Program Overview

BA (Hons) International Illustration (Top Up)

The BA (Hons) International Illustration top-up will support students to think innovatively and respond to global trends in design. This course will expand critical and conceptual thinking and encourage an understanding of wider global and creative professional design practice, whilst enabling students to develop an individual positioning for their professional design practice.

Course Overview

• The course will facilitate students to undertake projects with an external professional and international focus, run in collaboration with a range of academic and professional partners.
• The projects will offer high-quality opportunities to acquire external professional and international perspectives, and further develop collaborative skills and design practice knowledge within a range of international and/or professional contexts.

Features and Benefits

• This is an ideal degree if students want to top up their existing qualifications and achieve a BA (Hons) degree in just one year.
• Successful completion of the course will also enable those with a high enough grade to join one of Manchester School of Art’s MA programmes.
• Opportunity to work alongside a student group with diverse experiences and educational and cultural backgrounds.
• Collaborate with current students and industry partners as part of the interdisciplinary Unit X module.

Accreditations, Awards, and Endorsements

• The university has received an overall gold status in the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF), meaning it's rated as an outstanding university for student experience.

Year 1

• Students will work more independently and focus on their particular strengths, deciding which contexts are most suitable for their visual language.
• Core modules include:
  • Illustration with Animation Authorship: Through the use of negotiated learning agreements, students produce a body of work which continues to extend their individual creative practice.
  • Unit X: A student-authored final project leading to a showcase of finished work. The module includes a brief generated by the student, which leads to the presentation of a significant body of final work.
  • Global Design: Cultures, Contexts, and Methods: This module will equip students with a thorough knowledge and understanding into the extensive contexts that impact contemporary international design practice.

Study and Assessment

• Year 1: 40% lectures, seminars, or similar; 60% independent study.
• Year 1: 100% coursework.
• Ten credits equate to 100 hours of study, which is a combination of lectures, seminars, and practical sessions, and independent study.

Entry Requirements

• These typical entry requirements may be subject to change for the 2026/27 academic year.
• A portfolio of work is required as part of the application.
• International students must meet specific English language requirements, such as IELTS.

Fees and Funding

• Tuition fees for the 2026/27 academic year are still being finalized for all courses.
• Information on 2025/26 standard undergraduate fees for UK/Channel Islands and EU/Non-EU international students is available.

Careers Support and Prospects

• 88.7% of UK-domiciled, full-time, first-degree graduates are employed or in further study 15 months after graduation.
• Through the Careers Service, students will be supported and encouraged to get ready for further study or working life, including starting their own business.
• Illustration graduates from Manchester Met will be well-prepared to embark on a variety of careers within the creative industries, including freelance/in-house design and illustration, book arts and publishing, advertising, filmmaking, storyboarding, animation, teaching, and more.

Related Courses

• BA (Hons) Illustration with Animation
• BA (Hons) International Graphic Design (Top Up)