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Motion Graphics BA (Hons)

UCAS code: W212

Start year

Information for 2025

About this course

Operating at the intersection of design and creative technologies this Motion Graphics BA Hons course offers a diverse and engaging ideas led curriculum where you will be challenged to think broadly, combining technology, creative thinking, and graphic design fundamentals to test, craft, and shape your individual identity as a motion-based thinker and designer.

Working independently, collaboratively and alongside industry you will acquire the skills, knowledge and understanding to fully embrace the expanding possibilities of this exciting industry and will graduate with a distinct body of work that aligns to your future goals and ambitions.

  • You’ll have the opportunity to complete a work experience placement of up to a year in length. Dependent on the duration of your placement, you could gain an additional Diploma or Certificate in Professional Practice.
  • Develop your professional skills through self-initiated work experience placements, industry competitions, collaborations with organisations and guest lectures.
  • You’ll be able to personalise your studies by choosing from a range of up to eight optional modules. Your course also includes our School-wide, sector-leading CoLab module.
  • Opportunity to apply for a European or international exchange to one of our partner institutions, such as RMIT in Australia. You will also have the chance to attend optional study visits to UK and European destinations.
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In the UK for Art and Design in Complete University Guide 2025

What you’ll study

On our BA (Hons) Motion Graphics course you will work across multiple platforms such as animation, film, UX/UI, VR and AR, through the lens of a motion designer. This course has a module structure that facilitates and celebrates exploration, personalisation and interdisciplinary collaboration with peers and industry partners. Industry engagement is integrated throughout the course with a range of exciting activities including live projects, guest lectures, portfolio reviews, and mentoring. Specialist practical, theoretical, and technical workshops will develop and enhance your professional skill set for the future. In your final year, you’ll have the opportunity to negotiate and select project briefs that align with your future goals resulting in a distinct showcase of personal practice aligned to your future career ambitions.

There is an opportunity for students to undertake a placement year, and transfer to the Sandwich route, please see further details in the ‘Year Three’ section below.

The Fundamentals of Graphic Design

(100 credit points)

Learn about, and begin to practise, the process behind effective graphic design. Focus on topics such as typography, image-making, branding, packaging, editorial design, illustration, and film or animation. Throughout this module you will be developing a portfolio of work that demonstrates your ability to document a design process: including evidence of design research, ideas generation and exploration, as well as appropriate presentation skills.

Design in Context

(20 credit points)

Explore the historical and theoretical issues relating to graphic visual culture on a global scale, which will help you to develop your own critical opinions about the role graphic design has played in the wider social content.

Exploring Motion Graphics

(60 credit points)

This module will provide you with the opportunity to further develop and apply the fundamentals you have acquired in your first year to an exciting range of motion-based project briefs and workshops. You will investigate and interrogate the possibilities and opportunities of motion graphics to as a creative tool to communicate a variety of content to a defined audience. Through exploration and experimentation, you will evidence your design thinking and problem-solving skills using motion and movement as the primary tool for communication. A varied range of technical workshops will support you in developing and honing the knowledge and skills required to deliver your ideas and outcomes to industry standard. You will have the opportunity to work alongside industry on live project briefs set by a variety of creative agencies, ensuring your understanding of the professional context of the subject. By the end of the module, you will have developed your individual visual style, approach and technical acuity and will be able to identify its location within the context of contemporary motion graphics practice.

Motion Graphics in Context

(20 credit points)

This module introduces and explores the wider social, theoretical, political, and cultural contexts, narratives and debates influencing and informing the subject. You will have the opportunity to demonstrate your ability to research, evaluate and analyse a range of topics and present your observations and findings in both verbal and written form. You will further develop the knowledge and skills acquired in your first year and will hone your critical writing skills in preparation for your dissertation in year three.

CoLab Research, Exploration and Risk-Taking

(20 credit points)

Through active participation with team-based problem-solving, you will work together in mixed teams on a project where you will use your creative ideas to generate solutions to the challenge or brief. Your project will allow you to explore how creativity can make an impact in society, as you choose a theme of sustainability, social justice, enterprise and innovation or community. This collaborative learning experience will expose you to a range of new processes and approaches that will develop your creative thinking.

