Focusing on the technical aspects of content creation, you’ll develop all the skills you’ll need to launch a career in computer animation and visual effects.

We take a learning by doing approach on this course. So, as well as expert guidance and support, you’ll have access to a fully equipped computer animation suite, with dedicated green screen room, lighting rigs and motion capture equipment. In other words, you’ll have everything you need to learn how to create your own assets for integration with virtual environments and live-action footage to produce complex visual effects. 

You’ll learn about creating, rigging and animating 3D models, developing advanced particle effects such as fire, smoke and moving liquids, and about compositing and integration methods. And most importantly, at all stages you’ll have the creative freedom to develop your own ideas and concepts right through to the finished article.

Teamwork is at the heart of this industry and you’ll have plenty of opportunity for team-based study to help prepare you for the world of work. You’ll be perfectly poised to enter this rapidly expanding and exciting digital sector.

Our computer animation and visual effects degree also provides the option of spending an extra year expanding your horizons by working on a placement in industry.

Placement options

The full-time four-year placement route provides the opportunity to go on a placement for at least 36 weeks, where you’ll get a taste of professional life. Completing a placement not only develops your core skills and experience, but also shows employers that you’re ready to get to work. Graduate employers report that students who have been on placements tend to be well organised and better able to apply their skills in a structured way.

Careers in computer animation and visual effects include Computer Graphics (CG) Generalists, animators, lighting or texturing artists and technical director roles such as riggers and compositors. In addition, the skills you learn on this degree are highly valued by a range of employers and opportunities may exist in areas such as games, film, advertising, medical science, engineering and education.

Our graduates have stepped into roles in a variety of sectors and specialisms, from new media, games design and programming, to visual effects studios and creative agencies such as Framestore, DNEG and Space Digital.

Manchester is a major hub for the digital technology industry. The close proximity of MediaCity and a large number of both established companies and innovative tech start-ups means that the opportunities for technological collaboration are huge. Situated in the 'Oxford Road Corridor' innovation district of Manchester, the University and the Department of Computing and Mathematics are perfectly placed to work with key players in the digital technology and new media sectors.