BA (Hons) 3D Animation

• Animation fundamentals
• Rigging
• Acting performance
• Visual narrative
• Body mechanics
• Animation industry
• Observational and contextual subject related areas

If you are studying the BA (Hons) 3D Animation with Integrated Foundation Year version of this course, key study topics in your foundation year will include:

• Introduction to the fundamental principles of games and animation
• Core elements of design and art: line, shape, color, value, form, texture, and space
• Exploring digital software and applications Relevant to design and user interaction
• Presenting Research and Ideation with Clarity, Critical Thinking, and Reflection
• Overview of Digital Games and Animation Software, Including Current Innovations and Limitations of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

If you choose to add an Integrated Foundation Year on this course, you will be first introduced to the fundamental principles of animation and illustration. Your foundation year gives you the time, space and support to explore your strengths, build confidence and prepare for the demands of project-based, industry-focused learning. Modules are as follows:

• Module 1: Diagnostic exploration - making informed choices
• Module 2: Technical - Technical knowledge in practice
• Module 3: Specialist - Innovating specialist practice
• Module 4: Integration - Integrated practice for progression to Higher Education

Please note: Students starting this course with the Integrated Foundation Year in September 2026/27 will study the 2027/28 approved modules in Years 1, 2 and 3.

Year 1

In Year 1, you will study fundamental animation skills, including timing, posing, movement and behaviour. Throughout year 1, you will be encouraged to experiment and improvise with your ideas. 

You will gain industry insight from the outset; attending guest lectures, completing tasks set by practitioners and receiving direct feedback on the work you submit.

A blend of skills will be explored throughout the course, including visual language, storytelling techniques and drawing. 

• Animation Fundamentals (3D)
• Animation Character Mechanics (3D)
• Look Development for 3D
• Pre-Visualisation for (3D)
• Professional Life Practice: Developing your Practice
• Professional Life Practice: Exploring your Practice

Year 2

In Year 2, you will advance your skills in animation through acting workshops and exploration into dialogue and emotions. This will be teamed with the development of skills in rigging and preparation for industry. You will be given the opportunity to work on live projects with mentors there to assist you and work independently, exploring your own area of interest.

Industry guests will continue to support the modules in Year 2 through a series of masterclasses and workshops. There will also be an opportunity to engage in either a live brief or secure a work-based learning opportunity within industry, at the end of Year 2. 

• Animation Character Performance (3D)
• Modelling and Rigging (3D)
• Animation Industry Exercises
• Professional Life Practice- Applying your Practice
• Work-Based Learning.

Year 3

In Year 3, you will focus on enhancing your chosen specialism in preparation for employment. You will focus on how to brand yourself, prepare for life as a freelancer and develop a showreel which is relevant to the sector of your choice.  

You will be encouraged to collaborate with fellow course mates and work alongside those in other courses such as Games Design, Illustration for Communication and Music and Sound Design.  

Over the three years, you will be taught how to develop creative responses to all your modules, while integrating both theory and practical workflows to bring out a strong and individual creative vision.  

You will also be taught the importance of building both personal and professional life skills, to adapt to the opportunities and the challenges of today’s world of work. 

• Animation Industry Prep
• Animation Production
• Professional Life Practice: Situating your Practice
• Animation Portfolio

Year 1

Year 1 emphasises building core animation skills - timing, posing, movement, behaviour, including asset and world building. Gain industry insight through guest lectures, cross-course collaboration and direct feedback.

Modules may include: 

• Rave Beginnings
• 3D Animation Fundamentals
• 3D Toolkit - Assets
• 3D Animation Mechanics & EPC
• 3D Toolkit - 3D Worlds

Year 2

Year 2 advances your animation skills through acting workshops, dialogue and emotion whilst also exploring storytelling and visual narrative with other courses. Work on live projects with mentor support, industry masterclasses, and the opportunity to complete live briefs.

Modules may include: 

• Character Development
• Animation Performance
• The Storyteller
• Preparing for Animation & Character Industry
• Live & Work-based Learning

Year 3

Year 3 hones your chosen specialism, building your personal brand, freelance skills, and a sector-ready showreel. Collaborate across courses including Games Design and Music and Sound Production, blending theory and practice to develop a strong, individual creative vision ready for industry.

