BA (Hons)/MArt Computer Animation and Visual Effects
Course Details
Location
Start date
September 2027
Duration
3 years (BA) / 4 years (MArt)
Mode of study
Full time
Fees (2027 entry)
UK students: £10,050 per year
EU/EEA students: £10,050 per year (£17,995 before EU/EEA discount applied)
International students: £17,995 per year.
Entry requirements
72 UCAS points, plus a portfolio
Institution code
P34
UCAS code
I706 (BA) / I707 (MArt)
Awarded by (subject to approval)
Course overview
Design, create, animate and integrate digital content for film, tv and interactive media.
New for September 2027, BA (Hons)/MArt Computer Animation and Visual Effects* is designed for aspiring creatives who dream of building a career in film, television and digital content creation. Not ready to lock into one creative path just yet? With this degree, you don’t have to.
Built by industry, for industry, this degree brings together key modules of our established 3D Computer Animation and Visual Effects programmes, designed in collaboration with Framestore and DNEG.
You'll develop a broad understanding of the creative and technical stages of modern production, from concept development and animation through to rendering, compositing and final delivery. As you progress, you'll get to shape your own specialist interests, build a focused portfolio, and develop expertise aligned with your career goals.
You'll be guided by expert tutors whose credits include The Lion King, Harry Potter and Thor: Ragnarok in a studio-based environment.
With more than 50 long-standing studio partners, meaningful industry engagement is embedded throughout your experience. You'll regularly connect with professionals, gain feedback on your work, and showcase your creative and technical skills to the people shaping the industry.
By the time you graduate, you’ll have the creative, technical and collaborative skills needed to contribute to animation and visual effects productions, alongside a professional portfolio and the industry connections needed to launch a successful career in the screen industries.
*Subject to approval by Coventry University.
Why choose this course
- Located in London - home to some of the world’s leading animation and VFX studios. You'll be based at our campus in North Greenwich, surrounded by venues such as the O2 Arena, Indigo at the O2, and opening soon, The Troubadour Greenwich Peninsula Theatre and Secret Cinema.
- Designed with professional input to ensure this degree is relevant to employers and up to date. Modules of this degree were created with experts from studios including DNEG and Framestore.
- No exams! You’ll work on industry-standard briefs and experience real-life scenarios, just like in a professional studio.
- Industry level facilities - study in a studio environment that mirrors current industry practice, using high-spec equipment and professional software such as Maya, Houdini, Adobe Substance Designer / Substance 3D and Unreal Engine.
- You’ll be part of a close-knit and supportive community - Our award-winning students, expert tutors and top industry partners form a stellar network that we call the Escapeverse.
- Follow in the footsteps of over 4,000 successful alumni - At the 2026 Oscars, we had Escapees work on every film nominated for the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects - Avatar: Fire and Ash, F1, Jurassic World Rebirth, The Last Bus and Sinners.
Escape has been essential to my industry journey. My first two industry jobs came directly from contacts I made through Escape, and the animation course gave me the skills and experience I needed to get my foot in the door, and keep it there. The friends I made at Escape are not only amazing people but also an important professional network I can rely on when looking for work. I know first-hand that when Escape Studios appears on the CV of a potential junior hire, managers and supervisors take notice.
Course modules
Modules subject to approval and change.
First year
(Level 4 - 120 credits)
- Creative Foundations - Project (30 credits)
- Creative Foundations - Craft (30 credits)
- Computer Animation - Core (15 credits)
- Video Game Art - Core (15 credits)
- Compositing for Visual Effects - Core (15 credits)
- 3D for Visual Effects - Core (15 credits).
Second year
(Level 5 - 120 credits)
Choose two electives from the following options:
- Computer Animation Pro - 3D (30 credits)
- Computer Animation Advanced - 3D (30 credits)
- 3D for Visual Effects Pro (30 credits)
- Compositing for Visual Effects Pro (30 credits)
- Proceduralism for 2D and 3D (30 credits).
Compulsory modules:
- Specialism (15 credits)
- Industry Studio Project (45 credits).
Third year
(Level 6 - 120 credits)
- Advanced Specialism (30 credits)
- Professional Studio Project (60 credits)
- Professional Practice (30 credits).
Fourth year - Integrated Masters students only
(Level 7 - 120 credits)
Keen to further refine your skillset, considering working freelance, or one day dream of starting your own studio? As part of a team, you’ll work like a real outsourced studio, each taking on different roles relevant to your expertise. You’ll learn about business, entrepreneurship and the know-how for an impressive portfolio career.
- Creative Research & Development (30 credits)
- Commercial Studio Project (60 credits)
- Business of Innovation (30 credits)
More information
Entry requirements
Minimum academic requirements
- GCSE English at grade 4/C or equivalent
- Have or be predicted a minimum of 72 UCAS points.
Conditional offers are made based on applicant's predicted grades (but we do not set conditions above 120 UCAS points even if your predicted grades are higher than this).
| UCAS points | A Levels | BTEC | UAL Level 3 Extended Diploma | International Baccalaureate (IB) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 72 UCAS points | DDD | MMP - | Pass | 27 |
We are a specialist institution with a flexible approach to admissions, to allow students with creative potential to access our courses. Contact our Admissions Team if you're not sure about your qualifications: admissions@escapestudios.ac.uk / +44 (0) 20 4570 5091.
Academic requirements for international students (non-UK)
We welcome applications from qualified candidates all over the world.
Undergraduate applicants will usually need good high school grades and an undergraduate portfolio.
