Colourful floral illustration. BA (Hons) Illustration

Illustration BA (Hons)

Explore traditional and contemporary illustration and develop practical skills on this Illustration degree course.

University of Portsmouth Connected Degree - 3 year course with 4th year placement

Key information

UCAS code:

W220

Typical offer:

112-120 UCAS points to include a minimum of 2 A levels, or equivalent

See full entry requirements
Study mode and duration
Start date

Showing content for section Overview

Overview

Redefine the world with a pencil or stylus on this BA (Hons) Illustration degree course.

You’ll challenge convention in all spheres: from inspecting illustration from new perspectives, to delving into its social, political and historical significance. You'll discover traditional and contemporary illustration techniques and the business essentials of the art form – and you can gain extra professional experience through a one-year placement, client projects, and entering design competitions. Come explore your individual vision through experimentation and engage with a range of professional applications.

At the end of this course, you'll become an all-encompassing illustrator that stands out among competitors in the creative industries. 

Course highlights

  • Explore a rich array of traditional and digital media—including print, paint, sculpture, 3D printing, laser cutting, spray paint, Cintiqs, VR drawing, and Risograph printing.
  • Raise your professional profile by taking on live projects with local and international clients such as Anglepoise
  • Catch potential employers' eyes by exhibiting your work at national exhibitions and our annual Graduate Show
  • Have the chance to win eminent awards by entering international competitions like Design & Art Direction (D&AD), The Macmillan Prize, and the V&A Illustration Awards
  • Enrich your practical and industry experience by taking an optional one-year placement – either with a company or by setting up your own
  • Showcase your Adobe expertise to industry peers by gaining Adobe Certified Professional (ACP) qualifications

Graduate profile: Dani Hackett

Dani Hackett graduated in 2021 with an Illustration degree from the University of Portsmouth. She is now an Illustrator, Print Designer and Fashion Designer. Find out what Dani’s role entails and how she’s applying the skills she learnt during her time at Portsmouth.

My name is Dani Hackett and I am an illustrator, print designer and fashion designer.

My love of illustration started literally as soon as I could pick up pen and draw. Since then, I always knew I wanted to be an illustrator. I think it wasn't really a choice either. I think if I don't do anything creative, I'm miserable. It's just purely a necessity for me.

I wanted to study at the University of Portsmouth because the illustration styles are so varied. I think they really catered and nurtured people's individual styles. I took every opportunity basically that they gave me at Portsmouth. One of these was Adobe accreditations. I also worked on film sets. I entered competitions with Anglepoise. They gave us the opportunity to do 'New Designers' in final year. This is an exhibition where loads of industry professionals come and find the newest talent. That is actually how I got my first job in fashion. I got scouted by River Island when I was there. I think about two weeks after I finished uni, I ended up working full time for them. It was an amazing opportunity and a really good insight into how the fashion industry works. It's insane, but it was definitely eye opening. 

I wanted to go freelance purely because I wanted to drive my work into the direction that I really wanted to take. I came up with the brand name Eyeland Paradise when I was at River Island, actually, because I was doing a lot of cutesy designs and very clean designs, I just wanted to come up with something completely different. It mixes elements of my interest in horror and cult. It's sustainable, we use vintage items and people's own clothes that we customise. Basically, I just make stuff that I want to wear and people seem to like
it.

I think my time at university changed my perception of how good I was, actually. The beautiful thing about illustration is you can create a world that doesn't exist, and I think that's really magical. It's kind of like playing God, but with a canvas.
 

Contact information

Admissions

+44 (0) 23 9284 5566

Contact Admissions

Entry requirements

BA (Hons) Illustration

Typical offers

  • A levels - BBB-BBC
  • UCAS points - 112-120 points to include a minimum of 2 A levels, or equivalent (calculate your UCAS points)
  • T-levels - Merit
  • BTECs (Extended Diplomas) - DDM-DMM
  • International Baccalaureate - 25

You may need to have studied specific subjects – find full entry requirements and other qualifications we accept

Selection process

All applicants will be asked to provide a digital portfolio of work.

