digital effects, bournemouth or kent?

#1

Hello, I’m a international student. I got offer from bournemouth(Digital effects MA) and kent (Digital Visual Effects Msc) both. I have already aquired the CAS number(Confirmation of acceptance for studies,essential element for visa applying) from Kent for the visa application. But Bournemouth had just provided me the offer and would need time to acquire another CAS number. So I’m hesitating about the choice between the 2 unis. The information I found so far suggests that the course from both university are good, but bournemouth seems have a stronger connection to the industry and the teaching is more specific towards the skills which directly helps you to fit in the pipe line. But on the other hand, I feels that during the process of my application, bournemouth isn’t giving me enough help and leaving my application viewed too late. Comparing to bournemouth, Kent gave me more helps and their attitude for applicants seems suggests the university is better managed and cares about the benefit of their students.

These are just my assumption and they may be wrong.Anyway, could anyone who had expirences in any of these universities(especially bournemouth) gives me some information about the tutors and their support for employment? It’s really hard for me to decide which one to choose, I can start applying for the visa to study at kent right now, but I still feels bournemouth seems porvide more opportunities(but I have to wait for them to send me the CAS before I can apply for visa). I have to make my decision quickly because once the visa is applied it would take about a month to wait for the result and it might make me miss my enrollment day.

#2

i know people who went to kent and it sounds like the post-grad course is not very good. their courses are apparently extremely over subscribed, i heard that each course has around 40 people with only 2 teachers. also the employment is not very high, unlike bournemouth which seems to produce a fairly high number of graduates who get entry level jobs straight after graduation. having said that if your good it dosnt really matter where you go you will be able to get a job. i would personally choose bournemouth over kent without hesitation.

#3

Thanks for the info!!! If what you heard is true then bournemouth is definitely a better option. I’m not very good at vfx, I learnt most of it myself. I was a muti media student and I was good at graphic design and a bit video post producation, kinda average at the everything. If kent lacks of tutor then it’s bad news. I also found bournemouth teaches houndini instead of maya, a friend in the industry told me this software is the most professional one to be used by film industry.
I still need some more opinions! :slight_smile:

#4

I heard that each course has around 40 people with only 2 teachers. also the employment is not very high, unlike bournemouth which seems to produce a fairly high number of graduates who get entry level jobs straight after graduation.

It wouldn’t surprise me in the least, I would definitely choose Bournemouth. They are by far the most established and well known one. Also i studied in a different kent university and I gotta say the area did nothing for me!

#5

Oh yeah back in 2003 I had an interview and entry tests for the undergraduate degree in Bournemouth, at the time they had 50 applicants for each place and the student work was light years ahead of the other universities I saw. I really wanted to get in there!

#6

I’m confused. What do you mean by "studied in a different kent university "?

#7

Personally, I think the work that comes from Bournemouth is by far much better.
Good luck!

#8

I’m confused. What do you mean by "studied in a different kent university "?

Sure, I actually have not updated my profile information since I joined this site years ago. I went to a university called the Kent Institute of Art and Design (KIAD) and studied BA in Digital 3D Design, then they changed the name to University College Creative Arts, which has sites all over Kent. Kent is a large County in the UK.

At the time any kind of computer graphics training in the UK was very new and it was incredibly difficult to find institutions with good courses. Except for one and that was Bournemouth university Computer Visualisation and Animation undergraduate degree. You want to be on the same site that teaches that degree in it which your MA is I believe. They have all the best staff and facilities in that department and is essentially the UK centre for it: http://ncca.bournemouth.ac.uk/

What has happened in recent years in the UK is universities have realised computer graphics is a really popular subject and so computer graphics/games/VFX courses have been appearing all over the country, this is just to raise them money, a hell of a lot don’t have the staff or the expertise to be teaching this stuff.

Hope it helps some, but yeah I would go with Bournemouth

www.thomasengland.co.uk

#9

Hey Dimorus!
I’m also going to Kent for the same course :slight_smile:

BTW did you checked the course structure in both universities? It is almost identical!!
& Also check the profile of the faculties who are going to teach you, Kent has an edge there.

And about the industry connections, you should know Kent’s course work is made in association with Framestore CFC & other vfx houses (this is what i heard) and artists visits uni very often.

But these are all the good things I have heard, maybe there are many negative points too, but all that matters is your work.

Good luck.

#10

Thanks man! I’ll consider your suggestions.I like BU more than Kent too, but it’s just BU seems don’t care much about replying my email, most of my email got no reply,it’s kinda making me feel ingnored.

#11

I did check the course structure, they are similar, but there are differences between softwares.About kent, what bothers me is their tutor resource. One of the 2010 student told me that they indeed only have 2 tutors for 40 students, and one of the tutor has already left. apperantly they are looking for new one.

#12

Thanks man! I’ll consider your suggestions.I like BU more than Kent too, but it’s just BU seems don’t care much about replying my email, most of my email got no reply,it’s kinda making me feel ingnored.

That could be just from busy administration staff or maybe the teachers are away for the summer break. I usually find the most effective way to get answers is a phone call over Skype :slight_smile:

#13

Bournemouth all the way. Great uni and facilities. Lots of people really progress in the industry from there, me included :slight_smile:

Also as an aside. Fun town to be in, the beach also helps a lot too!

#14

Hi Dimorus,
I’m very pleased to have found this thread. I am from Indonesia and I am also searching for Master degree. I think Bournemouth is the best choice in UK. The Problem is… I dont know whether I am qualified enough. My reel are mostly modeling and animation, I have knowledge using Maya,AE,c4D, and photoshop. I wanna be sure that I am good enough before I apply.
So here’s a couple questions I wanna ask the forum:
How are they proceeding your application? What matters most?
I really need some advice. What are my chances? Do I need to get some more work experience and doing some reels in a related field? (MA- Digital Effects, and I am currently working in an animation studio, but as lipsync artist.)

Sorry for my poor english.
THX.

#15

I did 1 year at Kent when it was KIAD too (maybe I was in Thomas’s class, I don’t remember, the courses were quite poor and only a late arrival by a Gnomon teacher helped.) I think things might have improved since then.

I decided to go back to france to do a school called Supinfocom instead, I found the level of UK universities to be a little subpar, except some people I met later in london who were animators from one of the Unis at bournemouth

#16

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