Brayford Pool
3 years (4 years with Foundation Year)
W270
Animation and Visual Effects at Lincoln offers an introduction to the innovative world of animation and visual effects through moving image, digital visualisation, and contemporary narrative.
The course enables students to develop into creative animators and artists with the flexibility to practise their craft in a variety of media. It covers a range of skills, including the fundamentals of animation, storytelling, performance, design, drawing, 3D modelling, 2D and computer-generated animation, compositing, animation theory, and the production of short films.
The Lincoln School of Film and Media has had success at the Royal Television Society awards. In 2019, student film Papier won Best Animation at the awards. The animation was made by students Tabitha Lay, Emily Leaning, Katie Thomas, Natasha Ray, and Charlie Bartlett. Student animations Harlem Nocturne and Uplifted were also nominated in the Best Animation category at the awards.
This programme is also available with an Arts Foundation Year, which can provide an alternative route of entry onto the full degree programme. Find out more at https://www.lincoln.ac.uk/course/afyafyub/.
Access industry-standard facilities and equipment
Take part in study trips and overseas visits to exciting destinations
Learn from staff with industry experience as film, television, and video game
Take part in industry competitions and award schemes
Work collaboratively with students across multiple disciplines
Subject area ranked in the top 20 overall in the UK*
*Complete University Guide 2025 (out of 83 ranking institutions)
This course aims to provide a thorough grounding in classical animation principles as well as an introduction to digital techniques for animation and visual effects.
Life drawing forms an integral part of the programme, combined with developing narrative, character design, and animation techniques. Students are encouraged to participate in various stages of production, such as character animation, art direction and lighting, digital compositing and effects, post-production techniques, and production management.
In the final year, they can work as part of a team to produce a short film that sets the premise for their personal showreel.
Industry practitioners are part of the teaching team on the course including film, television, and video games animators.
This module introduces the core principles that underpin all animated movement. Students explore how timing, spacing, weight, and performance bring drawings and digital characters to life. Through a series of short, practical exercises, they develop the technical and creative skills essential for believable motion and expressive storytelling. Working with industry-standard animation software, students build confidence in planning, testing, and refining animated sequences. The module emphasises observation, iteration, and reflective practice, providing a foundation for advanced animation production and specialisation in later study.
Cultivating Creativity is a first-year interdisciplinary module designed to develop students' creative thinking and industry awareness. The module fosters curiosity, ideation, and practical application while equipping students with essential academic, creative and professional skills. Through engagement with contemporary issues, students will explore how these topics intersect with their chosen industry contexts.
This module explores the core principles of design for animation. Students develop character, prop, and environment designs while learning how visual language, composition, and colour communicate personality, mood, and story. Through hands-on workshops, tutorials, and peer feedback, students build creative confidence, technical awareness, and professional design skills that form a foundation for animation and visual effects study.
This module introduces key elements of the animation pipeline, focusing on story, character development, and film language. Students learn foundational skills in ideation, communication, visual storytelling, and cinematic design. Through hands-on workshops, they develop narrative concepts into beat boards, storyboards, and animatics, gaining confidence in layout, composition, and animated storytelling techniques.
Animation Practice allows students to specialise in an area of animation or explore a hybrid creative pathway that supports their individual aspirations. Working within Story & Visual Development, 2D Animation, 3D Animation, or Visual Effects (VFX), students develop technical skills, creative confidence, and professional workflows. The module encourages experimentation, visual research, and problem-solving while offering opportunities for collaboration, competitions, and external engagement. This prepares students for advanced study and professional practice in the animation and VFX industries.
This module develops the applied production skills required for creating 3D assets in animation and visual effects. Students work on environment and character projects, exploring how design, form, and surface communicate narrative and function in digital space. They gain experience with industry-standard tools for modelling, sculpting, surfacing, and rendering, and learn how to optimise and present work for production pipelines. The module emphasises creative problem-solving, procedural thinking, and professional presentation, providing a foundation for advanced CGI and team production practice in the final year.
This module aims to give you an opportunity to immerse yourself in a specialist area within the creative arts. The content of the module is shaped by the research and practice expertise of staff members who actively collaborate with and mentor you throughout your exploration of this specialist area. This ensures that you benefit from the latest insights and methodologies within the chosen specialist area, gaining a well-rounded understanding that integrates theoretical knowledge with practical application.
Animation Pre-production is where ideas take shape. Students transform concepts into production-ready animation proposals through story development, visual design, and cinematic planning. Workshops and tutorials guide them through research, storytelling, layout, storyboarding, and animatic creation, supported by industry-standard tools and professional critique. Students may choose to pursue an individual concept or respond to a live client brief, gaining real-world experience in negotiation and presentation. By the end of the module, each student will have a polished pre-production portfolio and pitch that demonstrate creative vision and production awareness.
Creative Futures is a final-year module designed to prepare students for the transition into professional life. Through guest talks, lectures, tutorials, and flexible online learning, students gain a critical understanding of creative careers and the wider labour market. The module focuses on key transferable skills such as emotional intelligence, resilience, digital literacy, critical thinking, leadership, and intercultural awareness. Students will reflect on their strengths, values, and goals, and emerge confident, career-ready, and equipped to thrive in diverse professional environments.
Students undertaking this module develop the ability to generate, research, and realise innovative ideas through an independently conceived project within their Animation and VFX specialism. Guided by workshops and tutorials, students move from concept development and research through to the creation of a visual artefact or written piece. The module supports creative autonomy, problem-solving, and reflective practice, enabling students to produce an outcome that reflects their developing interests, skills, and professional identity.
