MA Visual Effects for Live Events
Where art and technology meet, you’ll create powerful visual effects to elevate live experiences.
By blending creativity with cutting-edge tech, on MA Visual Effects for Live Events, you’ll gain in-demand skills in digital imagery and visual effects, opening doors to careers in virtual production, film, TV, gaming, and beyond.
Why choose
this course?
This course is ideal for graduates or professionals from backgrounds in animation, design, illustration, photography, computer science, engineering or architecture, looking to enter the live events and entertainment industry. You’ll gain knowledge of theory, context, and practical applications of stunning digital content.
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You’ll work exclusively with digitally generated imagery and visual effect techniques, including 2D compositing, 3D computer-generated imagery (CGI), green screen, virtual environments and world building, video, and motion capture. Utilising industry standard software such as Adobe After Effects, Autodesk Maya, 3Ds Max, Notch and more.
Immersed in an ecosystem where some of the world’s greatest events and experiences are made and produced, you’ll gain hands-on experience on real-world projects and have access to work opportunities and cutting-edge facilities, unlike any other campus.
You will gain proficiencies in concept and character development, visualisation, pitching to clients, and valuable entrepreneurial skills. This is a new and exciting area with diverse scope for research. We’ll equip you with the skills, knowledge and – importantly – the network to elevate your VFX career.
Course content
How learning is assessed on MA Visual Effects for Live Events
We provide students with a supportive and inclusive environment where students are challenged through praxis – applying critical thinking to practical, hands-on experimentation and reflection. Teaching uses blended learning, combining practical work with online and face-to-face lectures, seminars, tutorials, discussions, guest speakers, and masterclasses. Module assessments typically involve written coursework, project work, oral assessments, presentations and portfolios.
A significant amount of personal study time is expected to be undertaken by students, comprising, for example, background reading, online activities, assessment work and preparation for sessions.
Students are encouraged to use their continuing professional practice as part of their research process and build on our close relationships with the industry. Developing plans for new creative projects is coupled with a higher level of academic study and learning. Our approach to blended learning supports working professionals to engage flexibly with studies.
Term dates
Please see our 2025/26 academic year term dates for this postgraduate course.
Interested in MA Immersive & Interactive Media Design?
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Career Opportunities
Studying MA Immersive & Interactive Media Design can Studying MA Visual Effects for Live Events can lead you to careers roles such as:
- Compositing Artist
- Effects Technical Director
- Production Manager [VFX]
- Animator [VFX]
- Lighting Artist [VFX]
- Multimedia Artist
- VFX Artist or Producer
- VFX Editor
- Game Artist
- Previsulisation Artist
- Environment or Concept Artist
Course outcomes
Graduates will gain a competitive edge as VFX specialists in the dynamic and developing creative industries. This is a career-focused postgraduate degree that will support you to develop advanced knowledge and skills. The skills training is combined with project-oriented creative education and will enable you to adapt and develop your practice throughout your future career.
We’ll guide you to make clear plans as to how you will use your expertise to progress your career during the course. As a graduate of this MA, you will be well prepared to seek employment, promotion, or become self-employed using the professional skills you’ve developed as part of the course. This qualification also forms the basis for doctoral studies if you wish to pursue a career in academia or research and development.
The course will equip you with a range of transferable, interpersonal, technical, and non-technical skills allowing you to capitalise on diverse career opportunities that exist. Graduates may enter VFX roles across the breadth of the creative industries sector from theatre, dance and opera to game design, virtual production and film & tv.
I’ve learnt so much. This time last year, I would not have been able to pull my major project off at all. Being able to tinker around with software and use the resources that we have at hand has been very useful.
Meet Eduardo - How studying a master's transformed my career path
MA Live Event Design alumni, Eduardo Bernal Perez, Eduardo discusses his transition from the world of construction into the live events industry.
Facilities
Our Production Park campus offers a range of learning spaces, including pre-visualisation studios, computer labs, classrooms, lecture theatres, and breakout spaces, giving you dedicated space to learn the theory before bringing it to life with hands-on, practical experience in our industry-standard dedicated teaching studios.
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