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Illustration BA (Hons)
Study level: Undergraduate
Turn your passion for art and creativity into a professional career in illustration.
Course features
Year of entry
Location
Coventry University (Coventry)
Study mode
Full-time
Sandwich
Duration
3 years full-time
4 years sandwich
Course code
W225
Start date
September 2027
November 2027
January 2028
March 2028
May 2028
July 2028
The information on this page is for 2026-27 entry and should be used as guidance for 2027-28 entry. Please keep checking back on this course page to see our latest updates.
Course overview
Ideal for creative individuals passionate about illustration, this course is designed to help you develop your unique style, build a tailored portfolio and gain the skills and industry insight needed to launch a successful, flexible career in the creative industries.
- Explore diverse illustration techniques and media.
- Engage in projects that reflect personal interests and career goals.
- Collaborate with peers across creative disciplines.
Rated Gold Overall
Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) 2023
5 QS Stars for Teaching and Facilities
QS Stars University Ratings
Top 5 Student City in England (Coventry)
QS Best Student Cities Index 2026Why you should study this course
- Focus on your individual creative development.
- You will have opportunities to tailor your portfolio for specific career paths.
- Study in an interdisciplinary learning environment.
- Gain access to experienced illustrators and industry professionals.2
- Prepare yourself for a career in publishing, advertising, illustration or digital media.
About the School of Arts and Creative Industries
- Our hands-on, practitioner-led approach is rooted in project-based learning. This creates opportunities for cross-disciplinary working and engagement with external collaborators. Where appropriate, you may work with peers from other courses—bringing specialist skills to interdisciplinary projects in ways that reflect the collaborative nature of creative studios and agencies in the creative industries.
- Our learning and teaching mirror the needs of the creative industries, so our graduates have the opportunity to develop the skills and attributes needed to become industry specialists, leaders and innovators.
- Our studio culture seeks to ensure you are socially responsible in our creative community and develop critical thinking in research and making processes.
- Our global initiatives aim to give you skills to become a collaborative communicator and make you culturally competent.
- Our industry links typically enable us to host an exciting programme of guest speakers covering topics such as children’s book illustration, games design and editorial illustration.2
- Past students have worked on projects such as large-scale murals, live drawing and character-based creations.
DOT DOT DOT ... Graduate Festival 2026
The Coventry Degree Show is an annual festival to celebrate and showcase our graduating students’ work.
Explore the festival's eventsWhat you'll study
We regularly review our course content to keep it relevant and current for our students. Consequently, we may update modules to reflect the latest industry standards.
How you'll learn
Teaching and learning methods may include:
- lectures
- seminars
- tutorials
- presentations
- group projects
- workshops
- practical studio sessions
- practical workshop sessions.
Teaching contact hours
As a full-time undergraduate student, you will study modules totalling 120 credits each academic year. A typical 30-credit module requires 300 hours of study. Study hours are made up of teaching contact hours and guided and independent study.
Teaching hours
Teaching hours may vary, depending on where you are in your studies, but on average, you will have between 12 and 15 teaching and learning hours each week. You will also have the option to attend additional sessions, including time with a progress coach or to meet with staff for advice and feedback. As you progress through your studies, teaching hours may reduce.
Guided and independent study
Throughout your studies, you will be expected to spend time in guided and independent study to make up the required study hours per module. You will be digging deeper into topics, reviewing what you’ve learnt and completing assignments. This can be completed around your personal commitments. As you progress to the end of your studies, you’ll 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 is assessed using methods that vary by module. These approaches are intended to prepare you for the complex and evolving contexts of professional practice.
Assessment methods may include:
- artefacts
- practical coursework
- digital coursework
- individual work
- group work
- live/video presentations
- reports
- projects
- individual assignments.
The Coventry University Group assessment strategy ensures that our courses are fairly assessed and allows us to monitor student progression towards achieving the intended learning outcomes.
Transform your natural creativity and passion for drawing and art into an exciting professional career in illustration. Our course is taught by successfully practising artists and illustrators who develop students’ individual skills and portfolios toward a wide range of potential future career paths.
Andrew Spackman, Assistant Professor and Course Director, BA (Hons) Illustration, 2024
Entry requirements
Typical entry requirements:
Fees and funding
| Student | Full-time | Part-time |
|---|---|---|
| UK | 2027/28 fees TBC 2026/27 fees: £9,790 per year |
Not available |
| International | 2027/28 fees TBC 2026/27 fees: £20,800 per year |
Not available |
If you choose to study this course with a professional placement2 or study abroad year, you will need to pay a tuition fee3 to cover your academic support throughout your placement year. As an indication, students commencing their professional placement in the academic year 2028/29 will pay £1,575 if they are paying UK fees, or £1,900 if they are paying international fees. The University will charge the tuition fees stated above for those on a placement during Academic Year 2028/29. The University will review professional placement tuition fees each year. For UK (home) students, the University may increase fees for each subsequent year of study, but such that it will be no more than 5% above inflation.