For more information on how to put together your portfolio, read our Illustration creative portfolio guide.

English language requirements

  • English language proficiency at a minimum of IELTS band 6.0 with no component score below 5.5.

See alternative English language qualifications

We also accept other standard English tests and qualifications, as long as they meet the minimum requirements of your course.

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

We look at more than just your grades

While we consider your grades when making an offer, we also carefully look at your circumstances and other factors to assess your potential. These include whether you live and work in the region and your personal and family circumstances which we assess using established data.

Explore more about how we make your offer

Your facilities

CCI Facilities; June 2019

Printmaking and Letterpress

Use our traditional lino-printing, wood-cutting and monoprinting equipment for all your design and print needs.

CCI Facilities; June 2019

Print Workshops

Use our screen printing and screen coating rooms for your graphic materials, artwork, and fabric printing, with a host of traditional and digital equipment.

MUSIC FACILITY AND BAL B ROLL 2022

3D Workshops

Our Workshops are ideal for model-making, with high-grade kit for crafting wood, metal, plastics, polyurethane, concrete and plaster works.

Helen Yates - B roll Day 3

Eldon Art Shop

Whether you're studying a creative degree or want to pick up some supplies, our Eldon Art Shop has the materials you'll need for your coursework or project.

CCI Facilities; June 2019

CCI Open Access Suite

Our open-plan space includes PCs and Macs equipped with Adobe Creative Suite and other professional software.

Browse Illustration student work

Click on an image below to see more detail and read students' statements.

If you want to see more student work, browse our Graduate Show 2021 Illustration showcase

For use only in Net Native's International Stories campaign 2018.

What really stood out was how [the BA course] mixed creativity with the business of art… Because it’s all well and good having incredible work, but if you can’t find a client to pay for it, then where’s your career going?

Bo Sun Lam, BA (Hons) and MA Illustration alumnum

Travel with Bo on their uni journey

Careers and opportunities

The creative and technical abilities you develop on this course – in sequential storytelling, character animation, and visual storytelling – could lead to a variety of creative roles in design and media.

You can also continue your studies at postgraduate level.

Graduate areas

Areas previous graduates have included:

  • animation
  • artist book making
  • children’s book illustration
  • editorial illustration
  • graphic novels, comics, and zines
  • narrative illustration
  • print making
  • art direction
  • teaching

Ongoing careers support

Get experience while you study, with support to find part-time jobs, volunteering opportunities, and work experience.

Towards the end of your degree and for up to five years after graduation, you’ll receive one-to-one support from our Graduate Recruitment Consultancy to help you find your perfect role.

Placement year (optional)

After your second or third year, you can take an optional year-long placement to gain on-the-job experience in industries needing illustrators and designers. You can work for a company or organisation, or start up and run your own business. Together with your peers – or by yourself – you'll build and launch a successful venture.

In either case, our Creative Careers team is on hand to assist.

Creative Careers

Our in-faculty Creative Careers team has extensive recruitment experience and knows the creative sector well, making it easier for students to find placements within the creative industries.

They can guide you through every step of the application process, including:

  • Searching for the ideal job through their database of vacancies
  • Giving tips on how to write an interesting CV that will catch employers' attention, no matter the role
  • Organising mock interviews, so you can hone your technique and familiarise yourself with the recruitment environment
  • Writing your startup business proposal – if you're going down the self-employment route

The team will continue to give you support throughout your placement year.

Placement roles

Our students have been successful in a variety of placement roles, including:

  • Creative Media Technician
  • Art Facilitator
  • Graphic Designer
  • Illustration and Production Intern

Placement destinations

Our students have completed their placements at companies such as:

  • MCI UK Ltd
  • Zpos
  • Arty Farty Retreat
  • Wildern School
A student wearing a red jacket and smiling

What you can do on a placement year

If you're thinking of doing a placement but not sure what role to take or where to go, we can steer you in a direction that fits your aspirations.

Check out our Creative Careers team's blog to find out where fellow art, design and performance students have interned during their studies.

