In current technology, communications, computing and entertainment have converged to create completely new media possibilities and experiences. These creative industries need people who can combine digital technology skills with creative ability to meet design challenges.
Overview
Our multidisciplinary course in Multimedia Technology and Design offers the opportunity to develop in-depth knowledge in areas such as web development and design of interactive applications, as well as a broad grounding in digital photography, digital filmmaking, 3D modelling and special effects.
Teaching in the School of Engineering and Digital Arts has been rated as excellent. The programme is taught by a team of experts in design, animation, filmmaking, photography, web technology and programming.
We have a team of senior industrialists who meet regularly with staff to review our courses to ensure that our programmes keep up-tp-date with industry.
The year in industry takes place between your second and final year, giving you the opportunity to improve your skills and career prospects.
Kent graduates in this field have gone on to work for organisations such as Disney, BBC and Framestore.
It is also possible to take this programme as a three-year degree without a year in industry. For details, see Multimedia Technology and Design.
Student profiles
We are sure you will find your time at Kent enjoyable and rewarding.
See what our students have to say.
Independent rankings
Design Studies at Kent was ranked 3rd overall in The Guardian University Guide 2018.
Design Studies at Kent was ranked 4th for research quality in The Complete University Guide 2018.
For graduate prospects, Design Studies at Kent was ranked 2nd in The Guardian University Guide 2018 and 5th in The Complete University Guide 2018.
Course structure
The following modules are indicative of those offered on this programme. This listing is based on the current curriculum and may change year to year in response to new curriculum developments and innovation.
On most programmes, you study a combination of compulsory and optional modules. You may also be able to take ‘wild’ modules from other programmes so you can customise your programme and explore other subjects that interest you.
Stage 1
| Modules may include | Credits |
|---|---|
|
EL313 - Introduction to Programming
INTRODUCTION TO PROGRAMMING IN C An introduction to the use computers and the process of programming them. Variable declaration. Executable statements. Data Types, Expressions. Operators, precedence and associativity. Logical Expressions and the if statement. Decision steps in algorithms. Nested-if statements. Switch statements. CORE C Repetition and loops in Programs. Conditional loops. Nested control structures. Top-down design with functions. Modular programming. Arrays. Multi-dimensional arrays. Strings. Using indexed for loops to process arrays. SOFTWARE ENGINEERING WITH C Programming in the large. Program life-cycle. Pseudo code. File input and output. Recursion. Binary files. Case studies Read more |
15 |
|
EL331 - Website Design
WEB PUBLISHING Introduction: History of the Internet. Web browsers. Introduction to HTML: HTML tags, tables, forms. Cascading Style Sheets (CSS). Graphics for the Web: jpeg, gif, png. File size, image compression, colour palettes, screen resolution, colour matching, transparency Website Design: Menu organisation. Web work flow: wire frames, mock-up creation, HTML markup. Page layout: page length, use of colour, common page elements, fonts, font size. INTRODUCTION TO WEB PROGRAMMING Javascript: Objects: document, window, form. Events and Event handlers. Object properties. Operators. Uses of Javascript form validation. Read more |
15 |
|
EL334 - Internet Programming with Java
Lecture Syllabus
THE JAVA PROGRAMMING LANGUAGE Java applications and applets. Primitive data types. Operators and precedence. Object Oriented Programming. Design Notation. UML. Classes, objects and methods. Control structures. Strings and arrays. Java Packages. Constructors. Composition Data abstraction and information hiding. Inheritance. Superclasses and subclasses. Exception handling. APPLET DESIGN Anatomy of an Applet. Applets, applet viewers and Web browsers. Security issues. Colour and Font Control. Drawing lines, rectangles and circles. Event handling. Layout managers. Java 2D API. Swing overview. Building GUIs. GUI components: text areas, sliders, menus and windows. Java Media Framework. Loading and displaying images. Animation and audio. Coursework
