Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Comics

at Wrexham Glyndwr University - Wrexham Campus United Kingdom

This course offers a practical programme of study, enabling you to bring characters to life. This specialised Animation programme will transform you into a versatile creative in the art of the moving image. Designed and developed from the ground up with employability as the core aim, you will develop skills in 2D, 3D and stop motion animation.

You will finish your studies with the professional skills and creative thinking strategies to pursue a career within animation studios, work as a freelance artist, or start your own studio.

Students will

• Learn the principles of visual communication and drawing and apply them to character design, background design, storyboarding and scene layout.
• Explore the principles of animation with a focus on 2D digital techniques.
• Work in teams on a short film to be submitted to film festivals, both nationally and internationally.
• Practice character animation using 3D techniques to build up a professional show reel.
• Specialise and develop a final degree project that will push on the boundaries of your skills to ensure you stand out from the crowd in the job market.

You can also choose to study this course as a three year degree (without the foundation year) BA (Hons) Animation or as a four-year integrated masters option MDes Animation

Key course features

• Official partnership with http://TechUpandGo.com. With direct links to live 3D Animation projects.
• Latest industry standard software used such as Autodesk Maya, Toon Boom Harmony, Dragon Frame and the Creative Cloud suite.
• Access to Wacom Cintiq tablets and a purpose built stop motion studio.
• Industry-focused visits to gain first hand insight into how creative media companies function and the variety of employment opportunities that are available in the development of your career aspirations. There are also other study trips to festivals and expos.
• Opportunities to enter competitions.
• There is strong pastoral care within a friendly creative community with an emphasis on team building and collaborative work. Contact hours with tutors is high with enthusiastic and supportive sta? who are knowledgeable, research-active practitioners.

Cyber security plays an increasingly important role in our world of ever-evolving technology. This course will help you deepen your understanding of network security, penetration testing and computer forensics, whilst also adopting a systematic approach to information security management-from the varied perspectives to the technical elements.

You will explore several specialist technical disciplines. These will focus on areas such as developing secure software platforms and protecting against complex attack processes used to breach system security and create deficits in normal functionality.

To enhance your learning, the programme integrates professional skills which relate to audit, management and risk. These will address both cyber security and data protection regulations within institutions and organisations.

Topics you will cover include cryptography, ethical hacking and penetration testing, information security management, information risk management, software security and implementing secure systems.

Key Course Features

• This course offers you the opportunity to study Cyber Security in-depth.
• Lectures, tutorials and practical sessions are enhanced with additional, resource-rich online materials to support your independent learning.
• You will explore information assurance methodologies and testing operational security management, incident management, audit, assurance and review, business continuity management, and more.
• Our staff undertake leading research into several areas of Cyber Security which will give you the latest insight as you develop your own specialism.
• The research activities you undertake will be associated with the University’s thriving and, often collaborative, research centre.

Computer Science is an exciting, challenging, and dynamic field at the cutting edge of technology.  It is at the core of pioneering technologies of the 21st Century, shaping the future of both industry and society. 

This BCS accredited degree programme will equip graduates with the knowledge, understanding and skills required to analyse, design, develop, test and maintain systems for the future.  It also provides an opportunity to participate in the CISCO Academy Programmes in preparation for acquiring CISCO certified accreditation.

The Computing Department provides a friendly learning and teaching environment that operates an open door policy.

Wrexham Glyndwr University is 1st in Wales and 3rd in the UK for learning opportunities and 8th in the UK for academic support (WGU analysis of unpublished 2019 NSS data).