Optional Module

You will also choose one optional 20-credit module from:

  • Model Making: Object and Narrative
  • Publishing: Experimental Formats
  • Typography: Use and Expression
  • Digital Marketing and Communication
  • Exploring Creative Coding
  • Music Video
  • Open-source 3D Art
  • Virtual Production

Optional Placement Year (Sandwich)

We have an option for all of our students to undertake a placement year (Sandwich) and allow you to decide whether this is right for you once you have completed years 1 and 2 of your course. This time spent working in industry provides our students with crucial work experience, which is highly prized and much sought after by employers upon graduation. If you are successful in securing a placement you will have the chance to gain an additional Certificate or Diploma in Professional Practice, dependent on duration.

The additional placement year incurs a fee.  For international students considering the transfer to the 4-yr SW route it’s important to seek advice from the International Student Support team and the Home Office regarding any potential visa implications and costs. For UK students, advice should also be sought regarding SLC eligibility, if applicable.

* If you choose to take the sandwich route option, you will still need to apply for this course with the full-time UCAS code: W212

Developing a personal showcase

(100 credit points)

This module provides you with the opportunity to personalise and negotiate your final year of study in line with your future goals and ambitions. You will be encouraged to explore, experiment, and innovate, challenging the conventions and perimeters of the subject. The sequential nature of the module supports the development of your practice and through on-going reflection and analysis you will define and apply your distinct style and approach to a variety of challenges. You will select project briefs from a range of sources including international and national competition briefs and assessment schemes, staff briefs, industry projects and self-initiated briefs. You will showcase your design thinking, problem-solving, technical acuity and creativity through the realisation of an individual bespoke showcase of practice that is unique to you. The structure of the module supports you in becoming an autonomous thinker and practitioner who can articulate their thinking both verbally and visually and can manage their time and projects effectively - all these transferable skills will ensure you are ready for your professional future. You will leave the course fully prepared for your next step, whether that be professional practice or further study.

Motion Graphics Dissertation

(20 credit points)

In this module you will build on the research and writing skills that you have acquired in Levels 4 and 5 by producing a referenced and illustrated written study. You will have the opportunity to select a visually based issue of your choice to investigate. Your dissertation will demonstrate your ability to independently research appropriate source materials and develop a critical viewpoint on the topic selected through a reasoned and structured argument that encompasses and evaluates relevant artefacts, issues and contexts. The skills of analysis and research developed on the dissertation module will also help you with your studio work.

We regularly review and update our course content based on student and employer feedback, ensuring that all of our courses remain current and relevant. This may result in changes to module content or module availability in future years.

Video Gallery

Find out more about our new Design & Digital Arts building, opening for 2024 admission.
 

How you're taught

Teaching and learning experiences will include:

  • Lectures and briefings
  • Studio workshops
  • Seminars
  • One-to-one tutorials
  • Group tutorials
  • Peer and self-evaluations
  • Verbal and visual presentations
  • Teamwork
  • Live projects
  • Study trips
  • Personal development planning

Collaboration across courses

This course offers our new innovative collaboration module. This gives you the opportunity to work collaboratively with your contemporaries from a range of different art and design subjects and beyond. You’ll be working alongside artists, designers, photographers, illustrators, animators, and filmmakers on daring and creative projects that prepare you for a rewarding career in your chosen industry. Your project will allow you to explore how creativity can make an impact in society, as you choose a theme of sustainability, social justice, enterprise and innovation or community.

Exchange opportunities

If you’re thinking about studying part of your degree abroad, the course has exchange agreements with a number of institutions around the world.

Exchanges take place in Year Two of the course. You’ll receive guidance from the University about where you can study, and help in completing your application and arranging your exchange.

Showcase

You will be given the opportunity to exhibit your work during your time at NTU to members of the creative industries. Visit our ‘We Are Creatives’ showcase to take a look at the work of this year's graduating students’.

