School of Creative Arts

BA (Honours) in Animation

Award Code : Level 8 DL041

Associated Course Information

Course Info	Details
Duration:	4 years (full time)
Places:	30
Awarding body:	IADT
Head of department:	Mr Donald Taylor Black
Course co-ordinator:	Mr Keith Foran

Level 8 Award

Application: CAO

What is Animation?

One of the youngest art/design disciplines, animation continues to grow in popularity and importance across the entertainment, advertising, education and communication industries. This programme is a unique learning experience. On this programme you will explore the production of animation projects and appreciate the full complexity of the animation process. You will develop the creative, theoretical and technical skills appropriate to gaining an animation degree. To that end, the programme has a balance of 80% practical and 20% academic work, ensuring that you learn from real experiences, whether it’s individually or as part of a group. 

This puts us at the forefront of animation education in Ireland. IADT offers the only undergraduate degree in Animation nationally, and in doing so we honour and believe in creativity and innovation in this most adaptable and multifunctional discipline.

Opportunities exist in the growing digital Animation industry, both nationally and internationally, and this programme prepares you to take full advantage of these. These pathways include feature animations, TV production, TV advertising, special effects and short films. Traditional as well as CGI animators are increasingly in demand in the ever expanding world of Animation Production, and our educational methodology and value systems mean you will be at the front of the queue when the Animation Industry comes calling.

What modules will I study?

Year 1

Academic, Critical and Cultural Studies; Drawing and Animation; Drawing; Design; Animation Principles Experimental - 3D; Design for Film Production; Animation Principles - Drawing; Digital Skills; Personal Project

Year 2

Academic, Critical and Cultural Studies (Film, Technology and the City; Film and Narrative); Animation Principles - Drawing I and Drawing II; Drawing; Design; Digital 3-D / 2-D Flash; Personal Project

In addition, you will be able to choose one module from the School of Creative Arts’ bank of electives. * 

Year 3

Academic Critical Debates - History of Animation; Academic Advanced Research Methods and Thesis Preparation; Digital 3D - 2D; Group Industry Project; Media I and II; Drawing; Business Studies; Production Preparation

Year 4

Standard or Extended Thesis; Pre-Production; Final Year Project; Portfolio and Show reel

Overview of Programme Content and Key Skills

Year 1 introduces you to a range of processes and skills, and provides a foundation for the development of technical, conceptual, practical and academic skills delivered with an emphasis on  regular  assessment accompanied by formative feedback, followed by summative feedback at the end of each module, semester and end of year. This introduces you to a strategy whereby you can monitor your own learning and progress. 

Year 2 allows you to integrate and test prior learning and to acquire and develop new skills in different areas, particularly in relation to research, critical thinking and concept development in your chosen specialism. 

Year 3 focuses on deeper learning and inquiry and on the further development of skills appropriate to the professional practice of your chosen specialism. The year is structured around projects intended to build confidence in creative, critical  and technical problem solving. The modules  have relatively complex deliverables, emphasising professional standards of research, project management, production and presentation. 

In Year 4, the emphasis is on independent/self directed/negotiated study and research supported by tutorials and group critiques. Year 4 provides you the opportunity to integrate and test your cognitive learning and skill sets developed throughout the programme, and focuses them on the completion of a major self-determined and self-generated project.  Both practical and theoretical academic projects will prioritise learning outcomes in: research, critical thinking, creativity, judgement, technical mastery and cohesive/intuitive thinking. 

Are there any costs for materials and/or field trips?

Approx. €1,000 per year

Graduate Exhibition cost in year 4  

What will I be able to do when I graduate?

Your broad range of skills will equip you for a career in Animation Production companies, Multimedia companies, Production and Post-production houses for Animation, Film and Television, as well as freelance independent work. 

Other career paths include Animation Production, Computer Games, Architectural and Industrial Modelling, Film/Special Effects, Advertising, Multimedia and Teaching.

