Three students working together making graphics in an IT suite
BA (Hons) Placement year available

3D Animation

Create animated 3D characters, performances and worlds while building skills for animation, games and real-time production.

Start date
September 2027
Location
Cambridge
UCAS course code
I626
Duration
3 years

Start date
September 2027
Location
Cambridge
UCAS course code
I628
Duration
4 years with placement

Start date
September 2027
Location
Cambridge
UCAS course code
I627
Duration
4 years with foundation
1st

in the region for graduates progressing into senior roles.
Source: GOS 2026

Bring characters, performances and digital worlds to life with our BA (Hons) 3D Animation degree. You’ll build core skills in animation, character creation, visual storytelling and 3D production, then explore real-time tools and collaborative workflows used across games and wider creative industries.

Through practical projects, you can develop your own specialism, create distinctive portfolio work and prepare for careers spanning animation, games, virtual production, VFX and digital content.

Why ARU?
  • Bring characters to life through animation, performance and visual storytelling.

  • Combine 3D animation with real-time tools and games production workflows.

  • Learn collaboratively in our £2.5 million next-generation games development studio environment.

  • Explore motion capture, 3D scanning and specialist digital production technology.

  • Develop your own specialism through increasingly independent creative projects.

  • Build portfolio work and industry connections through feedback, talks and our annual Gamebridge.

Students outside a building in the Creative Quarter at ARU in Cambridge
 

Designed for creative life
Our Creative Quarter brings together studios, workshops, performance and exhibition spaces. Be part of a community built around making, experimentation and innovation, while developing your practical skills and portfolio, and connecting with industry.

Careers

Gain the skills to land a career in the gaming industry, and open doors to other sectors, including VFX, film, animation, television and motion graphics.

Build a professional portfolio as you study, including an online presence on portfolio sites, websites and blogs, so you’re ready to showcase your skills to future employers and clients.

You'll gain practical experience with industry-standard tools, software and production pipelines. The technical and creative skills you develop will open up opportunities across games, virtual production, VFX, film and animation, and the wider creative technology sector where experience with professional workflows and production pipelines is highly valued.

Teaching and modules

Adam Twycross addressing the camera from a gaming chair

You’ll develop your creative voice and versatile 3D skills, preparing you to work across animation, games and emerging digital industries.

Dr Adam Twycross, Senior Lecturer

You'll start by building foundations in 3D animation, character creation and visual storytelling.

At the same time, you'll master the essentials of real-time tools and 3D asset creation.

As you progress, you’ll develop specialist interests through collaborative projects and increasingly independent practice, connecting animation with games and real-time production. Studio and experimental work gives you space to test ideas and refine your creative identity.

In your final Major Project, you’ll bring your skills together in an ambitious piece of portfolio work that showcases your strengths and the direction you want to take next.

Modules are subject to change and availability, and may vary by location. If you have the choice of optional modules, these are indicated with a *.

Year 1
  • Academic Skills for Games
  • 3D Asset Creation
  • Character Creation
  • Introduction to Realtime Tools
  • Introduction to 3D Animation
Year 2
  • Employability in Games
  • Specialist Practice 1
  • Collaborative Games Development
  • Intermediate Project for Games
  • Ruskin Module (15 credits)
Year 3
  • Experimental Practice
  • Specialised Practice 2
  • Games Art Guided Learning
  • Studio Practice for Games
  • Creative Industries Major Project
Module details

You can choose to take an optional placement year as part of this course. Placements typically happen in Year 3, and your course will take four years overall. Find out more about placement years.

Placement year
  • Work Placement - Cambridge School of Creative Industries
Module details

To prepare you for university study, you can take a foundation year at the start of this course. Find out more about foundation years.

Year 1
  • Foundation in Art and Design
Module details

Read profiles of teaching and research staff on this course.

Facilities

You’ll create in a professional-standard environment designed to reflect the realities of the games industry.

Professional-specification workstations, equipped with RTX graphics technology, give you access to powerful creative workflows, industry software, and specialist kit. Integrated studio spaces allow you to collaborate comfortably, replicating professional game studio workflows.

In our dedicated communal space you can collaborate, connect, play, and relax. You’ll also benefit from access to advanced shared technical resources including motion capture, 3D prototyping, full-body scanning, and emerging AR development technologies; and training in the use of all our creative facilities, including a digital workshop with a variety of computer aided manufacturing machines.

Entry requirements

Fees and funding

Apply for 3D Animation

UK students