Do you dream of seeing your name in the credits of the world’s biggest movies and TV shows? This course will make you ‘studio-ready' as soon as you graduate. Master the tools and techniques used by the world’s top studios, learn how to collaborate with others and bring your creative ideas to life.

How to apply Apply through Clearing Book an Open Day Chat to Us

[Button: 2026][Button: 2027]

## Key Course Details

### [Button: 3 Years Full-time ]

* #### UCAS Code

* #### Start Date

September

* #### Location

* #### Campus Code

#### Fees

* #### Home students

* #### International students

* Full-time fees are per year. Part-time fees are per 20 credits.

In this section

* Overview

* Module Overview

* Course Highlights

* Entry Requirements

Make an Enquiry

Embrace creative freedom and a sense of belonging as you develop the skills and experience desired by the world’s top film, TV and commercial studios.

## DESIGNED FOR

If you love the digital visual arts and aspire towards a career in film and TV, this course is for you. In this course, you’ll find a sense of belonging among fellow creatives and experience award-winning training that leads you to your dream role at the world’s top VFX and motion design studios.

### Career paths

* VFX in film and high-end TV

* Motion design in commercial and TV

* Motion design online and social media

* Producing/coordinating within TV studios

* Multi-disciplinary freelance career

### Skills taught

* VFX compositing, including green screen and CGI integration

* 2D and 3D motion design

* Environment design

* Design and illustration

* Collaboration and problem-solving skills

We make a difference in practice, not just on paper. Our courses are designed by people who offer jobs - and taught by people who have real work experience.

Image: A student is altering studio lighting equipment.

Image: Three students smiling sat in front of a green screen

Image: dark image with blue and purple illuminated lighting show computer screen with visual effects image on, other screens and people in background

Image: Visual Effects and Motion Graphics students working in a computer lab.

Image: Visual Effects and Motion Graphics student working on an animation on a computer.

## Course Highlights

### Launch your career

Kickstart your career with expert staff, cutting-edge facilities, and studio connections that open doors to the industry.

### A collaborative experience

Unleash your creativity by working with other talented students at our dynamic Cardiff campus.

### Be part of something bigger

Work on Hollywood projects like Star Wars, Marvel, and The Last of Us, just like our successful graduates.

### Student satisfaction

100% of USW BA (Hons) Visual Effects and Motion Graphics students were satisfied with their course for the second year running (National Student Survey 2026)

## Module Overview

[Button: Course overview  ][Button: Year One][Button: Year Two ][Button: Year Three]

This course prides itself on helping you find your own path within the moving arts, from creating 3D motion design for high-end commercials, and title sequence design for television series, to digital matte painting environments within the latest blockbusters.

Year One

Contextual Studies

Image Acquisition

Concept Development

Motion Design

Visual Effects

Motion Production

Year Two

Professional Practice

Critical Studies

Brands in Motion

Visual Communication

Creative Industries

Year Three

Critical Research

Minor Project

Professional Development

Collaborative Brief

Final Major Project

Build a solid foundation within all critical areas of the field. You’ll have an introduction to both Visual Effects and Motion Graphics within dedicated modules, spending plenty of time in our state-of-the-art studios. A contextual module runs throughout the year, supporting the practical elements.

Learn the fundamentals of key concepts within VFX and motion design, including composition and editing, colour theory, genre and advertising, and look at its historical context.

Get to grips with camera and lighting equipment in our green screen and virtual production studios and on location. Learn how to record sound, edit and colour grade.

Learn how to develop concepts through research and storyboarding using tools such as Photoshop and Premiere Pro, considering filmic language and cinematic convention.

Get a grounding in 2D and 3D motion design using tools like Adobe After Effects, Illustrator and Cinema 4D, growing your understanding of animation principles and design language.

Learn the fundamentals of green screen and VFX practices such as 2D and 3D compositing, 2D tracking, CGI integration and rotoscoping.

Plan and produce original and innovative motion design content for TV and Film, studying the art of  title sequences, typography and mixed media approaches.

Apply the skills and context obtained from the first year to various relevant industry areas. You'll get to grips with professional practices and processes as you’re introduced to the commercial industry, as well as exploring the music, storytelling and collaborative side of the sector.