Head to our international hub for more information. For any questions, reach out to our Admissions Team: admissions@escapestudios.ac.uk
Portfolio submission
Once we receive your UCAS application, you’ll be invited to submit an online portfolio of your work. We take students who have the talent to succeed, and we know the best way to judge this is not necessarily by just a set of academic grades. Our tutors will review your portfolio to determine whether we can offer you a place.
Your portfolio can be submitted to your applicant portal in the form of an online link (e.g. ArtStation, Google Drive, Dropbox etc.). You can also include an optional supporting statement (written, video or audio) to be reviewed with your portfolio.
Check out detailed guidance in our Undergraduate Portfolio Guide.
English language requirements
All our courses are taught in English. If your first language is not English, you may need to complete an English language test, such as a Pearson English language test (PTE Academic) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS) test, to demonstrate you have the language skills needed to complete your degree.
| Qualification | Score required |
|---|---|
| IELTS for UKVI (Academic) | 6.0 IELTS (with a minimum of 6.0 in Reading and Writing and 5.5 in Speaking and Listening) |
| PTE Academic UKVI | 62 including 60 in each subtest |
International students will be required to hold a Secure English Language Test (SELT) at B2 in order to be able to apply for a visa to study at Escape Studios on a student visa. Visit the government website for guidance.
You may be exempt from proving your English level if you are from an English-speaking country listed as recognised for visa purposes or have a degree level qualification obtained in one of these countries. The latest list is available on the UK Government website.
For students who have a SELT at B2 but who do not meet our requirements, we can also consider alternative qualifications. Please contact admissions@escapestudios.ac.uk for more information.
How to apply
The first intake for BA (Hons) / MArt Computer Animation and Visual Effects will be September 2027. Applications are now open.
UK students
You should submit your application via UCAS. Our institution code is P34 and our institution name is Escape Studios.
September 2027
- Computer Animation and Visual Effects (three year undergraduate degree)
- Computer Animation and Visual Effects (four year integrated masters).
International students
International undergraduate applications can be submitted directly using our applicant portal (international students only).
September 2027
- Computer Animation and Visual Effects (three year undergraduate degree)
- Computer Animation and Visual Effects (four year integrated masters).
We also accept international applications via UCAS.
If we make you an offer for a place on the programme, you will need to agree to our terms and conditions for your place on the course to be secured.
Take a look at our application and admissions process.
Fees (2027 entry)
- UK students: £10,050 per year
- EU/EEA students: £10,050 per year (£17,995 before EU/EEA discount applied)
- International students: £17,995 per year.
Fees are provisional and subject to change. For undergraduate home students, tuition fees are set in accordance with the approved fee cap determined by the UK Government.
Assessment
Your work is assessed through practical assignments and retrospectives by a mix of tutor, peer, self-review and industry. In fact, industry professionals often review your project modules and share their personalised feedback with you.
Software
Indicative software, dependent on your chosen pathway:
- Houdini
- Maya
- Nuke
- Arnold
- Photoshop
- 3D Equalizer
- Adobe Substance Designer / Substance 3D
- Unreal Engine
- Zbrush
- Blender.
Teaching and learning
Your overall workload will be divided between teaching sessions and independent learning.
During your course, you’ll be able to develop your knowledge and skills in a number of ways. Some learning time will be closely directed and supervised by your tutors, at other times you’ll be free to organise your own study with guidance. All your scheduled studio time, except for some information sessions and presentations, will be in smaller groups based on specialism.
For many of your projects, you’ll work in smaller teams, collaborating to meet a shared brief, with the support and assistance that you need. The craft modules have a higher contact time, as this is where you will learn the knowledge and skills associated with your chosen subject, directed and informed by your tutors’ expertise and experience. These will normally involve a large part of each day in the studio with your tutor and Studio Assistant*, following demonstrations and working on set exercises to help you develop your craft.
The project modules will have a lower contact time, with your tutors taking on the roles of supervisors or studio leads. You’ll meet with them regularly to get feedback and help you stay on the right path, but these modules are much more about you managing the learning experience to meet your objectives. The majority of projects will be team-based, and you’ll have the opportunity to take on different roles in several teams during your studies. Again, you’ll be expected to work in the studios for a significant part of each day, and attendance will be recorded, but outside those times, you’ll be free to organise your work as a team to best suit your project requirements.
Each module has its own area on our Online Learning Environment (OLE) where you will find information about the module and the resources that are provided to support your learning. Some of this information will be dedicated to the module, other elements may be shared across different modules and some may be external assets that can help with your further study. There may be links to videos, online journals and e-books, and you should take advantage of these to enhance your development and take it beyond the studio experience. Tutors may highlight some of these during their sessions. The OLE and our online library also include resources to help you improve your study skills.
Students with additional needs or disabilities are supported by our Student Services Team.
*Undergraduate classes with over 18 students, will have a Studio Assistant assigned to offer extra support to both the tutor and students.
Contact hours
The academic year consists of three terms: Autumn, Spring and Summer. Students on a typical three-year degree attend classes during the Autumn and Spring term, for a total of 30 weeks, and will normally not attend during the Summer term, unless they have to re-attempt assessments.
Per week, your overall workload will be approximately 40 hours. Each week, you will spend 15 hours in workshops and practical classes and 20-25 hours on self-study learning and working on your projects.
Why Escape Studios?
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Meet our industry-experienced tutors
Our tutors have industry experience and are experts in their fields, including certified trainers for Unreal Engine, Autodesk and Houdini. They've worked at studios such as Walt Disney, EA and Framestore, on credits including Doctor Strange, Kingsman and Bond: Spectre.
