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Laura (Veera) Kauppinen was spending a few years travelling around the US and Australia, where she not only fed her wanderlust, but found something more profound: a future in which she would love what she does for a living. Many people had acknowledged her talent in the arts and encouraged her to go to art school. “I wasn’t ready to stop travelling yet so I decided to look into studying abroad. I found out about the School of Arts at the University of Worcester (UW) and saw that they offered an animation course,” the Finn says. “I liked how helpful and friendly the international staff were during my application process and the city of Worcester looked gorgeous!”
Source: University of Worcester
Picturesque vistas are just one of many factors that draw many students to UW. Undergraduate programmes here include Animation, Illustration, Filmmaking, Fine Art, Fine Art with Psychology, Game Art, Graphic Design, Graphic Design, Advertising and Marketing, Journalism, Screenwriting, Dance, Theatre, Acting and Performance, and many more. One of the strengths of the School are the Joint Honours programmes which enable students to sharpen a range of complimentary skills across two disciplines.
At the postgraduate level, UW offers a Creative Media MA as well as MPhil/PhDs. All courses comprise academic exploration and high-level research with something more tangible: practical, real-world skills. To do this, the School of Arts takes students into the professional world of the creative practitioner. UW students benefit from partnerships with major arts organisations, learning from staff who still operate as creative industry professionals, and being taught through practice in studio settings. Most programmes culminate in a public presentation too, via performances, exhibitions and events, which has also resulted in students winning prestigious industry awards.
The School’s approach is through “concept realisation,”, which means putting ideas into practice and creating new products. It’s a journey that lets each student find their own creative voices as they learn how to tell stories through commentary, questions and observations about human experience and behaviour.
The location? Worcester — a university and cathedral city that’s safe, quintessentially English and teeming with community spirit. It’s near the border of Wales and within travelling distance of Oxford, Manchester, London, the Cotswolds and Stratford (the birthplace of William Shakespeare). The Worcestershire countryside is idyllic, with various hiking trails and walks, while the city centre has no shortage of shopping, dining and sporting options.
Source: University of Worcester
Everyone is welcome here. There are currently some 10,000 students in UW, bonded together in a close-knit community. Around 5% to 7% of UW students are from abroad, with 20% of students coming from all over Europe. This diversity is matched by the wide variety of spaces, resources and expert technicians available here — all of which give UW students the support to succeed at every level.
Source: University of Worcester
Kauppinen, now an Animation and Film Production (BA) Hons student, can attest to this. As part of her study abroad module, she travelled to Duluth, Minnesota to study art and film. When she wasn’t outdoors exploring the beautiful north shore of Lake Superior, she aced assignments by a professor passionate about animation. Kauppinen sharpened her skills in timing and weight — and she got good enough that when she asked her professor for internship opportunities in Minnesota, her professor said yes and showed Kauppinen’s work to a contact of hers.
“About a week later, I received an email from her saying that the Ancient Order of the Wooden Skull studio would like to take a look at my portfolio. I emailed them and scheduled an interview,” she says. “I found out during this process that the stop motion studio is actually located in Los Angeles — the major hub of film and animation in the US. Once they agreed to have me as an intern I was over the moon with excitement!”
Source: University of Worcester
UW has been “extremely supportive” of Kauppinen’s internship plans. “We have been planning how to make sure I could have my internship while also completing my degree in Worcester and getting credit for my time in LA,” she says. “My tutors think this is an amazing opportunity for me to learn and get connections, so they have offered to have Zoom calls with me every now and then while I am in LA.”
In 2020, Kauppinen was picked as one of BBC Arts & Art Council of England’s New Creatives. She received a 5,000 pounds commission to produce a short animated film about climate change. “This opportunity gave me a chance to learn about how the industry works and about the inner workings of producing a film. I got to work with multiple talented people, including Sun & Moon in Bristol, to make my story come alive,” she says. “I am very happy to have this in my portfolio and I think it will be a very helpful addition while looking for a job. I also feel a lot more prepared to work in the industry from this amazing opportunity that being at UW provided.”
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