For advice and guidance on tuition fees and student loans visit our Undergraduate Finance page and see The University’s Tuition Fee and Refund Terms and Conditions.
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 permits 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.
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. Find out what's included in your tuition costs.
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.
How do you know if you need to pay UK or international tuition fees?
Facilities
The course facilitates learning and production of innovative design solutions through access to specialist facilities including: up-to-date Mac studios running the latest industry standard Adobe Creative Suite software, traditional print-making and making workshops (etching, silk-screen printing, relief printing, wood and metal workshops, 3D printing, print bureau, and rapid prototyping and laser cutting) as well as a generously stocked letterpress room.4
You will be encouraged to use our spaces and facilities to explore multiple materials, techniques and equipment. Teaching and learning on the course incorporates these into module activity and project work enabling students to work toward developing these skills to the highest possible level and to industry standards.
Media loan service
Borrow specialist equipment to support your projects and assignments. Whatever you need for your audio, video or photography requirements, we probably have it. We can also offer technical advice and help with using equipment.
Mac studio
Whether you’re editing images, creating videos or more, our Mac studios provide all our students with a range of software options you would need to bring your creativity to life.
Print workshop
Master the art of screenprinting, linocuts, collagraph and monoprinting among others. Perfect for those new to the art or those who wish to refine their skills, this workshop allows you to learn the entire printing process, from preparation to choosing colours and creating your prints.
Take a virtual tour
Facilities are subject to availability4. 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
On successful completion of this course, you will:
- Develop your understanding of illustration from a professional and historical standpoint
- Develop your ability to originate ideas that effectively communicate to specific audiences
- Be given the opportunity to experiment with both traditional making techniques and contemporary technology as means to innovate within the field of illustration
- Embed a philosophy of continued independent learning, critical reflection, and fluid engagement in multi-disciplinary activities, resulting in the acquisition of valuable transferable skills
- Produce a portfolio of professional work relevant to your chosen career aspirations
- Develop contacts and become part of a global community of practice
- Be equipped with the entrepreneurial skills and resilience to turn your passion into a sustainable career.
The university's careers team is on hand to offer tailored career and enterprise support if you wish to gain employment or take advantage of professional practice opportunities within course specific industries. It aims to provide specialist careers information, advice and guidance to all our students from their first year through to final year and beyond graduation, helping them receive the opportunities to reach their desired career outcome.
The course offers a creative and exciting range of employability destinations in illustration, as well as underpinning many other creative professions. After studying, our students have gone on to work as freelance illustrators, comic book artists, graphic designers, games designers, children's book writers and illustrators, animators, marketing professionals, textile and homewares designers, printmakers, artists, as well as working in associated creative professions such as fashion editorial, advertising and marketing, tv and film production, arts management, self-publishing, teaching, and study at postgraduate level.
Where our graduates work
Previous graduates have gone onto post-graduate study, internships, freelance work and commissions, creative design and visualisation. These have included working for some prestigious employers, including:
- Codemasters Gaming, Warwickshire
- Design-by-Touch toy and app design agency, Leamington Spa
- Nettl Web Design, Birmingham
- Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon
- McCann creative agency, Birmingham
- HanSpringett Ltd, Bucharest Romania
- Armstrong Wolfe, Cheltenham
- 22 Digital Ltd, UK
- Havas Design, London UK
- Uncrowd, Germany
- Hutch, UK
Our students have been shortlisted and won various national and internationally recognised competitions including: D&AD, The Silent Book Prize, The House of Illustration, Macmillan Prize for Children’s Picture Book Illustration, Adobe Championships, the Creative Conscience Awards, and ‘The one to watch’ Award at New Designers.
The graduate destinations listed above illustrate potential career paths. You may need to gain additional qualifications or practical experience, pass professional examinations, complete training, cover associated costs and meet specific visa or immigration requirements to secure employment in these fields.
Further study
You can choose to continue your studies at Coventry University with:
- Design Management MA
- Digital Marketing Management MSc
- Graphic Design MA
- Illustration and Animation MA
- International Marketing Management MSc
- International Marketing MBA
You may be entitled to an alumni discount on your fees if you decide to extend your time with us by progressing from undergraduate to postgraduate study.
Discover Phoenix+
Phoenix+ brings you together with other students to learn, experience and develop essential knowledge and skills. Whatever destination you choose, it's about preparing you for life after university.
Learn more about Phoenix+How to apply
UK students
International students
Disclaimers
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