The Level 3 NEXTGEN Games, Animation and VFX Extended Diploma is an award-winning vocational course accredited through AIM Qualifications awarding body.
The course is written in collaboration with creative industry firms and industry specialists to address the current skills shortage in the Games, Animation and VFX industries. Industries such as Framestore, DNEG, Blue Zoo Animation, Sold Out, Centroid Motion Capture, Creative Assembly, Ubisoft, Playground Games, Sumo Digital, The Mill and Sony Interactive Entertainment, are engaging closely with DN Colleges Group and NEXTGEN; overseeing and updating the course content to meet present and future industry skill requirements.
This course is designed to equip students with sophisticated technical, artistic, arithmetic and programming skills needed in the Games, Animation and VFX industries. From this, students can create and develop games, animation, and VFX sequences, as well as giving them the experience into industry working practices.
Students will study from specialist lecturers and industry professionals through a range of masterclasses, workshops, events, work placements, live industry briefs and more. Students will develop and build on their skills ranging from the initial research stage to the end presentation and pitch.
The projects are designed to enable students to experience project and production management, including the common industry practice of agile and scrum techniques.
Over the course of the study programme, students will collate their work and build specialist portfolios demonstrating their skills, in preparation for either employment or further/higher education or apprenticeships.
Year 1 Topics Can Include:
- Core Principles of Games Design.
- Maths and Logic Fundamentals for GAVFX.
- Art Fundamentals for GAVFX.
- 3D Tools Creative and Technical 3D Modelling.
- VFX Fundamental Skills for GAVFX.
- Fundamental Animation Skills for GAVFX.
- Fundamental Product Programming Skills.
Year 2 Topics Can Include:
- Emerging Technologies or Trends in GAVFX.
- Images and Sounds for Imagined Worlds.
- Story and Playboarding.
- Production Management for GAVFX.
- Working in the GAVFX Industries.
- Synoptic Project.
- Case Study.
You will need to have good time management skills and be able to work to targets and deadlines and self-motivated skills for independent study.
Work Experience
During the year, NEXTGEN will be hosting a range of challenge days, work experience opportunities and collaborative industry talks with students. These opportunities help you to recognise how the Games, Animation and VFX industries work, alongside developing transferable skills (technical and non-technical), a wide range of networks within the industry building possible internships / career opportunities in the industry and more but also recognising which career path, you may want to undertake.
Assessment Method
The assessment methodology is aligned to industry standards and practice, as well as supporting students to manage the independent learning that will be required of them at any Higher Education Institute.
The course is assessed through a series of different assessment methods including:
- Portfolio work.
- Development blogs.
- Written reports.
- Programming assessments / exams.
- Presentatio0ns
Minimum of five GCSEs at grades 5/C or above. This must include GCSE Maths AND English Language/Literature.
If you have GCSE IT/Computing this will be beneficial as strong IT skills are essential (along with some knowledge of coding).
Students from this course will be supported from tutors and industry peers in collecting a range of transferable skills to progress into further/higher education, apprenticeships, or employment in the creative sector.
Some career opportunities can be within creative departments such as:
- Art / Concept Art.
- Pre-Production / Production / Post-Production / Production Management.
- Planning / Design / On Set.
- Animation
- Programming / Development / Technical / Computer-Generated (CG).
- Compositing / Audio / Quality Assurance.
Financial Support
Depending on your situation, you may be able to access a range of financial support available.
Course Fees
UK
We do not currently have fee information available for this course. Please contact us for further information.
Apply or enquire about this course
Please use the following links to make an application or enquiry about this course.
Information for EU Students
From January 2021, how you apply for a course will change. For more information, read the UK Government's guide for the UK points-based immigration system for EU students (pdf).
Visit our International pages for more information and contact details