response to a defined brief. You may collaborate with peers, external partners or community contexts, and will be encouraged to consider how animation communicates meaning, values and responsibility when it is made for audiences beyond the studio. You will develop your ability to plan, negotiate roles, manage workflows and reflect critically on your contribution to collaborative work. Alongside practical outcomes, you will explore ethical, inclusive and sustainable approaches to creative practice, and consider how animation operates across sectors such as broadcasting, advertising, education, cultural organisations and public-facing media. The module supports your transition from individual making to applied creative practice, strengthening your professional judgement while maintaining space for experimentation, authorship and critical reflection.

Research & Concept; 30 credits
This module focuses on the development of research skills and conceptual thinking to inform animation practice. You will explore methods of inquiry, analysis and reflection, using research to generate, test and refine creative ideas. The module supports the articulation of concepts and intentions, strengthening your ability to connect research with practice and preparing you for more sustained independent work at Level 6.

Festival; 30 credits
You are introduced you to the role of festivals and professional platforms within animation culture. You will explore how animated work is presented, curated and positioned for public and professional audiences, developing skills in selection, submission and contextualisation. The module supports an understanding of professional presentation and dissemination, encouraging you to consider how your work circulates within national and international animation contexts.

If you opt to complete a professional practice year, this will take place in year three. You will undertake a placement within the creative industries to further develop your skills and CV.

While on your Professional Practice Year, you will be required to pay a reduced tuition fee for that year. This fee will be determined using government funding regulations. Based on current regulations, we expect this to be a maximum of 20% of the tuition fee rate that you are charged for your second year of study. You will also incur additional travel and accommodation costs during this year. The University will provide you with further advice and guidance about this as you approach your Professional Practice Year.

Please note: If you are an international applicant, you will need to enrol onto the course ‘with Professional Practice Year’. It will not be possible to transfer onto the Professional Practice Year after enrolment

Creative Research; 30 credits
This module supports the development of sustained, independent creative research that underpins advanced animation practice and major project development. You will explore research methods, critical frameworks and contextual references relevant to your interests, developing a clear conceptual and methodological position. Creative Research works in close relationship with Career Catalyst: Futures and Direction, enabling you to test ideas, methodologies and lines of enquiry through both research and practice. The module emphasises critical reflection and the integration of research into making, providing a strong foundation for the development of your Major Project.

Career Catalyst: Futures & Direction; 30 credits
This module supports you in defining and presenting your creative identity as you prepare for professional practice beyond graduation. You will develop a production- ready proposal and proof of concept that demonstrates both creative ambition and professional awareness, supported by pitching, presentation and reflective development.

You will be encouraged to articulate how your animation skills transfer across a broad range of creative industries, including film, television, games, advertising, graphics, visual effects, immersive media and emerging forms of animation practice. The focus is on positioning your work clearly: identifying audiences, contexts, methods and values, rather than conforming to a single industry pathway. Professionalism is understood as the ability to communicate ideas, adapt processes, respond to feedback and make informed creative decisions. This module helps you move confidently into your Major Project and beyond, with a clear sense of direction that values originality, research, human decision-making and innovation as core professional attributes.

Major Project; 60 credits
The Major Project module enables you to realise an ambitious, self-directed body of animation work informed by sustained research and professional development. Building on the conceptual, methodological and pre-production work developed through Creative Research and Career Catalyst: Futures and Direction, you will undertake a major independent project that reflects your individual creative interests and aspirations. The module emphasises autonomy, sustained practice and critical reflection, supporting the production of a resolved and coherent body of work suitable for public, professional and academic contexts.

This course is designed to offer you (if eligible) the opportunity to study part of your degree aboard at a UCA partner university, while still earning credits towards your UCA degree.

For more information please visit the Study Abroad section

Integrated foundation year

  • Independent study: 72%
  • Scheduled teaching: 28%
  • Maximum percentage of scheduled delivered online: 20%

Year one

  • Independent study: 72%
  • Scheduled teaching: 28%
  • Maximum percentage of scheduled delivered online: 20%

Year two

  • Independent study: 74%
  • Scheduled teaching: 26%
  • Maximum percentage of scheduled delivered online: 20%

Year three

  • Independent study: 76%
  • Scheduled teaching: 24%
  • Maximum percentage of scheduled delivered online: 20%

Professional placement or International year (if undertaken)

  • Independent study: 98%
  • Scheduled teaching: 2%
  • Maximum percentage of scheduled delivered online: 100%

Please note: these details are for 2026 entry and could be subject to change for other years of entry.

