Bachelor of Animation
Providing a thorough grounding in all animation disciplines, this unique and diverse degree produces world-class animators who are at the very top of their field.
You will graduate with a Bachelor of Animation (majoring in one of the following; Story and Character or World-Building and Visual Effects or Interactive Media and Games).
360 credits | Full-time | On Campus | Optional Level 8 Honours
Ready to start your career in Animation? Study your First Year Free* with Yoobee!
Our Bachelor of Animation will equip you with everything you need to launch your career.
Students majoring in World-building and Visual Effects, will: develop skills in modelling, texturing and lighting for environments; design and create visual effects; and/or create immersive worlds through layout drawings, environments and background art.
Students majoring in Interactive Media and Games, will: create fantastic 2D games; and/or create immersive 3D game environments, VFX and gameplay.
Students majoring in Story and Character, will: develop your drawing skills, concept art, colouring, painting and character design; and/or bring characters and stories to life through 2D and/or 3D character animation.
The programme builds a thorough grounding in core skills, enabling you to conceptualize, plan and produce animation independently or as part of a studio team. From there you’ll delve deeper into your own chosen field, developing the academic, creative and technical expertise to really set you apart.
Constantly evolving to stay abreast of industry needs, this vocational degree programme will equip you with technical aptitude, expertise and the creative smarts you need to produce work that is engaging, captivating and inspiring.
Launch your career in Animation with our Creative Pathfinder Scholarship* and study your first year free!
Level up your Degree, with Honours
Level 8 (Optional) | 120 credits | Blended Delivery
Take your degree to the next level by developing your passion project concepts during this self-directed Honours year.
An Honours year gives you opportunity to develop a unique industry-ready project, backed by your own research and development, that will help you position yourself for future industry development and delivery opportunities. Or, to produce a substantial piece of research at a high academic standard, to help lead you on to a Masters, or PHD study in the future.
You will be supported by a dedicated supervisor, peer support, optional mentors, and access to our industry-standard resources. Expert Yoobee tutor knowledge and skills will be on-hand to help you while you flesh out and develop your practice-based project, or written thesis. Talk to our team about our Honours option.
Pre-requisites into our optional Honours year, requires a successful pass of Years One, Two and Three of your Degree; an achievement of 360 credits, and your proposal to undertake the Honours programme.
What you'll learn
Principles of storytelling for film and animation
We’ll introduce you to principles of storytelling for film and animation, and we’ll peek into the minds of scriptwriters and designers — after all, they’re the guys you’ll be collaborating with further down the track.
Studio-based life drawing classes
Sharpen your pencil for our studio-based life drawing classes and discover how critique and reflection can really enhance your work.
Visual communication design
You’ll gain a grounding in the principles of visual communication design and we’ll step back in time to see the impact that cultural, historical and social influences, not to mention technology, have had on the animation industry.
2D and 3D animation and modelling
You’ll also start developing your 2D and 3D skills. Learn how to convey your ideas with moving image, and produce your own short 2D animations. Then you’ll turn your 2D images into 3D models and start to develop your own 3D art assets and animations.
Interactive narrative
Studies on interactive narrative will help you develop stories, worlds and characters for a variety of different genres and media types, and you’ll explore game creation software, zooming in on storytelling rather than coding.
Advanced drawing
Hone your advanced drawing skills in our life drawing studio sessions, and learn how to merge your artistic and animation skills with your creativity, ideation and transdisciplinary thinking.
3D graphics and visual effects
Dip your toes into advanced 3D graphics practices and visual effects techniques, and learn about compositing digital imagery with live-action footage.
Professional practices
Build up your academic, investigative and analytic skills, and boost your understanding of important stuff like professional practice, ethics and project management. Plus study interactive production, nailing all touchpoints of the pipeline from pre-production to production and post-production.
Specialisation
Begin your major in either Story and Character, World-Building and Visual Effects, or Interactive Media and Games. Courses in the first half of the year help you to focus academically and professionally on your specialist role and develop your ability to research and produce animation assets for team projects.
Capstone project
The capstone project is a practice-based investigation in which research is conducted individually, as part of a team project. While you will produce separate investigative outputs, you will collaborate in a team to produce a single animation product for exhibition. It’s the culmination of everything you’ve learnt about animation thus far!
Investigative project
The final project for the year is the investigative project, which can take the form of a seminar or masterclass. You’ll present the findings of an investigation into a topic of personal interest within your major.
Optional Honours year
Should you wish to expand on your Degree, this is the year where you can start preparing for the optional Honours programme. Discuss this with your Tutor at the beginning of Year Three.
You may choose to continue studying by opting for an Honours year.
Supervisor Meetings (1 hour per week)
Research and Practical Support Meetings (1 hour per week)
Other activities by arrangement with your supervision team
Self-directed learning expectations are regularly reviewed at supervision meetings
You’ll be set-up with communication channels and need to check regularly for relevant updates including meeting times and course activities.
