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Illustration
- BA (Hons)
- 3 Years
- Full-time
- 21/09/2026
- Undergraduate
- Cardiff Met - Llandaff
- Awarded by:
- Cardiff Metropolitan University (Prifysgol Metropolitan Caerdydd)
Course summary
Illustrations are active images; they always have a purpose, making sense of complex ideas. As illustrators, you will work to enable understanding of the everyday - from enriching literature and poetry, to responding to societal issues from science and medicine to politics and economics. You will develop rich imaginative responses to build your unique practice, inviting your audiences in.
With core skills in drawing and narrative you will explore and experiment with materials, developing a range of both technical skills to find your own visual languages with which to tackle challenging subject matter.
Through our unique curriculum you will grow a practice that is defined in its purpose not only by how you make your work but importantly by what the work is about, and how it communicates, underpinned theoretically and historically.
You will test your illustrations in a variety of environments and scenarios – exploring beyond the immediate world of the illustrator through, for example; animation, film, printed and digital media to contextualise and articulate your discipline, enriching your work with a greater understanding of the environment it operates in.
Illustration is constantly extending its reach. Whether it’s working with clients and collaborators or authoring and directing your own projects, you will graduate with a multitude of transferable skills.
As students in illustration you will join our Vertical Studio where you will explore, examine and reveal the discipline through dynamic conversations, debates and presentations, unlocking the power of illustration.
The challenge is to understand and use visual trends in a critical way, whilst developing your own unique approaches – all while taking into account the power of images in a visually saturated world. Through the three years of study you will shape your own unique practice so that it speaks in a way that is inclusive of your audience.
Qualified teacher status (QTS)
To work as a teacher at a state school in England or Wales, you will need to achieve qualified teacher status (QTS). This is offered on this course for the following level:
- Course does not award QTS
How to apply
Apply by
14 January
This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.
Application codes
- Course code:
- W220
- Institution code:
- C20
- Campus name:
- Cardiff Met - Llandaff
- Campus Code:
- 1
Points of entry
The following entry points are available for this course:
- Year 1
Entry requirements
Qualification requirements
UCAS Tariff - 96 - 120 points
96 - 120 points to include 2 A levels or equivalent.
A level - CCC - BBB
Other grade combinations totalling 96 - 120 points considered with a minimum of two A levels.
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016) - MMM - DDM
Access to HE Diploma - D: 33 credits M: 0 credits P: 12 credits
96 - 120 points, other grade combinations accepted.
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
96 - 120 points, considered in combination with other Level 3 qualifications.
Scottish Advanced Higher - DDD - CCC
Other grade combinations totalling 96 - 120 points considered with a minimum of two Scottish Advanced Highers.
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme - 24 points
24 points to include portfolio.
WJEC Level 3 Advanced Skills Baccalaureate Wales
Welsh Advanced Skills Baccalaureate considered as the third subject
Welsh Baccalaureate - Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate (last awarded Summer 2024)
Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate considered as the third A level
Leaving Certificate - Higher Level (Ireland) (first awarded in 2017) - H2, H2, H2, H2
Other grade combinations totalling 96 - 120 points considered with a minimum of two H2 grades. Minimum grade H4 considered within points.
GCSE/National 4/National 5
Five GCSEs at grade C or above/grade 4 or above to include English Language and Mathematics. For Welsh applicants we will accept either GCSE Mathematics or Mathematics-Numeracy.
Five Scottish National 5 subjects at grade C or above to include English Language and Mathematics
OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Diploma - MMM - DDM
OCR Cambridge Technical Diploma
96 - 120 points, considered in combination with other Level 3 qualifications.
If your qualifications are not listed above, please contact Cardiff Met Admissions who will advise you
Find out more about qualification requirements for this course.
Additional entry requirements
- Portfolio
- You will be asked attend a portfolio review which involves sharing your portfolio during a relaxed conversation with a member of the team - https://www.cardiffmet.ac.uk/school-of-art-and-design/advice-for-applicants/
English language requirements
| Test | Grade | Additional details |
|---|---|---|
| IELTS (Academic) | 6 | No element lower than 5.5. Academic IELTS test required. |
| PTE Academic | 52 | No element lower than 51 |
| TOEFL (iBT) | 72 | TOEFL Internet required. |
| Cambridge English Advanced | Level B2 | Minimum 169 (no element lower than 162) |
Contextual admissions
Universities and colleges consider more than grades when assessing applications and may make offers based on a range of criteria. Learn more about contextual offers.
Update on Historical Entry Grades Data
Please note that some courses include a foundation year, which has affected the accuracy of the data in this tool, which does not differentiate between Yr 0 entry and Yr 1 entry. As a result, these courses have been excluded this year. You can find more information on our website: www.cardiffmet.ac.uk/afteryouapply
This is the first year of the historical entry data tool (below), and we are committed to making improvements for future application cycles.
Historical entry grades data BETA
This section shows the range of grades students (with UK A-Levels or Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diplomas) who received offers were previously accepted with (learn more). It is designed to support your research but does not guarantee whether you will or won't get a place. Admissions teams consider various factors, including interviews, subject requirements, and entrance tests. Check all course entry requirements for eligibility.
Not enough data available
We are unable to show previous accepted grades for this course. This could be because the course is new, it's a postgraduate course, there isn't enough historical data, or the provider has opted out of sharing their entry grades data for this course - learn more.
Fees and funding
Tuition fees
| Location | Fee | Year |
|---|---|---|
| England | £9790 | Year 1 |
| Northern Ireland | £9790 | Year 1 |
| Scotland | £9790 | Year 1 |
| Wales | £9790 | Year 1 |
| Republic of Ireland | £9790 | Year 1 |
| EU | £16000 | Year 1 |
| International | £16000 | Year 1 |
Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website.
Additional fee information
For additional costs relating to this programme, please refer to - https://www.cardiffmet.ac.uk/additionalcosts
Fee information can be found at - https://www.cardiffmet.ac.uk/fees
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Course contact details
Admissions
Email:askadmissions@cardiffmet.ac.uk
Phone:029 2041 6010
Open Days
Email:opendays@cardiffmet.ac.uk
Phone:02920416042
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