Illustration and Animation MA

Postgraduate

Water painting of a castle surrounded by tall green trees and a moat

Explore aspects of illustration and animation, including time-based narration and the visualisation of space in place, before culminating in a major project that embodies research and management of a portfolio.

Year of entry

2025-26

Location

Coventry University (Coventry)

Study mode

Full-time

Duration

1 year full-time

Course code

CAST008

Start date

September 2025
November 2025
January 2026
March 2026
May 2026
July 2026

How to apply

Book an Open Day

Postgraduate events

Ask a question

Course overview

This MA course helps visually creative professionals enhance their illustration and animation skills, explore new applications, and develop creative thinking for a sustainable career in the rapidly evolving creative industries.

Key course content includes:

Time and storytelling: explore narrative techniques and the creative use of time in visual applications across various fields.
Collaborative and professional practice: develop teamwork and project management skills, and benefit from industry insights through real-world projects and RSA fellowship opportunities.
Creative portfolio development: take part in a major project showcasing your skills and vision for a professional portfolio.

5 QS Stars for Teaching and Facilities

QS Stars University Ratings

Ranked 9th Modern University in UK by the Times

The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2025

Ranked 8th for Overall Satisfaction in PTES

Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey (PTES) 2024

Why you should study this course

Focus on both illustration and animation, together with associated typographical, graphic design, photographic and communicative disciplines.
Study traditional artistic disciplines alongside digital and other emerging media types to gain a unique approach to visual creativity.
Adopt an international outlook in your studies by considering the global impact of the creative, professional, and academic fields of illustration and animation.
Examine the similarities and differences of illustration and animation – something which forms the basis of ongoing research and practice, exploring both emerging, traditional and hybrid approaches that combine both analogue and digital techniques.
Participate in exploratory projects that benefit from the input of external creatives, including music producers and artists.²

Collaborations

Endorsement: Royal Society for Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA)

Coventry University and the RSA have collaborated on a module concerning social and ethical responsibility. You will be entitled to a 12-month fellowship of the RSA so you can access all RSA resources and platforms during your period of study. Once you have successfully passed the Professional Practice and Innovation module, you will receive an RSA digital credential.

What you'll study

Explore 2D and 3D creation, animation, film editing, camera tracking, and immersive technologies such as virtual and augmented reality. Learn how to produce content for print, online media, exhibitions, and interactive and immersive experiences across various creative industries.

Modules

Time-Based Narration - 30 credits

Explore time as a creative, scientific, historical, philosophical, and artistic element in film, text, and visual art. Learn how time-based storytelling works in different fields and how to apply these narrative techniques in various visual formats. Benefit from relevant discipline awareness that applies to the design and depiction of three-dimensional artefacts and spaces across a whole range of professional, historical, archaeological and scientific arena.

Compulsory

Co-Create - 30 credits

Collaborate on a simulated or real-life project created by industry experts². Work with students from other postgraduate courses in the School of Arts and Creative Industries, applying your specialist discipline knowledge to form an essential part of a wider team. Explore design theory and practice, research methodologies, and build professional development skills like project management, delegation and problem-solving. Build strong relationships, foster a supportive community and develop a resilient skillset based on agility, flexibility and emotional intelligence.

Compulsory

Space, Place and Visualisation - 30 credits

This specialist illustration and animation module explores the relationship between science, myth, culture and philosophy as related to space. Addressing the creation, gathering and alignment of visual elements, underpinned by relevant and effective research, together with the conceptual and aesthetic aspects required by such work as applied to the depiction of spatial locations.

Compulsory

Professional Practice and Innovation - 30 credits

Explore ecologies of the creative industries, considering the interrelations between independent, commercial, and public sectors. The module is designed in collaboration with The RSA (Royal Society of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce) from which you’ll have 12 months Fellowship so you can access all RSA resources and platforms during your period of study. Receive an RSA digital credential once you have successfully passed the module.

Compulsory

Major Project: Illustration and Animation - 60 credits

Employ all previously acquired techniques and methodologies in the creation of a major project production that allows for personal and professional decision making, critical reflection and direction. This will be a significant contributor to your practice-focused portfolio. This module is inherently practical in nature with an emphasis on the researching, designing and proposing and creating the major body of work within the MA Illustration & Animation course.

This module builds on the skills and awareness gathered within the previous specialist modules to allow for a truly unique, personal and creative visual statement to be made which presents an important, defining and expressive entry to be made into your portfolio which has relevance within many professional fields.

Compulsory

We regularly review our course content, to make it relevant and current for the benefit of our students. For these reasons, course modules may be updated.

How you'll learn

Teaching and learning methods may include:

lectures
seminars
tutorials
presentations
group projects
workshops
practical laboratory sessions.

Teaching and learning hours

As a full-time postgraduate student, you will study modules totalling 180 credits each academic year. A typical 30-credit module requires a total of 300 hours of study. Study hours are made up of teaching and learning hours, and guided and independent study.

