Diploma of 3D Animation Production
Units x Costs ($AUD)
4 x $3,236
4 x $2,999
Indicative Annual Course Fee*
(based on 1.0 EFTSL)
$24,940 AUD
Plus Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF)
* The Indicative Annual Course Fee reflects that students are charged fees on a per unit basis and the fee for a unit may increase.
For more information view the SAE Fee Schedule or visit the Fees & Payment page.
Units x Costs ($AUD)
4 x $3,773
4 x $3,495
Indicative Annual Course Fee*
(based on 1.0 EFTSL)
$29,072 AUD
Plus Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF)
* The Indicative Annual Course Fee reflects that students are charged fees on a per unit basis and the fee for a unit may increase.
For more information view the SAE Fee Schedule or visit the Fees & Payment page.
Complete your course faster by studying the course units over approximately 7 months (2 trimesters).
Complete your course faster by studying the course units over approximately 7 months (2 trimesters).
Whilst still classified as a full-time study load, you will complete the course units over one year (3 trimesters).
If you want to take a little longer, that’s ok too. We’ll help you work out the best study load to suit your needs.
Note: Part-time is not available for international students.
May 2025
September 2025
February 2026
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September 2025
February 2026
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February 2026
Your creative career starts with SAE
Course Structure
The Diploma of Animation is stage 1 of the 3 stages of a Bachelor.
Develop your reflective, critical and analytical skills and abilities through an enhanced awareness and understanding of the purpose of tertiary education from a personal, societal and professional perspective. In class activities are used to prepare you with the skills and confidence to engage with a range of scholarly frameworks that you will encounter throughout your studies. You will explore the animation discipline through a team presentation, where you will develop group working, thinking and learning skills.
As a practice, drawing provides a core skill set for the expression of both concept and form. This unit introduces you to the concepts and methodologies of drawing using a variety of media with an emphasis on drawing from life, including anatomical studies and perspective techniques for environment and character construction.
The unit is an introduction to the general practice of drawing and rendering and specifically helps to scaffold further learning through support for developing sketch-based visual production skills & knowledge.
Take a practical first look at modeling, lighting, shading, animation, and rendering to gain a holistic, foundational understanding of computer graphics.
This unit will involve using industry-standard software such as Autodesk 3Ds Max, Maya, and Blender. The practical and theoretical knowledge of 3D production pipelines acquired in this unit will act as a foundation for successive animation units.
As the name suggests this unit provides you with an introduction to animation. You will apply the theoretical underpinnings of animation processes via a range of practical explorations and critical analyses. This will provide you with a solid understanding of animation principles and methods that will form the foundation of successive animation units.
This unit explores the concepts of entrepreneurship, innovation and project design. You will develop approaches to identify promising opportunities and actionable strategies to transform them into tangible successes. Through exposure to developing new ideas, processes and ways of working - both individually and in entrepreneurial teams - you will hone skills to put creative ideas into practice and achieve real-world impact.
As Alan Kay explained, "The best way to predict the future is to create it", so let's get at it!
In this unit, you will apply and build upon the foundational animation and computer graphics skills and knowledge that you have learned, to advance your skills via some in-depth, practical activities of 2D/3D character modeling and applied animation techniques.
By undertaking a series of iterative tasks, your static models will become talking moving characters and you will develop the skills and knowledge required to showcase them effectively.
This unit is designed to provide you with a comprehensive understanding of visual storytelling and composition principles and the practical skills to communicate intended narratives effectively through pre-production materials. You will learn to utilise industry-standard pre-production software tools to create previsualization sequences, enabling you to simulate camera movements, pacing, and shot composition. Through hands-on exercises and project work, you will develop the necessary expertise to produce high-quality previs and animatics, essential elements in modern filmmaking and animation pipelines.
You will be introduced to the theory and principles of storytelling across a range of contemporary creative media contexts, which will then be applied to the creation of storytelling documents appropriate to your discipline. Theoretical approaches to plot, structure, character, story world, theme and genre will be explored and applied to a range of story development tools to engage your audience. Feedback processes and reflection are essential in the development of engaging stories, and you are expected to document your process and feedback from your facilitator and peers.
Learn using Industry Tools & Software
DIPLOMA OF 3D ANIMATION
The Diploma of 3D Animation has been created in a way that gives you plenty of face-to-face time with a network of expert creative practitioners and an opportunity to apply theory and best practices using the latest tools and software.
Take a practical first look at illustration, modelling, lighting, shading, animation, and rendering to gain a holistic, foundational understanding of the 3D production process.
You will engage in collaborative learning to produce a short animation in response to a client brief. You will also be guided through the production methods needed to pitch effective creative concepts to potential producers.
To complement your technical skills, you will graduate with employability skills, introductory project management skills, and scholarly techniques for higher education.
Upon completion, you will be eligible for up to 80 credit points toward the Bachelor of Animation.
Career Outcomes
What jobs will this course lead me into?
- Junior 3D Modeler
- Junior 3D Animator
- Junior 3D Visualisation Specialist
- Junior Character Designer
- Freelance Animator
What our students say about SAE
Aldo Arechar
SAE Alumni | Current Job: Hans Zimmer's Remote Control Productions company in LA
Angie Davis
Masters of Creative Industries student
Bill Day
SAE Alumni | Current Job: DJ Bill Day AKA Mr Bill
Bronwyn Harrison
Masters of Creative Industries studentSAE Diploma of 3D Animation Production offers:
Learn in a collaborative environment where your teachers are also your mentors.
SAE has a range of approaches to learning and teaching - virtual and on-campus - to provide flexibility and real-world application.
Apply your learning to industry-standard software packages like Autodesk 3DS Max and Maya and the Adobe Creative Suite.
YOUR CAREER IN ANIMATION BEGINS NOW
ANIMATION COURSE COVERS
We carefully design and deliver all our units to help you develop the knowledge you need to be successful in your chosen field of study. Courses and course units at SAE follow best practice teaching and learning.
FEE‑HELP* is an Australian Government loan scheme that assists eligible fee paying students pay all or part of their tuition fees. It cannot be used for additional study costs such as accommodation or text books. The total amount of FEE‑HELP a person can use is known as the ‘FEE‑HELP limit’.
Once a person begins using FEE‑HELP, the amount of FEE‑HELP they have left to use is known as their ‘FEE‑HELP balance’.
* Terms and conditions apply. For the latest updates regarding FEE-HELP please refer to sae.edu.au/fees
CREDIT AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING
SAE may recognise your prior learning and may grant credit towards satisfying the requirements for a higher-level program. This is applied where previous learning is considered equivalent to the content and learning outcomes prescribed for units within the program.
For full details, please refer to SAE’s policy on recognition of prior learning and credit transfers.