This course

• Will equip you with the knowledge and skills required to work as a professional engineer and/or consultant in the design, configuration and management of computer systems
• Has employability skills at its heart, developing team working, project management, communication and creative thinking.
• Allows you to work on practical design projects, laboratory activities and group project work
• Gives you the opportunity to work on a live work based project/placement
• Gives you the option of an Industrial Placement Year 

Key Course Features

• Includes foundation year to prepare you for further years of study
• First in Wales and top 20% in the UK for satisfaction with teaching (National Student Survey 2017).
• Research active department in future and emerging technologies.
• The department has been successful in achieving funding for developing a range of intelligent kitchen appliances for use by elderly or disabled people and continues to develop research projects.
• The University is home to ARCLab, which specializes in research in the field of Computing and Computer Science.
• Our courses provide an opportunity to participate in the CISCO Academy Programmes and qualify for CISCO accreditation.
• Students undertake an individual project in the third year of their course. Normally each year, there are a number of ‘live’ projects available that involve working with businesses.

You can also choose to study this course as a three year programme (without the foundation year) BSc (Hons) Computer Science.

An MBA qualification continues to be the flagship qualification for post-graduate business students seeking to increase subject knowledge, build a portfolio of management skills and enhance future career prospects in a competitive and increasingly global arena. 

The MBA suite consists of a number of routes (see above) all of which encompass three core topics, which provide the foundation for a successful business, namely strategy, finance and leadership. 

MBA - There is a mix of traditional ‘hard core’ academic business Master’s modules consisting of Strategy, Finance, Marketing and HRM which continue to be the foundation for this type of programme. The programme routes offer other modules, drawing on a wide range of bodies of knowledge, which reflect the context within which an organisation is required to trade. The outcome is a rounded business outlook with insights into corporate governance, environmental concerns, marketing and HRM perspectives within a framework of effective and critical reflective practice.

MBA (Marketing) - The inclusion of the Marketing route is particularly distinctive and is readily embedded within the programme. The overarching teaching and learning strategy which encompasses current business and marketing issues together with issues arising within the students’ workplaces if, and where, appropriate. This ensures the three-fold framework of skills, mind-set and knowledge are oriented towards this particular body of knowledge throughout the duration of the taught element of the programme for students electing to take this route. When progressing to the dissertation route there would be a clear expectation for the student’s research questions to focus on a topic that would benefit from research into Marketing.

MBA (HRM) - Similarly, the HRM route is of increasing relevance where people are the foundation of a vibrant world economy and requires a mind-set that is supported by an understanding of HRM practices where transferable business knowledge and key management skills are important. During the generic taught modules students will be encouraged and supported to bring HRM issues into classroom debate as a pre-curser to including and emphasising current issues in their assignments. When reaching the dissertation stage, again there would be a clear expectation that HRM students would base their dissertations on a research topic that is of international relevance.

Key Features

• Focus on career development skills and knowledge in a supportive environment.
• MBA modules are aligned to the Institute of Directors Competency Framework which encompasses a range of skills, knowledge and mind-sets.
• Access to a network of aspiring business managers drawn from various sectors and organizations.
• Opportunity to attend Wrexham Glynd?r University on campus business related events.
• The research element of the programme enables students to identify, investigate, analyse and propose sound solutions in relation to a business problem. 
• Teaching is interactive and, where possible, based on contemporary business issues throughout the programme.

Electrical & Electronic Engineering is at the forefront of new technologies in a number of industries including transport, renewable energy, healthcare, communications, construction, aerospace and robotics.
Electrical and electronic engineers work at the forefront of practical technology, improving the devices and systems we use every day. From solar-energy systems to mobile phones, we innovate to meet society's communication, tech and energy needs.
You will develop the skills highly sought after in a world where graduate job markets are unpredictable and tough. With the rapid expansion of the technology sector, the demand for those who can create, understand and alter electrical systems has risen accordingly. 

Key Course Features

• Focus on practical as well as academic study - access to electronic design and testing labs, power electronics lab, programmable logic controllers (PLC) lab and computer-aided design (CAD) labs.
• Access to industry-standard software packages – Arduino, Raspberry Pi, MATLAB and Simulink, Multisim and Ultiboard, Texas Instruments Code Composer Studio, Microchip MPLAB, Keysight Vee Pro and Siemens Step 7 software.
• Strong industry links. Opportunities to visit local and regional companies to gain invaluable work experience in the engineering industry.
• Focus on specialisms within Power, Electronics, Instrumentation and Control.
• Dedicated maths support centre for students.
• This degree programme is accredited by the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET)

Studying Social and Cultural History at Wrexham Glyndwr University will introduce you to themes such as family, fashion, crime, art, politics and propaganda – from the Roman era through to the modern age. 

