Graphic Storytelling

The Animation Workshop is happy to welcome exchange students to our Bachelor's degree programmes. At the Graphic Storytelling Programme you will learn to tell visual stories.

Type

Exchange

Duration

1 semester (30 ECTS)

Campus city

Viborg

Study start

August/September and January/February

About the Graphic Storytelling exchange programme

  • As an exchange student, you will enroll in our full degree programmes taught in English. You will be joining a class consisting of both international and Danish students.

    Language

    The programme is taught in English

    Duration of the semesters

    Autumn semester 2024: 26 August – 31 January 2025

    Spring semester 2025: 6 January - 27 June 2025

    The courses

    2nd semester (spring semester, even years)

    Content

    The 2nd semester opens with a series of modules about telling satisfying and compelling short stories in crystal clear comics form before moving into dedicated writing modules. It culminates with The Comic Book Project, in which students write and draw 28 page comics in groups of four.

    Programme elements

    • Sequential Storytelling 1 – 20 ECTS
    • Computer Based Tools – 5 ECTS
    • Elective 1 – 5 ECTS

    Please find a description of the relevant programme elements in the curriculum, where you can read more about the learning objectives and the exam for this semester. The programme elements should be stated in your learning agreement if you are accepted on an exchange semester.

    3rd semester (fall semester, even years)

    Content

    This semester focuses on colour theory, digital painting and comics colouring, before moving into illustration for books, magazines and newspapers.

    Programme elements

    • Illustration - 15 ECTS
    • World Building – 15 ECTS

    Please find a description of the relevant programme elements in the curriculum, where you can read more about the learning objectives and the exam for this semester. The programme elements should be stated in your learning agreement if you are accepted on an exchange semester.

    4th semester (spring semester, odd years)

    Content

    The semester opens with a five-week exploration of world building as well as character and environment design before diving into the fundamentals of writing long form fiction within different genres and for different target audiences, all building up to the Graphic Novel Pitch, in which students create a synopsis for a longform comic and 8 sample pages, all of which they then pitch to comics publishers at the end of the semester.

    Programme elements

    • Sequential Storytelling 2 – 20 ECTS
    • Inter-aesthetic Collaboration – 5 ECTS
    • Pitching – 5 ECTS

    Please find a description of the relevant programme elements in the curriculum, where you can read more about the learning objectives and the exam for this semester. The programme elements should be stated in your learning agreement if you are accepted on an exchange semester.

    5th semester (fall semester, odd years)

    Content

    The 5th semester goes beyond comics as students apply their visual storytelling skills to animation, video games and beyond, honing their character, prop and environment design skills and gaining a solid foundation in storyboarding.

    Programme elements

    • Digital and Interactive Productions – 10 ECTS
    • World and Character Design – 10 ECTS
    • Portfolio and Career Planning 1 – 5 ECTS
    • Elective 2 – 5 ECTS

    Please find a description of the relevant programme elements in the curriculum, where you can read more about the learning objectives and the exam for this semester. The programme elements should be stated in your learning agreement if you are accepted on an exchange semester.

  • We warmly welcome international students. Studying at the school for a semester is a unique opportunity to specialize and dive into the field of graphic storytelling – as well as an opportunity to get to know Denmark.

    To be an exchange student at The Animation Workshop, your home institution must have an exchange agreement with us. If you do not know, if your institution is a partner of The Animation Workshop, please contact the international office at your home institution. 

    If your university does not have a partner agreement with The Animation Workshop or if you are a graduate wishing to study at The Animation Workshop to strengthen your profile, it is also possible to do so for a fee at our professional training courses: Programmes and courses - The Animation Workshop (via.dk)

    We are currently looking into the opportunities of welcoming students from the EU and EEA countries from other institutions as guest students for a semester at the bachelor programmes. For now we do not have further information on this, but we will update our website if this will be possible.

  • On this page you will find a step-by-step guide on how to apply for an exchange at VIA University College: How to apply for VIA Education Exchange | VIA

    Please note that per definition, taking an exchange semester requires that your home institution has an exchange (inter-institutional) agreement with The Animation Workshop, VIA University College.

    When applying in the application portal MoveOn you must attach the following:

    • Copy of an identity document
    • Identity photo
    • Academic transcript of records
      • Copy of most recent official and certified official transcript from home university. If the official academic documents are in a language other than English, we will require an official English translation of the documents (including grades).
    • Motivational letter
    • Proof of language proficiency
    • Learning agreement (if ready at time of application)
    • Portfolio

     

    Portfolio requirements

    In order to apply for an exchange semester at the Graphic Storytelling programme, you must send us examples of your work/a link to a portfolio website. Specifically, we want to see at least one comic you’ve done (5+ pages), at least 5 illustrations, at least 5 life drawings and at least one prose piece. Please note that we may ask for more samples, if we find it hard to judge your level based on the work handed in.

    After the application deadline, we will review the applications and invite qualified applicants to participate in an online interview (e.g. Skype or Zoom). The interview is meant to clarify expectations and determine whether the course you applied to is a good match for you.

    Language requirements

    If English is not your first language, you will need to provide documentation of your English language level. VIA University College requires that you have an English level of B2 or higher (certificate is required), as you must be able to understand spoken English when following courses and be able to write assignments and reports in English.

    As documentation, we accept confirmation of a B2 level from your home institution or one of the following internationally recognized language tests: TOEFL, IELTS or the Cambridge ESOL test.

    For more information see English proficiency requirements

    Other requirements 

    In order to apply, you should have completed at least one years of studies in related areas and be 18 years old or more.

  • Exchange students do not pay tuition fees.

    Per definition, exchange stays are an exchange of one or more students between partner universities and therefore, exchange students do not pay tuition fees.

  • Need help before applying?

    If you are not sure which study programme is right for you, it might be helpful for you to talk to our international coordinator. 

    International Coordinator
    Anne-Mette Nystrøm
    E: amsj@via.dk
    T: +45 87 55 34 06

    You are always welcome to contact us.

    VIA University College
    The Animation Workshop
    Kasernevej 5
    DK-8800 Viborg 

    T: 87 55 49 00
    E: taw.bachelor@via.dk  

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