Entry Requirements

UCAS code:
• BA/BA (Hons) Computer Games (Art & Animation):
GW4G BA/BA (Hons)

Computer Games
• BA/BA (Hons) 3D Computer Animation: G610

Candidates for the course will normally be at least 17

(Art and Animation)

years of age at the start of the course and should have a
folio of creative work and one of the following:
• 3 SEC Highers at grades BBB or above
• 3 A Levels at grades DDE or above
• 3 ILC at grades BBC or above
BA/BA (Hons)
Recommended subjects: Art & Design

Other Qualifications: Applicants with other qualifications

3D Computer
will be considered for entry and judged in terms of
qualifications offered, maturity and experiential learning. Animation
Portfolio: All applicants will be expected to show
portfolio/evidence of artistic/design potential to determine
their motivation and suitability for the programme. Final
selection will be based on the results of the applicant’s
academic results, portfolio and external references.

Recognition of Prior Learning: The University’s APEL

Guidance Document will be adhered to for all applicants.
An applicant may wish to offer APEL or a combination
of this and a formal qualification to gain access to the
programme. Under no circumstances will exemption from
level 3 or 4 be given under APEL.

International Students: International students whose

first language is not English shall normally be required
to demonstrate evidence of satisfactory competence by
holding one of the following qualifications: IELTS test with
a score of at least 6.0 (no element less than 5.5) TOEFL
with a minimum score of 550 (213 for computer based
test).

Career Opportunities:
• BA/BA (Hons) Computer Games (Art and Animation)
A graduate from this programme will have the
necessary skills and knowledge to enjoy a number
of careers within the creative industries, including 3D
game artist, conceptual game artist, game animator,
video SFX artist, pre-visualisation artist for TV and film.
• BA/BA (Hons) in 3D Computer Animation
A graduate from this programme will have the
necessary skills and knowledge to enjoy a number
of careers within the creative industries such as 3D
animator, 3D modeller, game animator, architectural
visualisation artist, 3D graphic designer, video SFX
artist and pre-visualisation artist for TV and film.

