Bachelor of Art (Hons) in Fine Art

at Falmouth University - Penryn Campus United Kingdom

You'll collaborate with other students in the Games Academy – from animators through to sound designers – to develop a multi-disciplinary approach with creativity at its heart. By the time you graduate, you'll be confident in pursuing a career in software development, in the games industry and beyond.

You will:

• Get under the hood of video game engines like Unity and Unreal while learning a range of programming languages like C#, Python, and C++
• Engage with the latest technologies, including procedural content generation, cloud systems and mixed reality to develop broadly transferable skills
• Blend art and science while developing teamwork and communication skills that are highly desired in the industry
• Develop an 'optimisation mindset' by learning to work within platform constraints
• Make games collaboratively with artists, animators, composers, designers, writers and other programmers

Guided by a team of industry professionals, expert academics and technical tutors, you'll learn about music composition, performance, recording, editing, mixing and mastering. You'll also hone skills in creating sound and music for a wide range of media, including game engines and interactive installations.

You will:

• Develop as an industry-ready artist with the creative, technical, academic and professional attributes needed to succeed
• Work in high-spec studio facilities with a range of digital and analogue hardware, software instruments and plug-ins and surround sound monitoring
• Access a wide range of industry-standard equipment including microphones, portable recorders, amps, synths, drum machines and controllers
• Collaborate with musicians, filmmakers, game designers, dancers, animators and designers on other Falmouth courses
• Work in a vibrant community of research-active lecturers with industry connections. Recent visitors include Ed O'Brien (Radiohead), James Young (Darkstar) and Professor Jonty Harrison (Electroacoustic composer)
• Grow in experience and skills through optional modules, industry placements, overseas study and/or starting your own company

Through this highly practical two-year course, you’ll be equipped with the technical know-how to succeed in many diverse areas of the industry. Led by practicing experts, you’ll be empowered to take a creative, collaborative and proactive approach to your work. 

You will:

• Work in AMATA’s purpose-built professional studios and performance spaces. 
• Benefit from a year-round performance programme, which features respected artists from all over the world. 
• Learn from practicing technical and academic staff and work with skilled technicians. 
• Gain nationally recognised qualifications in equipment use, processes and health and safety. 
• Have the opportunity to interact with professional theatre and production companies, such as Kneehigh and WildWorks, as well as music festivals and producers, theatre venues and tourism events throughout Devon, Cornwall and beyond.

From understanding global economies, big data and business strategy to learning to navigate uncertainty and developing responsive and ethical leadership skills, this course will give you the knowledge and confidence to lead the future of business.

You will:

• Practice your business and collaborative skills in a development consultancy team
• Develop a business plan based on an original idea
• Work on real-life challenges and take part in a range of work placements
• Learn key skills in identifying business opportunities, sales, networking and negotiation
• Be based on our Penryn Campus surrounded by students from a range of creative disciplines

You will:

• Raise your awareness through learning that’s driven by the environmental, ethical and moral challenges of our time.
• Take your place at the forefront of the industry, with access to resources from industrial, specialist sewing and knit machines, screen printing and a natural dye garden, to ultrasonic welding machines.
• Learn to use the latest digital design technologies, including CLO 3D.
• Thrive by working together on collaborative, challenge-based projects.
• Work on live briefs with leading brands like Fred Perry, Lou Dalton, O'Neill and New York-based Ryan Roche.

As a game artist, you'll be joining one of the fastest growing sectors of the games industry, and be in higher demand than ever before. On this course, you'll work within game development teams and graduate as a skilled, industry-ready game artist.

You will:

• Learn about concept art, character art and environment art as well as the pipelines and processes used to make games.
• Work in an industry-standard environment with access to Cintiqs.
• Make complete games by working in multidisciplinary teams and collaborating in engines like Unreal and Unity.
• Acquire the skills you need to make a successful career from your artistic talent.
• Be surrounded by people who live and breathe games.
• Master a range of industry-standard tools used to produce game art including ZBrush, Maya, Substance Painter and Marmoset.

Find your passion and pursue it. Investigate, experiment and specialise in all forms and industries including poetry, literature, children's fiction, non-fiction, screenwriting and digital games. You'll gain practical experience with our partners in publishing, literary festivals and professional writing, learning valued critical and technical skills.

You will:

• Design and run a student-led collaborative project as part of your third year. Previous projects have included producing illustrated anthologies, sitcoms and podcasts while working in collaboration with schools, charities and businesses
• Attend our guest lecture series, where you'll build relationships and contacts within all facets of the literary world.
• Participate in literary events, such as The London Book Fair and the North Cornwall Book Festival.
• Take inspiration from The Lighthouse (pictured above) – the glorious workspace at the heart of our community – which hosts everything from skills and craft workshops to board game sessions, literary quizzes and poetry readings
• Contribute your own work to Falwriting: our student-led online magazine
• Use our state-of-the-art Soundhouse and edit suites to record audience-ready productions.

After establishing a firm foundation in developing software and hardware, you'll apply your skills to both individual projects and major collaborations. We'll provide you with exciting opportunities to bring your ideas to life by designing engaging human-robot interactions and working prototypes.

You will:

• Apply your skills to inspiring projects spanning creative and technical domains, on briefs set by industry partners
• Build robots that interact with people and environments in novel and interesting ways
• Develop an understanding of the environmental, societal and cultural context for robotics and the implications for the design, engineering, deployment and adoption of robotic technologies
• Implement robotic systems that leverage state-of-the-art artificial intelligence
• Obtain a mastery of programming and physical fabrication by working on practical problems in a bespoke social robotics lab