Course specifications

Please note, syllabus content indicated is provided as a guide. The content of the course may be subject to change in line with our Student Terms and Conditions for example, as required by external professional bodies or to improve the quality of the course.

Upcoming webinars

We offer a range of webinars throughout the year that you may be interested in.

You can also view recordings of all previous sessions through the UCA webinar archive.


15 Apr 2026

A Guide to Student Finance & Budgeting at University

Want to know more about student finance and budgeting at university? We understand everyone’s financial situations are different, and at UCA we try to support you as much as possible throughout your time with us. Book now: A Guide to Student Finance & Budgeting at University

24 Apr 2026

Living at Home while at Uni

Want to know what its like to be a student who commutes? Join us on Friday 24th April to speak to our panel of commuter students, and find out how to still obtain the most from student life while having all the comforts of home. Book now: Living at Home while at Uni

27 Apr 2026

Putting together your Portfolio

At UCA, we offer a range of postgraduate options at both Master's and PhD level that will help you further your skills, ready for a career within the creative industries.  Book now: Putting together your Portfolio

29 Apr 2026

Discover Computer Science at UCA

Want to know what studying a Computer Science degree at UCA can lead to? Want to find out what skills and projects you can develop? Join us on 29th April 4pm, as Rob Morgan, the programme director for Computing & Creative Technology at UCA, talks through all things Computer Science, and answers all your questions. Book now: Discover Computer Science at UCA

13 May 2026

Student Support & Life on Campus

Are you wondering what it’s like to be a student at UCA? We’re here to talk through everything you need to know about student support and life on campus. Book now: Student Support & Life on Campus

16 Jun 2026

Putting together your Portfolio

At UCA, we offer a range of postgraduate options at both Master's and PhD level that will help you further your skills, ready for a career within the creative industries.  Book now: Putting together your Portfolio

Fees & financial support

Tuition fees - 2026/27

  • Integrated Foundation Year: £9,790
  • BA course: £9,790

If you opt to study the Professional Practice Year, you will be required to pay a reduced tuition fee, for 2026/27 this is £1,955. You will also incur additional travel and accommodation costs during your Professional Practice year. The University will provide you with further advice and guidance about this.

Government guidance indicates that tuition‑fee caps will rise annually with inflation from 2026, subject to legislation, so tuition fees are likely to increase each year of study. 

Tuition fees - 2026/27

  • Integrated Foundation Year: £9,790 (see fee discount information)
  • BA course: £9,790 (see fee discount information)

If you opt to study the Professional Practice Year, you will be required to pay a reduced tuition fee, for 2026/27 this is £1,955. You will also incur additional travel and accommodation costs during your Professional Practice year. The University will provide you with further advice and guidance about this.

Government guidance indicates that tuition‑fee caps will rise annually with inflation from 2026, subject to legislation, so tuition fees are likely to increase each year of study. 

Tuition fees - 2026/27

  • Integrated Foundation Year: £18,000
  • BA course: £18,000

If you opt to study the Professional Practice Year, for 2026 you will be required to pay a reduced tuition fee of £3,490. You will also incur additional travel and accommodation costs during your Professional Practice year. The University will provide you with further advice and guidance about this.

The fees listed here are correct for the stated academic year only, for details of previous years please see the full fee schedules.

UCA scholarships and fee discounts

At UCA we have a number of scholarships and fee discounts available to assist you with the cost of your studies.

Financial support

There are lots of ways you can access additional financial support to help you fund your studies - both from UCA and from external sources. Discover what support you might qualify for please see our financial support information.

Additional course costs

In addition to the tuition fees there may be other costs for your course. The things that you are likely to need to budget for to get the most out of a creative arts education will include books, printing costs, occasional or optional study trips and/or project materials.

These costs will vary according to the nature of your project work and the individual choices that you make. Please see the Additional Course Costs section of the Course Information Document for more details of the costs you may incur.

Find out what's included in your tuition fees.

Animation facilities & equipment

Animation facilities include stop motion studio with Dragonframe capture software, Canon DSLRs and professional camera stands, and stages pre-rigged with grips, stands and lights. Studios feature individual workstations, light boxes, Wacom tablets, line testers and batch scanners. Macs have the full Adobe Creative Suite and CG software, while there’s also sound and editing suites on campus.