Staff Profiles

Kathryn Coates - Principal Lecturer

Nottingham School of Art & Design

Kathryn is the Principal Lecturer in the Department of Design and Digital Arts and leads the subject area for Graphic Design, Illustration and Motion Graphics. She teaches on the final…

Neil Halliday - Senior Lecturer

Nottingham School of Art & Design

Neil is the Course Leader for the BA (Hons) Motion Graphics programme and also teaches into all levels within the BA (Hons) Graphic Design course. As well as coordinating with…

Careers and employability

You’ll graduate with a bespoke professional showcase of motion[1]based project work that demonstrates your abilities as an agile independent creative thinker and problem solver. You’ll be equipped with the distinctive intellectual, technical, and professional knowledge and skill set required to undertake a wide variety of roles within the creative industries. Areas include broadcast design, exhibition and brand experience, music and entertainment, brand creation, advertising, information design, UX/UI, web and app design, VR/AR/XR, gaming, VFX design and compositing, art direction, creative direction and production design.

Connecting with industry and work placement opportunities

Industry professionals will visit the course to guest lecture and share their experiences. Live projects and competitions will help you to gain real experience of the industry, make contacts, and build your portfolio and CV.

You’ll be encouraged to undertake short periods of work experience alongside your studies. You will normally complete these placements during holiday periods, but you will have the option of taking up to two weeks out of term time, which you can negotiate with your tutor.

In addition, you’ll also have the opportunity to complete a longer work experience or placement, with the chance to gain an additional Diploma or Certificate in Professional Practice, dependent on duration. Course tutors and our Employability team are on hand to support you in applying for placement and professional practice opportunities.

YouFirst – working with our Employability team

Studying a creative degree in a large university has many benefits, none more so than having access to a large employability team.

Our friendly, experienced careers consultants will work closely with you at every stage of your career planning, providing personal support and advice you won't find in a book or on the Internet. You can benefit from this at any time during your studies and for up to three years after completing your course.

Creative Industries Federation

We are members of the Creative Industries Federation (CIF), which means students in the Nottingham School of Art & Design have the opportunity to sign up to free student membership. Creative Industries Federation are an organisation that represents, champions and supports the UK’s creative industries and membership grants students exclusive access to their selection of resources and events to help advance your career and connect with industry.

Campus and facilities

You’ll be based in our new Design & Digital Arts Building. Opening for 2024 admission, our new Design & Digital Arts Building will place Nottingham as a UK hub for film, television, animation, UX design, games design, graphic design and more.

You'll have access to industry-standard facilities which include a virtual production studio, an in-camera VFX studio and a black box studio, as well as collaborative studio spaces, future technology suites and exhibition spaces.

Find out more

Entry requirements

UK students

  • Standard offer: 112 UCAS Tariff points from up to four qualifications
  • Contextual offer: 104 UCAS Tariff points from up to four qualifications

Other requirements

To find out what qualifications have tariff points, please use our tariff calculator.

International students

Academic entry requirements: 112 UCAS Tariff points from up to four qualifications. We accept equivalent qualifications from all over the world. Please check your international entry requirements by country.

Other requirements

English language requirements: See our English language requirements page for requirements for your subject and information on alternative tests and Pre-sessional English.

Policies

We strive to make our admissions procedures as fair and clear as possible. To find out more about how we make offers, visit our admissions policies page.

Fees and funding

UK students

- see the fees for this course, as well as information about funding and support.

£9,535 per year

If you choose to do a placement year, you'll pay a reduced fee for that year of £1,850.

Find out about the extra support we may be able to provide to help pay for uni, including NTU bursaries and scholarships.

The School will cover the costs of any mandatory study trips.

In your final year, the Nottingham School of Art & Design will provide infrastructure costs for the Showcase.

Material costs: Depending on the materials you choose to work with, you should budget around £100 per year (minimum) for production costs associated to your course, including things like your final year project.

As part of your studies, you’ll need to store large quantities of data and we recommend you budget £70 for a rugged 1TB portable hard drive.

You will need to pay tuition fees for each year that you are at university. The tuition fees, including the placement year and study abroad options are subject to government policy and may change in future years of study.

Preparing for the financial side of student life is important, but we don’t want you to feel anxious or confused about it. Visit our fees and funding pages if you have any concerns.

International students

- see the fees for this course, as well as payment advice and scholarships.
  • £18,250 per year
  • If you choose to do a placement year, you'll pay a reduced fee for that year of £1,850

The School will cover the costs of any mandatory study trips.