ASSIGNMENTS There will be 6 weekly assignments with scheduled laboratory classes supported by demonstrators. Assessed. MINI-PROJECT There will be a Java Programming mini-project with four two-hour weekly supporting workshops. Assessed. Read more |
15 |
|
EL338 - Visual Culture
Origins of visual culture Renaissance art and iconography Formal analysis Modern art movements Critical approaches to image analysis Spectatorship and representation Advertising and propaganda Iconic images Digital art Read more |
15 |
|
EL339 - Digital Photography
Lecture Syllabus PRINCIPLES OF PHOTOGRAPHY Basic optics; the camera; types of camera; lenses; lighting; colour theory; files and processing. PRACTICAL PHOTOGRAPHY TUTORIAL LECTURES Use of cameras and lenses, lighting techniques, composition, themes: e.g. People, landscapes, still life, architecture, nature, sport. PRACTICAL PHOTOGRAPHY CRITIQUE Drop-in help/feedback sessions on photographic techniques to support the Photographic Portfolio assignment. WORKSHOPS Use of cameras, lenses and multi-light set-ups INTRODUCTION TO PHOTOSHOP Basic Photoshop skills; photomontage; file formats. IMAGE EDITING WITH PHOTOSHOP Image cropping and rotation; colour correction; lens correction; red-eye reduction; resolution; printing. Communication through images; image correction and restoration; image manipulation; layers and layer masks. Read more |
15 |
|
EL340 - Digital Effects
INTRODUCTION TO 3D MODELLING & ANIMATION SOFTWARE Modelling tools & interface navigation Reference images Modelling techniques (i.e. polygons / NURBS) Material creation and editing basics - application & texture preparation UV co-ordinate mapping Procedural textures Introduction to Ray-tracing basics Introduction to cameras, lights & rendering Shadow manipulation & colouring Introduction to animation Rendering - optimising a scene Photo manipulation and texture creation in Adobe Photoshop INTRODUCTION TO COMPOSITING SOFTWARE Using the interface; alpha channels Filters, masks, multiple layers, colour correction tools Read more |
15 |
|
EL342 - Moving Image
LECTURES Moving Image Theory (Introduction to MI, Film Form, Meaning in Film, Narrative, The Image, Editing, Filming for the web); Introduction to Editing and Authoring. SEMINARS Discussion of practical aspects of film (Research and Treatments; Storyboarding; Cameras, Safety & Administration; Shooting, Framing and Sequences.) TUTORIALS Held during the project Read more |
15 |
|
EL542 - Creativity in Interactive and Tangible Media
Why interactive and tangible media Processing motion Tangible user interfaces Creativity with curves Mixed reality Web and wireless communication Gestures Sensing environment Advanced topics Read more |
15 |
Stage 2
| Modules may include | Credits |
|---|---|
|
EL575 - Mobile Application Development
MOBILE APP DEVELOPMENT This course is concerned with the design, implementation and testing of applications for the Android platform. Students will work at all stages of the development life-cycle from inception to testing, whilst considering usability and device capabilities for a mobile application capable of meeting a functional specification. Key topics include: Object Oriented Programming for Mobile Apps. Android Studio and Android Development Tools. Activities and Intents. Android User Interface: Views and View Groups. Basic Views, Picker Views, List Views, Image Views. UI Navigation. Data Persistence. Network communication in Android. Google services (maps, location, etc.). Coursework OBJECT ORIENTED PROGRAMMING A set of three assessed workshops. MOBILE APP DEVELOPMENT Students are asked to design a mobile application for the Android platform. This project will be supported by 8 three-hour workshops. Read more |
15 |
|
EL642 - Project Design
Lecture Syllabus There are three formal lectures concerning project research, planning and proposal presentation. Coursework ORGANISATION AND CONTENT Students will undertake work in Summer term. The project will reflect students' interests in the area of 2D/3D animation, film-making, software development or special effects and will be supervised by a member of staff, who also sets the initial parameters of the project. ASSESSMENT Every student will be individually assessed on their approach to the work as well as their achievement. Assessment of the project will take the following form: (a) Proposal presentation - 40% (b) Research Document 60% Read more |
15 |
|
EL532 - Professional 3D and Compositing