Modules may include: 

• Research & Development
• Pre-Production
• Portfolio
• Rave Futures
• Major Project Production

All modules are subject to revalidation.

A variety of learning and teaching methods are employed in this course. 

These include but are not limited to;

Briefings & lectures (25%), seminars and practical workshops (30%), studio-based project work, demonstrations, collaborative activities including guest lectures, studio visits and industry-informed briefs (25%), group discussions, individual and group tutorials, including critiques, presentations (20%) and self-directed independent study.

The course is assessed entirely by coursework.

Study hours

BA (Hons) 3D Animation

• 864 hours of face-to-face taught
• 2736 hours independent study learning

BA (Hons) 3D Animation with Integrated Foundation Year

• 1152 hours of face-to-face taught
• 3648 hours independent study learning

Basic drawing / image-making tools, sketchbooks: £100

Note on laptop costs: Students are strongly recommended to have a personal laptop suitable for design software. If a new purchase is needed, budget approximately £600–£1,200 as a one-off cost, ideally timed for the start of Year 1. Shared studio computers are available on campus for students who do not yet have their own device.

Our campus 

You'll study in a building designed to encourage collaboration between the different disciplines and practices within Ravensbourne, and to stimulate the work of innovative professionals and creative collaboration.

It features a variety of workspaces, including social and quiet areas, high-tech creative suites, technology hubs, design studios and more. 

Want to see where you'd be studying up close? When you book a guided building tour, you can see our fantastic facilities for yourself and find out more from one of our helpful student ambassadors.

Our local area

Ravensbourne is ideally connected - North Greenwich station is just a 2-minute walk away from our campus and offers amazing views from the Greenwich Peninsula.

These transport links offer an easy route to some of London's major business hubs, perfect for reaching possible placements or networking events with employers in the worlds of business or technology.  

At Ravensbourne we accept a wide range of qualifications for entry onto our courses, whilst also considering the context in which they were achieved. For this course, we would usually require a GCSE Grade 4 or above in English in addition to any of the below;

• Two A Levels at grade CC or above
• BTEC Extended Diploma at grade MPP
• UAL Level 3 Extended Diploma
• T Level (pass or above)
• Access to Higher Education Diploma
• International Baccalaureate at grade 24 or above
• Other/Mixed qualifications equivalent to 64 UCAS Tariff points

At Ravensbourne we take a flexible approach to admissions, as we want you to know exactly what you need to achieve in your exams to guarantee a place on the course. We still think exams are important and look forward to hearing about your successes, but we place just as much importance on the work you will share with us as part of our portfolio process.

Portfolio and interview requirements

Students should ideally have a background in art, creative media or design. Admission onto this course is also subject to successful completion of a portfolio (or showreel). There is no interview requirement for this course.

If you wish to study our BA (Hons) 3D Animation degree, we will need to see examples of previous art, new media and/or design work that showcases your suitability for the course. 

Please provide a digital portfolio of no more than 10 pieces of work.

A piece of work can be: 

• An animation
• A storyboard
• A concept piece, which could be of an environment or character design
• Life drawings (one sheet of paper with multiple drawings on it or one developed drawing showing tone or colour)
• Any personal work representing design, drawing, colour and research.
• 3D work (a single model, an environment or samples of texturing and lighting skills)
• If you feel other work is suitable such as photography or model making then please feel free to add it if it is relevant to animation.

This page offers great tips for completing your portfolio/showreel.

At Ravensbourne we accept a wide range of qualifications for entry onto our courses, whilst also considering the context in which they were achieved. For this course, we would usually require a GCSE Grade 4 or above in English in addition to any of the below;

• Two A Levels at grade DD or above
• BTEC Extended Diploma at grade PPP
• UAL Level 3 Extended Diploma
• T Level (pass or above)
• Access to Higher Education Diploma
• International Baccalaureate at grade 24 or above
• Other/mixed qualifications equivalent to 48 UCAS Tariff points

At Ravensbourne we take a flexible approach to admissions, as we want you to know exactly what you need to achieve in your exams to guarantee a place on the course. 

Portfolio and interview requirements

There is no portfolio or interview requirement for the Integrated Foundation Year version of this course.