Take the first great step along your career path as you engage in a live project alongside industry professionals, exploring potential roles and gaining real insights.

Engage in historical and critical analysis in preparation for the next year’s dissertation, with a focus on creating believability in visual effects design and application.

Explore visual identities in commercial industries and how people respond emotionally to visual media. Learn about brand guidelines, TV standards and social media platforms.

Learn how to use visual effects approaches  to tell stories, create environments, visualise music and create abstract representations, using industry leading software such as Nukeand developing project management skills.

In this open-brief project, you’ll work collaboratively using and use approaches specific to your career aspirations before presenting to the class.

Refine your understanding of your chosen career path and convert your studies into employment in the industry. This year focuses on professionalism, individuality, and creating an online presence and portfolio that will help you land your first role in VFX and motion design.

Expand on your year two proposal with in-depth research, exercising showing off your specialist knowledge and diving deep into your chosen topic.

Focus on your chosen speciality within the digital arts, with guidance on pitching, scheduling, and budgeting.

Get ready to enter the industry  as you develop your online portfolio, CV and cover letter, identify career paths and prepare for interviews.

Respond to a project brief from a nationally recognised competition, coordinating the project in line with client specifications and delivering work to a professional standard.

Manage a large-scale project that’s tailored to your career direction with potential opportunities to collaborate with major external studios in this project.

## In partnership with

Image In partnership with

### How you'll learn

You’ll gain hands-on time in our state-of-the-art studios and computer suites, guided by our experienced team. Develop key technical software skills and learn industry-standard VFX and motion design techniques, along with an underlying theory. Present your ideas and concepts to peers along with leading VFX professionals in an environment that reflects real-world studio life.

Assessments include practical work, class presentations, project journals, interviews, essays and dissertations, all designed to mirror tasks performed by VFX and motion design experts.

### Teaching staff

Our team offers you direct insights from the world of VFX and Motion Graphics, including film, TV, and the commercial industry. With experience on award-winning projects and collaborations with top brands like Google, BBC, and Sky, they provide invaluable knowledge to help you refine your skills and find your creative voice. Their real-world expertise helps you gain a competitive edge and prepares you for a successful career in the industry.

### Facilities

From day one, you'll get hands-on experience with our specialist filming studios and a range of camera and recording equipment. You'll receive direct instruction and can book the facilities and equipment as needed throughout your studies. Our resources include a green screen studio, a brand-new virtual production suite, two classroom studios with high-performance machines, cinema-grade cameras and lighting, a full-scale TV studio, a performance capture studio, and our own theatre and cinema.

Everything you need to get studio-ready and bring your creative ideas to life is here.

### Equipment

At our Cardiff Campus we have a vast range of equipment that you will be trained to use as part of your course. To help support your studies we have a Media Loans facility that allows you to hire the equipment, at no cost, for you to then use for your assignments and practical work.

We have both basic and high-end film and photography cameras, portable lighting and sound equipment as well as a range of professional studio recording microphones, instruments and associated equipment to use in our music studios or on location. The team of technical officers and instructors are also available to help you with any queries and technical issues.

### Placements and work experience

While there's no compulsory placement, you may have chance to work on live industry projects during your studies. Practical modules mirror top studio techniques, preparing you for a smooth transition into your career. There may be opportunities to work with students from graphic communication, fashion promotion, and film. We can help you secure short-term placements with our studio connections, giving you valuable real-world experience.

## Student Stories

Image: Student facing the camera and smiling for a profile shot

My Journey Back to Education at USW

Robert Fish

Visual Effects student

Image: Student Lucy making notes whilst sat a desk

Developing a Creative Career at USW

Lucy Clover

Image: Siddharth Ravindran's art work

Lecturer support and flexibility helped me develop from a beginner to an expert

Siddharth Ravindran

Game Art student

Image: MA Animation student, Ida, smiles at camera

The MA Animation course at USW laid a strong foundation for my career

Ida Mirzaee

Animation graduate

Image: Animation student, Chloe, smiling at camera with her arms crossed

Studying Animation at USW has given me endless opportunities

Chloe Kacperski

Animation student

Image: Computer games design student, Luke, standing in front of a podium

Studying Computer Games Design helped to boost my confidence

Computer Games Design student

Image: A profile shot of a woman with pink hair sitting at a table surrounded by various art supplies.

