Animation degrees

[lookthisway]

My dd2 wants to do an animation degree. I've done the whole google search and seen rankings of universities but would love to hear from parents of/or students who have experience of studying this subject and their university.

Not got experience personally but DGodD went to Staffordshire although she never took up the place as she was offered a job on the strength of her portfolio.

Does DD have a preference of where she wants to go?

Not just animation but there's a lot of good advice and info on this thread:

www.mumsnet.com/talk/higher_education/4626697-2023-uni-applications-for-those-pursuing-art-and-creative-routes?page=15

My DD is doing illustration at Anglia Ruskin/Cambridge School of Art, but one of her friends is on the animation course (which includes illustration).

Ranking tables are pretty rubbish for tiny courses. Have a look at "discoveruni.gov.uk" instead which goes into detail of individual subjects!

Nottingham Trent - hasn't looked back

My daughter want to do animation too and has done loads of research, and I've looked at loads of YouTube videos.
Rookies ranks University of Hertfordshire as the number 1 animation course in the UK, and number 2 worldwide for 2D. Very competitive - at least 1000 applicants for 100 places.
There are dozens that offer animation degrees, but after looking at show reels, industry rankings, Discoveruni/whatuni and YouTube, the following are the ones my daughter is considering:
Arts University Bournemouth
Bournemouth University
Falmouth
ARU
NTU
Futureworks
UAL (London College of Communication)
UCA (Farnham)
Escape Studios (Pearson)
Kingston University
Ravensbourne
University of Edinburgh and
University of Dundee if you are in Scotland

It's important for your daughter to decide what kind of animation: 2D, 3D, Game animation, stop motion and so on, as the different universities will lean towards one or the other. Ravensbourne, for example, does 3D animation. Kingston does Illustration animation, so is more drawing based.
The industry in the UK is 3D heavy, though 2D had its place, though most films using 2D are produced in Japan and France. Game animation is pretty big.

As animation is skill based (you have to know the software), and the portfolio is all important, your daughter should consider doing a foundation diploma. It's not a requirement, but she will be 'competing' with others who have had an extra few months and possibly some specialisation in animation and a reel. But there are also short courses available at unis that offer it as a degree that may beef up her portfolio (my daughter did the Central St Martins one this past summer).
YouTube in particular has some great advice and information about the courses at each uni, as well as vlogs from students.

Thanks everyone for getting back to me. My daughter is very into digital animation 2D, and already spends a lot of her free time working on her own animation projects. She has done some work experience during the summer at a studio but I don't think she has really spent any time thinking about what she wants from a degree or a University. @mondaytosunday your list looks similar to the one I have compiled. My plan is to start going to open days soon and speak to the subject leaders to help her form some ideas not just about courses but also about locations.

What year is she in now?

I go to the djcad (dundee) degree show if I want to find animators to commission.
I love the work I see there- 2d and 3d.

For what it's worth, my DD loves ARU. The art school is really small (about 20-30 people on each of the courses) which means lots of contact with the tutors, and a community spirit. She finds the city of Cambridge her perfect place, and has made close friends from her classmates. I don't know of its specific reputation for animation, but illustration "punches above its weight" in competition success and employment figures; the art school as a whole has a reputation for being very very traditional and concentrating on traditional drawing skills. That might be what your DD is looking for, or not! The animation course includes a lot of 2D illustration, but they have separate lecturers to keep numbers low.

Year 12

Why is YOUR plan to go to open days and ask questions? That should be HER plan

I'm not going on my own! I've discussed it with her!!! And it's clearly her plan, I have no interest in doing a degree in animation!!! I probably didn't write that out clearly but I didn't think I needed to explain that on a mumsnet thread! And why post such a comment, does it make you feel better?

You can both get a lot of info from the internet, and YouTube in particular. The list I mentioned is twice as long as what my daughter is now focussing on, but it also depends on how far from home, an arts Uni as opposed to one that has an art school, campus etc.
I think your daughter should definitely try and imagine what she wants to do after her degree, as that will inform her choice and narrow things down. We often look at the credits on movies - incredible amount of artists doing different jobs. Story board artists. Concept artists, background artists, character artists. Visual artist, CGI, special effects. The list is endless. Some degrees cover these - some concentrate on specific areas more than others. Really need to look at the course modules, industry connections and placement opportunities if each uni.
Definitely look at graduate show reels, even the course teachers reels. They are all online. Also realise she may change her mind! This is where a foundation course helps.

DS is at UCA Farnham. He wants to be a 2D animator and is enjoying the course (he’s 2nd year). Farnham is quiet though - not much of a student social life…but that suits him.

UWE - they have a partnership with Aardman and a beautiful campus

Depends where she wants to live too. Dundee is great but bloody freezing!

I was just coming in to say Farnham is a very quite, local feeling to it, not a buzzy big city social place.

So if she's shy or likes a sleepy life Farnham would suit her.

They are an amazing uni, lots of great links to industry.

I probably didn't write that out clearly but I didn't think I needed to explain that on a mumsnet thread!

Sorry, had to smile at this - have you not read all the 'We've got offers from University X, Y or Z' posts in various HE threads? I am always torn between thinking, You go, girl, going (back?) to university at your age, and how sweet that you are applying to the same places as your DC and Blimey, how does offspring feel about Mum going to the same university? Did they know that you were applying?

(Although I must confess that over the course of 3 DC going to university, I have done my fair share of posing as a 17 year old for open day booking purposes, if only to know who is going where, when. Slightly sensitised by the experience of DD booking Leeds for the date we'd agreed, myself booking train tickets and hotel, only for her to realise with a few hours to go that she had actually booked for a different open day, although fortunately, that was easily changed).

I don't know what Norwich University of the Arts' rep is in the business, but they do offer BA Animation. DS2 is at UEA and loves Norwich as a city.