Visual Effects and Motion Graphics

Course overview: If you have a passion for a career as a visual effects or motion graphics artist, this professionally accredited course is for you. Combine your technical and creative skills to create live-action and digital 2D and 3D content into sequences for film and TV.

Visual effects involves blending computer-generated elements with live-action footage to produce scenes that are impossible to capture in real life. You merge technical expertise with artistic creativity, producing alien worlds, massive crowds, or fire-breathing dragons on our screens.

You gain experience of the whole production pipeline including previsualisation, motion design, technical animation, effects animation, look development and compositing, and develop your own specialism. Our bespoke 2D animation studios featuring industry-standard software, dedicated workshops and stop motion studios equipped with lighting, cameras, and green screen offer you a real world technical experience.

Top reasons to study visual effects and motion graphics


1. £2,000 Accommodation Award: you may be eligible for £2,000 towards your accommodation fees if you live outside the TS postcode and are in your first year of study on a games or animation course
2. SideFX recognition: this course has been officially certified by SideFX and the school is a member of the SideFX Certified Partner Programme in recognition of our knowledgeable instructors, the high quality of student work, and our efforts devoted to connecting students to industry.
3. ScreenSkills recognition: this course is industry recognised by ScreenSkills, the industry-led skills body for the UK’s screen-based industries, and carries the ScreenSkills Select quality-mark which indicates courses best suited to prepare students for a career in the screen industries.


After the course: You have many opportunities to develop your professional skills, links with industry and meet with recruiters through our Expo Series, Animex Festival and Student Futures activities. Graduates from our Visual Effects degrees have gone on to enjoy successful careers in studios around the world working on visual effects for film, television, animation and games.

Graduates have gone on to work in a range of areas including previs, modelling, rigging, production, effects animation, matte painting, tracking and matchmove, lighting, look development and compositing. They are working for companies including Industrial Light and Magic, Weta Digital, Double Negative, Moving Picture Company, Cinesite, The Third Floor, The Mill, Pixar, Digital Domain, Framestore and many more.

Choosing Teesside University means joining a modern, ambitious university that puts students first. Named Modern University of the Year 2026 (Daily Mail University Guide 2026) and recognised for its outstanding student experience, Teesside combines award-winning teaching with the support you need to succeed.

Based in Middlesbrough, the university has invested millions into creating a vibrant campus packed with industry-standard facilities, study spaces and social hubs. You'll also have access to Adobe Creative Campus tools, helping you build valuable digital skills alongside your degree.

From day one, you'll be part of a welcoming student community with excellent support services, societies, sports clubs and opportunities to boost your career prospects. If you're looking for a university that helps you achieve more and make the most of student life, Teesside could be the perfect fit.