Bachelor of Animation

The Bachelor of Animation at Torrens University Australia is a three-year degree that teaches you how to make animated films, series and interactive work from the ground up. You start with drawing, design fundamentals and storytelling, then move into 2D and 3D animation, character rigging, modelling, texturing, lighting, compositing and editing. Later units cover production management, sound, and the business side of creative work. The emphasis is on finishing pieces you can show people, not just exercises.

Australian bachelor degrees are structured around units of study, each worth a set number of credit points. A full-time load is usually four units per semester, with two main semesters a year and an optional summer trimester. You need to pass a set number of credit points to graduate, typically 24 units or 288 credit points across the three years. The final year usually includes a capstone project where you make a short animated film or a body of work in a small team, taking on a specialist role such as animator, modeller, rigger, lighter or compositor. Torrens runs its courses with industry briefs and studio-style classes, and many students take a professional placement or internship unit in their final year, working with a studio, production company or agency.

You will build skills in industry software for 2D and 3D animation, storyboarding, character design, visual development, and post-production. Just as important, you learn to work to a brief, take feedback, meet deadlines and collaborate, the things that get you hired. By the end you should have a showreel and a portfolio that demonstrates your strengths.

This degree suits school leavers who draw constantly and want to turn that into a career, career-changers moving from design, film or IT, and people already working in creative fields who want formal training. You do not need to be a brilliant artist to start, but you do need to be willing to put in the hours. International students should check the official Torrens page and the CRICOS register for current tuition, entry requirements and English language details. While studying in Australia on a student visa you can work up to 48 hours per fortnight, and after graduating you may be eligible for the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream.

• 2D or 3D animator in film, television, streaming and games studios
• Character modeller, rigger, texture artist or lighter
• Storyboard artist or visual development artist
• Compositor or motion graphics artist in post-production houses
• Animation director or studio lead after gaining experience
• Freelance animator or illustrator for advertising, design and online content
• Roles in Australian production companies, VFX studios, game developers, broadcasters and digital agencies