Illustration (Top-up) BA (Hons)

Course Overview

Develop your career as a professional image-maker with us. Our top-up course has a focus on working in the creative industries as well as visualising personal themes.

Our Illustration and Graphic Design students benefit from an amazing design studio and team of enthusiastic design tutors, technicians and visiting designers to support and help direct you onto a fulfilling career in visual communications. And with London only a short train ride away, you’re never too far from inspiration.

Top-up your studies

If you have completed a foundation-level degree, HND, equivalent qualifications or industry experience in a relevant Art and Design subject, you can choose to top-up your studies to gain a full bachelor’s degree.

A top-up degree is the equivalent of the final year of an undergraduate degree, and offers a chance to deepen your knowledge, skills and understanding of your subject, while also getting an internationally-recognised qualification.

All the skills you need for a career as an Illustrator

The top-up gives you opportunities to explore your personal vision within the field of illustration. Whatever your chosen field within image-making, whether it be vector art, pictograms or storytelling, we give you the freedom to write your own briefs and start realising your ideas. You’ll also work with professional illustrators who will critique your work and help you improve your illustrations. Group work with others helps prepare you for working in the professional world where you will have to generate ideas and present them to clients.

As an illustrator, you’ll probably work freelance. We’ll help equip you with really important skills in preparing you for a successful career through lectures, seminars workshops as part of our Professional Practice module. When you go out into the world, knowing how to manage your own projects will be crucial. We show you all about the business and how to keep your head above water in today’s complex professional world.

More to design than using computer software

Our design studio and workshops have a stunning range of equipment for you to realise your ideas. We don’t restrict you to using computer software, even though we have everything from the Adobe Creative Suite programs to plotter cutters and photo studios. You can craft beautiful design solutions using our silkscreen, letterpress, and litho equipment, as well as our laser cutting and 3D printing technology. We help you get as hands-on with our equipment as possible. And our experienced staff are around to assist you getting set up.

Start building your creative network on campus

On campus, you’ll work in a design studio alongside a diverse community of illustrators and designers, each working on their own projects and sometimes together on live briefs. Some of our live projects have come from Faber Publishing, Mind Design, and Creative Review.

You’ll be part of a creative community. You’ll study in a close-knit group of dedicated image-makers where you will get to know everyone. Not only will you make friends for life, you’ll also make important industry connections that will last through your career.

Employability

What are my career prospects

We have a good employment rate with many of our graduates going into work or further education after the course. As you develop a wide range of skills and abilities ready for your career, you’ll be able to specialise in a multitude of different areas. We have graduates in illustration, web design, advertising, publishing and some have started their own companies in the industry.