Creative Media Practice (Games and Animation) - Level 3 National Extended Diploma

Essentials

Duration: 2 Years Full-time
Start date: 1st September 2025
End date: 4th June 2027

Course fee: FREE (Eligibility criteria may apply)

At nearly £150 billion, last year the global Digital Games market was worth five times more than the entire international movie business. In the UK alone, the Animation industry is worth more than £900 million. In both Ireland and the UK, the Games and Animation industries are constantly expanding, and this is your opportunity to become part of them. This course is the equivalent of three A Levels and is designed for students with creative skills who also enjoy working with software. Embark on your immersive journey at the college`s new Coleraine campus, where you will use state-of-the-art equipment to acquire the skills that you need to progress to university or go directly into industry.

Year 1: In your first year, you will dive into the fundamental skills essential for both Animation and Games development. You will learn the principles of Animation which underpin both the Games and Animation industries. You will learn how to create and animate pixel art and 2D assets, then move onto 3D modelling and 3D animation development, whilst honing your storytelling abilities. You will also learn how animations and game environments are planned and created, then create your own playable level. You will gain hands-on experience with industry-standard software such as Blender, Unreal Editor for Fortnite, Unreal Engine, Adobe Creative Suite and other 2D graphics software. You will learn how to implement gaming mechanics and bring characters and environments to life.

Year 2: In your second year, you will push your animation and media practice much further through a set of focused, professionally aligned modules. You will refine your 3D animation abilities, broaden your understanding of visual storytelling, and develop stronger, more confident character designs across both 2D and 3D. Alongside this, you will work in small creative teams, gaining experience in collaborative pipelines and problem-solving approaches used across the industry. You will also engage directly with working professionals, receiving feedback that helps you strengthen your technical skillset and sharpen your creative voice.

Throughout the year you will build a substantial portfolio designed to reflect who you are as an emerging artist: your style, your ideas, and your technical capability. This culminates in your Final Major Project, where you choose your own path — either developing a polished game prototype or producing a fully realised animation. This project is your opportunity to create something ambitious, personal, and industry-ready, showcasing the creative identity you’ve been developing across both years of the course.

Course Content

This course is Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma in Creative Media Practice.  Units include:

• Principles of Animation
• Character design
• Environment & Asset design
• Storytelling techniques
• Using a Game engine for Games & Animation production
• Utilization of 2D and 3D software for Animation and Game asset development
• Freehand drawing
• Set and level design
• Pitching creative concepts
• Research and Teamworking
• Project and Production management

Course Aims

To empower students to cultivate their technical skills, increase their creativity and entrepreneurial spirit, enabling them to enter the Animation and Games employment market directly, or to pursue specialised university courses in these fields.

Special Features

Benefit from lectures delivered by professional animators and media practitioners actively engaged in the industry. Access specialist software and forge valuable industry connections, enhancing your learning experience and future career prospects.

Assessment Methods

There are no exams. Instead, you will complete two projects in Year 1 and two in Year 2, including your Final Project.

Applicants must be at least 16 years of age on or before 1 July in the year of proposed entry to the course and have at least 4 GCSE's at Grade C or above or other relevant qualifications.  A portfolio of relevant work will be also required. This portfolio could include examples of 2D and 3D models or animations, sketchbooks of character designs, showreels of past work. We are particularly keen to see work created in Blender, Unreal Engine, Unity, or any other 3D, animation, digital art or games design application.

Students will be able to explore the thriving employment market when they achieve this qualification, and/or progress to university in Northern Ireland or beyond.