Lecture Syllabus Reintroduction to professional 3D Package (2 workshops, 3 hours per week, Autumn term) 3D MODELLING AND ANIMATION (tutorial lectures, 6 hours per week, Spring term) Advanced hard-edge modelling- high poly, patch modelling, lathe and free form deformation modifiers High & low poly asset modeling Advanced Mental Ray- Caustics, Final gather & Global Illumination Shader creation Scene optimisation- Render to texture/texture baking for games Normal Mapping & Displacement Mapping Render optimisation for Animation Physical Sun and Sky for Mental Ray Volumetrics & Atmospherics Soft-edge organic Polygon Modelling Part 1- Organic assets Part 2- Organic Creature Design Environmental Render Settings- Exposure control, Lens effects, Brightness & Contrast, Hair & Fur, Film grain, Fire, fog, volume fog & volume light effects Animation techniques & Advanced rigging Curve editor & Dope sheet Advanced articulated animation focus on show-reel production Blend shapes Manipulators Automated rigging systems Skinning techniques Dynamics Fluid, Cloth, Particles Plugin manager Mel Compositing Layers Playblast Batch Renderer Coursework PROJECT Development of a three dimensional model and its animation around a subject set by the lecturer. Supported by two workshops in Summer term. Read more |
30 |
|
EL535 - Software Development
Lecture Syllabus SOFTWARE ENGINEERING Software Engineering Process: lifecycle models. Software requirements engineering: basic concepts and principles, requirements engineering process, requirements elicitation, requirements analysis, requirements validation, requirements management. Software design: basic concepts and principles, software architecture, design notations, design strategies and methods (object-oriented, function-oriented, real-time systems). Software testing: basic concepts and principles, testing process, test planning, testing strategies and techniques.
PROGRAMMING WITH PHP Variables and Expressions, PHP Operators, Conditional Tests and Events in PHP, Control structures in PHP, Manipulating strings in PHP, Taking User Input from Forms via PHP, Functions in PHP, Array storage, Interfacing to databases with PHP, File and Directory access, Configuring PHP Object Oreintation in PHP, Design Patterns in PHP. Coursework WORKSHOPS 8 two-hour workshops will allow students to develop their PHP skills:
EXAMPLES CLASS An assessed examples class supports the Software Engineering course. Read more |
15 |
|
EL537 - Digital Portfolio
Lecture Syllabus INTRODUCTION TO THE MODULE ADVANCED HTML5 Responsive design; progressive enhancement JavaScript and jQuery revision JavaScript Frameworks Handling Media with HTML5 HTML5 Sockets and Workers jQuery UI Typography with CSS HTML5 Canvas and SVG CSS Frameworks CSS Animations and Transitions HTML5 Storage and Geolocation DIGITAL IMAGE MANIPULATION STUDIO CLASSES Photoshop workflow. Canvas sizing and screen resolution. Masks by pointing to blend layers. Advanced tracing. Using adjustment layers with masks. Stylistic effects with Photoshop: blend modes through re-creating the vintage polaroid look, blend work with grunge layers and brushes. Vector shapes in Photoshop: working with shape layers, using in-line with Illustrator, llve tracing with pen tool, intro to stylistic vector tool. Photoshop for the web, image optimisation, layer effects, background tiling, shadows and gradiants. Text for the web. Using guides and slices. Creating a Photoshop mock-up. Coursework MINI-PROJECT Production of an online portfolio. Read more |
30 |
|
EL539 - Professional Practice
Lecture Syllabus Current and future trends in the creative industries Pitching, time management, costing Intellectual property rights Data protection & privacy Professional identity Online presence Self-employment in the creative industries Read more |
15 |
Year in industry
Your year in industry takes place between Stages 2 and 3. Employers are always keen to employ graduates with knowledge of the work environment and some students receive job offers from their placement company.
We have a dedicated Employability Officer who will help you apply for placements; but please note that it is your responsibility to secure a placement, which cannot always be guaranteed. The School has excellent industrial links, providing students with many placement opportunities.
You are eligible to apply for a placement offered through the School's exchange agreement with Hong Kong City University.
The industrial placement year is assessed by a written report and an interview that count as 10% of your overall degree result.