Interior of the Animation Lightbox IT studio

Animation Lightbox IT Studio

Room: G01

This is an iMac Studio with three animation light boxes and drawing tablets
Animation Studios, UCA Farnham

Stop Motion Space

Room: G20

This room contains one stop motion bay with a canon camera, standing studio lights, storage and green screen backdrop.
Animation Studios, UCA Farnham

Animation IT Suite

Room: B11

This room contains:

  • 28 PC workstations with Wacom drawing tablets
  • 4 iMacs with Wacoms
  • Full AV with 2 screens
Animation Studios, UCA Farnham

Animation Stop-Motion Studio

Room: G13

This room contains three bays, each with a Canon camera and one with an electric slider for enhanced camera control.

It also has studio lights, gels, materials library and a small workstation for repairs.
Animation Studios, UCA Farnham

Animation Rostrum Room

Room: G17

This stop motion studio contains four rostrum stages, all suitable for light box work and one containing a multiplane.

Animation career opportunities

As a long-established degree course, we’ve built an extensive network of industry connections, giving us access to high-profile visiting lecturers, and to commissions, competitions and exciting work-placement opportunities. Our industry links include:

  • Aardman Animation
  • Studio AKA
  • Cinesite
  • The Mill
  • Create and Make
  • Agile Films
  • Blackdog Films Limited
  • HSI Film
  • Blink Productions
  • The Film Club
  • National Film and TV School
  • Passion Pictures (one of the leading studios in Europe)
  • Nexus
  • Moth Collective
  • UsTwo
  • Beakus
  • Fudge Animation
  • Animade

Animation is one of the most significant and rapidly expanding media fields. An enormous range of career opportunities exist in animation, from the traditional techniques of animation storytelling to drawn, model and CGI animation. Typical careers in the industry include:

  • Directors
  • Producers
  • Animators (in commercials, films, broadcast, online media and games)
  • Editors
  • Character designers
  • Production designers
  • Pre-vis artists
  • Compositors
  • Storyboard artists
  • Post-production.

As one of the pre-eminent animation courses in the world, our sought after alumni have landed many exciting, high profile roles across the industry. These include positions as:

  • Animators
  • CG animators
  • CG riggers
  • Designers
  • Directors
  • Model makers
  • Producers
  • Storyboard artists.

Many well-known studios have been set up by our alumni including:

  • Animade
  • Astley Baker Davies (makers of Peppa Pig)
  • Film Fabrik
  • Honeycomb Animation (makers of Grizzly Tales for Gruesome Kids)
  • Mackinnon & Saunders
  • Moth Collective
  • Slurpy Studios
  • Tandem Pictures.

This gives our course very solid links to a vibrant industry, and we enjoy connections with a range of creative talent, studios and potential employers.

Animation Studios, UCA Farnham

What careers can you do with an animation degree?

An animation degree is a passport to a world of creative careers.

You may also like to consider further study at postgraduate level.


Animation entry requirements

For these courses we’ll need to see a portfolio, see the portfolio requirements section for more details.

 

Select your country to find the equivalent requirements

Portfolio requirements

For both the BA (Hons) and the Integrated Foundation course we’ll need to see an portfolio.

  • UK applicants: We will invite you to attend an Applicant Day so you can have your portfolio review in person.
  • International applicants: We will ask you to submit an online portfolio. 

Your portfolio of work should demonstrate your experience, interests, aspirations, and passion for animation and we’re looking for 12 to 20 examples of your current work that showcases your level and range of achievements.  

Please see the Animation BA (Hons) portfolio requirements for full details and read our advice on creating a strong animation portfolio.

UCAS applicants should also check our UCAS personal statement guide for a animation applicants.

Full portfolio requirements and advice

What our Animation students say

"I've found a love for hand-drawn 2D animation and have grown from every project since, with the guidance and push of the tutors... I’ve also loved the live project briefs we’ve done."

Read Lauren's story Chat to UCA students

Our Animation staff

William Bishop-Stephens

Dr William Bishop-Stephens

Programme Director Animation
Hattie Croucher

Hattie Croucher

Lecturer in Animation
Jim Le Fevre, Lecturer in Animation

Jim Le Fevre

Lecturer in Animation

Apply to BA (Hons) Animation

Please use the following fields to help select the right application link for you:

UCAS codes

  • UCA institution code: C93
  • Three year degree: W615
  • Plus professional practice year: W616
  • Plus integrated foundation year: W61A
  • Plus integrated foundation year and professional practice year: W61B

Your next steps...


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BA (Hons) Animation key statistics