
MSc Digital Design
Are you passionate about the web? Would you like to help businesses reach and implement creative online solutions? Solent University’s MSc Digital Design programme teaches...
Draw upon your previous studies and explore your interests to develop your own specialism within the wide subject area of digital art, including game art, in this career-driven top-up degree.
The course philosophy is that by focusing on a specialist area, you can demonstrate the highest level of skill you can achieve in a particular field rather than graduating with an average ability across a wide range of roles.
The learning on the course is highly individual due to the wide variety of career directions you can choose. Our experienced and talented lecturers guide you individually on your own learning path, supervising your projects progress as would happen in industry.
The learning on the course is highly individual due to the wide variety of career directions you can choose. Our experienced and talented lecturers guide you individually on your own learning path, supervising your projects progress as would happen in industry.
Contact international admissions
Call: +44 (0)23 8201 5066Email: admissions.international@solent.ac.ukThis course has access to specialist facilities
After successfully completing your studies, there's an opportunity to continue your studies at Solent
If you have an appropriate Level 5 qualification, you can top it up to a degree in just a year
This course is designed for those who want to take their favourite skills from areas such as digital art, games, creative media or animation to the next level, to produce their best portfolio.
The flexible design of this top-up means there are many possible career routes after graduation including various roles in games, CGI, VFX, animation, illustration, concept art, architectural visualisation, simulation, immersive technologies, and technical art.
You'll be taught by a highly experienced teaching team with wide ranging industry experience.
The University cannot guarantee any particular members of staff will teach specific aspects of the course in the future, but will endeavour to ensure the teaching team maintains their balance of experience and qualifications.
Students are taught in 3D labs or animation studios, where appropriate. These studios are fully equipped with professional digital arts software and equipment, including Autodesk suite (Maya, Mudbox, etc), Z Brush, Unreal Engine, Unity and many more.
Our vibrant campus brings state-of-the-art facilities to enhance your learning and elevate your student experience. Our award-winning teaching building, The Spark is centred around students and offers a stimulating study environment with flexible learning spaces. Away from studying, why not try out the gyms, fitness studios and sports halls in our £28 million Sports Complex, or watch a blockbuster film at our student-run cinema with Dolby Atmos audio.
You will evaluate the industry skills requirements for your future career plan and identify gaps in your knowledge that you really want to fill. List all the things you still want to try before you graduate be they technical (e.g. rigging) or creative (e.g. creating assets in the anime style), and then design a project to allow you to achieve these things.
The things you learn in this unit will directly inform your Final Major Project (FMP) so that you know when you start it that you can hit the ground running and spend more time in production and less in making mistakes. You will also do any previz and concept work you need for your FMP.
This module is designed to provide you with the opportunity to conduct a self-managed project of significant scale and complexity to support your Honours award.
The Professional Development module has been designed to develop three key areas that are vital for professional success. The three areas are: graduate skills and employability; professionalism; career and personal development.
Please note: Not all optional modules are guaranteed to run each year.
There is no better way to explore your creativity than through traditional drawing and this will free you to create concepts and ideas for your digital work in other units and to develop your own artistic style. Using traditional drawing methods you will explore areas such as the human figure, movement and composition while continuing to develop practical skills, observation and recall.
On this module you will learn the principles of animation, methods for rigging, how to apply animation into a games engine and how game animation is different from narrative animation.
This module is a chance to dive into the exciting world of character development and sculpting. You will be learning about muscle groups, anatomy and sculpting software, while combining this knowledge to build exciting characters.
This module will investigate the current technologies and methodologies that go into producing today’s artwork for games.
Solent’s curriculum framework builds on our unique, creative and applied approach to teaching. The transformation of students’ lives is at the heart of our mission as a university, and our curriculum – informed by the latest theory – reflects this shared educational vision.
Find out moreThe student achievement team are on hand to help you succeed during your studies at Solent. They aim to contact you at key times during your time here with personalised information, advice and guidance, by email or phone.
Access Solent provides information, advice and guidance for disabled students.
All students can access Succeed@Solent, Solent's online guide to getting better grades. It offers extensive, practical information and advice on topics such as academic writing, research and presentations.
Digital art is everywhere in today’s world, from games to TV commercials, to architectural visualisation, to illustration and beyond. Talented artists are constantly in demand and the ones that get noticed are the ones who have an excellent portfolio in their own area. This is why spending a year refining your skills in the direction you want to go is a really good idea.
