Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Digital Arts (Common Entry)

Apply to Tipperary FET College Clonmel

Overview

This programme aims to offer students the opportunity to complete year one of a common entry degree in Digital Arts, with Tipperary ETB, before having a guaranteed progression route to years two to four with TUS Midwest (Clonmel Campus).

Year one of this four-year degree programme will provide students with the opportunity to complete modules that will introduce them to the concepts, knowledge and skills associated with digital animation, game art and design and visual effects.

Students will have access to industry standard equipment, software applications and subject matter experts to guide them, so as to ensure they can make an informed decision on their preferred year 2 programme.

Having successfully completed year one of the degree, students will progress to year two of their chosen degree in one of the following:
• Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Digital Animation
• Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Game Art and Design
• Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Visual Effects for Film, TV, and Animation

Provider Locations and Structure

Year 1 based in the following ETB location:
• Tipperary FET College Clonmel – The Mall, Davis Road, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary E91 K2E2

Years 2, 3 & 4 based in the following TUS campus:
• TUS, Clonmel Digital Campus, Cashel Road, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary E91 D896

Course Content – for all years

This programme, developed and designed with relevant stakeholders, leads to a Bachelor of Science (Honours), in one of three target awards:
• Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Digital Animation
• Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Game Art and Design
• Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Visual Effects for Film, TV, and Animation

Students will commence the degree programme with a common year one, delivered in a Tipperary ETB FET college, with approximately 24 hours of class contact per week. In first year, students will study modules such as:

1. Digital Technology Fundamentals
2. Audio Storytelling
3. Creative Coding 1
4. Visual Design
5. Visual Storytelling
6. Animation 1
7. 3D Modelling Props
8. 2D Asset Creation
9. Drawing Principles 1
10. Drawing Principles 2
11. Animation 2
12. Introduction to Animation, Gaming Fundamentals and VFX Production

Years two to four modules will be dependent on which degree programme students progress to year two in; Digital Animation or Game Art and Design or Visual Effects for Film, TV, and Animation.

In year three of this tertiary programme, students will undertake a work placement.

Accreditation, Embedded and Step Back Awards

This tertiary programme is designed to support academic success over a four-year period. However, if a student leaves before completing the final year, this programme offers embedded awards that formally recognise learning achieved during time on the programme.

The following are the embedded awards associated with this programme:

After successfully completing Year 1
NFQ Level 6 Certificate of Completion, Minor Award, 60 ECTS Credits from TUS.

After successfully completing Year 2
NFQ Level 6 Higher Certificate in Digital Animation or Higher Certificate in Game Art and Design or Higher Certificate in Visual Effects for Film, TV and Animation, 120 ECTS Credits from TUS.

After successfully completing Year 3
NFQ Level 7 Bachelor of Science in Digital Animation or Bachelor of Science in Game Art and Design or Bachelor of Science in Visual Effects for Film, TV and Animation, 180 ECTS Credits from TUS.

After successfully completing Year 4
The final NFQ Level 8 Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Digital Animation or Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Game Art and Design or Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Visual Effects for Film, TV and Animation is awarded by TUS, 240 ECTS Credits.

Planned intake (number of places)

20 places

Entry requirements and eligibility

Prospective students wishing to be accepted onto this programme must meet the following minimum entry criteria:

Leaving Certificate Students:
A minimum of two H5 & 4 O6/H7 grades in six leaving certificate subjects, including Mathematics, and English or Irish.

QQI Students:
A full NFQ Level 5 QQI Major Award, that includes Distinctions in at least three modules.

Mature Students:
Those that do not meet the minimum entry requirement, and who are aged 23 years or over (on the 1 January of the calendar year they commence the programme), may be assessed on their merits, considering their life experience, work or community experience, and prior learning.

Additional Information:
All applicants whose first language is not English and who have not been educated through the medium of English must demonstrate CEFR proficiency at B2 for access. An Irish Leaving Certificate qualification achieved through English meets this requirement.

Prospective students will be invited for interview and will also be required to make a presentation. The presentation will be used to allow the prospective student the opportunity to demonstrate their drawing ability, their eye for drawing and their ability to create.

The presentation may take many forms, and is at the discretion of the student, for example, it may be a portfolio of work the student produced during their Art or Design and Communication Graphics (DCG) classes in school, or it could be a sample of work they have produced in their free time or while working.

Onward Pathways

Graduates of the NFQ Level 8 Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Digital Animation may work in the following types of roles: Rigged Animator (2D & 3D), Hand-drawn Animator, FX Animator, Rigger (2D), Compositor, Technical Artist, Storyboard Artist, Background Painter, Layout Artist, Scene Prep, Art Director, Animation Director, Production.

Graduates of the NFQ Level 8 Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Game Art and Design may work in the following types of roles: Animation, 2D Designer/Concept Artist, 3D Modelling, Technical Artist, and Game Design.

Graduates of the NFQ Level 8 Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Visual Effects for Film, TV and Animation may work in the following types of roles: 3D Modeller, Texturing Artist, Animator Compositor, Character Designer, Digital Matte Painter, Lighter, Director, Concept Design and Effects Artist.

In addition, successful graduates of this programme may be eligible for NFQ Levels 9 and 10 postgraduate programmes within TUS or elsewhere

Special Features

Students following this tertiary programme have a unique opportunity in year one to engage with modules that will give them knowledge across three degree programmes; digital animation, game art and design, and visual effects.

Students can then decide during year one which of the three degree programmes they wish to progress to in year two.

Students applying for the Bachelor of Science (Honours) degrees in Digital Animation, Game Art and Design and Visual Effects for Film, TV and Animation through the CAO system must submit a portfolio of selected work in support of their application. However, students applying for this tertiary programme do not have to submit a portfolio. Instead, they are asked to attend an interview and make a short presentation, demonstrating their suitability for this programme.