† Some courses may offer optional modules. The availability of optional modules may vary from year to year and will be subject to minimum student numbers being achieved. This means that the availability of specific optional modules cannot be guaranteed. Optional module selection may also be affected by staff availability.
We want you to have all the information you need to make an informed decision on where and what you want to study. In addition to the information provided on this course page, our What You Need to Know page offers explanations on key topics including programme validation/revalidation, additional costs, and contact hours.
For this course assessment is 100% by coursework in each year. The way students are assessed on this course may vary for each module. Assessment methods include practical work, written assignments, and reviews of their own creative outputs. The weighting given to each assessment method may vary across each academic year. The University of Lincoln's policy is to ensure that staff return assessments to students promptly.
Each term includes advisory progress reviews. All studio modules are assessed on both studio production and supporting research presentation, with varying weightings.
Luma Street by D. Escobar, A. Horsepool, S.Brierly, A Stokes, and A Kirkwood.
Watermill by Abigail Cooke.
Featherless by Mathew Dame and Ngou-Yin Wong.
Students on this course have the opportunity to take part in study trips and overseas visits. Recent destinations have included the Anime Festival in Tokyo; Annecy International Animated Film Festival in France; the Walt Disney Studios and Jim Henson Studios in Los Angeles; NBC; the University of California; and Warner Bros. Studios.
Those who choose to participate in optional field trips are expected to cover the cost of their travel, accommodation, and general living expenses. Any trips included within a compulsory module, such as a visit to an animation or VFX studio in previous years, are fully-funded.
I was able to secure a role as a Junior Animator on the acclaimed LEGO video games series at TT Games, before I even graduated. I wouldn't have been able to do this were it not for the phenomenal guidance and expert tuition I received at the University of Lincoln.
Thaxnay Kapdee
BA (Hons) Animation
Students can access specialist industry-standard facilities and equipment, including sound design and digital film production facilities, dedicated studios, workshops, Mac and PC suites, a render farm, and gallery space. All Animation and Visual Effects students currently have free access to Adobe Creative Cloud software for the duration of their studies via our media and design labs. Additional material costs will depend on the mediums you choose to work in.
This degree aims to equip graduates for careers in animation and computer games artistry, and as 3D artists who work in visual effects, broadcast, commercial production, and visualisation. Our graduates have secured jobs with leading practitioners across the animation industries including TT Games, Tandem Films, Lupus Films, Double Negative, Cinesite and Framestore CFC. Lincoln graduates have worked on films such as The Tiger Who Came to Tea, Ethel and Ernest, The Snowman and the Snowdog, The Jungle Book, Man of Steel, Inception, Wonder Woman, and the featurette We're Going on a Bear Hunt.
104 to 112 UCAS Tariff points.
This must be achieved from a minimum of 2 A Levels or equivalent Level 3 qualifications. For example:
A Level: BCC to BBC
BTEC Extended Diploma: Distinction Merit Merit
T Level: Merit Overall
Access to Higher Education Diploma: 104 to 112 UCAS points to be achieved from 45 Level 3 credits.
International Baccalaureate: 29 points overall.
GCSE's: Minimum of three at grade 4 or above, which must include English . Equivalent Level 2 qualifications may be considered.
The University accepts a wide range of qualifications as the basis for entry and do accept a combination of qualifications which may include A Levels, BTECs, Extended Project Qualification (EPQ).
We may also consider applicants with extensive and relevant work experience and will give special individual consideration to those who do not meet the standard entry qualifications.
For applicants who do not meet our standard entry requirements, our Arts Foundation Year can provide an alternative route of entry onto our full degree programmes:
Non UK Qualifications:
If you have studied outside of the UK, and are unsure whether your qualification meets the above requirements, please visit our country pages
https://www.lincoln.ac.uk/studywithus/internationalstudents/entryrequirementsandyourcountry/ for information on equivalent qualifications.
EU and Overseas students will be required to demonstrate English language proficiency equivalent to IELTS 6.0 overall, with a minimum of 5.5 in each element. For information regarding other English language qualifications we accept, please visit the English Requirements page
If you do not meet the above IELTS requirements, you may be able to take part in one of our Pre-sessional English and Academic Study Skills courses.
If you would like further information about entry requirements, or would like to discuss whether the qualifications you are currently studying are acceptable, please contact the Admissions team on 01522 886097, or email admissions@lincoln.ac.uk
Please note application assessment criteria may vary by country and we may close to applications from some domiciles. Please view the Your Country pages of our website before making an application.
Going to university is a life-changing step and it's important to understand the costs involved and the funding options available before you start. A full breakdown of the fees associated with this programme can be found on our course fees pages.
For eligible undergraduate students going to university for the first time, scholarships and bursaries are available to help cover costs. To help support students from outside of the UK, we are also delighted to offer a number of international scholarships which range from £1,000 up to the value of 50 per cent of tuition fees. For full details and information about eligibility, visit our scholarships and bursaries pages.
Students participating in optional field trips are expected to pay for the cost of their travel, accommodation, and general living expenses. Any trips included within a compulsory module are fully funded.
Additional material costs depend on the mediums you choose to work in.
The best way to find out what it is really like to live and learn at Lincoln is to visit us in person. We offer a range of opportunities across the year to help you to get a real feel for what it might be like to study here.
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