Alongside regular class-based teaching, there are also visits to country houses, historical archives, and sites of historical importance.  These provide a strong practical element to the degree and encourage engagement with a wide range of sources and experiences. We also offer a work placement module in a historical setting of your choice. 

Our degree is designed to be diverse and enjoyable, with a focus on the investigative and analytical elements of historical study.  This focus opens up a wide range of careers.  Our students have gone on to work as teachers, writers, researchers, financial analysts and members of the legal profession. 

*Our history subject area has been rated first in Wales and in the top 10 in the UK for student satisfaction, Complete University Guide 2021. 

The Foundation Year in Humanities will introduce students to a diverse range of themes and activities from the disciplines of History, English Literature, Creative Writing, Theatre and Media.

Key Course Features

• Wide-ranging degree – from Ancient Rome to Modern Britain - connected by important social and cultural themes
• Work experience opportunities - Placements are available in archives, libraries and heritage centres
• A blend of theory and practice -  Visits to aristocratic homes and other sites compliment class-based learning
• Develop your research, analysis, interpretation, communication and presentation skills
• Analyse primary documents from the past
• Study local, national and international history
• *Our history subject area has been rated first in Wales and in the top 10 in the UK for student satisfaction, Complete University Guide 2021. 

With its special focus on comics, this degree will provide you with the technical and creative skills to develop both your illustrative style and flair for storytelling. The programme introduces a broad range of creative skills, from the generation of ideas to their technical production through printmaking, bookbinding, 3D materials, life drawing, traditional and digital media, with an emphasis on drawing and the development of a unique personal style.

Students will

• Work with experienced and industry active staff, learn how to write stories, draw comics and produce a professional portfolio
• Have opportunities to explore visual sequencing, narrative imagery, anthropomorphism and character development
• Gain personal, professional and entrepreneurial skills, learning about the business of working as a freelance artist
• Be encouraged to working on live briefs and competition

Key Course Features

• You will be part of a vibrant and creative community of commercial artists including children’s book artists, illustrators, animators, game artists and designers.
• You will be taught by a teaching team with a broad range of experience working professionally in the comics and illustration industries.
• We encourage our students to self-publish and learn how to produce high-quality production prototypes to pitch to the publishing industry through the use of our in-house Bindery.
• Our students have won illustration prizes and awards such as the Oxford University Press Illustration competition, the Macmillan Children’s Book competition, the Caldecott Society and D&AD awards and been nominated for prestigious Eisner and Silver Reuben Awards.

This new idea-driven skill based course is about everything from concept art to 3D Modelling, 3D Sculpting character development and level creation.
You’ll be part of a degree with innovation, creativity and employability at its heart as you bring concept to reality; the perfect preparation for a career in an exciting, fast-paced industry worth billions each year.
You will:

• see you gain experience in the design skills and techniques used to bring projects from concept to screen through digital painting, 3D modelling, 3D sculpting, 3D animation and game engine
• develop a mix of design and technical skills like environment/character design and creation, 3D modelling, texturing, level design, level creation, live briefs, and games production
• gain a sound knowledge of game and concept art, with an emphasis on innovation, design and creativity rather than the programming and technical aspects of the gaming industry
• use the latest industry standard software
• have the opportunity to get hands-on work with industry professionals on real-world projects to help develop your skills and experience

You can also choose to study this course as a foundation year BA (Hons) Game Art (four years including foundation year) or with an Industrial Placement year BA (Hons) Game Art (with Industrial Placement)