Recent graduates have found employment with Brown Bag Films, Kavaleer, Jam Media, The Element, Monster, Screen Scene, Abbey Theatre, Weta, Manandink, Flickerpix, Barley Films, and Cartoon Saloon. 

What are the entry requirements?

• Leaving Certificate Examination (or equivalent) with a minimum of Grade C3 in two Higher (or Common) Level papers, together with Grade D3 in four other subjects, to include English and Ordinary Level Mathematics or Higher level Mathematics. Foundation Level Mathematics is acceptable
  
• A portfolio of relevant work
  
• You may be called for interview if further clarification on your portfolio is required 
  
• Applicants with FETAC awards require distinctions in 3 (of 8) modules
  

FETAC Links for this programme are:

• AACDX: Art, Craft, Design
  
• AAXXX : Art
  
• ACADX: Computer Aided Design
  
• ADESX: Design
  
• AGDXX: Graphic Design
  
• EMMPX: Multimedia Production
  
• EMPXX: Media Production

CAO Points in 2010: 695 (Combination of Leaving Certificate and Portfolio assessment points)

We welcome applications from mature students, who must apply to the CAO.

What should my Portfolio include?

A portfolio is a sample collection of your best work. It should be edited, easy to look through, and well presented.

Your portfolio should:

• Be selective: include and highlight only your best work, excluding early works unless there are some exceptional pieces. Do not “pack” it with any more than 30 pieces. (We appreciate quality, not quantity)
  
• Show evidence of hard work, commitment and quality
  
• Not include 3D work (only 2D documentation of 3D work)
  
• Clearly identify your role if team work is included
  
• Include notebooks, cuttings, creative sketchbooks or visual diaries indicating your interest in the discipline
  
• Present your work to your best possible advantage
  
• Not be a copy from photographs. Do not include any artwork which is a copy of someone else’s work
  
• Include a CV (one per programme applied to) with details of hobbies, technical skills and involvement in activities related to the programme you are applying to. As information on age or educational background is not used for assessment purposes, this should not be included in your CV.

We would like to see a portfolio that demonstrates a high level of visual skill, creativity, self-motivation, inventiveness, experimentation, flexibility and stylistic variation.

For this programme, make sure you include:

• Observational drawings: include a variety of drawings such as life drawing, drawings of friends, family, animals, landscapes, objects, etc
  
• A selection of your best original artworks showing your interests in art, animation, and the world around you
  
• A minimum of two storyboards setting out ideas for short animated films/adverts, etc, any subject or style. (Storyboards are like comic strips without the speech bubbles. They outline key moments of the sequence, usually actions, events and emotions)
  
• 3D work (photographs or prints only).
  

* Second Year elective modules

During your second year you will have an opportunity to choose one module from a bank of elective options.

This module allows you to work with students and staff from other programmes in the School and to explore combinations of materials, processes, creative strategies and critical thinking which will give you a greater appreciation of your main area of study.

Electives have been designed to encourage collaboration and experimentation and to broaden and deepen your understanding of the creative arts. They range in content from theatre and performance to media and politics, and include a wide range of learning experiences including overseas visits, practical workshops, lectures and seminars.

The current bank of elective modules includes: 

• Photography - Digital Imaging
  
• Performance in the Arts
  
• Animation Principles Experimental / 3D
  
• Theatre Workshop
  
• Drawing
  
• Introduction to Comics: Art and Culture
  
• Media and Politics in Ireland
  
• Sonic Arts 
  
• Creative Cities
  
• Puppetry
  

Recent Success stories

” Thanks a million for sending some extremely talented students (graduates) to us, the standards of the work shown are remarkable…” - Robert Cullen, Director of Boulder Animation Company

 “Two of your ex students are the animators of our next series…I think they are amongst the finest stop motion animators on the island” - Joel Simon, Director of Flickerpix

 “I am delighted to have the students on site, learning industry skills and bringing an extraordinary breadth of talent to this project. I certainly hope to hire a number of them when they graduate over the next few years! “- Andrew Kavanagh, Director of Kavaleer

Visit www.iadtprojects.com to see the project work of our 2010 graduates