Program Overview

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Illustration BA (Hons)

Overview

Illustration is all about being curious and imaginative and telling stories through art. On this course, you’ll get to bring your unique perspective to life through your art. It’s a chance to explore and respond to different situations in your own creative voice.

Our Illustration degree allows you to immerse yourself in a vibrant artistic community where you can explore and refine your creative practice. You’ll have the freedom to experiment with different mediums and techniques, from life and location drawing and printmaking to animation and 3d modelling. Working in a studio setting helps students from across artistic expressions to work together and learn from each other, creating a strong sense of community.

Workshops, studio critiques, and individual tutorials are key to your development as an illustrator, helping you build confidence in your ideas and artistic processes. You’ll also benefit from regular guest lectures from publishers, agents, and working illustrators throughout the year, giving you the chance to engage with the creative arts industry.

You’ll have the chance to work with industry professionals on live projects, showcase your work in a final year exhibition, and get hands-on experience producing and selling artwork for professional art fairs. There will also be paid work opportunities to assist in delivering an annual series of workshops at the Hay Festival, a popular international arts festival. In your third year, you’ll be supported in applying for jobs and placements, providing a fantastic opportunity to gain real-world experience and build valuable connections.

Course Content

Each year you will study a mix of mandatory and optional modules. This flexibility lets you explore different illustration styles and try new mediums to establish your own creative identity.

Year 1

• Mandatory modules
  • Drawing for Illustrators
  • Image and Text
  • Illustration: Digital Processes
  • Illustration: Origins and Function
• Optional modules
  • Creative Typography
  • Illustration and Printmaking
  • Optional modules offered by the Centre for Academic English and Skills/Institute of Education

Year 2

• [Insert modules]

Year 3

• [Insert modules]

Careers

Illustration is an expanding profession within the Creative Industries. The cultural importance of visual media has been increasing significantly, with the industry evolving to value imagery that can translate ideas, concepts and compelling stories.

By studying Illustration, you will grow into a skilled and confident image maker, capable of presenting your work and effectively communicating within the industry. You'll gain experience working with design and advertising agencies, as well as national brands, through opportunities to collaborate on live briefs set by clients.

By the time you graduate, you'll have a strong portfolio, and the skills needed to launch a successful career in the creative industries.

You could be a:

• Editorial illustrator
• Agency designer
• Freelance illustrator
• Concept artist
• Graphic novelist
• Children’s book illustrator
• Fashion illustrator
• Graphic designer
• Medical illustrator

Opportunities to Progress

Opportunities to progress onto postgraduate study at Worcester include our Creative Media MA and Art and Design MPhil/PhD. If you’re looking to pursue teaching as a career you may be interested in our PGCE Primary or PGCE Secondary (Art and Design) courses.

Course Highlights

• Final year exhibition
  • You’ll work with classmates and lecturers to create a public exhibition in the third year of your degree. This is a chance for you to showcase your work to industry experts, and to celebrate your achievements with friends and family.

Teaching and Assessment

You’ll explore Illustration through studio tutorials, group discussion, seminars and workshops.

Your assessments will help prepare you for your career as an Illustrator. You’ll produce a professional portfolio, zines, online projects, proposals, learning journals, reflective pieces, and solo and collaborative exhibitions.

Teaching and Assessment Contents

• Teaching
• Contact time
• Independent self-study
• Duration
• Teaching staff
• Assessment
• Specification

You are taught through a combination of interactive workshops, lectures, on-site practical activities and studio practice. Interactive, studio-based sessions are intended to enable learning through integrated research-led teaching which directly informs the practical-based activity. The studio-based practicals are focused on developing image-making skills, visual problem-solving and developing a unique, personal visual language. Working in collaboration with peers is also embedded within sessions through group project work. Teaching is focused on delivering upon the University’s graduate attributes.

Entry Requirements

• UCAS tariff points required: 104
• Typical Offer
  • Qualification | Grade
    • A-level | BCC
    • BTEC National Extended Diploma | DMM
    • T-level | Merit
• Shortlisted applicants may be invited to attend an interview and to provide a portfolio for consideration.

Fees

UK and EU Students

• The Government has announced that it will increase tuition fees and maintenance loans by 3.1% from the 2025/26 academic cycle. Subject to approval, the University intends to increase our tuition fees in line with this and as per our terms and conditions. This means that from September 2025 the standard fee for full-time home and EU undergraduate students on BA/BSc/LLB degrees and FdA/FdSc degrees will be £9,535 per year for new and continuing students.

International Students

• The standard tuition fee for full-time international students enrolling on BA/BSc/LLB degrees and FdA/FdSc degrees in the 2025/26 academic year is £16,700 per year.