Please note that progression thresholds apply. In particular, in order to be considered for an industrial placement, you need to achieve an overall mark at Stage 1 of at least 60%.
| Modules may include | Credits |
|---|---|
|
EL790 - Year In Industry
Lecture Syllabus Not applicable. Coursework Students spend a year (minimum 30 weeks) working in an industrial or commercial setting, applying and enhancing the skills and techniques they have developed and studied in the earlier stages of their degree programme. The work they do is entirely under the direction of their industrial supervisor, but support is provided via a dedicated Placement Support Officer within the department. This support includes ensuring that the work they are being expected to do is such that they can meet the learning outcomes of the module. Note that participation in this module is dependent on students obtaining an appropriate placement, for which guidance is provided through the department in the year leading up to the placement. Students who do not obtain a placement will be required to transfer to the appropriate programme without a Year in Industry. Read more |
120 |
Stage 3
| Modules may include | Credits |
|---|---|
|
EL636 - Final Year Project
Lecture Syllabus There are three formal lectures concerning project research, group work and prototype presentation. Coursework ORGANISATION AND CONTENT Students will undertake a single piece of work over Autumn and Spring terms, presenting a prototype of their application mid-way through the project. The work constitutes 60 credits and thus should occupy about 2 days per week. The project will be supervised by a member of staff, who also sets the initial parameters of the project. ASSESSMENT Every student will be individually assessed on their approach to the work as well as their achievement. Assessment of the project will take the following form: (a) Prototype demonstration - 20% (b) Project - 80% (Documentation - 20%, Application - 60%) After project submission students will attend individual assessment interviews, where they will be asked to demonstrate and discuss their projects with two examiners. . Read more |
60 |
|
EL640 - Mobile Application Design
Lecture Syllabus MOBILE APP DEVELOPMENT AND DESIGN This course is concerned with the design, implementation and testing of applications for the Android Platform. Students will work at all stages of the development life-cycle from inception to testing, whilst considering usability and device capabilities for a mobile application capable of meeting a functional specification. Key topics include: Object Oriented Programming for Mobile Apps Android Studio and Android Development Tools. Activities and Intents. Android User Interface: Views and View Groups. Basic Views, Picker Views, List Views, Image Views. UI Navigation. Data Persistence. Network communication in Android. Google services (Maps, location, etc). MOBILE WEB SECURITY Introduction to Computer Security Basic Methods of Security File and Network Security Cryptography, Public Key Cryptography, Digital Signatures Web Based Security, Firewalls Coursework APP DEVELOPMENT AND DESIGN Students are asked to design a mobile application for the android platform. This project will be supported by weekly workshops OBJECT ORIENTED PROGRAMMING A set of three assessed workshops SECURITY Class test Read more |
30 |
|
EL638 - 3D Computer Animation Pipeline
Lecture Syllabus This module takes students through every stage of 3D production, using a single fully featured "client" brief, starting with storyboards, design, progressing through modelling, texturing, file referencing, rigging, animation, simulation, effects, lighting, rendering, in a close simulation of a professional animation pipeline, resulting in a practical understanding of the entire process. Workshop Syllabus Production design Storyboarding Outline rendering Animatics Organic modelling Nurbs modelling Polygonal and Nurbs UV mapping Texture and image maps with PSD files Character rigging Lattices and deformers Pre-viz - Preview animation Cloth simulation Fur and hair Rigid body Dynamics Particle Dynamics Expressions - Max script Character performance animation Light rigs Fog and volume lights Scanline rendering Mental Ray rendering Compositing shots Final movie formats Coursework PORTFOLIO A digital collection of rendered 3D stills and movie files covering a wide range of practical 3D solutions to 3D computer animation problems. Read more |
15 |
|
EL639 - Videogames Design
Lecture Syllabus 3D worlds Scripting Objects Player behaviours and interactions Game rules and mechanics Game physics User interfaces AI Level Design Advanced topics Coursework Workshop exercises (30%) Workshop exercises will be assessed in the lab. Video game design and development (60%) Design and development of a video game based on student's selected topic and theme. Team-based. Video presentation (10%) Creation of a video showcasing the video games and reflection of the design and development process. Team-based Read more |
15 |
|
CB302 - Managers and Organisations
The main strand of the lecture material will establish the foundations of organisational behaviour in the context of the historical development of ideas and theory. The theories will be related to practical examples and thence students will be introduced to modern experience, practice and scholarship. Once the information of the foundation of organisational behaviour is established, at the next level, contemporary topics of management will be touched upon briefly. This will provide students with basic knowledge related to modern management practices. The content of the module will, therefore, be based on the following topics: Scientific Management Human Relations School Bureaucracy Post Bureaucratic Organizations Contingency Approach Group and teams Motivation Power and authority Managing diversity Read more |
15 |
Teaching and assessment
Our students have 24-hour access to our extensive air-conditioned computer suites and are able to take advantage of dedicated photographic, and production studios, with green-screen, motion-capture and 3D scanning facilities. Our Digital Media Hub provides a unique opportunity to work alongside industry on client-led projects.