Read our blog post

Modules

Each module on this course is worth a certain number of credits.

In each year, you need to study modules worth a total of 120 credits. For example, four modules worth 20 credits and one module worth 40 credits.

What you'll study

Core modules

You'll gain insider tips to promote and grow your brand, respond to real-world briefs, and use industry tools to elevate your work. It's everything you need to manage rights, meet client expectations, and snag opportunities in this exciting field.

From the creative aspects to handling the commercial demands, we'll dive into the dynamic world of a pro illustrator. With hands-on activities for building your portfolio to analysing trends, this is your launchpad for activating major talent.

Strap in as we equip you with the core business skills and connections to propel your budding career. The journey starts now as you position your distinctive talents within major commercial and cultural networks. Success and self-expression await!

Lectures, discussions, and projects will guide you to understand images and their roles in society, history, and politics. You'll improve your academic writing and research skills with experienced lecturers, all about the visual arts. By looking at different media, art, and design, you’ll discover the strong effect visuals have on communication.

After finishing, you’ll know how to wisely look at and create images that reflect culture, preparing you for advanced study. This module will help you think in depth about how we communicate through images.

You’ll get better at using different ways of printing and promoting your work, mixing handmade and digital techniques. By thinking about how to design books, you’ll make illustrations that really bring the words to life. You’ll gain professional skills in creative and imaginative visual storytelling by experimenting and researching.

This module gives you everything you need to use all the tools of an illustrator, getting you ready for diverse creative roles.

You’ll look into how storytelling is used in images, using various examples. Dive into different ways to come up with ideas in your sketchbook. Match your methods to what the industry expects by trying out different techniques.

Learn to create illustrations that tell a story for particular audiences. Analyse varied examples to develop your own style.

You’ll also learn how to turn complicated ideas into illustrations and understand where your work fits in the creative industries.

This module will help you sharpen your personal illustration style and get ready for real-world assignments.

Core modules

You'll study how practitioners have used graphics to communicate persuasively on health topics. Then, you'll develop your own awareness campaign.

You'll research issues in graphic medicine, experimenting with concepts and techniques and learn to tailor visual narratives for your audience.

This module is an opportunity to question perspectives and advocate through art. Building your skills for illustration that educates, challenges and questions.

You'll use various research methods, analysing how images build stories across panels and pages. And you'll experiment with different media and styles to find your voice.

This module develops your conceptual thinking as you interrogate principles and push boundaries of the medium. You'll refine techniques that enhance flow and atmosphere and emerge with sharper skills for illustration in books, comics and storyboarding.

Analysing artists' books and literary sources, you will gain critical appreciation of sequence and narrative in printed works. Experimenting with image/text interplay in analogue mediums, you can advance personal illustration style within the rich “book” tradition, intertwining communication and craft. The module promises an imaginative journey into illustration’s storytelling roots.

Analysing how practitioners use editions to spotlight issues, you will devise impactful visual narratives around chosen causes. Collaborating in an editorial team, you will plan, produce and distribute publications with professional integrity. The module presents a chance to amplify unheard voices while adding an important string to your illustration bow.

Optional modules

More information for this module will be available soon.

More information for this module will be available soon.

Analysing depictions and theories of the body, you will articulate critical perspectives rooted in textual analysis. With scholarly writing as key outcome, your engagement with academic sources and tutorial support will inform identification of coherent research strands. The module provides conceptual building blocks to anchor studies at the intersection of culture, identity and creative practice.

You’ll experience a new culture by exploring art, design, or performance at an international partner university. This adventure adds a global angle to your learning and helps you develop skills for jobs all over the world.

You’ll work by yourself, think deeply about what you’re learning, and see how it connects to your degree. When you return, you’ll have broadened your creative outlook and job opportunities.

Choosing this module lets you explore diverse approaches and build international connections.

Engage with theories and research suited to the subject. Analyse seminal comic book texts, considering the interplay of production elements and audience reception.

Join a team of creative students and do a project together. Try new things and see how they can help you.

