Illustration BA (Hons)

At the University of Northampton, everything we do, from funded trips to paid internships, is to give you everything you need to make a difference when you leave.

If you join this full time Illustration degree, you will receive a laptop when your course begins*. The laptops are built to a bespoke custom specification ideal for use in the seminar room, collaborative group work or studying at home.

Whatever your ambitions, we’re here to help you achieve them. We’ll support you to identify the skills you’re learning during your course, find your strengths and secure practical experience so that when it comes to applying for jobs or further study you’ll feel confident in standing out from the crowd. We’ve created the Northampton Employment Promise because we are so confident that if you focus on your studies and complete one of our awards you’ll be highly employable by the time you graduate. Putting you in a great position to secure employment or continue your studies.

To check out the full list of perks, visit our Student Perks page or dedicated International Perks page.

*UK fee payers only (see Terms and Conditions for further details).

The Integrated Foundation Year (IFY) offers a new and exciting route into studying for a degree, attracting ambitious and driven students who are willing to learn and advance.

If you have non-standard qualifications or do not quite meet the admissions requirements we can offer you a fantastic opportunity to study a four year programme which includes an Integrated Foundation Year. The Integrated Foundation Year will help you develop the theoretical/practical and academic skills you need, in order to successfully progress to the full award.

Our four-year courses will enable you to successfully follow the degree pathway of your choice while gaining essential study skills. The foundation year of your chosen degree will be studied on a full-time basis and is aimed at supporting the transition to higher education. Years two, three and four are then studied as a standard degree programme.

What do you do in an illustration degree?

Illustration degrees enable students to build out their personal professional portfolios with the potential for placements and commissioned work during their studies.

Studying illustration involves taking practical classes in studio spaces where you can develop your visual creation skills by blending traditional techniques (like painting and drawing) with modern technologies such as Adobe Photoshop.

How will I be taught on the Illustration degree?

All classes are taught face to face in the specialist studio space or resource areas.

How many hours per week of teaching?

In the first year of study, students can typically expect approximately 15 hours of contact per week. The rest of the week is independent study time where you can continue to work on your project briefs.

How will I be assessed?

Assessment happens at the end of each module at the end of a semester through a range of methods including by portfolio of project work, presentation, essay or report. Leading up to assessment, feedback is given weekly/daily via tutorial conversations in the studio, through whole group and small group critiques and formative reviews.

What jobs can I go into from studying this course?

Illustration university graduates have a gateway into many job roles and the skills you gain are transferrable to other routes too. The most obvious job is freelance illustrator but students go on to art therapy, forensic illustration, teaching, designer, producer, agent, author/illustrator and many more.

What specialist facilities will I have access to?

This degree has access to many specialist workshop areas including printmaking and photography where students can develop their own image making techniques. The course usually offers free field trips each year where we take students to visit publishing houses, editorial commissioners such as The Guardian, illustration collectives and agencies as well as exhibitions and museums.

Are there any student successes from the BA Illustration course?

Through the Professional Practice module, our students regularly secure exciting internships, jobs and commissions. Recently students have interned at Scriberia, The House of Illustration in London and gained a tattoo apprenticeship at Elixir Ink in Milton Keynes and graphic designer for Douglas Macmillan Hospice.

While commissions have ranged from a window display for Gosh comics in London’s Soho, working with the local council to create a character and animation for school children to stay safe online, surface pattern illustration for UK organic underwear company Thunderpants, advertorial for First Chop brewery in Flavourly magazine, beer bottle labels for a UK craft beer brewery and a mural for a local artisan coffee shop and bakery – among many others.

Past illustration graduates have pursued their own publishing careers by networking with comic groups, crowd funding their own comics, stories, and books. Running tables at DIY Cultures, one of the largest comics fairs in London. Students have gone on to postgraduate study in art therapy and illustration with articles about their success in Creative Review and Varoom. We invite our alumni students back to give talks to our current students. Each year, our students have an opportunity to exhibit their work, with third years showing their final work at the summer show held at the university.

Are there any study trips?

As well as developing your ideas, technical skills and approaches to different aspects of narrative, the course offers students the opportunity to attend design and illustration conferences, get feedback on your portfolio from industry experts, and to travel with the course on an annual cultural trip. Cultural course trips abroad may be offered, subject to interest and availability. These opportunities can vary from year-to-year based on demand.

Over the past few years we have visited: Barcelona, Paris, Amsterdam, Berlin, Rome and Madrid. We regularly host visiting speakers, industry experts and creative agencies giving you practical learning and advice from professionals.

Will I be able to develop my portfolio as an Illustrator?

As you progress through the course you will be given more and more autonomy with which to choose the brief and shape your portfolio. An important aspect for a contemporary illustrator is to continually develop their own practice and this is reflected in the course structure, students have opportunities to write their own self-directed projects and make choices within set projects.

Illustration can be used to communicate about any subject so collaboration and working with other disciplines within the university is something we often do.