NextGen Level 3 Extended Diploma in Games, Animation and Visual Effects Skills

A clear understanding of how the Games, Animation and VFX industries work in practice and experience of working to a specific industry brief.

Course Duration

• 2 years

Standard Entry Requirements

• 5 GCSEs including:

• Maths C/4 (preferably B/5)

• English C/4

• Art / Design subject C/4 or a good Portfolio of work

Assessment of Diploma

Units covered:

• 3D tools: creative and technical 3D modelling

• Art fundamentals for the games, animation and VFX industries

• Core principles of games design

• Fundamental animation skills for the games, animation and VFX industries

• Fundamental product programming skills

• Maths and logic fundamentals for the games, animation and VFX industries

• VFX fundamentals for the games, animation and VFX industries

Assessment of Extended Diploma

Units covered:

•  Emerging technologies

• Images and sounds for imagined worlds

• Production management for the games, animation and VFX industries

• Story/playboarding

• Working in the games, animation and VFX industries

Course Overview

This course is equivalent to 3 A Levels at A* – E.

NextGen Skills Academy (or NextGen for short) is an organisation set up by Government and the Games, Animation and VFX industries to directly address skills gaps and shortages in these sectors.

These are fast-moving industries, so NextGen collaborates with industry experts to make sure their vocational qualifications for young people are up to date and relevant.

With an Employer Steering Group, delivery of the Level 3 Extended Diploma in Games, Animation and VFX Skills is supported by industry, accredited by AIM Awards.

Their collaboration with AIM Awards has ensured that assessment methodology is aligned to industry standards and practice. This joined up approach also produces Apprenticeship standards, which would be ideal progression routes for graduating NextGen students.

The Games, Animation and VFX sectors are academically stretching but vocationally focused.

The Level 3 Extended Diploma in Games, Animation and VFX Skills embodies the fundamental skills and knowledge identified as necessary for employment in these industries.

It was developed in 2015 by NextGen with industry collaboration from Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe, Microsoft, Ubisoft Reflections, The Imaginarium, Blue Zoo, Framestore, Double Negative, Centroid and MPC. NextGen are always expanding and have since added Creative Assembly and Playground Games to their roster of supporters.

In the summer of 2017 NextGen held their inaugural showcase of graduate students’ work, attended by over 30 employers from world renowned games design, animation and VFX studios.

Career Progression

All NextGen courses are practical, applied and relevant, and they include real-world challenges and feedback from industry. NextGen students become the next generation of creators, whether their next steps are in to an apprenticeship or vocational higher education they have a solid base of technical skills allied to practical teamwork, communication and iteration experience.

Further Information

Industry studios involved in the writing of this course include: 

• Microsoft Studios

• Sony Entertainment

• Reflections Ubisoft

• Framestore (Guardians of the Galaxy, Gravity, Avengers – Oscar winning Animation and VFX)

• Double Negative