You’ll also grasp how to use your skills with others. Sometimes you’ll be a leader, sometimes a helper. Talk about your ideas and learn from them. You’ll make something to show what you learned and share it with others.

This module helps you gain new skills and understand other fields. You’ll be a smart and creative person, ready to solve real-world problems.

You’ll choose learning tasks that add up to 60 hours, like internships, volunteering, research, or remote study that match your career plans. Workshops will help you make meaningful goals and think about what you’ve accomplished. Through this, you’ll grow the knowledge, skills, and qualities you need to thrive in the workplace.

By looking at your growth through active participation and reading, you’ll become a perceptive, eager job-seeker who stands out.

You’ll try different methods and settings to create a drawing style that’s meaningful to you. This module offers chances to grow professionally, like doing real-life drawing, experimental image-making, and working in public areas.

By the end, you’ll become more confident in your drawing skills. This will add more to your set of creative tools, helping you succeed as an illustrator.

As a team, you will embark on a journey of entrepreneurship, starting with ideation and ending with the launch of your product or service. You will analyse complex factors influencing a successful launch, conduct thorough research to assess feasibility and gain valuable insights into marketing, manufacturing, and sales strategies.

Working together on pitch presentations, you will discover your strengths as an entrepreneur or team member. This module provides transferable skills essential to thrive in creative industries, whether you plan to launch your own company or seek employment with top organisations. You will develop the mindset and abilities to spot opportunities and act on them, which will benefit your career.

Core modules

You’ll pick an idea and dive deep into researching it, trying out different things, and thinking critically about your work. Your research skills, creative ideas, and artistic expertise will shine as your project flourishes.

By the end of this module, you’ll learn how to fit your work into professional and ethical standards. You’ll also excel in self-learning, all while creating illustration work that really speaks to your audience.

This module is all about helping you grow into a successful illustrator by asking questions and getting creative on your own.

You'll learn to meet deadlines, fulfill requirements, master specialist software, and develop an authentic artistic brand that sizzles. No drag here - just hands-on projects to refine technical skills while defining your signature style.

This module sparks your creative blaze to thrive within the commercial landscape. Learn to adapt your gifts and wield a competitive edge when opportunity calls.

Prepare for hands on experience in responding to briefs with artistic fire. By the finale, your illustration talents will be unleashed as industry-ready weapons, ready to thrill clients and activate success!

We'll explore concepts for planning, self-promotion, and building an electrifying portfolio to activate your passions. Refine self-marketing materials with real industry hype tailored to hook future clients.

You'll develop the independent drive and tech abilities to propel your work across the modern digital universe. Learn how to creatively engage and exhibit art online and IRL to pull in viewers and opportunities.

Thanks to this high-octane module your portfolio will be locked, your creative brand loaded, and your presence ready to soar across the professional stratosphere. Time to take your illustration career into the stars!

In this module, you’ll think deeply about your own projects and learn to evaluate them critically. This will help you explain the context and your understanding of your work to others.

Improve your skills in reflecting on your work, developing visual ideas, and researching the background of your projects. You’ll do this both on your own and with feedback from others.

You’ll practice making presentations in different ways, so you can show off your practical work in various situations.

You’ll get better at sharing your ideas, answering questions, and explaining your artistic vision.

This module will give you valuable experience in presenting yourself and your work effectively—whether you’re networking, showing your work at an exhibit, or talking to potential clients.

Optional modules

With the guidance of your tutors, you get to select a theme for an extensive research project, commonly known as a dissertation. Your project will showcase your in-depth research and analysis, which will be based on both original and secondary sources.

You will meticulously examine your sources, conduct your own research, and learn the best practices for writing a compelling academic paper. This dissertation project will enhance your ability to formulate research questions, consolidate information, make persuasive arguments, and present your ideas clearly.

Once you complete the project, you will have conducted an in-depth and thorough study. It will demonstrate your profound understanding and interest in a particular aspect of visual culture.

Critically analysing cultural artefacts and debates to formulate a response, you'll engage theory, historical contexts and academic conventions. You'll carry out practice-based research through prototyping and visual studies.

