Visual Effects and Virtual Production MSc

Entry requirements

You should have the equivalent of a British Honours degree (2:2 minimum) in a relevant subject.

Applications are welcome from candidates whose primary study or professional practice has been in media, technology or a related discipline.  In all cases, the candidate will demonstrate the potential to engage with the practical, creative, critical or aesthetic dimensions of the application of technology to film and post-production.

Equivalent qualifications from other international systems will receive the same consideration.

As part of your application you will be required to:

• provide a 500-word statement explaining why you want to study the programme
• provide a portfolio including a sample of original creative work

Months of entry

September

Course content

This programme is subject to validation.

With generous investment into a suite of virtual production and visual effects equipment, our Visual Effects and Virtual Productions MSc is the only course of its kind in the UK.

Virtual production is an innovative, modern post-production technique that uses real-time game engines to create photorealistic sets, then display them on large LED walls behind physical sets using the real-time rendering capabilities of game engines. Virtual production has recently emerged as a transformative technology that is revolutionizing the way films, television shows, and other visual media are created. Big productions, such as The Mandalorian, The Batman and multiple Marvel projects have all used virtual production techniques as a staple in their development.

With increasingly demanding audiences, quicker turnarounds and technological advances, organisations are looking for employees with skills and knowledge in both visual effects and virtual production to help streamline the process of pre-production and post-production. Our Visual Effects and Virtual Production MSc programme is at the cutting-edge of media technology, aimed at upskilling media specialists in the future of film and TV.

Using Leicester Media School’s bespoke virtual production studio – which includes a six-metre-wide industry leading LED video wall – and 12k resolution cameras, you will be able to shoot cinema-quality scenes and take your cinematic skills, filmmaking and post-production knowledge to the next level. Not only will you gain experience in the digital side of the subject, with the creation, refinement and implementation of artefacts, but also the practical studio skills that are required on set to ensure streamlined productions and visually ground-breaking content.

Designed in collaboration with industry professionals, and taught by experts in the field, this programme will ensure you learn the most up-to-date tools and techniques used in the industry. Upon graduation, you will be equipped with the skills needed to meet the demands of the fast-paced and ever-evolving world of virtual production and visual effects content.

Key features

• Elevate your production game with our multi-million-pound specialist facilities, including an all-new virtual production suite, audio recording studios, online broadcast-standard radio production studios, multi-camera TV studios and full green screen capabilities.
• Supercharge your career with a valuable work placement. Leicester Media School students have worked on live filming projects for Channel 4 right here on campus, as well as securing placements with top industry leaders and many local businesses offering paid opportunities. 
• Join our dynamic student societies. As a member of our award-winning Demon Media group, you'll have the opportunity to contribute to its radio station, TV channel and website, and learn from industry experts.
• As a Leicester Media School student, you'll have the opportunity to take part in DMU Global. Past students have explored Berlin's fascinating media history, produced a documentary film in Bali, and gone behind the scenes at New York's NBC Studios.

• Benefit from Education 2030, where a simplified ‘block learning’ timetable means you will study one subject at a time and have more time to engage with your learning, receive faster feedback and enjoy a better study-life balance.

Information for international students

If English is not your first language an IELTS score of 6.5 overall is essential.

English language tuition, delivered by our British Council-accredited Centre for English Language Learning, is available both before and throughout the course if you need it.

Fees and funding

Scholarships:

DMU offers a range of undergraduate and postgraduate scholarships and bursaries to help you realise your academic ambitions.

International Scholarships

Find out about available scholarships and country specific fee discounts for international student.