Visual Effects with Foundation Year
Birmingham City University
Visual Effects with Foundation Year
Course Summary
Our BSc (Hons) Visual Effects course will develop your technical, creative and production skills, related to visual effects production. The course will prepare you to pursue careers in a range of roles within visual effects and other innovative industries utilising computer graphics.
The Foundation Year course option enables you to study for our BSc (Hons) degree over an extended full-time duration of four years by including a Foundation Certificate (year one of four). The Foundation Certificate provides a broad study programme that underpins the follow-on degree. In order to progress to the next year of your degree, it is necessary to achieve a pass in all of the modules of the Foundation Certificate.
You will have access to a variety of high quality facilities including: a range of industry standard software, high specification computers, cloud-based rendering facilities, a Vicon motion capture studio, one of the largest fixed green screen studios in the UK, a Milo motion control system, a variety of camera and lighting equipment and excellent learning facilities with access to substantial library open 24 hours and a variety on-line resources.
The course is delivered by a highly skilled and experienced course team, with a range of relevant industrial and academic experience, who constantly engage with industry and update their skills, to ensure the course remains up to date.
To ensure that you are equipped and ready to engage with industry our tutoring programme and Graduate+ scheme will provide support and guidance through-out your educational journey to equip you with professional skills and prepare you for industry. The course aims to produce versatile, adaptable graduates with the fusion of technical and creative skills that industry is looking for.
What's covered in the course?
You will learn all aspects of visual effects production including: shooting video, computer modelling, computer animation, matchmoving, and compositing. You will use these skills to produce digital elements such as creatures and environments, then combine them with live action video to produce convincing visual effects shots.
As a Bachelor of Science course there is an emphasis on technical director (TD) roles such as: Matchmoving, Rigging, Dynamic Simulations, Motion Capture and Python/Pipeline Development, which are in particular demand within the visual effects industry. The teaching of technical skills is underpinned with a knowledge of fundamental concepts and use of industry tools and practice.
To help you engage with industry, guest speakers are invited to come and share their expertise. The course also includes organised excursions such as trips to conferences or industrial visits. Previous examples include the London VFX Festival, Framestore, Double Negative, Cinesite, Industrial Light and Magic, and The Mill.
During the course you will do a mixture of ‘hands on’ productions and technical investigations which will teach you the practice, process, craft and technology of visual effects. These activities will help you become a proactive learner able to explore knowledge, implement best practice and critically evaluate the results of your work.
You will get the opportunity to work collaboratively with students from related disciplines such as games and film. This will allow you to broaden your horizons and help you understand how your visual effects and computer graphics skills can fit into other existing and emerging industries.
Course Details - Modules
Modules are not listed for this Course.
Course Details – Assessment Method
Assessment Methods are not listed for this Course.
Course Details – Professional Bodies
Professional Bodies are not listed for this Course.
How to Apply
26 January This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.
Application Codes
Course code: 1019
Institution code: B25
Campus Name: Millennium Point Campus
Campus code:
Points of Entry
The following entry points are available for this course:
Foundation
Entry Requirements for Advanced Entry (Year 2 and Beyond)
Entry Requirements for Advanced Entry are not listed for this Course.
International applicants
Standard Qualification Requirements
80 UCAS points
A maximum of 3 subjects are considered. These can be other A-levels or level 3 equivalents.
Pass with 120 credits at level 4
Pass with 120 credits at level 4 and 120 credits at level 5
Please visit: http://www.bcu.ac.uk/student-info/offer-making-strategy for more information about contextual offers.
Achieve a minimum of 80 tariff points achieved in either five Highers or from a combination of two Advanced Highers plus two Highers.
Where only Highers have been taken a minimum of grades CCDDD is required. Where a combination of Highers and Advanced Highers have been taken you must achieve grades of DD in two Advanced Highers plus grades of DD in two Highers.
80 UCAS points
Considered with one A-level or an equivalent level 3 qualification
80 UCAS points
A maximum of two AS-level subjects can be considered along with two A-levels or a combination of equivalent level 3 qualifications
60 credits overall. Minimum of 45 credits at level 3.
80 UCAS points
Considered with one A-level or an equivalent level 3 qualification
Achieve a minimum of 80 tariff points achieved in either three Advanced Highers or from a combination of two Advanced Highers plus two Highers.
Where three Advanced Highers have been taken achieve a minimum of grades DDD.
Where a combination of Highers and Advanced Highers have been taken you must achieve (grades of DD in two Advanced Highers plus grades of DD in two Highers).
80 UCAS points
Considered with one A-level or an equivalent level 3 qualification
80 UCAS points
Considered with two A-level or an equivalent level 3 qualification
80 UCAS points
Considered with one A-level or an equivalent level 3 qualification
80 UCAS points
Considered with two A-levels or equivalent level 3 qualification(s) to achieve a total of 80 UCAS tariff points
80 UCAS points
Considered with one A Levels or equivalent level 3 qualification(s)
80 UCAS points
Considered with two A-level or an equivalent level 3 qualification
Obtain a minimum of 24 points overall
For students who do not already hold a GCSE in Mathematics at Grade C/4 or above grade 5 in Maths (Standard Level) from the IB Diploma will be accepted
For students who do not already hold a GCSE in English Language at Grade C/4 or above Standard Level English Language (not literature) English A - Grade 4 or above or English B - Grade 5 from the IB will be accepted.
80 UCAS points
Considered with two A Levels or equivalent level 3 qualification(s)
Pass the Irish Leaving Certificate with a minimum of 80 tariff points, achieved in four Higher level subjects. This must include Maths and English Language taken at either Ordinary level (minimum grade O1-O4 (or A-C/A1-C3)) or Higher level (minimum H3/D1 taken from three subjects).
80 UCAS points
Considered with one A-level or an equivalent level 3 qualification
See Level 3 Entry under Irish Leaving Certificate for full details.
80 UCAS points
Considered with two A-level or an equivalent level 3 qualification
80 UCAS points
Considered with one A Levels or equivalent level 3 qualification(s)
80 UCAS points
Considered with one A Levels or equivalent level 3 qualification(s)
80 UCAS points
Considered with two A Levels or equivalent level 3 qualification(s)
80 UCAS points
Considered with two A Levels or equivalent level 3 qualification(s)
80 UCAS points
Considered with two A-levels or equivalent level 3 qualification
80 UCAS points
Considered with two A Levels or equivalent level 3 qualification(s)
Please click the following link to find out more about qualification requirements for this course
Minimum Qualification Requirements
English language requirements
| Test | Grade | AdditionalDetails |
|---|---|---|
| IELTS (Academic) | 6.0 | with no less than 5.5 in any level |
Unistats information
Student satisfaction : 85%
Employment after 15 months (Most common jobs): 58%
Go onto work and study: 82%
Fees and funding
| EU | 9250.0 | Year 1 |
| England | 9250.0 | Year 1 |
| Northern Ireland | 9250.0 | Year 1 |
| Scotland | 9250.0 | Year 1 |
| Wales | 9250.0 | Year 1 |
Additional Fee Information
Additional Fee Information are not listed for this Course.
Provider information
University House
15 Bartholomew Row
Address3 are not listed for this Course.
Birmingham
B5 5JU
15 Bartholomew Row
Address3 are not listed for this Course.
Birmingham
B5 5JU