Teaching hours

Teaching hours will vary, depending on where you are in your studies, but on average, you will have between 8 and 12 teaching and learning hours each week. You will also have the opportunity to attend optional sessions, including time with a Success Coach or to meet with staff for advice and feedback.

Guided and independent learning

Throughout your studies, you will be expected to spend time in guided and independent learning which will make up the required study hours per module. You will be undertaking a variety of activities, learning through guided background research, planning and preparation, studio activity, creative practice and making, reviewing what you have learned and completing assignments. This can be completed around your personal commitments. As you progress towards the end of your studies, you will spend more time on independent learning.

Online learning

As an innovative university, we use different teaching methods, including online tools and emerging technologies. So, some of your teaching hours and assessments may be delivered online.

Assessment

This course will be assessed using a variety of methods which could vary depending on the module. Assessment methods may include:

reports
essays
practical coursework
assignments
presentations.

The Coventry University assessment strategy aims to ensure that our courses are fairly assessed and allows us to monitor student progression towards achieving the intended learning outcomes.

Entry requirements

Typical entry requirements:

An honours degree 2:2 or above (or international equivalent) in a relevant discipline, a recognised relevant professional qualification, or demonstrable professional experience.

We recognise a breadth of qualifications; speak to one of our advisers today to find out how we can help you.

Portfolio

No portfolio will be required if the academic qualifications in the subject area as defined above are met.

If a portfolio is required it should feature a maximum of approximately 10-15 examples of work or three to four projects undertaken within the past two years. These should be substantial, in-depth projects which demonstrate your ability to conceptualise solutions to creative problems and to assimilate and combine written language or content with visuals. This will clearly demonstrate the level of creative, craft and production skills you have achieved, either in a previous course of study, in a professional design studio, as a freelance designer or during an internship.

Projects should ideally be accompanied by a brief summary of the work or projects, notes on the software used, and dated.

Select your region to find detailed information about entry requirements:

You can view our full list of country specific entry requirements on our Entry requirements page.

Alternatively, visit our International hub for further advice and guidance on finding in-country agents and representatives, joining our in-country events and how to apply.

Typical entry requirements

An honours degree 2:2 or above (or international equivalent) in a relevant discipline, a recognised relevant professional qualification, or demonstrable professional experience.

Portfolio

No portfolio will be required if the academic qualifications in the subject area as defined above are met.

Projects should ideally be accompanied by a brief summary of the work or projects, notes on the software used, and dated.

English language requirements

IELTS: 6.5 overall, with no component lower than 5.5.

If you don't meet the English language requirements, you can achieve the level you need by successfully completing a pre-sessional English programme before you start your course.

For more information on our approved English language tests visit our English language requirements page.

Fees and funding

Student	Full-time	Part-time
UK, Ireland*, Channel Islands or Isle of Man	£11,200	Not available
EU	£11,200 per year with EU Support Bursary £18,600 per year without EU Support Bursary	Not available
International	£18,600	Not available

For advice and guidance on tuition fees³ and student loans visit our Postgraduate Finance page and see the university's Tuition Fee and Refund Terms and Conditions.

We offer a range of international scholarships to students all over the world. For more information, visit our International Scholarships page.

Tuition fees cover the cost of your teaching, assessments, facilities and support services. There may be additional costs not covered by this fee such as accommodation and living costs, recommended reading books, stationery, printing and re-assessments should you need them.

The following are additional costs not included in the tuition fees:

Any optional overseas ﬁeld trips or visits: £400+ per trip.
Any costs associated with securing, attending or completing a placement (whether in the UK or abroad).

*Irish student fees

The rights of Irish residents to study in the UK are preserved under the Common Travel Area arrangement. If you are an Irish student and meet the residency criteria, you can study in England, pay the same level of tuition fees as English students and utilise the Tuition Fee Loan.

**EU Support Bursary

Following the UK's exit from the European Union, we are offering financial support to all eligible EU students who wish to study an undergraduate or a postgraduate degree with us full-time. This bursary will be used to offset the cost of your tuition fees to bring them in line with that of UK students. Students studying a degree with a foundation year with us are not eligible for the bursary.

How do you know if you need to pay UK or international tuition fees?

We carry out an initial fee status assessment based on the information you provide in your application. Your fee status determines your tuition fees, and what financial support and scholarships may be available to you. The rules about who pays UK (home) or international (overseas) fees for higher education courses in England are set by the Department for Education. The regulations identify all the different categories of student who can insist on paying the home rate. The regulations can be difficult to understand, so the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) has provided fee status guidance to help you identify whether you are eligible to pay the home or overseas rate.

If you meet all the criteria required by any one category, including any residence requirements, your institution must charge you the home rate. You only need to find one category that you fit into.

Facilities

MAC & PC Studio

Access PCs and Macs running the latest industry-standard software needed for your course, including graphic design packages such as Adobe Creative Suite.

Media Loans service

Access industry-standard media equipment and resources to support your creative projects.

Print workshop

Use a range of facilities including laser cutters, 3D printers, and traditional printmaking tools to support your projects.