Crafting a future in Stop-Motion Animation

Adiee Romans

Image: A student sitting at a desk with pen and paper, immersed in their animation studies and creative process.

Growing my craft in Cardiff’s animation community

Hayden Powell

## Careers and Employability

[Button: Graduate Careers][Button: Industry partners   ][Button: Careers Support][Button: Build your own career]

### Graduate Careers

Each year, our graduates land roles at top studios worldwide, including Industrial Light & Magic, DNEG, and Framestore working on major projects like Dune, Spider-Man, and The Last of Us. Our graduates have also worked for leading motion design studios, such asBuck and The Mill, creating content viewed by millions. Our alumni frequently receive recognition at the Oscars, BAFTAs, Emmys, and the Visual Effects Society awards.

### Industry partners

We’re one of just eight UK courses accredited by ScreenSkills Select for VFX, ensuring top-tier industry training. Our strong connections with major studios like Industrial Light & Magic and Framestore, as well as local and London-based studios, open doors for guest lectures, live projects, placements, and studio visits. Our partnership with Screen Alliance Wales also offers valuable job opportunities in film and TV.

With these industry links, you'll gain real-world experience and build a network that propels your career forward.

### Careers Support

Our course is designed to launch your career from day one. You'll be studio-ready upon graduation, thanks to our teaching team of industry pros who offer personalised career guidance based on years of experience. With our Professional Practice and Development modules, you'll seamlessly transition into the industry, whether you're aiming for a role in a visual effects studio or planning to go freelance.

Plus, our dedicated careers team is here to help you explore job opportunities and ace your applications and interviews.

### Build your own career

Your career doesn’t have to mean working for someone else. If you want to freelance, start a business or develop an idea, USW Enterprise can help with one-to-one mentoring, practical workshops and funding opportunities through the USW Enterprise Startup Fund.

You’ll also have access to Startup Stiwdio spaces in our Cardiff, Newport and Treforest campuses. After graduating, you can get free membership for up to three years, giving you workspace and a network of other founders.

Whether you choose employment, freelancing or starting a business, we’ll help you build the skills, confidence and connections to move forward.

USW Enterprise

## ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

## UCAS points: 96 (or above)

### Typical qualification requirements:

* A Level: CCC

* Welsh BACC: Pass the Advanced Welsh Baccalaureate Diploma with Grade C in the Skills Challenge Certificate and CC at A Level with a relevant art and design subject.

* BTEC: BTEC Extended Diploma Merit Merit Merit in a relevant art and design subject

* Access to HE: Pass the Access to HE Diploma in a relevant art and design subject with a minimum of 96 UCAS tariff points

* T Level: Pass (C and above) in a relevant art and design subject

### Additional requirements include:

The University normally requires a minimum 5 GCSEs including Mathematics/Numeracy and English at Grade C or Grade 4 or above, or their equivalent, but consideration is given to individual circumstances.

### International applications welcomed:

We welcome international applications with equivalent qualifications of our entry requirements. For more details related to your country of residence, please view our dedicated country pages .

### English language requirements

International applicants will need to have achieved an overall of IELTS 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in each component/TOEFL 4 overall and a minimum of 4 in each component or equivalent.

Equivalents can be located on our English Language pages .

If you have previously studied through the medium of English, IELTS might not be required, please visit our country specific page for further details. If your country is not featured, please contact us.

If you do not meet the English entry criteria, please visit our Pre-Sessional course pages .

### Contextual offers

We may make you a lower offer based on a range of factors, including your background (where you live and the school or college that you attended, for example), your experiences and individual circumstances (as a care leaver, for example). This is referred to as a contextual offer, and we receive data from UCAS to support us in making these decisions.

USW prides itself on its student experience and we support our students to achieve their goals and become a successful graduate. This approach helps us to support students who have the potential to succeed and who may have faced barriers that make it more difficult to access university.

### We're here to help

Whether you a have a question about your course, fees and funding, the application process or anything else, there are plenty of ways you can get in touch, and we'd love to talk to you. You can contact our friendly admissions team by phone, email or chat to us online.

