Illustration

Turn your passion for art and creativity into a professional career in illustration.

Ideal for creative individuals passionate about illustration, this course is designed to help you develop your unique style, build a tailored portfolio and gain the skills and industry insight needed to launch a successful, flexible career in the creative industries.

• Explore diverse illustration techniques and media.

• Engage in projects that reflect personal interests and career goals.

• Collaborate with peers across creative disciplines.

Why you should study this course

• Focus on your individual creative development.

• You will have opportunities to tailor your portfolio for specific career paths.

• Study in an interdisciplinary learning environment.

• Gain access to experienced illustrators and industry professionals.

• Prepare yourself for a career in publishing, advertising, illustration or digital media.

Where our graduates work
Previous graduates have gone onto post-graduate study, internships, freelance work and commissions, creative design and visualisation. These have included working for some prestigious employers, including:

• Codemasters Gaming, Warwickshire

• Design-by-Touch toy and app design agency, Leamington Spa

• Nettl Web Design, Birmingham

• Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon

• McCann creative agency, Birmingham

• HanSpringett Ltd, Bucharest Romania

• Armstrong Wolfe, Cheltenham

• 22 Digital Ltd, UK

• Havas Design, London UK

• Uncrowd, Germany

• Hutch, UK

Our students have been shortlisted and won various national and internationally recognised competitions including: D&AD, The Silent Book Prize, The House of Illustration, Macmillan Prize for Children’s Picture Book Illustration, Adobe Championships, the Creative Conscience Awards, and ‘The one to watch’ Award at New Designers.

The graduate destinations listed above illustrate potential career paths. You may need to gain additional qualifications or practical experience, pass professional examinations, complete training, cover associated costs and meet specific visa or immigration requirements to secure employment in these fields.

Please visit our website for the most up-to-date information.

This course includes a sandwich (placement year) option.

Course Modules

This course has a common first year.

The common first year enables you to work alongside students doing similar courses to you, to widen your knowledge and exposure to other subject areas and professions. You will have the opportunity to collaborate with other students, so you can share your insights and experience which will help you to develop and learn.

If you discover an interest in a specific subject you have studied, upon successful completion of your first year, you could swap degrees with another course in your common first year (subject to meeting progression requirements.

Common first year courses:

Fine Art BA (Hons)
Illustration BA (Hons)
Photography BA (Hons)

Year One Modules:
Creative Thinking
Processes and Materials
Professional Contexts
Creative Practice

Year Two Modules:
Style and Meaning
Innovative Approaches in Illustration
Illustration Showcase
Content Creation

Sandwich Year:
There’s no better way to find out what you love doing than trying it out for yourself, which is why a work placement can often be beneficial. Work placements2 usually occur between your second and final year of study. They’re a great way to help you explore your potential career path and gain valuable work experience, whilst developing transferable skills for the future.

Final Year Modules:
Illustration Pathways
Personal Portfolio
Creative Self-Promotion
Commercial Portfolio

We regularly review our course content, to make it relevant and current for the benefit of our students. For these reasons, course modules may be updated.