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Illustration

1 Study option · UndergraduateWaterside Campus
Awarded by:
The University of Northampton

Course options

2026-2027
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Course summary

Why choose this course?

The BA Illustration at the University of Northampton puts the power of storytelling and visual communication at the heart of what we do.

The course emphasises the importance of supporting students to develop their own visual language through a range of media and approaches from page to screen, 3D, installation and interaction. Through this holistic programme you can experiment and innovate using idea generation and real-world application to create work with meaning and purpose. Other highlights include:

  • Strong links with industry plus lots of opportunities to work with ‘live’ projects, competition briefs and collaboration with other subjects.

  • Access to specialist resources with technical instruction and support such as; printmaking, photography, sculpture, 3D printing, lasercutting, VR and digital media.

  • Opportunities to exhibit your work publicly.

  • Mac computer design and reprographics suite.

UON’s Design Studies subject area was ranked 16th based on overall student positivity out of all universities in England, according to the latest 2025 National Student Survey (NSS)*

Our Illustration course has been successful in the 2026 Guardian University Guide as part of the Graphic Design subject grouping:

Ranked 10th for Satisfied with Teaching for Graphic Design**

By studying at the University of Northampton, you can be sure that:

  • You will experience student life at the University’s £330 million Waterside Campus. Come along to an Open Day and find out more.

  • Students enrolling on this course at Northampton will be provided with their own brand new laptop*** to keep at no additional cost. All sports clubs and societies are free to join at Northampton and every essential course text book is available via the library, meaning you won’t have to purchase copies. For more information on this visit our website (northampton.ac.uk/benefits).

  • At UON we guarantee a room in our Halls of Residence for all new full-time, first year students who apply and accept their room offer by June 2025 - and we won't ask for a deposit for September 2025****.

  • Our expert academics teach in small groups supported with one to one assistance. Our academics and students form a tight bond, providing individualised support and guidance whilst challenging students academically.

  • Whatever your ambitions, we’re here to help you to achieve them. We’ll support you to identify the skills you’re learning during your course, find your strengths and secure practical experience so that when it comes to applying for jobs or further study you’ll feel confident in standing out from the crowd.

The Northampton Employment Promise

  • In fact, we’re so confident in our careers and employability support that if you achieve at least a 2:2 degree and complete either our Employability Plus Gold programme or achieve a Changemaker Gold Certificate during your time studying with us, but still haven’t secured full-time employment 12 months after graduating, we will secure a three – six month paid internship for you or support you into postgraduate study.

✱ Calculations are based on Office for Students (OfS) data from the average positivity score across all NSS questions for this subject area across all modes and levels at UK Universities.
✱✱ Data taken from the 2026 Guardian University Guide Graphic Design Subject table, filtered by Satisfied with Teaching.
✱✱✱ eligibility criteria and terms and conditions apply. See northampton.ac.uk/benefits for more information
✱✱✱✱ eligibility criteria apply. See northampton.ac.uk/student-life/accommodation/ for more information

Ways to study this course

Campuses

  • Waterside Campus

Study options

  • BA (Hons) • Full-time • 3 Years

Start dates

  • 21/09/2026

Application codes

Course code:
W220
Institution code:
N38

University of Northampton has participated in the Teaching Excellence Framework. These ratings were awarded in 2023, for four years.

See why these ratings were awarded
What does this TEF outcome mean?

How to apply

Application codes

Course code:
W220
Institution code:
N38

Chat to student ambassadors

Discover what it's like to study Illustration at University of Northampton: insights on the course, making friends, personal statement tips, uni prep, and recommended books, podcasts, and videos.

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  • Grace

    University of Northampton
    Ba International Relations & Politics
    Hi! My name is Grace. I’m 19 and currently in my second year of my Politics and International Relations degree. Outside of my academic interests, I enjoy reading, watching films and television (particularly in the horror genre) and occasionally baking, alongside being a student ambassador. I am originally from the Midlands but have been living in Northampton throughout my studies. If you have any questions about student life or studies in general please feel free to message me!

  • Ihtisham Ur

    University of Northampton
    Msc In International Business Management
    With a strong passion for global business strategy and problem-solving, I aspire to become a business consultant and strategist. The University of Northampton has provided me with a dynamic learning environment, modern facilities, and invaluable opportunities to grow both personally and professionally. Whether you're curious about the course, campus life, or career prospects, feel free to reach out, I'm here to help!