## Fees and Funding

UK Full-time Fee

per year*

International Full-time Fee

### Further Information

Studying at university is one of the most significant investments you'll ever make. Whilst you’re studying, you’ll have two main financial obligations – tuition fees and living costs. There’s lots of financial help available from the University of South Wales and external funding sources, that may provide loans (which have to be paid back) and grants, scholarships and bursaries (that don't).

*Full-time fees are per year. Part-time fees are per 20 credits. Once enrolled, the fee is anticipated to remain at the same rate throughout the duration of your study on this course except as described below.

Please be aware that we may increase the maximum fee for home students on full-time undergraduate courses only where the Welsh Government increases the permitted level of inflation of fees. Fees for all students (including part-time, postgraduate and international students) may be amended in accordance with our applicable Fees and Debt Management Policy.

We will ensure that students are given clear, intelligible, unambiguous and timely information about our courses and costs in good time, ahead of the next academic year.

Fees and Funding Scholarships and Bursaries Cost of Living Support

### Additional Costs

As a student of USW, you’ll have access to lots of free resources to support your study and learning, such as textbooks, publications, online journals, laptops, and plenty of remote-access resources. Whilst in most cases these resources are more than sufficient in supporting you with completing your course, additional costs, both obligatory and optional, may be required or requested for the likes of travel, memberships, experience days, stationery, printing, or equipment.

## [Button: MacBook, PC desktop or laptop*]

## [Button: External Hard Drive]

(500gb minimum. Solid state SSD recommended).

Cost: £60

## [Button: FMX/Vancouver Field Trip]

Cost: £500

Image: Film student, Amy, smiles at the camera whilst sat at a desk with computers

## Course Kit Bursary

As a student of BA (Hons) Visual Effects and Motion Graphics, you'll receive a free digital storage device when you enrol, to support you with course costs.

Course Kit Bursary

## Media Loans

Access industry-standard cameras, lighting, sound and recording gear, supported by free Media Loans and experienced technicians. We have everything you need to help you experiment, refine and bring your work to life with confidence.

## University Quality Assurance

At USW, we regularly review our courses in response to changing patterns of employment and skills demand to ensure we offer learning designed to reflect today’s student needs and tomorrow’s employer demands.

If during a review process course content is significantly changed, we’ll write to inform you and talk you through the changes for the coming year. But whatever the outcome, we aim to equip our students with the skillset and the mindset to succeed whatever tomorrow may bring. Your future, future-proofed.

Image: Students filming with camera equipment on a mountain

### of BA (Hons) Visual Effects and Motion Graphics students at USW were satisfied with their course.

(National Student Survey 2025)

Image: student-25

## Success for Film and Animation Students at RTS Cymru Awards

USW students and graduates have secured eight prestigious accolades at the Royal Television Society (RTS) Cymru Awards, celebrating creativity, innovation and storytelling at the heart of Welsh television. Their award-winning projects spanned entertainment, drama, comedy, and factual storytelling, underscoring the university's commitment to nurturing creative talent.

Explore the Award-Winning Projects

### How to apply

There are still places available for September 2026. Apply through Clearing and get support and benefits worth up to £3k. Call our admissions team to secure your place: 03455 76 06 06 or apply online now.

You can apply to us directly for all part-time undergraduate courses, if you’re seeking advanced entry or you’re an international student. To apply directly, please choose the application form below for your preferred start date and mode of study (full-time or part-time).

* September 2027 Full-time

* September 2026 Full-time

### Advanced entry

If you already have a relevant qualification or experience related to the course you're applying for, you may be eligible to start at a later stage of the course. For example, students from partner colleges can ‘top up’ their qualifications to a degree by joining us in Year Two or Year Three of a course. This process is known as ‘advanced entry’, you can apply directly to the University for 'advanced entry' using the application forms provided above.

Applicants accepted through advanced entry may study a different combination of modules to those advertised, as they will be joining a course already in progress. You will be contacted and advised about these modules once your application has been processed and an offer made.

### International admissions

International applicants can apply to us directly. If the University has an in-country team in your region, your application will be assigned to them for assistance.

## Life at USW

Halls are a big part of your student experience and there’s accommodation at all three of our locations. If you don’t want to live near the campus, there are great transport links to keep you connected.

Image: A student sat smiling and talking to friends off camera in Treforest Student's Union

Student Life

Image: Exterior view of the University's Cardiff Campus.

Cardiff Campus

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Accommodation

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