Key Course Features

• Strong links with industry and professional bodies such as Skillset, NAHEMI and various associations. Our Creative Futures student conference plays host to a large range of visiting guest speakers from the creative industries.
• There are Industry-focused visits to gain first hand insight into how creative media companies function and the variety of employment opportunities that are available in the development of your career aspirations. There are also other study trips to festivals and Video Game expos.
• Opportunities to enter competitions.
• Our purpose-built Centre for the Creative Industries features specialist facilities, such as our TV studio with green screening, and software such as software such as Maya, Mudbox, Unreal Engine 4, Substance Painter/Designer and Creative Cloud for creating Game Art and playable levels.
• There is strong pastoral care within a friendly creative community with an emphasis on team building and collaborative work. Contact hours with tutors is high with enthusiastic and supportive sta? who are knowledgeable, research-active practitioners.
• *1st in Wales and 10th in the UK for overall satisfaction in the area of Cinematics & Photography. (WGU analysis of unpublished NSS 2019 data).

Electrical & Electronic Engineering is at the forefront of new technologies in a number of industries including transport, renewable energy, healthcare, communications,construction, aerospace and robotics.
Electrical and electronic engineers work at the forefront of practical technology, improving the devices and systems we use every day. From solar-energy systems to mobile phones, we innovate to meet society's communication, tech and energy needs.
You will develop the skills highly sought after in a world where graduate job markets are unpredictable and tough. With the rapid expansion of the technology sector, the demand for those who can create, understand and alter electrical systems has risen accordingly.

You can also choose to study this course as a three-year programme (without a foundation year) BEng (Hons) Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Key Course Features

• Focus on practical as well as academic study - access to electronic design and testing labs, power electronics lab, programmable logic controllers (PLC) lab and computer-aided design (CAD) labs.
• Access to industry-standard software packages – Arduino, Raspberry Pi, MATLAB and Simulink, Multisim and Ultiboard, Texas Instruments Code Composer Studio, Microchip MPLAB, Keysight Vee Pro and Siemens Step 7 software.
• Strong industry links. Opportunities to visit local and regional companies to gain invaluable work experience in the engineering industry.
• Focus on specialisms within Power, Electronics, Instrumentation and Control.
• Dedicated maths support centre for students.
• This degree programme is accredited by the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET)

This degree in Illustration will help you develop both your illustrative style and flair for creative image-making. The course covers the practical, professional and artistic sides of working as an illustrator with an individual artistic voice. The programme will equip you for a successful career in the creative industries.

Working with experienced and industry active staff, you will learn how to create compelling images, work to professional standards and understand how your work fits into the industry.

You will be introduced to professional creative processes and encouraged to expand your abilities through workshops and practical projects. You will learn how to interpret a brief, identify and solve problems, develop creative individuality and produce a professional portfolio.

As well as gaining personal, professional and entrepreneurial skills, our programmes introduce a broad range of creative skills, from the generation of ideas to their technical production through printmaking, bookbinding, 3D materials, life drawing, traditional and digital media, with an emphasis on drawing and the development of a unique personal style.

High-quality artwork and a unique illustrative voice are at the heart of the course. Opportunities to explore your style, the applications of your work, your use of media and technology are consistent throughout the programmes.

The business of working as a freelance artist is an important aspect of the course, covering practical advice from marketing and self-promotion to contracts, invoices and working with clients. Working on live briefs and competitions are available and encouraged.

Key Course Features

• The School of Creative Arts at Wrexham Glynd?r University was named as the best place in Wales to study Art in the 2017 Guardian University League Table.
• You will be part of a vibrant and creative community of commercial artists including children’s book artists, illustrators, animators, game artists and designers.
• You will be taught by a teaching team with a broad range of experience working professionally in the illustration and creative industries.
• We encourage our students to self-publish and learn how to produce high-quality production prototypes to pitch to the publishing industry through the use of our in-house Bindery.
• Our students have won illustration prizes and awards such as the Oxford University Press Illustration competition, the Macmillan Children’s Book competition, the Caldecott Society and D&AD awards and been nominated for prestigious Eisner and Silver Reuben Awards.