
BA (Hons) Illustration
This industry-informed degree explores and defines what it means to be an illustrator today. You’ll combine authentic image-making with real-world commercial practices to build a robust, fulfilling and lifelong illustration career.
On this course, you’ll cultivate a variety of conceptual and image-making methods by dissecting and tackling the essential ‘ingredients’ of illustration and how you might apply them to your own creative practice. You’ll be challenged to cultivate a culturally curious attitude while being mindful of the ethical responsibilities that accompany the field of illustration.
Find out more about BA (Hons) Illustration at Arts University Plymouth.
<ul><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr">Degree: BA (Hons) Illustration<br /></p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr">UCAS codes: 3-year degree W220 / 4-year extended degree W221<br /></p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr">Typical UCAS points: 104–120</p></li></ul>
<p dir="ltr">You’ll become an effective practitioner in the areas you feel most connected to, informed by the expert experience of your tutors, who work in those fields:</p><ul><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr">Editorial<br /></p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr">Advertising<br /></p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr">Narrative<br /></p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr">Books<br /></p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr">Research</p></li></ul>
<p dir="ltr">You will be challenged to develop authentic ways of working, assuming agency and autonomy as an image-maker and learning what this means to you as a practitioner.</p>

What stood out for me at Arts University Plymouth is the fact that it’s a dedicated art university. In other universities that I looked at, the arts were really pushed to the side – but here it was really inspiring to see that the whole university is dedicated to creativity and creative subjects. Another big selling point was the high contact time with tutors, which I really took advantage of. Throughout my course, there was never a point where there were long waits to speak to tutors or get feedback on work, which was so valuable.
Illustrator Jake Williams, clients include New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Facebook, Samsung and Harper Collins
<p dir="ltr">You’ll cultivate conceptual and image-making methods by dissecting and tackling the essential ‘ingredients’ of illustration and applying them to your own creative practice.</p>
<p dir="ltr">You’ll approach independent projects with a critical mindset, considering the purpose, rationale, production and application of your own original work.<br /></p>

Helena Dore, BA (Hons) Illustration
<p dir="ltr">You will be based in a spacious and naturally lit studio in the heart of our seaside city, where you’ll build your own unique blend of skills and attributes and grow into a well-rounded practitioner.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Within this supportive studio environment, you’ll delve into your subject both individually and as part of collaborative, interdisciplinary teams. We’ll inspire you to engage with our nurturing, student-led communities across the university, showcasing your final outputs as part of enterprising collectives, pop-up shops and curated exhibitions.<br /></p>
<p>During your time on the course you’ll engage with input from industry partners from around the world, including experienced illustrators Molly Mendoza, Roman Muradov and Tommy Parker, plus art directors, agents and project leaders from Profile Books, Airbnb, The National Trust and NoBrow.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Creative empowerment:</strong> You will learn how to make great work, developing your ability to express powerful ideas, evoke emotions, and communicate propositions through illustration. You will create artwork that exceeds what you think you’re capable of.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Professional empowerment:</strong> You will learn how to find and get work, building the refined set of skills needed to operate as a practising illustrator. You will become comfortable working with real clients, dealing with money, and maintaining professional relationships.</p>
<p><strong>Personal empowerment:</strong> You will learn how to enjoy your work, nurturing your independent creativity, confidence, and fulfilment. Across your time on the course, through compassionate teaching and a studio of peers, you will become more than an illustrator.</p>

Student Grace Betteridge
<p dir="ltr">Career opportunities include:</p><ul><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr"><strong>Freelance commercial illustration</strong>, focused in, or moving between, areas such as editorial (newspapers and magazines), picture books, branding, technology or advertising<br /></p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr"><strong>In-house illustration</strong> in areas such as packaging, technology or retail<br /></p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr"><strong>Graphic design</strong> within an agency, studio or as a freelancer<br /></p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr"><strong>Studio management and art direction</strong> within an agency, studio, or larger creative organisation<br /></p></li></ul>
<p><strong>Further study and qualifications</strong>, with options to move into creative education or a more specific creative niche</p>
<p>It’s an industry-informed degree that explores and defines what it means to be an illustrator today, combining authentic image-making with real-world commercial practices.</p>
<p>You can become an effective practitioner in the areas you feel most connected to, including editorial, advertising, narrative, books and research.</p>
<p>You’ll dissect and tackle the essential ‘ingredients’ of illustration and apply them to your own creative practice, cultivating conceptual and image-making methods.</p>
<p>Yes. You’ll be challenged to develop authentic ways of working, assuming agency and autonomy as an image-maker.</p>
<p>You’ll approach independent projects with a critical mindset, considering the purpose, rationale, production and application of your own original work.</p>
<p>You’ll be based in a spacious and naturally lit studio in the heart of our seaside city, within a supportive studio environment.</p>
<p>Yes. You’ll delve into your subject both individually and as part of collaborative, interdisciplinary teams.</p>
<p>Yes. You’ll showcase final outputs as part of enterprising collectives, pop-up shops and curated exhibitions, engaging with nurturing, student-led communities across the university.</p>
<p>Yes. You’ll engage with input from industry partners from around the world, including illustrators Molly Mendoza, Roman Muradov and Tommy Parker, and art directors, agents and project leaders from Profile Books, Airbnb, The National Trust and NoBrow.</p>
<p>You could work in freelance commercial illustration, in-house illustration, graphic design, studio management and art direction, or progress to further study and qualifications.</p>

Student Amy Ottley
The facilities at AUP are incredible, it's nice not to be in an Art Department shoved into the corner of a larger university and instead be surrounded by every type of creative person you can think of. Freedom of expression is huge here and seeing everyone be truly themselves is a really lovely thing & definitely helps build a good, positive community
NSS 2023 FEEDBACK FOR ILLUSTRATION
<p>All students at Arts University Plymouth can access specialist support via our Student Support Team. Our trained advisers offer information and guidance on student finance and funding, disability support, counselling and more.<a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/disability-support-and-reasonable-adjustments" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><br /><br />Click here</a> to read more about the support we offer.</p>
<ul><li><strong>Email: </strong><a href="mailto:ILLUSTRATION@aup.ac.uk">illustration@aup.ac.uk</a></li><li><strong>Instagram: </strong><a href="https://www.instagram.com/aup_illustration/">@aup_illustration</a></li></ul>
<p>After successful completion of BA (Hons) Illustration, your progression options at Arts University Plymouth could include some of the postgraduate courses listed below. As a graduate of the university, you will be entitled to a discount of 15% on postgraduate study fees if you choose to progress onto one of our MA programmes.</p>




