DIPLOMA IN
DIGITAL ANIMATION
Bringing Art to Life Through Animation, Modelling & Visual Effects
Our Digital Animation programme is designed to equip students with the creative and technical skills to thrive in the animation industry. With a strong foundation in animation principles, storytelling, and production pipelines, students will explore the full spectrum of animation while choosing one of three specialisation tracks: Animation, Modelling or Visual Effects (VFX).
Throughout the 3-year journey, students will be exposed to industry-relevant tools and workflows guided by professional mentors. Animators will dive into 2D and 3D character animation, ranging from stylised to realistic performances including creature and game animation. Modellers will master both film-quality model creation and game-ready modelling techniques. VFX specialists will explore look development, matchmoving, compositing, and FX simulation to bring cinematic visuals to life.
While each student hones their craft within their chosen specialisation, collaboration is at the heart of the final year. Together, animators, modellers, and VFX artists will team up together with our Illustration programme students to produce a full 3D animated short film, combining their strengths into a cohesive production. This real-world production experience not only builds a professional portfolio but prepares students to step confidently into the animation and entertainment industry.
Intake
January, April, AugustLocation
Bandar Sunway CampusAccreditation
5-Star College-Based Category
AREA OF
STUDY
Figure Drawing & Concept Design
To possess a good mastery of skills, a strong foundation is a must. Students need to master the foundation in art through practicing figure drawing and concept design. This will enhance their art senses, which will be applied to all other animation subjects. It is crucial to build a strong foundation before approaching to more advanced classes. In this area of study, students will learn about drawing appealing characters, pushing character poses, understanding forms and design, and learning about concept design for artworks.
Visual Storytelling
Animation is a form of storytelling that utilizes different types of visuals to convey a narrative. Students will learn about storytelling through photography, storyboards, animatics, cinematography and filming to understand the basics of visual storytelling.
Specialisation in Animation, Modelling or Visual Effects
Throughout the course of studies, students will need to choose their specialisation between Animation, Modelling or Visual Effects.
• In Animation, students will learn how to bring characters to life by animating them in both 2D and 3D. They will begin by mastering the 12 Principles of Animation through our 2D animation subjects, before progressing to the fundamentals of 3D animation and applying those same principles in a digital 3D environment. The aim is to craft characters with appealing poses, expressive personalities, and believable movements. As they advance, students will delve into storytelling, character acting, and performance, refining their ability to convey emotion and narrative through animation. The specialisation also includes training in game animation workflows, where students will work with motion capture data, learn cleanup and retargeting techniques, and animate for in-game scenarios. Additionally, students will explore creature animation, learning how to animate animals and fantasy beings with realistic weight, movement, and anatomy, preparing them for diverse roles in both film and game industries.
• In Modelling, students will learn how to model environment and object to grasp form, scale, and space in the beginning. They then progress into anatomy sculpting, building a solid understanding of human form before moving on to character modelling. This structured path helps develop strong artistic and technical foundations early on. Using industry-standard tools like Autodesk Maya, Adobe Substance 3D Painter, and Pixologic ZBrush, students learn clean topology, UV mapping, sculpting, texturing, and shading. As they advance, they explore game modelling workflows, focusing on real-time optimization and baking, followed by creature modelling, where they apply anatomy and design to create believable non-human forms. By the end of the programme, students will have mastered the modelling process, producing high-quality 3D assets ready for both film and games.
• In Visual Effects, students will learn a wide range of courses offering comprehensive practical exercises that simulate real-world industry workflows, from planning and production to the complete execution of a visual effects shot. The curriculum covers multiple VFX tracks, including Look Development, Matchmove, Background Preparation, Compositing, and Effects Simulation. Through these focused tracks, students develop both artistic and technical expertise essential for integrating CGI seamlessly into live-action footage. Using industry-standard software such as Nuke and Houdini, they will learn to craft realistic, visually impactful scenes for film, television, and interactive media, equipping them for a wide range of professional roles in the VFX industry.
Collaboration Final Project: Studio Simulation Environment
In their final year, students will participate in a year-long, team-based animated short film project, simulating a real-world studio environment. This capstone experience allows students to apply the full range of knowledge and skills acquired throughout their specialisation, be it Animation, Modelling or Visual Effects, while working collaboratively to produce a compelling, industry-ready short film. Throughout the project, students will develop essential soft skills such as leadership, communication, strategic planning, time management, work organisation, and teamwork. With guidance from lecturers acting as studio supervisors, students will engage in art direction, advanced production workflows, and technical execution, mirroring the professional pipeline. This immersive experience prepares them for the collaborative nature of industry work and provides a strong foundation in how real animation and VFX productions are managed.
