Study Guide

Descriptions

OBJECTIVE OF STUDIES
Animation studies at the Degree Programme in Fine Arts is a four-year programme consisting of 240 ECTS credits that leads to the Bachelor of Arts in Fine Arts degree. The programme provides solid knowledge and skills to pursue a profession in animation industry or fine art.

The programme places a strong focus on the development of the students’ own artistic expression as well as professional practice and working life skills. The methods and techniques of animation lend themselves to a wide range of applications that the students can implement in their own expression and assignments. The graduates of the programme will be able to operate and develop their practice as visual artists within the sphere of art as well as in multiprofessional contexts.

Visual arts are a prominent and powerful element of society. The strategic policies for the City of Turku, Southwest Finland and Turku University of Applied Sciences for 2015–2025 emphasize the role of the field of culture in improving the well-being, collectivity, competitiveness and appeal of the region. Art is part of good life.

STRUCTURE AND CONTENT OF STUDIES
Fine arts and animation is a practice-oriented discipline. The studies include workshops on different methods and themes, artistic projects and practical training in the chosen professional field. Learning tasks based on real professional practice serve to develop the students’ own expression while introducing different approaches in animation. Practical work is supported by theoretical studies that develop viewing skills and critical thinking. During feedback discussions with the teacher and group critique sessions and seminars, the students will be analysing and assessing their own learning and progress.

The studies are divided into obtaining core competences and complementary competences. The core competence include language studies, the basics of artistic work, art history and theory as well as the basics of professional practice and professional studies according to selection. Studies on complementary competences include individual artistic work, practical training, free choice studies and the Bachelor’s thesis.
Animation studies forms a unique combination in Fine art and Film and Media Programmes. This collaboration ensures a versatile degree program that takes consideration both the animation industry and fine art.
The animation studies help develop skills in animation expression and techniques. The degree programme focuses on drawn animation and storytelling. During the selective professional studies, students orient and deepen their skills according to their own abilities and available courses in scriptwriting, directing and production management, motion graphics, 3D-animation and stop motion.

The curriculum in the degree programme is flexible and allows for different types of learning paths. With the support of their tutor teacher, students can build an individual study plan that best suits their personal objectives by selecting modules from professional studies and deepen their skills further through practical training and free choice studies.

During the first year, the students will progress from the basics of artistic work to professional studies. The students will be introduced to the artistic methods and profession through practice. Theoretical and language courses will be completed alongside the practice-based process.

In the second year, the focus will shift to workshop-based professional studies in animation. In professional studies in animation, the students specialize in different approaches and practices within animation art. During the second year, the students will also produce their first animation production. The international exchange students of fine arts typically join the courses at the professional studies stage, so some of the tuition will be given in English.

In the third year, students will concentrate on artistic work and specialize and deepen the skills in animation. The work may be composed as part of research, development or innovation activities and the aim is to collaborate with working life partners. Third-year students are encouraged to participate in international exchange through the channels provided by the school. The KUNO network of Nordic fine arts academies organizes short-term exchanges and programmes, such as Erasmus, which provide opportunities for more long-term exchanges.

The fourth year is largely dedicated to the Bachelor’s thesis, that consists of artistic and research part. At the thesis seminars, students present their work in progress as well as its starting point, process and outcomes. The process simulates the realities of a professional artist’s work. The artistic thesis work can be completed in collaboration with working life partners. The research studies preceding the thesis work give the students the theoretical tools to carry out artistic research and contribute to the development of the field of art.

Free choice studies (30 ECTS) can be chosen from the course offering in fine arts, other fields of study at TUAS, exchange studies as based on the individual study plan or from practical art projects that form a part of research, development and innovation activities, among others. Some of the free choice studies can be integrated into the thesis process.

Practical training (30 ECTS) gives students the opportunity to engage with their chosen professional field in a real working environment. The purpose of practical training is to prepare the students to employ themselves as experts in the field of fine arts through different career paths. Part of the practical training will be integrated into the thesis process. The practical training can also be completed abroad or as part of a research, development or innovation project or artistic service provision.

Objective

The objective of the degree program is to give the students the knowledge and skills to work in a professional capacity in the field of art and media and display their work in public. The graduates are well-versed in the phenomena of animation art, industry and history. They are able to analyze their own artistic practice in relation to artistic tradition and is familiar with artistic practices in regional, national and international contexts. The animation studies help develop skills in animation expression and techniques. As far as possible, the students can emphasize different aspects of animation in their studies.

Training in professional animation productions provides technical skills to work in the field, and to familiarize oneself with the animation industry and production tasks. Individual student productions and various animation commissions offer an opportunity to deepen one’s skills.

The students are encouraged to make independent artistic choices and develop their capabilities to evaluate and analyze the artistic work of their own as well as others. The graduates will understand the potential for practicing and developing an artistic and creative profession in changing society. They will know how to apply their skills and communicate about it in different contexts.

They will recognize the social aspects of their work and are able to apply their skills in different types of projects and collaborate with regional, national and international partners. As artists, they will take ethical and aesthetic responsibility for their environment and are able to view the surrounding society through the methodologies of art.

Development

The Degree Program of Fine Arts is based on innovation pedagogy. In all studies, the student also develops in innovation competences. The innovation competencies defined by Turku University of Applied Sciences are in line with the European Qualifications Framework (EQF). Innovation Competences consist of individual, community and network knowledge, and cover the following five dimensions of expertise: critical thinking, initiative, creativity, teamwork, and networking. This means also that studying at the Turku University of Applied Sciences is self-directed and pragmatic. The amount of independent work increases towards the end of the studies as the role of the teacher becomes more facilitative.

Working in different groups is important. During the studies, students take part in multidisciplinary work, both in the media and in networking with other sectors.

Professional Studies and Project Studies in animation are closely linked to Audiovisual Production House Carousel, which is a media learning environment that simulate professional practices. Research and development projects are an essential part of the studies. In these, students are networking with both working life and representatives of Finnish and international academic institutions. Students are also welcomed to join projects conducted in collaboration with international collaboration partners. International contacts can also be made through KUNO workshops, student exchange and international practical training. Real life business and work life assignments are also an essential part of media education.

Turku University of Applied Sciences supports entrepreneurship and encourages students to start their own businesses. The students also have the opportunity to study in other fields at the Turku University of Applied Sciences and extend their semester through studies during the summer months.

Further information

Assessment of teaching and learning is a continuous and comprehensive process. The quality levels of learning and teaching are assessed through feedback discussions, exercises, essays, reports, analyzes and exams. Feedback discussions also include peer review inside the group. There is a feedback system in the online learning environment that collects feedback, especially on the implementation of joint studies. Experts from outside the institution may also be used for the assessment.

Once a year there is a Feedback Day. Then, feedback material collected by the student groups is handled under the leadership of the Head of Education and Research. Teachers are also involved in the feedback session. An action plan is created based on the issues that have been dealt with and discussed in the Feedback Day.

Evaluation of the courses is on a scale of 1 – 5. Some of the credits are evaluated on a scale Approved - Rejected. When using the Approved - Rejected -scale, the Implementation Plan determines which grade level the approved performance matches.