Facilities are subject to availability. Access to some facilities (including some teaching and learning spaces) may vary from those advertised and/or may have reduced availability or restrictions where the university is following public authority guidance, decisions or orders.

Careers and opportunities

Successful graduates may seek positions in the following job roles:

Illustration work for publication, TV, online, game-based, interactive and film production
Specialist curation
TV-film-exhibition-conference set design and management
Teaching and administration in schools, colleges and universities
Scientific, medical, technical and historical/archaeological illustration and animation works for publication, specialist institutions, TV, interactive, VR, AR and educational outputs
Animated film series production on online digital platforms
Creative and influencer agencies.

On successful completion of this course, you will be able to:

demonstrate a systematic understanding and application of the theoretical and thematic concerns within your chosen area to develop advanced expertise in relevant contexts within illustration and animation
apply advanced skills, techniques, and emergent technologies with originality and imagination to innovate in illustration and animation practice
design and deliver complex, original projects tailored to specific contexts within the field of illustration and animation
actively contribute to the shaping of a global contemporary discourse by engaging with experimental, creative, and hybrid approaches to illustration and animation
apply solutions to diverse creative, professional, social, and collaborative environments using enhanced tools and methods of social change
apply systematic knowledge and understanding of the role of creative teams in the realisation of illustration, animation and design projects
solve complex problems with critical insight, while maintaining ethical standards in illustration and animation, and broader societal contexts.

Where our graduates work

Successful graduates of this course have gone on to work for companies including:

Danke Games
Ubisoft
Amazon Prime
State of Play Games (BAFTA Award)
Goat Agency
Herbert Art Gallery

How to apply

UK students

To apply to study for a postgraduate course at Coventry University, you can apply online. Please read the entry criteria page before applying.

Start your application

For further support or more information about your course get in touch with us today.

+44 (0)24 7765 2222

ukadmissions@coventry.ac.uk

Complete our contact form.

International students

Full-time international students should apply directly to the university. Please read our application pages to find out your next steps to apply.

How to apply

For further support for international applicants applying for postgraduate degrees view our International hub.

You can also download our international mini guide for an overview of study options and why you should study with us.

Get in touch with us today for further advice and guidance.

+44 (0)24 7765 2152

applications.io@coventry.ac.uk

Complete our contact form.

Disclaimers

Coventry University together with Coventry University London, Coventry University Wrocław, CU Coventry, CU London, CU Scarborough, and Coventry University Online come together to form part of the Coventry University Group (the University) with all degrees awarded by Coventry University.

¹Accreditations, partnerships and memberships

The majority of our courses have been formally recognised by professional bodies, which means the courses have been reviewed and tested to ensure they reach a set standard. In some instances, studying on an accredited course can give you additional benefits such as exemptions from professional exams (subject to availability, fees may apply. See the relevant body website for more details). Accreditations, partnerships, exemptions and memberships are subject to successful renewal in accordance with the relevant bodies’ standard review process and subject to the university maintaining the same high standards of course delivery. If the accreditation, recognition or membership of this course changes, we will seek to notify applicants and students as soon as possible.

Where relevant, the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) module content is undergoing assessment by the CMI to confirm that all criteria are met to the required standard. Whilst it is expected that students who successfully pass the module will be eligible to be considered by CMI for the CMI Level 7 Certificate in Strategic Management and Leadership Practice as an additional qualification, we cannot confirm this until the accreditation is approved. This is a normal part of the continuous improvement process for our courses to ensure they remain up-to-date and reflect best practice.

²UK and international opportunities

Please note that we are unable to guarantee any UK or international opportunities (whether required or optional) such as internships, work experience, field trips, conferences, placements or study abroad opportunities and that all such opportunities may be unpaid and/or subject to additional costs (which could include, but is not limited to, equipment, materials, bench fees, studio or facilities hire, travel, accommodation and visas), competitive application, availability and/or meeting any applicable travel, public authority guidance, decisions or orders and visa requirements. To ensure that you fully understand any visa requirements, please contact the International Office.

³Tuition fees

The University will charge the tuition fees that are stated in the above table for the first Academic Year of study. The University will review tuition fees each year. For UK (home) students, if Parliament permit an increase in tuition fees, the University may increase fees for each subsequent year of study in line with any such changes. Note that any increase is expected to be in line with inflation.

For international students, we may increase fees each year, but such increases will be no more than 5% above inflation. If you defer your course start date or have to extend your studies beyond the normal duration of the course (e.g. to repeat a year or resit examinations) the University reserves the right to charge you fees at a higher rate and/or in accordance with any legislative changes during the additional period of study.

⁴Facilities

Student Contract

By accepting your offer of a place and enrolling with us, a Student Contract will be formed between you and the university. A copy of the current 2024/2025 contract is available on the website for information purposes however the 2025/2026 contract will apply for the 2025/2026 intake. The Contract details your rights and the obligations you will be bound by during your time as a student and contains the obligations that the university will owe to you. You should read the Contract before you accept an offer of a place and before you enrol at the university.