Most modules consist of a mix of lectures, seminars, studio work, computer sessions and private study. The computer workstations in our multimedia laboratories are equipped with current industry-standard software.
The majority of the modules contain design and project work, and are continuously assessed; some modules also have an end-of-year examination.
The specialist project at Stage 3 is assessed by a written report, a critique and, of course, the outcome of the project itself. Both Stage 2 and 3 marks count towards your degree result.
Programme aims
The programme aims to:
- provide a multidisciplinary education for students who seek professional careers in the field of multimedia technology and design
- produce graduates who have an informed, critical and creative approach to understanding communication through multimedia in contemporary society
- prepare students to meet the challenges of a broad and rapidly changing field while providing them with a wide choice of careers
- create an atmosphere of co-operation and partnership between staff and students, and offer the students an environment where they can develop their potential
- give an opportunity to gain experience as a multimedia practitioner working in a professional environment
- develop employment-related skills, including an understanding of how you relate to the structure and function in an organisation, via a year in industry.
Learning outcomes
Knowledge and understanding
You gain knowledge and understanding of:
- how audio, visual and verbal conventions through which sounds, images and words take meaning
- fundamental concepts of IT and software engineering
- the creative processes involved in visual design
- computer, audio, video and film technology, including digital television and DVD
- the multimedia authoring process
- fundamentals of 3D modelling and animation
- key production processes and professional practices relevant to the multimedia industry
- legal, ethical and regulatory frameworks, which affect the development of multimedia applications
- the role of technology in terms of multimedia production, access and use
- aspects of the core subject areas from the perspective of a commercial or industrial organisation.
Intellectual skills
You develop intellectual skills in:
- how to examine multimedia applications critically
- awareness that technologies are rapidly changing and that you should expect to update your knowledge throughout your working life
- understanding the objectives, constraints and conditions of a commercial environment, including financial and time constraints
- the ability to design and develop software based on an analysis of system requirements
- how to carry out research and integrate information and data from a variety of sources for essays, projects and multimedia applications
- analysing problems and developing solutions based on technical, aesthetic and economic factors
- evaluating your own work in a reflexive manner with reference to academic and professional issues
- how to analyse, interpret and exercise critical judgement in the understanding and evaluation of multimedia applications
- applying some of the intellectual skills specified for the programme from the perspective of a commercial or industrial organisation.
Subject-specific skills
You gain subject-specific skills in the following areas:
- scripting and programming languages in the implementation of interactive applications
- implementing software solutions using structural and object-oriented languages
- developing specific proficiencies in utilising a range of multimedia design tools including 3D modelling, animation, video editing, image manipulating and multimedia authoring
- integrating text, graphics and time-based elements to produce effective websites
- the ability to initiate, develop and realise distinctive and creative applications which demonstrate the effective manipulation of multimedia assets
- how to utilise a range of research skills, for example, research into potential audiences and markets, as a production tool
- the ability to prepare technical reports and presentations as well as storyboards as part of the multimedia project development cycle
- applying management techniques to the planning, resource allocations and execution of a design project
- how to apply some of the subject-specific skills specified for the programme from the perspective of a commercial or industrial organisation.
Transferable skills
You gain transferable skills in:
- IT, including word processing, email and the use of information from online and electronic sources
- communicating effectively with others as a member of a team
- the effective management of resources and time and the ability to organise and prioritise tasks
- flexible thinking, including the ability to be open to new and alternative ideas
- how to manage and carry a project through to delivery.
Careers
Our recent graduates have gone into areas such as:
- computer-based training
- web development
- web mastering
- multimedia authoring
- television
- film
- electronic games
- mobile communications
- electronic commerce
- internet publishing
- multimedia marketing
- computer programming
- network management.
