MA MA Animation at Nottingham Trent University

Explore animation production, concepts and context on this dynamic and contemporary postgraduate degree. As an MA Animation student, you’ll have the opportunity to choose from a wide range of topics to study, including:

• storyboard and pre-visualisation artistry
• character design
• environment and prop design
• 2D and 3D animation
• stop-motion and experimental animation

Key features

• Develop a project tailored to your own personal interests and career aspirations.
• Attend lectures held by industry professionals from leading animation studios.
• Visit animation festivals in the UK and Europe
• Take advantage of our extensive industry links
• Exhibit your work at New Designers in London
• Opt for an additional research module if you’re thinking of progressing to PhD or Professional Doctorate study
• Work with fellow students, practitioners and academic staff from different cultures and backgrounds
• We are proud to be in the top ten in England and Wales for Art and Design (QS World University Rankings by Subject 2020).

Careers and employability

Career Prospects

The course promotes industry research and networking to establish relationships with relevant animation companies. Students will leave with a body of work that reflects their skills and currency to potential employers.

This course leads to a wide range of potential careers that include storyboard artist; character designer; environment and prop designer; pre-visualisation artist; CG modeller; 2D and 3D animator; stop-motion animator; and experimental animator.

You also have the opportunity to enter into a diverse industry including feature and televisual production, advertising, games production and independent production, through to more peripheral digital media industries such as architectural pre-visualisation.

Some graduates also use this course to support careers in teaching, lecturing and journalism, or to progress on to MPhil or PhD study.

Connections with Industry

You’ll be encouraged and supported to undertake internships and attend events held by the School’s Employability team and other organisations. You’ll also be encouraged to undertake research into animation production companies and associated industries.

You’ll benefit from talks given by visiting professionals, which will cover a wide range of creative and professional practice.

Prestigious guest lecturers may include the likes of:

• Nexus Studios
• Aardman Animation
• Finger Industries
• Jellyfish Pictures
• Astley Baker Studio
• Entertainment One

Additionally, you’ll have the opportunity to network with industry professionals during trips to both national and international animation festivals.

In the second and third term, there will be advice and support to help you prepare career materials, including editing your strongest visual work into a reel, compiling a CV and cover letter, interview practice, and producing an online portfolio resource (such as a website).

We’ll invite you to submit your work to be considered for exhibition at New Designers, a prestigious graduate design show in London, and other subject and student-run initiatives at the University and across Nottingham.

YouFirst – working with our Employability Team

Our friendly, experienced careers consultants will work closely with you at every stage of your career planning, providing personal support and advice you won't find in a book or on the internet. You can benefit from this at any time during your studies and up to three years after completing your course.