In your final year, the Nottingham School of Art & Design will provide infrastructure costs for the Showcase.

Material costs: Depending on the materials you choose to work with, you should budget around £100 per year (minimum) for production costs associated to your course, including things like your final year project.

As part of your studies, you’ll need to store large quantities of data and we recommend you budget £70 for a rugged 1TB portable hard drive.

You will need to pay tuition fees for each year that you are at university. The tuition fees might increase from the second year of your undergraduate course, in line with inflation and as specified by the UK government.

Scholarships

We offer international scholarships of up to 50% of your tuition fee. You can apply for a scholarship when you have an offer to study at NTU.

Living costs

See our advice on managing your money and the cost of living as an international student in Nottingham.

Paying fees

As an international student, you'll need to make an advance payment of £6,000 when you've accepted your offer to study at NTU. You'll then need to pay your tuition fees in full, or have an agreement to pay in two further instalments, before the start date of your course.

Find out how and when to pay your fees, including information about advance payments, instalment dates and how to make payments securely to the University.

Enquiries

If you have any queries relating to advance payments or arrangements to pay, please contact our friendly and experienced international enquiries team.

Additional costs

Your course fees cover the cost of studies and include loads of great benefits, such as the use of our library, support from our expert Employability team and free use of the IT equipment across our campuses. There are just a few additional things you may need to budget for:

Textbooks and library books

Most modules will recommend one or more core textbooks, which most students choose to purchase. Book costs vary and further information is available in the University’s bookshop. Our libraries provide a good supply of essential textbooks, journals and materials (many of which you can access online) - meaning you may not need to purchase as many books as you might think! There may also be a supply of second-hand books available for purchase from previous year students.

Printing and photocopying costs

The University allocates an annual printing and copying allowance of £20 depending on the course you are studying. For more details about costs for additional print and copying required over and above the annual allowance please see the printing and photocopying information on the Library website.

Placements

If you're undertaking a placement year, you'll need to budget for accommodation and any travel costs you may incur whilst on placement. Many of our placement students do earn a salary whilst on placement which can help to cover these living costs.

Field trips

All essential field trip costs will be included in your course fees. There may be the opportunity to take part in optional field trips, which do incur additional costs.

Fees and funding advice

For more advice and guidance, you can email our Student Money Team or phone us on +44 (0)115 848 2494.

Cost of living information and support

Managing your money can help you make the most of life at NTU. Here's how we can support you, and now you can make your funding go further.

How to apply

Apply through UCAS.

We will ask you to provide a digital portfolio. Visit our webpage which has some advice on what to include to help make your portfolio stand out. After you have submitted your portfolio, we may also invite you to an online interview to help us make our final decision.

Optional Placement Year (Sandwich)*

Please be aware that all enrolments onto the Course will initially be for the full time 3-year route. There is however an opportunity for you to internally transfer to the 4-year SW route if you secure a placement. The placement would need to be confirmed and transfer agreed during your 2nd year to enable you to commence the placement in year 3. It is important that you seek advice regarding any funding and financial implications before making any changes to your course structure.

You can apply for this course through UCAS. If you are not applying to any other UK universities, you can apply directly to us on our NTU applicant portal.

Application advice

Apply early so that you have enough time to prepare – processing times for Student visas can vary, for example.  After you've applied, we'll be sending you important emails throughout the application process – so check your emails regularly, including your junk mail folder.

Writing your personal statement

Be honest, thorough, and persuasive – we can only make a decision about your application based on what you tell us:

Would you like some advice on your study plans? 

Our international teams are highly experienced in answering queries from students all over the world. We also have members of staff based in Vietnam, China, India and Nigeria and work with a worldwide network of education counsellors.

Optional Placement Year (Sandwich)*

Please be aware that you will need to apply for the three-year full-time course. There is however an opportunity for you to internally transfer to the 4-year SW route if you secure a placement. The placement would need to be confirmed and transfer agreed during your 2nd year to enable you to commence the placement in year 3. It is critical to consult with the NTU International Student Support Team and the Home Office for updated visa regulations and requirements before making any changes to your course structure.