They have gone on to work for companies including:
- Disney
- the BBC
- Framestore.
Some of our graduates choose to go on to postgraduate study, for example on our MSc in Computer Animation or Digital Visual Effects.
In addition to the technical skills you acquire on this programme, you also gain key transferable skills including:
- presenting complex material in an accessible way
- working independently and in a team
- the confidence to develop your own ideas.
Independent Rankings
Design Studies at Kent was ranked 2nd in the UK for the percentage of students who found professional jobs or further study within six months of graduation in 2016 (DLHE).
Entry requirements
Home/EU students
The University will consider applications from students offering a wide range of qualifications. Typical requirements are listed below. Students offering alternative qualifications should contact us for further advice.
It is not possible to offer places to all students who meet this typical offer/minimum requirement.
New GCSE grades
If you’ve taken exams under the new GCSE grading system, please see our conversion table to convert your GCSE grades.
| Qualification | Typical offer/minimum requirement |
|---|---|
| A level | ABB |
| GCSE | Mathematics grade C |
| Access to HE Diploma | The University will not necessarily make conditional offers to all Access candidates but will continue to assess them on an individual basis. If we make you an offer, you will need to obtain/pass the overall Access to Higher Education Diploma and may also be required to obtain a proportion of the total level 3 credits and/or credits in particular subjects at merit grade or above. |
| BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma (formerly BTEC National Diploma) | Distinction, Distinction, Merit |
| International Baccalaureate | 34 points overall or 15 points at HL including Mathematics 4 at HL or SL |
International students
The University welcomes applications from international students. Our international recruitment team can guide you on entry requirements. See our International Student website for further information about entry requirements for your country.
If you need to increase your level of qualification ready for undergraduate study, we offer a number of International Foundation Programmes.
Meet our staff in your country
For more advice about applying to Kent, you can meet our staff at a range of international events.
English Language Requirements
Please see our English language entry requirements web page.
Please note that if you are required to meet an English language condition, we offer a number of 'pre-sessional' courses in English for Academic Purposes. You attend these courses before starting your degree programme.
General entry requirements
Please also see our general entry requirements.
Fees
The 2018/19 regulated UK/EU tuition fees have not yet been set. The University intends to set fees at the maximum permitted level for new and returning UK/EU students. Please see further information below.
As a guide only the 2017/18 full-time UK/EU tuition fees for this programme are £9,250 unless otherwise stated:
| UK/EU | Overseas | |
|---|---|---|
| Full-time | TBC | £18400 |
For students continuing on this programme, fees will increase year on year by no more than RPI + 3% in each academic year of study except where regulated.*
Your fee status
The University will assess your fee status as part of the application process. If you are uncertain about your fee status you may wish to seek advice from UKCISA before applying.
Fees for Year in Industry
For 2017/18 entrants, the standard year in industry fee for home, EU and international students is £1,350. Fees for 2018/19 entry have not yet been set.
Fees for Year Abroad
UK, EU and international students on an approved year abroad for the full 2017/18 academic year pay £1,350 for that year. Fees for 2018/19 entry have not yet been set.
Students studying abroad for less than one academic year will pay full fees according to their fee status.
General additional costs
Find out more about accommodation and living costs, plus general additional costs that you may pay when studying at Kent.
Funding
University funding
Kent offers generous financial support schemes to assist eligible undergraduate students during their studies. See our funding page for more details.
Government funding
You may be eligible for government finance to help pay for the costs of studying. See the Government's student finance website.
Scholarships
General scholarships
Scholarships are available for excellence in academic performance, sport and music and are awarded on merit. For further information on the range of awards available and to make an application see our scholarships website.
The Kent Scholarship for Academic Excellence
At Kent we recognise, encourage and reward excellence. We have created the Kent Scholarship for Academic Excellence.
For 2018/19 entry, the scholarship will be awarded to any applicant who achieves a minimum of AAA over three A levels, or the equivalent qualifications (including BTEC and IB) as specified on our scholarships pages.
The scholarship is also extended to those who achieve AAB at A level (or specified equivalents) where one of the subjects is either Mathematics or a Modern Foreign Language. Please review the eligibility criteria.