Course Modules
Elementary Component
- 3D Maya Essentials
- Introduction to Compositing & Editing
- Introduction to Digital Photography
- Introduction to Unreal Engine
Figure Drawing & Concept Design
- Drawing Fundamentals
- Design Fundamentals
- Figure Studies
- Perspective & Functional Studies
- Digital Painting
- Character Concept Design
- World Concept Design
Visual Storytelling
- Storyboarding
- Film & Cinematography
- Visual Storytellings
Contextual Courses
- Language & Communication Skills
- History of Art & Media Revolution
- Survey of S.E.A. Art & Culture
- Penghayatan Etika dan Peradaban
- Integrity and Anti-Corruption
- Community Service
Animation Specialisation
- Introduction to Animation
- 2D Character Animation
- 3D Character Animation
- 3D Acting Animation
- 3D Facial Animation
- 3D Cinematic Previsualisation
- Game Animation
- Creature Animation
Modelling Specialisation
- Introduction to 3D Modelling & Look Development
- 3D Asset Modelling
- 3D Anatomy Figure Studies
- 3D Character Modelling
- 3D Character Look Development & FX
- 3D Creature Modelling
- 3D Stylised Modelling
- Game Modelling
Visual Effects Specialisation
- Introduction to 3D Modelling & Look Development
- Lighting Fundamentals
- Matchmove Fundamentals
- Advanced Matchmove
- Visual Effects Compositing Fundamentals
- Advanced Visual Effects Compositing
- Effects Simulation Fundamentals
- Advanced Effects Simulation
Project & Industry Practice
- Final Project Pre-Production, Production & Post-Production
- Studio 1 & 2
- Entertainment Business & Elevator Pitching
- Portfolio & Career Preparation
Software
- Adobe Photoshop
- Adobe Illustrator
- Adobe After Effects
- Adobe Premiere Pro
- Adobe Audition
- Adobe Animation
- Adobe Lightroom
- Adobe Substance 3D Painter
- Autodesk Maya
- Pixologic Zbrush
- Marvelous Designer
- Unreal Engine
- Nuke
- SideFX Houdini
Personal Development
- Nuke Workshop
- Rigging Workshop
- Sound Workshop
- Team Building Field Trip & Camp
ENTRY
REQUIREMENTS
- Pass Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) with minimum 3 credits (3Cs) including a Pass in Bahasa Melayu and Sejarah; or
- Pass Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) with minimum 3 credits (3Bs); or
- Pass IGCSE / O-Level with minimum 3 credits (3Cs); or
- Pass The One Academy’s Certificate in Communication Design OR Certificate from other Institutions of Higher Learning in related field with minimum CGPA 2.00; or
- Pass Sijil Kemahiran Malaysia (SKM) Level 3 in art & design field (subject to internal assessment process); or
- Other equivalent qualifications recognized by the Malaysian Government; AND
- Pass Portfolio Review or Drawing Test conducted by The One Academy for candidate who does not have a Pass in Art subject or without an art subject at SPM level or its equivalent
Explore the complete list of Entry Requirements for domestic and international students here
CAREER
OPPORTUNITIES
The Global 3D Animation Market is Expected to Be Worth US$27 Billion by 2026
*source: statista.com- Animation Houses / Studios
- Film Production Studios
- VFX Production Studios
- TV Production Studios
- Game Production Studios
- Digital Design Studios
- Education Digital Media Studios
- Advertising Firms
- Research & Development Firms
- Television Broadcast Industry
- Freelance Artist
- Your Own Animation Studio
- 3D Animator
- 2D Animator
- 3D Environment Modeller
- 3D Character Modeller
- VFX Artist
- Simulation Artist
- Compositor
- Editor
- Rigger
- Lighting & Shading Artist
- Technical Artist
- Generalist
- Storyboard Artist
- Concept Artist
- Director
- Producer
- Production Manager
- Production Assistant
- Photographer
- Videographer
- Teacher / Lecturer / Tutor / Researcher
OFFICIAL
ACADEMIC PARTNER
The One Academy is an Academic Partner of Unreal Engine in Malaysia. The world’s most advanced real-time 3D creation tool, Unreal Engine enables game developers and creators access to bring real-time 3D content to life for groundbreaking photoreal visuals and immersive experiences. Unreal Engine prepares students with the skills needed to succeed in game development, architecture, film and TV, automotive, simulation and more through Game Design, Motion Capture, Virtual Production and Immersive Reality.
The One Academy is also an Academic Partner of Fox Renderfarm – a leading cloud rendering service provider in the industry providing TPN-Accredited CPU/GPU cloud rendering services with 24/7 technical support. Since its operation in 2011, it has served more than 200,000 users and top-leading visual effects, animation, architectural visualization and game development studios from over 50 countries or regions, including Academy Awards and multiple awards winners.
