Arts University Bournemouth

Arts University Bournemouth (AUB) is a specialist public university located in Poole on the south coast of England, tracing its origins to the Bournemouth Government School of Art founded in 1880. Screen-based and digital media disciplines at the university are anchored by the Bournemouth Film School (BFS), established in 1963 and recognized as a member institution of CILECT. The university emphasizes a practical "maker culture," structuring its studios to mirror professional animation, game design, and visual effects pipelines.

Animation Production

The BA (Hons) Animation Production course grounds students in observational drawing, painting, and the twelve principles of animation before moving into digital workflows. Across the three-year degree, students choose focused pathways across 2D hand-drawn, stop-motion, and 3D computer animation (CGI). Learning environments replicate studio production structures, allowing students to take on specialized roles such as concept design, storyboarding, or post-production. The curriculum culminates in collaborative graduation films developed using industry-standard tools including Toon Boom Harmony, Storyboard Pro, Dragonframe, Maya, ZBrush, and DaVinci Resolve. Postgraduate study is offered through the MA Animation Production.

Visual Effects and Industry Partnerships

Visual effects study begins at the undergraduate level with the BA (Hons) Visual Effects (VFX) for Film and Television, which pairs digital manipulation with foundational artistic principles in perspective, composition, and color theory. The curriculum covers on-set data acquisition, asset generation, simulations, and photorealistic compositing.

At the postgraduate level, AUB partners with the French creative school ARTFX to deliver the MA Visual Effects and Photorealistic Computer Graphics at an industry-embedded campus in Shoreditch, London. Located alongside The Yard VFX studio, this intensive one-year program emphasizes studio shot finishing, lighting, complex simulation, and AI-assisted workflows using software such as Houdini and Nuke.

Games Art and Design

The BA (Hons) Games Art and Design program balances technical execution with critical inquiry into narrative, cultural impact, and interactive media ethics. Students study character animation, artificial intelligence scripting, and experimental gameplay mechanics within Unreal Engine and Unity. Project work explores commercial pipelines alongside the application of game engines to non-entertainment fields such as education and social initiatives.

Specialized Facilities

The university's main Wallisdown campus provides access to purpose-built production environments, including:

• The Drawing Studio: A dedicated facility designed by architect Sir Peter Cook, created specifically for observational drawing and artistic practice.
• The Innovation Studio: A creative technology laboratory and business incubation space supporting 3D printing and digital prototyping.
• Production Resources: Green screen studios, render farms, media loan stores, and professional editing workstations.
• Campus Collections: The Museum of Design in Plastics (MoDiP) and TheGallery, which showcase contemporary art and design.

In addition to on-campus degrees, the university delivers remote postgraduate courses including the online MA Graphic Design and MA Illustration.