BA (Hons) Illustration (Jan 2025 Start)
Our January entry (Spring Term) BA (Hons) degrees allow students to study flexibly at home, in the studio or at one of our dedicated international host institutions. You'll complete your first year of study by the beginning of August, progressing straight into your second year in September after a summer break.
Hear from our Illustration Course Leader Sam Rowe and Lecturer Jack Viant about the Graphic Design January Start course.
<p>We offer a selection of BA (Hons) creative courses through our distance learning provision, where students begin their studies in January (<a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/study/distance-learning/key-dates">click here to see the Key Days for our Distance Learning courses</a>). Our vision for excellence in art and design distance learning, under the banner of our <a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/learning-teaching-assessment" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Connected Campus,</a> affords students flexibility in their studies whilst being a valued part of our community. </p>
<p>These three-year courses all share a common distance-learning first year, while specialising in a chosen subject, then progressing into named awards in year two and three. </p>
<p>The first year of your <strong>January Entry</strong> BA (Hons) Illustration course <strong>can be studied at home, in your own studio space, </strong>or at our<strong> dedicated international host institution</strong>. You will begin in January, and your studies will finish in August, allowing you to <strong>immediately progress on to your second year </strong>of study in September, which will take place on campus.<br /></p>
Ariel Buhlman, Ball, 2020.
<p>Illustration has the power to characterise moments, evoke emotion and propose alternate realities. From indie publishing and children’s literature, through to comic books and commercial products - this course will empower you to make your mark. Our expert staff will support you in developing professional skills including creative problem-solving, project management, and working to briefs and deadlines. <br /></p>
<p>Illustration is a competitive design discipline which requires high levels of commitment. Our expert staff will support you in developing professional skills including creative problem-solving, project management, and working to briefs and deadlines. We place high value on imagination and energy, alongside conceptual thinking and idea development, and we will support you in honing your technical skills and knowledge of contemporary trends. </p>
<p>Throughout the programme, you will extend your drawing skills to develop your personal visual language and identity. You’ll explore traditional and forward-looking image-making in different contexts, including editorial, publishing (book design and illustration, comics and graphic novels), surface pattern and print, moving image, graphic design and design-to-sell products (zines, toys, stationery, limited edition prints, and more). We’ll also challenge you to develop a culturally curious attitude and be sensitive to the ethical responsibilities that illustration comes with.<br /></p>
Charlotte Leadley, Scientists Discover Water, 2020.
<p>Our students benefit from high contact time with our dedicated Illustration team, who provide expert mentoring from an impressive range of specialisms including independent publishing, editorial, children’s books, printmaking, graphic design and art direction. Once you are in your second year, you can enjoy access to our specialist facilities in Plymouth, international students based in China can access facilities available at our dedicated host institution. Access to specialist facilities can support your studies, however it is not essential to succeed on this course.</p>
<p dir="ltr">You will work within a supportive and challenging environment, to explore your subject both as an individual and in interdisciplinary teams. You’ll approach independent work with a critical mindset, considering the design, manufacture, marketing and distribution of your own original artwork, whilst seeking opportunities to collaborate with professional designers, creative directors, and animators to realise your ideas in charming new ways.</p>
<p dir="ltr">As well as introducing you to commercial practice, we also encourage you to explore your own ideas through self-directed and authorial approaches which will extend the boundaries of your visual language. As you develop your interests you can choose to tailor your study to a range of creative specialisms, including editorial illustration, children’s books, independent publishing, printmaking, graphic design and art direction.<br /></p>
Tatsu Ishikawa
<p>From designing for Lego to writing and illustrating children’s books and gaining cult status in the world of independent apparel, our graduates enjoy diverse careers in the booming field of illustration, and this industry focus is truly embedded in our teaching. Your studies will be complemented by an impressive programme of visiting lecturers, publishers and manufacturers including Hallmark Cards. Sessions by visitors are recorded wherever possible and shared with the university community. </p>
<p>You’ll also enter your work into prestigious competitions such as the Macmillan Prize, Penguin & Puffin Design Awards, and New Designer of the Year; and benefit from opportunities to secure work placements and respond to live briefs from industry - establishing an enviable network of professional contacts over time.</p>
<p>In your first year, you’ll gain remote access to all of our UK campus-based services including our Student Support, Careers, Library, Academic Skills and Digital Education team, ensuring you can gain personalised advice on welfare, finances, English language support, time management, IT and access to digital resources (including an online database of e-journals, research papers, films and more).</p>
<p dir="ltr">Once you are in your second year, you can enjoy access to resources both traditional and future-facing, including screen-printing and letterpress workshops, 2D and 3D animation studios, state-of-the-art digital production equipment, and creative software such as Adobe Creative Cloud, including After Effects for motion graphics and Indesign and Illustrator for page layout and vector work. </p>
<p>If you are an international Distance Learning students studying at one of our partner institutions, like Artslink in Shanghai, you may be able to access specialist creative facilities. Access to specialist facilities can support your studies, however, it is not essential to succeed on this course.</p>
<p>If you are joining one of our <a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/study/distance-learning" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong>January 2025-start degrees</strong></a> beginning in the Spring term, you will pay the tuition fees advertised for the academic cycle 2024/25. </p>
<p>For new full-time UK students, this will be <strong>£9,250 </strong>per year. For full-time international and EU students joining us from a partner provider, this will be <strong>£16,500</strong>. <br /></p>
<p>Please note that the nature of this course's remote first year only allows for full-time study, however, if you are classed as a home student (i.e based in the UK), in your second and third year you may opt to study the rest of your degree part-time as per our other undergraduate students.</p>
<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>
<p>For more information on how our January-start degrees work and a full list of courses available, please <a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/study/distance-learning" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">click here</a>.</p><ul><li><strong>Email: </strong><a href="mailto:hello@aup.ac.uk">hello@aup.ac.uk</a> / <a href="mailto:ILLUSTRATION@aup.ac.uk">illustration@aup.ac.uk</a></li><li><strong>Tel:</strong> +44 (0)1752 203434</li><li><strong>Instagram:</strong> <a href="mailto:https://www.instagram.com/aup_illustration/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">@aup_illustration</a></li></ul>