COURSE CURRICULUM

The BA (Hons) 2D Animation and Stop Motion programme at Teesside University offers a comprehensive curriculum that develops artistic, technical, and professional skills required for careers in animation and visual effects. In the first year, students build a strong foundation through modules in Animation Principles, Art for Animation, Introduction to Stop Motion, and Visual Development for the Moving Image. They study traditional and digital drawing, character creation, storyboarding, 2D and 3D animation techniques, stop-motion methods, cinematography, lighting, camera work, and digital compositing. During the second year, students further enhance their abilities through modules in 2D Animated Performance, Moviola, Professional Practice and Ethical AI Assisted Creativity, and Stop Motion. These modules focus on storytelling, acting and performance, collaborative production projects, professional development, ethical applications of artificial intelligence, and advanced stop-motion techniques including puppet making, set design, lighting, rigging, and lip synchronisation. Students also have the opportunity to undertake an optional work placement year, gaining valuable industry experience, improving employability, and developing transferable skills such as communication, teamwork, leadership, and problem-solving. In the final year, students complete an AVFX Project, a major individual project aligned with their chosen specialism and career aspirations. They also undertake Creative Industry Briefs that simulate professional industry roles and projects, and Kino, a collaborative module where students work as part of a production team to create a short film or visual effects sequence. Throughout the course, students gain practical experience in professional workflows while developing a strong portfolio that showcases their creative and technical abilities. The programme prepares graduates for careers in animation, stop-motion production, visual effects, motion graphics, and other creative industries by combining artistic development, technical expertise, and industry-focused learning experiences.