Project Context and Method, 30 credits
Semester 1: 4 hours per week
Project Context and Method begins and finishes at the end of Semester 1. This course aims to support the Project Thesis by providing a critical framework and focus for the investigation and for students to deepen knowledge of research methodologies specific to their field of creative practice in order to identify and apply research method/s most suitable to their Project Thesis.
Project Thesis, 90 credits
Semester 1: 9 hours per week
Semester 2: 12 hours per week
Project Thesis begins in Semester 1 and finishes at the end of Semester 2. This course aims to provide an opportunity for students to produce a substantial piece of work focused on issues within their major field of study, through established research methods, to a high academic standard which would enable progression to a master level qualification or higher, and as preparation for the workforce. The course is designed to enable self‐direction and purpose for student work and to establish in students the confidence and skills that they will need as graduates of the degree to pursue and maintain a successful career in the field of professional animation production, or in academia.
Through our Bachelor of Animation, Yoobee is proud to be recognized as a Toon Boom Centre of Excellence (COE) for 2024.
A designation achieved by only 2 schools in New Zealand; this recognises Yoobee’s Bachelor of Animation meets a high standard of depth, breadth and quality, through comprehensive exposure to the Toon Boom 2D animation software. Providing graduating students with a deep knowledge of their software, and an advantage with world-class studios who value such high-demand skills.
To read more on Toon Boom and their Centre of Excellence Program, please visit their site.
Course Start Dates
A bit more information
Software:
Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Premiere Pro, After Effects, Audition, Animate, Character Animate, Dreamweaver, Autodesk Maya, Autodesk Mudbox, Substance Painter, SynthEyes, GitKraken, XNormal, Sculptris, Audacity
Equipment:
DSLR cameras, sound recording equipment (for audio production), video production room with green screen and lighting
Domestic students
Tuition Fees:
First year: $11,321 - First Year Free* for a limited time
Second year: $11,319
Third year: $11,156
Optional Honours: $10,418
Student Services Levy: $350 per year
Course Related Costs**: $361 per year
**Course Related Cost - Covers software licensing for student use on campus for the period of 1 year. This amount can be covered by StudyLink's courses related cost loan.
Fees Free Study
To find out if you are eligible for Fees Free study, please find out more here or visit the government Fees Free Website
International students
Year One
Tuition Fees: $30,000 (NZD)
Course Related Costs: $2,500 (NZD)
Year Two
Tuition Fees: $25,500 (NZD)
Course Related Costs: $2,500 (NZD)
Year Three
Tuition Fees: $25,500 (NZD)
Course Related Costs: $2,500 (NZD)
For more information, click here to download the international course costs PDF.
Please note fees are subject to change.
Domestic students
General Admission
Hold NCEA University Entrance (UE), or equivalent CIE/IB grades (preferably including a minimum of 24 NCEA credits at Level 3 in practical art, design or technology subjects), or equivalent qualification from an overseas secondary school or tertiary institution AND a portfolio.
OR
Successful completion of Yoobee’s Diploma in Animation Level 5.
Discretionary Admission is available for applicants between 16-20yrs with a significant level of achievement in Year 12 or successful completion of a relevant foundation programme or tertiary qualification, along with a portfolio or industry experience.
Special Admission is available to applicants who are over 20yrs, who are New Zealand residents or permanent residents and have relevant experience and skills may apply for special admission. The application must be supported by a professional portfolio AND/OR documented industry experience.
All portfolios should show significant art and design skills and experience (applicants may be asked to attend an interview to ascertain their suitability for admission in some cases).
International students must be at least 18 years old.
Applications that speak English as a second language must have, within the preceding two years, achieved or surpassed at least one of the following English proficiency outcomes:
IELTS (Academic) Test: Score of 6, with no band score lower than 5.5
TOEFL Paper-based test (pBT): Score of 550 (with an essay score of 5 TWE)
TOEFL Internet-based test (iBT): Score of 79, or higher (with a writing score of 18)
University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations: FCE or CAE with a score of 52, or higher
NZCEL: Level 4, with the Academic endorsement
Get more info
Provide your details in the form below and one of our course advisors will then be in touch with more information.
Why Study Animation at Yoobee
From day one you start to bring your drawings and ideas to life.
No exams! Instead, you’ll learn by doing real practical animation projects.
Our projects simulate how animation studios are run, so you get a taste of the industry before you graduate.
Class sizes are small so you get great support from your tutors.
Your individual creativity is always welcomed and encouraged to grow.
Qualifications are issued by Yoobee Colleges Ltd. Yoobee Colleges Ltd is an NZQA Category 1 provider, the highest rating a school can be awarded by the Government.
Term dates are subject to change pending enrolment numbers, availability and unforeseen funding fluctuations. Yoobee Colleges Ltd reserves the right to modify schedules to make sure the College runs well and students are offered the best learning experience.
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