This will culminate in a scholarly body of work and a reflective portfolio that will showcase research mastery and creative thinking.

Complete relevant tasks demonstrating your specialized skills and independence. Gain global perspective, reflect deeply on personal growth, and build valued transferable abilities for professional life after university. Return home with experiences that inspire your practice and understanding of art’s global connectivity.

During this module, you'll spend 6 months working on your own business venture, then 3 months gaining industry experience. This opportunity allows you to apply what you've learned in a practical setting while exploring different career options. You'll also have the chance to develop professional relationships and expand your network.

Assess your personal strengths and weaknesses to set goals for the future. Throughout the module, you'll demonstrate increasing independence while still valuing the support of others. Gain a broader understanding of the world through real-world experiences and insights. Additionally, you'll earn valuable credits for your CV and enhance your skill set.

By the end of this module, you'll graduate with the practical experience that employers are seeking.

This experience lets you learn firsthand how to set up and run a small business. You’ll absorb professional practices and business situations that matter to your entrepreneurial goals. Make important connections while working independently within set rules. Think deeply about your strengths, weaknesses, criteria for success, and future plans.

This opportunity is useful for your career. It lets you use what you’ve learnt in your degree in the real world and helps you understand your capabilities.

After finishing this placement and the related assessments, you’ll get more credits for your sandwich degree. This practical experience is a valuable step in developing an entrepreneurial way of thinking.

You’ll spend 24–48 weeks at a chosen company, learning from professionals and helping out with actual projects. Gain confidence, knowledge, and skills by taking on more responsibility with gradually less help. As you progress, you’ll make professional connections and think about how you’re doing. Take in what you learn about how industries and businesses work.

This placement is an ideal chance to grow in your career. By using what you’ve learnt in a workplace, you’ll understand more about your own strengths, what you need to work on, and your plans after you graduate.

After this placement and the related assessments, you’ll get extra credits for your sandwich degree. This practical experience is a valuable part of your education.

Evaluating international contexts, you'll critically relate on-site activities to your disciplinary knowledge, gaining global creative insights. Working independently abroad, you'll complete relevant assignments, honing skills transferable to your future creative career.

Upon returning, thoughtful reflection will reveal your personal growth as you process new worldviews and cross-cultural competencies. This invaluable opportunity provides a chance to expand your creative knowledge while developing adaptability as a global citizen.

Changes to course content

We use the best and most current research and professional practice alongside feedback from our students to make sure course content is relevant to your future career or further studies.

Therefore, some course content may change over time to reflect changes in the discipline or industry. If a module doesn't run, we'll let you know as soon as possible and help you choose an alternative module.

Teaching

Teaching methods on this course include:

  • workshops
  • lectures
  • seminars
  • drawing field trips
  • collaborative work

There's an emphasis on hands-on practical sessions, with a strong studio culture.

You can access all teaching resources on Moodle, our virtual learning environment, from anywhere with a Web connection.

How you're assessed

You’ll be assessed through:

  • written coursework
  • creative design group projects
  • self-led projects from initial concept to finished product
  • project presentations
  • sketchbooks and portfolio

You’ll be able to test your skills and knowledge informally before you do assessments that count towards your final mark.

You can get feedback on all practice and formal assessments so you can improve in the future.

How you'll spend your time

One of the main differences between school or college and university is how much control you have over your learning.

We use a blended learning approach to teaching, which means you’ll take part in both face-to-face and online activities during your studies.  As well as attending your timetabled classes you'll study independently in your free time, supported by staff and our virtual learning environment, Moodle.

You can also use many of the facilities and get support from Faculty staff in the evenings and weekends.

Your working hours may be different when you're on work placement, being up to 37.5 hours a week.

Term dates

The academic year runs from September to June. There are breaks at Christmas and Easter.

See term dates

Supporting you

The amount of timetabled teaching you'll get on your degree might be less than what you're used to at school or college, but you'll also get support via video, phone and face-to-face from teaching and support staff to enhance your learning experience and help you succeed. You can build your personalised network of support from the following people and services:

Types of support

Your personal tutor helps you make the transition to independent study and gives you academic and personal support throughout your time at university.