Glasgow Caledonian University

Cowcaddens Road
Glasow, G4 0BA
Scotland, United Kingdom

T: +44 (0) 141 331 3277

F: +44 (0) 141 331 3690
E: secenquiries@gcu.ac.uk

www.gcu.ac.uk/sec

The programmes are designed to
provide graduates with the right mix of
practical design skills and theoretical
knowledge necessary for a career as a
3D Animator (Computer Games Art
& Animation) or a Game Artist (3D
Computer Animation).
Contact details
School Admissions Office
T: +44 (0)141 331 3277
F: +44 (0)141 331 3690
E: secenquiries@gcu.ac.uk
They will appeal to students who wish to combine
their traditional art skills with cutting edge creative
technology in 3D animation combined with digital
video and motion graphics. The course is practically
focused and provides the student with the opportunity
to develop a significant digital media portfolio in
preparation for working within the creative industry.
Taught on campus, at the heart of Glasgow’s city centre,
the programmes offer hands-on access to high-end
professional tools and facilities, giving students the
opportunity to develop their skills and become an active
member of the creative industries. Where appropriate,
the course uses industry standard software and students
have the opportunity to develop their skills and become
an active member of the creative industries. Studio
facilities include 3D Computer Animation Lab, HD Video
Production Suite, Art Studio, Digital Audio Recording
Studio and Game Design Studio – which together host
equipment including 3D Laser Scanning tools, Motion
Capture tools and a Rapid Prototyping Machine for
realising your digital work as a tangible art asset.
All creative courses at Glasgow Caledonian University
aim to enhance the students’ employability skills and the
group portfolio elements provide the opportunity to work
within teams alongside colleagues from complimentary
creative production disciplines. This method of learning,
along with the industrial-based projects, provides a
commercially rich environment from which to begin an
exciting career within the creative industry.
Modules
Programme Structure:
Year 1
• Design Process A: This module aims to develop the
student’s problem solving and communication skills
through a variety of design projects, which focus on
different aspects of the design process. Students will
be required to use creative thinking to solve simple
design problems and communicate their solutions both
orally and visually.
• Design Culture 2: This module considers the
ecological, social, legal, technological and ethical
issues that have impacted and continue to impact the
creative industries.
• Visual Communication A: This module explores
visualisation skills across a range of 2D media. Project
briefs will build communication skills using traditional
drawing techniques and other forms of non-digital 2D
communication
• 3D Visualisation: This module provides the student
with an introduction to 3D visualisation and gives the
student an opportunity to develop the skills required
to produce 3D computer images and animations.
Students will explore appropriate modelling rendering
and animation techniques.
• Digital Design Skills: This module provides introduces
the students to the knowledge and practical skills
required to create and manipulate digital images for a
range of media and purposes. with a range of Students
will practical and theoretical skills in the creative and
technical aspects of Digital Images and Graphics
.explore creative and technical issues relating to digital
image creation through practical experience and
the evaluation and analysis of current contemporary
practice.
• Digital Media Techniques: This module introduces
students to the concepts and practice of digital
manipulation for time based media. Students will
be introduced to pre-production, editing and post
production techniques for digital video and audio using
appropriate software.
Year 2
• Introduction to Animation: This module introduces the
key principles, processes and techniques involved in
creating an animation sequence. Students will explore
historical and contemporary developments in animation
practice. Students will apply knowledge gained in the
design, plan and creation of a short animated digital
sequence.
• 3D Modelling: This module introduces students to
the concepts, and practice, of 3D modelling and
animation. Using examples of traditional animation
coupled with pre-production techniques such as
research, storyboarding and sketching students are
given an understanding of workflow and techniques
to understand, and produce, basic 3D models.
Introduction of computer based 3D modelling covering
primitives, Spline based lofting, polygon and sub
division surface modelling.
• Design & the User: This module introduces students to
the fundamentals of user centred design and product
experience
• Motion Graphics: This module introduces the key
principles, processes and techniques involved in
creating motion graphics sequences and visual
effects for screen media. Students will explore and
apply creative technique for motion graphics using an
appropriate range of digital production methods. They
will explore and evaluate historical and contemporary
motion graphics practice. Students will apply
knowledge and practical skills gained in the design,
plan and creation of a short motion graphics sequence
and folio of motion graphic techniques.
• Portfolio & Presentation Skills: This module offers
students the opportunity to reflect and implement
feedback on their creative output from other modules.
Through the development of material for an exhibition
and a personal creative portfolio, students will
investigate and apply presentation techniques, use
appropriate methods to communicate and deliver
effective presentations, both visually and verbally.
• Interactive Software Development: This module
is intended as an introduction to the use of visual
and event-driven programming to create interactive
software. It will provide students with the skills to
develop responsive interfaces which support high
levels of interaction.
Year 3
• Lighting & Rendering for 3D: This module provides
the student with an opportunity to explore how
materials, textures, lighting and rendering techniques
can significantly affect the final output for 3D computer
graphics. Students will study different lighting and
rendering techniques including Shadows, Exposure,
Depth of Field, Raytracing, Global Illumination,
Radiosiy. Students will also investigate textures
and materials and their interaction with lighting and
rendering techniques.
• Advanced 3D Modelling and Animation: This module
provides the student with an opportunity to develop
skills in modelling and rigging a range of vehicles,
humanoid and non humanoid characters. Students
will study advanced 3D modelling techniques using
polygonal and sub division surfaces. Students will also
explore how to create a character bone system and
the skinning process. Finally students will look at the
animation process, creating authentic motion cycles
and lip sync animation.
Year 4
• Honours Project: This is a substantial individual piece
of work with a significant research dimension based
on an appropriate topic from within the students
programme of study and which reflects the student’s
own interests. This study will be concerned with a
specific problem from the programme domain and will
include a systematic investigation, a survey of literature
relevant to the problem, an analysis of appropriate
approaches, a detailed planning activity and an
implementation of the selected approach. The project
will also involve a reflective evaluation of the project
results and approach taken and a verbal presentation
of the work.
• Industrial Project: The aim of this module is to
develop the students’ design knowledge and skills in
an industry context by giving tasks which match as
nearly as possible the real-world tasks of professionals
in practice. The learning outcomes of this module are
normally attained by addressing an industry based brief
within the University, however a number of the learning
outcomes may be attained in a community project or
industry placement. In this case the student enters
into an informal learning contract with the University
and employer or community project coordinator. The
contract sets out the learning outcomes to be achieved
within the period of external work.