But that in itself will only get you so far; people need to see your portfolio. Often, it’s a case of “it’s not what you know, but who you know,” so we help you with both. Take the opportunity to refine your skills and build a network with our support.
The tuition fees for the 2023/24 academic year are:
For further information, please visit our tuition fees page.
While most course costs are covered by your tuition fees, some essential resources and optional extras may need to be paid for separately. For advice on budgeting and managing your money, please contact student.funding@solent.ac.uk.
Solent University offers a range of bursaries and scholarships that provide financial assistance or waive fees for tuition or accommodation. Each bursary or scholarship has specific eligibility criteria. Check out our bursaries and scholarships pages to find out more.
There is no charge to attend graduation, but you will be required to pay for the rental of your academic gown (approximately £45 per graduate, depending on your award). You may also wish to purchase official photography packages, which range in price from £15 to £200+. Graduation is not compulsory, so if you prefer to have your award sent to you, there is no cost. Extra guest tickets will go on sale after results publication and will be sold on a first-come-first-served basis. The cost per ticket is currently £15. Please note, we do not guarantee there will be any extra tickets available to purchase.
This video 'Student finance - bitesize' is available as a text transcript, with a description of visuals.
This video 'Student funding essentials - Student Funding for 2023' is available as a text transcript, with a description of visuals.
Please select an option below:
As a general guide, we look for qualifications that are equivalent to the British high school A-levels.
If you are applying from outside the UK, find information about entry requirements, visas and agents for your country here.
For further information about EU qualifications, please contact admissions.
As a general guide, we look for qualifications that are equivalent to the British high school A-levels.
If you are applying from outside the UK, find information about entry requirements, visas and agents for your country here.
For further information about international qualifications, please contact admissions.
All international applicants need to be aware that the English language requirements to attend Solent University, and the English language requirements to obtain a visa from the Home Office, may be different. This means that if you meet the Solent University language requirement to gain a place on the course, you may still have to meet additional requirements to be granted with a visa by the Home Office.
We strongly advise all applicants to visit the Home Office website which outlines all the requirements for a successful visa application and to take a look at this PDF document which outlines both Solent University and Home Office requirements for a number of language tests.
Contact international admissions
Call: +44 (0)23 8201 5066Email: admissions.international@solent.ac.ukFull-time
Any student applying for the first year of a full-time/sandwich undergraduate course must apply through UCAS (University and Colleges Admissions Service). This includes mature, overseas and EU students.
Nearly all schools and colleges offer their students the facility of applying electronically through the UCAS website using 'Apply'; it may also be used by those applying independently in the UK and overseas. This facility and all course information can be found on the UCAS website: www.ucas.com.
Your application should reach UCAS by 25 January if you hope to enter a course the following autumn. Early application is advised for the most popular subject areas. Late applications may be made until the end of June. The UCAS Code for the University is S30, code name SOLNT.
Find out what happens after you apply
Contextual offers
Solent endeavours to offer learning opportunities to students from all backgrounds. When we receive and review an application, we take into consideration the context and personal circumstances of applicants when making a decision, which means our advertised entry tariff could be reduced.
Applicants who do not have English as their first language will be required to demonstrate an approved level of proficiency in the use of the English language. The agreed minimum requirements for this course are:
Qualifications are checked before enrolment, and international students must bring their original certificates or certified copies when coming to study at the University.
Pre-Sessional English programme
The University also offers a pre-sessional English programme for international students who wish to improve their level of English before starting a degree course.
Possible career directions include:
The Solent Futures team is committed to getting students into great careers.
While you are studying, the team can help you with finding work experience or placements, link you with a mentor, check your CV, or offer one-to-one guidance.
If you're in your final year, we also have graduate job opportunities just for Solent graduates.
Find out moreAll students at Solent University have access to a range of specialist support services. Whether you are having financial difficulty, need additional help with academic skills or want advice on setting up your own business you'll find that help is always on hand.
Most of our specialist support services are based around the Student Hub, a central space where you can access all the information and support you may need during your time at University. The Student Hub is the first point of contact if you have any queries relating to your course, including questions about your timetable, options, and assessments and extenuating circumstances.
We work in partnership with the University to build a sense of pride and confidence in your Union, University and student experience.
Find out moreThinking about studying further than an undergraduate degree? Alumni can get 20% off their postgraduate study.
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