MA 3D Modelling and VFX
Why choose Herts?
- Excellent reputation: Best Creative School in the UK, Best 3D Animation School and the Best VFX School in the UK (The Rookies Top Global Creative Schools, 2024)
- Industry exposure: Herts is on the doorstep of one of the biggest VFX hubs in the world, with 94% of the UK’s VFX industry based on London, means access to a range of top companies and artists, giving you plenty of opportunities to connect, learn and kick-start your career
- Industry connections: One of the few universities that are members of Access:VFX
Professional Accreditations
The University of Hertfordshire is a member of Access:VFX the international organisation pursuing inclusion, diversity, awareness and opportunity in the VFX & Animation industries. The program leader is a member of the honorary Visual Effects Society (VES) and UK SIGGRAPH, the worldwide computer graphics association.
Herts is also a Rookies certified school as well as a Houdini certified school.
About the course
MA 3D Modelling and VFX course will enable you to:
- study a modular structure that has produced professionals across the screen industries
- enter or progress in 3D modelling, animation and VFX industries
- focus on the forefront of developments in technology and explore a range of processes, matched with space and tuition to accelerate your practice and career
- have the opportunity for unique collaboration with students on other pathways and work with animators, games artists, concept artists and digital comics illustrators.
Why choose this course?
More and more of what we see on our cinema and TV screens in films, episodic tv, commercials and even historical drama is planned created and integrated by creatives using powerful software and inventive pipelines. 3D characters, creatures, assets and environments are built and integrated or composited into high resolution film to enable new stories to burst into life.
The MA 3D Modelling and VFX course will expose you to critical and media theories that you can connect to your emerging practice to grow your repertoire of skills and stand out in the marketplace. You will complete the course having created 3D and/or compositing VFX work of a high quality. You will also gain an understanding of the potential advances in 3D modelling, VFX compositing and their impact on a wide range of production processes across the screen industries. You can take this experience into the real world as you will know how to manage professional pipelines and implement 3D CGI and VFX to a high standard, as well as communicate and articulate practice.
The VFX industry is within touching distance from our campuses. Around 94% of the industry is in London. We are easily commutable for professionals to take time out of their day to visit Herts and likewise we can go to them! London also offers its own source of inspiration, with opportunities to explore groundbreaking VFX artworks like the Outernet and a variety of immersive exhibitions pushing the boundaries of the field. Also, the annual VFX Festival at Waterloo IMAX, London Frightfest, London Short Film Festival or the London International Animation Festival are focal points to stay updated on industry news and network with professionals.
You can also potentially increase your earning potential with a MA 3D Modelling and VFX degree; the average pay in VFX at all ages exceeds the overall UK average as well as exceeding the average pay for the creative industries by a good margin find out more about the UK’s VFX workforce. 83% of the VFX industry and 93% of the animation industry are graduates, with a higher than average proportion of postgraduates.
What will I study?
The specialist teaching during the course will give you powerful lighting, texturing and ‘LookDev’ skills and you will be introduced to VFX pipelines and workflows, sharpening original ideas through previz and preparatory techniques all the way through to compositing. You will have the opportunity to show your progress each week to your tutor and peers, and sometimes to industry too.
The key to the success of the MA 3D Modelling and VFX course is the curriculum! It’s a tried and tested curriculum that’s brought great success to concept artists, games artists, animators and a whole range of digital practitioners.
In the first semester you’ll be challenged with a series of creative practical projects to stretch your imagination and skillset. This is paired with a module we call Sources and Significance - introducing you to some of the greatest media theorists and critical thinkers, helping you bring a new intellectual dimension to your emerging practice. Our aim is to get you thinking about innovation and working at the forefront of your field.
The second semester is about locating your practice in the creative business landscape and focusing on your chosen destination. You’ll prepare and research your showreel, portfolio or exhibition- whatever your career output is. You’ll work on a unique interdisciplinary project and a live brief to push your skills and collaborative abilities. You’ll hear from a range of industry and artistic expertise to help you, as well as develop your ideas towards an achievable and attractive outcome, that you’ll work on in the third semester.
Armed with a strong self-initiated project, you’ll spend the whole of the summer semester working on the artefact that will be your signature piece to the world. Key subject tuition takes place once a week as well as workshops and lessons, all supported by weekly online tutorials. These tutorials allow you to receive timely, relevant feedback - no waiting around to hear what others think!
Further course information
Course fact sheets | |
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MA 3D Modelling and VFX | Download |
Programme specifications | |
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MA 3D Modelling and VFX | Download |
Additional information | |
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Sandwich placement or study abroad year |
n/a |
Applications open to international and EU students |
Yes |