Visual Effects
Entry requirements
A level
A maximum of 3 subjects are considered. These can be other A-levels or level 3 equivalents.
112 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. The remaining 15 credits can be taken either at level 2 or 3.
112 UCAS points Considered with two A-levels or an equivalent level 3 qualification
112 UCAS points Only in combination with two A-levels or equivalent level 3 qualification(s) Considered with two A-levels or equivalent level 3 qualification(s) one of which must be in a Technology, Science, Mathematics or Computing related subject.
GCSE/National 4/National 5
GCSE English Language or English Literature and GCSE Maths at grade C/4 or above. If you do not have these or are not undertaking them, we accept other Level 2 equivalents, or we may ask you to pass BCU's GCSE equivalency tests.
HNC (BTEC)
Pass with 120 credits at level 4 Must be in a relevant pathway May be considered for advanced entry. Subject to satisfactory comparability of modular content at levels 4 and 5. A transcript will be required.
HND (BTEC)
Pass with 120 credits at level 4 and 120 credits at level 5 Must be in a relevant pathway May be considered for advanced entry. Subject to satisfactory comparability of modular content at levels 4 and 5. A transcript will be required
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme
Obtain a minimum of 28 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.
Pass the Irish Leaving Certificate with a minimum of 112 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 grade H5/D1).
See Level 3 Entry under Irish Leaving Certificate for full details.
112 UCAS points Considered with two A-level or an equivalent level 3 qualification
112 UCAS points Considered with one A-level or an equivalent level 3 qualification
112 UCAS points Considered with two A-level or an equivalent level 3 qualification
OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Diploma
112 UCAS points Considered with two A-level or an equivalent level 3 qualification
112 UCAS points Considered with two A-level or an equivalent level 3 qualification
112 UCAS points Considered with one A-level or an equivalent level 3 qualification
112 UCAS points Considered with one A-level or an equivalent level 3 qualification
112 UCAS points Considered with two A-level or an equivalent level 3 qualification
112 UCAS points Considered with one A-level or an equivalent level 3 qualification
Pearson BTEC Extended Diploma (QCF)
112 UCAS points Considered with two A-level or an equivalent level 3 qualification
112 UCAS points Considered with one A-level or an equivalent level 3 qualification
112 UCAS points Considered with two A-level or an equivalent level 3 qualification
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
112 UCAS points Considered with one A-level or an equivalent level 3 qualification
112 UCAS points Considered with two A-level or an equivalent level 3 qualification
Achieve a minimum of 112 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 a minimum of grades CCD is required. Where a combination of Highers and Advanced Highers have been taken you must achieve grades of CD in two Advanced Highers plus grades of CC in two Highers.
Achieve a minimum of 112 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 BBCCC is required. Where a combination of Highers and Advanced Highers have been taken you must achieve grades of CD in two Advanced Highers plus grades of CC in two Highers.
UCAS Tariff
Please visit: http://www.bcu.ac.uk/student-info/offer-making-strategy for more information about contextual offers.
112 UCAS points Considered with two A-levels or equivalent level 3 qualification(s)
About this course
So you want to work in the Film or Games industry? Do you imagine yourself as a creative artist or a technical director? Our BSc (Hons) degree in Visual Effects is where creativity meets technology. It will give you the skills to unleash your true mix of creative and technical abilities. You could go on to work on top level productions for a range of industries, including TV, film, games, advertising, architecture, education and more.
Visual Effects is an ever expanding multi-billion-pound industry in the UK and globally, with job opportunities in high demand. As demand grows for visual effects in Film, TV and Games, the demand also grows for skilled professionals who can bring these to life.
On this course, you will develop technical, creative and production skills to prepare you for a range of careers. You will learn a variety of disciplines from modelling, rigging, animation, dynamics to lighting, rendering and compositing, there is so much for you to explore. You will learn using state of-the-art facilities and software including a Vicon Motion Capture studio, high-specification computers, industry standard software such as Maya, Nuke and Houdini and one of the largest fixed green screen studios in the UK.
You will be taught by a range of experienced staff, with a breadth of knowledge across both visual effects and the larger area of computer graphics. This includes staff with industry experience, and staff who work and innovate alongside industry in a variety of ways.
**Professional Placement Year**
This course offers an optional professional placement year. This allows you to spend a whole year with an employer, following successful completion of your second year, and is a great way to find out more about your chosen career. Some students even return to the same employers after completing their studies.
If you choose to pursue a placement year, you will need to find a suitable placement to complement your chosen area of study. You will be able to draw on the University’s extensive network of local, regional, and national employers, and the support of our Careers teams. If you are able to secure a placement, you can request to be transferred to the placement version of the course.
Please note that fees are payable during your placement year, equivalent to 20% of the total full-time course fee for that year.
Tuition fees
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The Uni
Millennium Point Campus
School of Computing and Digital Technology
What students say
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How do students rate their degree experience?
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Cinematics and photography
Teaching and learning
Assessment and feedback
Resources and organisation
Student voice
Who studies this subject and how do they get on?
Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)
After graduation
The stats in this section relate to the general subject area/s at this university – not this specific course. We show this where there isn't enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.
Cinematics and photography
What are graduates doing after six months?
This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.
Top job areas of graduates
What about your long term prospects?
Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.
Cinematics and photography
The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.
£16k
£19k
£22k
Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.
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You can use this to get an idea of who you might share a lecture with and how they progressed in this subject, here. It's also worth comparing typical A-level subjects and grades students achieved with the current course entry requirements; similarities or differences here could indicate how flexible (or not) a university might be.
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Post-six month graduation stats:
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It offers a snapshot of what grads went on to do six months later, what they were earning on average, and whether they felt their degree helped them obtain a 'graduate role'. We calculate a mean rating to indicate if this is high, medium or low compared to other universities.
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Graduate field commentary:
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The Longitudinal Educational Outcomes dataset combines HRMC earnings data with student records from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.
While there are lots of factors at play when it comes to your future earnings, use this as a rough timeline of what graduates in this subject area were earning on average one, three and five years later. Can you see a steady increase in salary, or did grads need some experience under their belt before seeing a nice bump up in their pay packet?
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