  • Jacqui

    University of Northampton
    Bsc Psychology
    I am 50 years of age, originally from Glasgow in Scotland and left school in 1989, with 8 O' Grades (GCSE’s) and 5 Higher (A Levels). Desperate for a new adventure and to start working and earning, I applied for a job in Television Production in London. I successfully worked for an independent company in Soho, initially as a Production Runner, progressing finally to Production Manager. I returned to Glasgow for a year, to work for BBC Scotland as Production Manager, before taking time out to travel in 1999. I travelled throughout Southeast Asia, Australia, New Zealand, and America for 2 years. On return, I moved to Brighton, East Sussex where I worked for American Express, a lifestyle magazine called Venus, and as a volunteer for the Brighton Unemployed Family project, between 2001 and 2012. Brighton is where I met my husband and went on to have two children, a girl, and a boy. Ava who is now 15 years old and Lochlan who is 13. 8 years ago, my Husbands job transferred to their other site near Leamington, bringing the family to the midlands. We now live in the village of Weedon, a half-hour drive, west of Northampton. Since living in Weedon I have completed 7 years working in primary education. I began working in Special Needs as a 1:1 and in my 5th year at Weedon Primary, I completed an HLTA course through Northampton University, qualifying me to teach years 1 to 6 in primary school. I have trained in Autism, Attachment Disorder, Dyslexia, Speech, and language among others. I ran nurture groups and introduced a kinaesthetic approach to a lot of my teaching, after researching its efficacy in primary schools. During my school career, I have been fascinated by how children learn. Some by doing, others by seeing. I have come to love the continual questions from children and the challenge and adventure of not always knowing the answers. Throughout my working life, I have loved interacting with people, obsessing over human behaviour and how the mind works and influences decisions. My favourite literature often tackles aspects of psychology and I find it an extremely exciting and alluring subject. Throughout the lockdown period, it became apparent that I was not fully satisfied with my career and felt I was ready to learn and take on a new challenge. My initial thought was to go into Educational Psychology but with more investigation, I decided it was time to move away from education and start something new. My next thought was counselling, which I am still very much keen on exploring and could see a possible future career. As a volunteer in Brighton Unemployed Centre Family Project, I assisted low-income families and homeless people, realising my ability to listen sensitively and offer solace. Completing a course for the British College of Journalism a few years ago, I gained skills in reporting and analysing as well as fuelling my curiosity in psychology. I wrote articles on social, biological, and cognitive psychology. From a piece on music and memory to another on psychology in pain management. Having completed a year of the single honours psychology course I now feel the career direction I want to go into is counselling psychology. I have recently secured a part-time job locally with the group of Northampton psychiatric hospitals (NHFT) and ideally, would love to complete my master's within the NHS but if not I will probably stay at the University of Northampton to complete my master's in counselling.

  • Nadeline

    University of Northampton
    Bsc Accounting & Finance
    Hi! My name is Nadeline and I’m from Indonesia. Aside from being an Accounting & Finance student, I love to dance and have been a part of the UON Dance Team since last year. I also enjoy taking a walk in the outdoors, going to museums, and shopping! I look forward to helping new students as a Unibuddy Ambassador, so feel free to ask me anything!

  • Christa

    University of Northampton
    Bsc Podiatry
    Hi, I’m Christa and I’m currently studying Podiatry. I’ve always been passionate about healthcare and this course has given me the opportunity to explore that passion while making a real difference. Outside of my studies, I play for the university’s Women’s Rugby Union team and love staying active by going to the gym or enjoying walks in the open air. I’m here to help answer any questions you have so feel free to ask!

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.

Data from:
This course and 4 other design studies courses
Date range:
2022-2024

Grades held by accepted students

For University of Northampton, the top and bottom 5% of student grades have been removed from these calculations. This change helps to remove any extraordinary circumstances that could impact the data. Learn more here .
BCC Most common
  1. ABB
  2. Highest grades
  3. DDE
  4. Lowest grades

Offer rate for UK school & college leavers

80% Students aged 17/18 who applied to this course were offered a place.

How do you compare?

See how students with your grades have been accepted onto this course in the past.

Student Outcomes

Operated by the Office for Students

70 Employment after 15 months (Most common jobs)

75 Go onto work and study

The number of student respondents and response rates can be important in interpreting the data – it is important to note your experience may be different from theirs. This data will be based on the subject area rather than the specific course. Read more about this data on the Discover Uni website.

Fees and funding

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