Everything you need to know...
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What is the fee?
Home: See fees section below
International/EU: £17,155 per year (£1,200 for placement year) -
How long will I study?
4/5 Years
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Where will I study?
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What are the entry requirements?
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What is the UCAS code?
A034
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When do I start?
September 2025
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Placement year available?
Yes
Course summary
- Prepare for the degree with an extra foundation year at the start.
- Work across a variety of forms including 2D drawn and digital-based animation, stop motion and 3D CGI animation.
- Specialise in your preferred animation discipline for your major project film.
- Produce a portfolio of project work to showcase your skills to potential employers.
Learn a broad range of techniques and theoretical knowledge underpinning the form, including storyboarding, life drawing and concept art with this practical animation course. You graduate with the experience necessary to work in the animation industry, or in a wide range of other sectors that require creative professionals with animation skills.
How you learn
All our courses are designed around a set of key principles based on engaging you with the world, collaborating with others, challenging you to think in new ways, and providing you with a supportive environment in which you can thrive.
The course is suitable if you don’t meet the entry requirements for our BA (Hons) Animation course, or you want extra preparation before starting degree-level study. You share the first year with other media arts and communication foundation year students, then move on to the degree.
Throughout the course you will experience a range of teaching methods, from specialist workshops and media labs to lectures and seminars, individual tutorials and group work. You will be able to develop your own area of interest and specialise in your preferred discipline for your major project film (including 2D drawn, stop motion or 3D CGI animation).
You learn through
- coursework
- portfolios
- projects
- written reports
- peer critique groups
In the foundation year, you’ll study wide-ranging media arts and communication topics, while also focussing on your particular subject area and completing assignments in that field. You’ll grow as a creative, and begin developing a professional portfolio. You’ll also become familiar with Hallam’s exceptional facilities and staff, so you’re fully prepared for undergraduate study.
Applied learning
Work placements
You will have the opportunity to arrange a year-long work placement in between your third and fourth years. This gives you a real-world experience to prepare you for your future career.
Field trips
To help create a stimulating environment and to ensure that you gain the latest industry knowledge, you attend animation festival trips, film seminars and guest lectures by industry experts. Our industry links include Double Negative, Frame Store, MacKinnon and Saunders, Cartoon Saloon, Finger Industries and Mew Lab.
Competitions
In your fourth year you have the opportunity to submit your work for the Nick Park Award, an annual competition exclusive to Sheffield Hallam students.
Future careers
This course prepares you for a career as a
- stop motion animator
- 3D CGI animator
- set designer
- puppet builder
- lighting technician
- texture artist
- modeller
- rigger
- compositor
- producer
- editor
- storyboard artist
- character designer
Previous graduates of BA (Honours) Animation have gone on to work for
- Industrial Light and Magic
- BBC (CBeebies)
- Double Negative
- Warner Brothers studios
Where will I study?
You study at City Campus through a structured mix of lectures, seminars and practical sessions as well as access to digital and online resources to support your learning.
City Campus
City Campus is located in the heart of Sheffield, within minutes of the train and bus stations.
City Campus map | City Campus tour
Adsetts library
Adsetts Library is located on our City Campus. It's open 24 hours a day, every day.
Learn moreEquipment and facilities
On this course you work with
- industry-standard stop motion studio
- multi-disciplinary 2D animation project room
- green screen studio
- 3D printers
- laser cutters
- motion capture suite
- Adobe CC suite
- ToonBoom Harmony
- Dragon Frame
- Autodesk Maya
- 3D Studio Max
- VRay Render engine
Media Gallery
Entry requirements
All students
UCAS points
- 80
With at least 32 points from one A level or equivalent BTEC National qualifications. For example:
- CDD at A Level.
- MMP in BTEC Extended Diploma.
- Pass overall from a T level qualification with C from core.
- A combination of qualifications which must include an A level grade C or BTEC grade M.
GCSE
- English Language or Literature at grade C or 4 or equivalents
You can find information on UCAS tariff points here and use the UCAS tariff calculator to work out your points.
• An Access to HE Diploma with at least 45 credits at level 3 and 15 credits at level 2. At least 15 level 3 credits must be at merit grade or above from a QAA-recognised Access to HE course, or an equivalent Access to HE certificate.
We may also accept you, if you have limited qualifications but can show evidence of ability and a genuine commitment to studying Media Arts and Communication.
We treat the foundation year as part of the Media Arts and Communication degree programme. Offers made to students will be for four years of study (or five years of study including a placement). This is made up of the foundation year plus one of our Media Arts and Communication degrees.
Some applicants may be invited to attend an informal interview with the course leader to ensure that the programme is suitable for themselves and their aspirations.
If English is not your first language, you will need an IELTS score of 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in all skills, or equivalent. If your English language skill is currently below IELTS 6.0 we recommend you consider a Sheffield Hallam University Pre-sessional English course which will enable you to achieve an equivalent English score.
Additional information for EU/International students
If you are an International or non-UK European student, you can find out more about the country specific qualifications we accept on our international qualifications page.
For details of English language entry requirements (IELTS), please see the information for 'All students'.
Modules
Important notice: The structure of this course is periodically reviewed and enhanced to provide the best possible learning experience for our students and ensure ongoing compliance with any professional, statutory and regulatory body standards. Module structure, content, delivery and assessment may change, but we expect the focus of the course and the learning outcomes to remain as described above. Following any changes, updated module information will be published on this page.
You will be able to complete a placement year as part of this course. See the modules table below for further information.
Year 1
Compulsory modules
Creative Synergies In Media Production
Media In Context
Media Project
Preparing For Independent Practice And Study
Year 2
Compulsory modules
2D Animation Foundation
Animation Analysis
Cgi Animation Foundation
Creative Challenges
Drawing For Animation
Stop Motion Animation Foundation
Year 3
Compulsory modules
Level 5 Live Industry Project
Showreel Project
Visual Storytelling
Year 4
Optional modules
Placement Year
Final year
Compulsory modules
Dissertation
Major Animation Project
Elective modules
Life Drawing
Sound Design And Sonic Arts Practice
Visual Effects Project
Fees and funding
Home students
Our tuition fees for UK students starting full-time undergraduate study in 2025/26 are regulated by the UK government and are yet to be confirmed. For an indication, our tuition fee for UK students starting full-time undergraduate study in 2024/25 is £9,250 per year. During your placement year you will pay a reduced fee of £1,200.
If you are studying an undergraduate course, postgraduate pre-registration course or postgraduate research course over more than one academic year then your tuition fees may increase in subsequent years in line with Government regulations or UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) published fees. More information can be found in our terms and conditions under student fees regulations.
International students
Our tuition fee for International/EU students starting full-time study in 2025/26 is £17,155 per year. During your placement year you will pay a reduced fee of £1,200.
Financial support for home/EU students
How tuition fees work, student loans and other financial support available.
Additional course costs
This link allows you to view estimated costs associated with the main activities on specific courses. These are estimates and, as such, are only an indication of additional course costs. Actual costs can vary greatly depending on the choices you make during your course.
Additional costs for Art and design courses (PDF, 399.2KB)Legal information
Any offer of a place to study is subject to your acceptance of the University’s Terms and Conditions and Student Regulations.
