Graduate Diploma in Animation and Visual Effects

Program Overview

The Graduate Diploma in Animation and Visual Effects is a customizable program designed for professionals and graduates seeking to enter or enhance their skills in the growing animation and visual effects industry. It combines technical, conceptual, and creative skills through core studio courses, contextual courses, and prescribed electives, enabling students to explore their interests and develop as technical professionals. The program offers flexible entry and exit points, as well as full-time and part-time study options, and prepares graduates for a wide range of careers in the creative industry.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

• The Graduate Diploma in Animation and Visual Effects is designed for graduates and professionals within and outside the animation and visual effects industry who aim to enter or upskill in this growing and evolving field.
• This shortened and customizable program combines technical, conceptual, creative, and professional skills to enable you to explore your interests and develop as a technical professional.
• You’ll have the opportunity to explore and develop your artistic vision in the company of a diverse community of artists and designers.
• Diversify your existing knowledge and skills or develop the capabilities to move into this new and exciting sector with access to world-class facilities and guidance from academics with a wealth of industry experience.

Outline:

• The Graduate Diploma in Animation and Visual Effects offers a customizable structure with flexible entry and exit points, as well as full-time and part-time study options.
• Comprising three core studio courses, three core contextual courses, and two prescribed elective courses, you can complete the graduate diploma in one year full-time, or over a longer period if you’d prefer.
• Core studio courses:
In the core studios, you’ll learn to integrate fundamental aspects of animation, 3D modeling, and VFX compositing into increasingly complex projects. Examples of topics explored through the core studio courses include:
• Animating movement, storyboarding, and pre-visualization
• 3D Visualization and modeling
• VFX compositing, matte painting, and camera tracking
• Contextual courses:
Through a series of contextual courses, you’ll build a complementary set of capabilities in teamwork, communication, research, and leadership, as well as deepen your understandings of screen aesthetics and the key ideas and debates that are shaping this field. Courses include:
• Digital aesthetics
• Research methodologies
• Communication skills
• Prescribed electives:
You’ll choose from the following studio-based elective courses to focus on specific areas of animation and visual effects practice:
• Motion capture
• Rigging
• Creature and character design
• Procedural FX
• Real-time and virtual production

Careers:

• The Graduate Diploma in Animation and Visual Effects will help you upskill, build your portfolio, and develop the creative and technical skills to enter a rapidly growing Australian and global creative industry.
• Gain the qualifications you need to kickstart your creative career in a vibrant industry with roles and career opportunities across the creative pipeline.
• Potential careers:
• Animator
• 3D animator
• 3D generalist
• CG effects artist
• Creature effects artist
• Concept artist
• Storyboard artist
• Texture artist
• Visual effects artist
• Visual effects compositor
• VFX supervisor
• Matte painter
• Media arts practitioner
• Motion designer
• Art director
• Post-production artist
• Virtual production artist
• Game developer
• Game designer
• Layout artist