You'll have regular contact with your personal tutor in learning activities or scheduled meetings. You can also make an appointment with them if you need extra support.

In addition to the support you get from your personal tutor, you’ll also have access to a Faculty student support advisor. They can give you confidential, impartial advice on anything to do with your studies and personal wellbeing and refer you to specialist support services.

You'll have help from a team of faculty academic skills tutors. They can help you improve and develop your academic skills and support you in any area of your study.

They can help with:

  • improving your academic writing (for example, essays, reports, dissertations)
  • delivering presentations (including observing and filming presentations)
  • understanding and using assignment feedback
  • managing your time and workload
  • revision and exam techniques

If you need support with software and equipment or you want to learn additional skills (including skills not covered on your course), our creative skills tutors provide free workshops, activities and one-on-one tutorials. Skills you can learn include life drawing, film camera operation and video production.

Computing support staff are always available to give technical support in the Faculty's computer suites during normal working hours. There's also some support available from 5.00pm to midnight at busy times of the year.

As well as support from faculty staff and your personal tutor, you can use the University’s Academic Skills Unit (ASK).

ASK provides one-to-one support in areas such as:

  • academic writing
  • note taking
  • time management
  • critical thinking
  • presentation skills
  • referencing
  • working in groups
  • revision, memory and exam techniques

If you have a disability or need extra support, the Additional Support and Disability Centre (ASDAC) will give you help, support and advice.

Our online Learning Well mini-course will help you plan for managing the challenges of learning and student life, so you can fulfil your potential and have a great student experience.

You can get personal, emotional and mental health support from our Student Wellbeing Service, in person and online. This includes 1–2–1 support as well as courses and workshops that help you better manage stress, anxiety or depression.

If you require extra support because of a disability or additional learning need our specialist team can help you.

They'll help you to

  • discuss and agree on reasonable adjustments
  • liaise with other University services and facilities, such as the library
  • access specialist study skills and strategies tutors, and assistive technology tutors, on a 1-to-1 basis or in groups
  • liaise with external services

Library staff are available in person or by email, phone, or online chat to help you make the most of the University’s library resources. You can also request one-to-one appointments and get support from a librarian who specialises in your subject area.

The library is open 24 hours a day, every day, in term time.

If English isn't your first language, you can do one of our English language courses to improve your written and spoken English language skills before starting your degree. Once you're here, you can take part in our free In-Sessional English (ISE) programme to improve your English further.

Course costs and funding

Tuition fees

  • UK/Channel Islands and Isle of Man students – £9,250 a year (may be subject to annual increase)
  • EU students – £9,250 a year, including our Transition Scholarship (may be subject to annual increase)
  • International students – £17,200 a year (subject to annual increase)

You won't pay any extra tuition fees to another university for taking part in a study/work abroad activity if you choose to do it for the whole academic year. During a year abroad you'll only have to pay a reduced fee to the University of Portsmouth.

Funding your studies

Find out how to fund your studies, including the scholarships and bursaries you could get. You can also find more about tuition fees and living costs, including what your tuition fees cover.

Applying from outside the UK? Find out about funding options for international students.

Additional course costs

These course-related costs aren’t included in the tuition fees. So you’ll need to budget for them when you plan your spending.

Costs breakdown

Our accommodation section shows your accommodation options and highlights how much it costs to live in Portsmouth.

You’ll study up to 6 modules a year. You may have to read several recommended books or textbooks for each module.

You can borrow most of these from the Library. If you buy these, they may cost up to £60 each.

We recommend that you budget £75 a year for photocopying, memory sticks, DVDs and CDs, printing charges, binding and specialist printing.

 

If your final year includes a major project, there could be cost for transport or accommodation related to your research activities. The amount will depend on the project you choose.

You'll need to pay extra printing costs of around £100–£600 on portfolio work.

Material and production costs are around £100–£500 a year.

Any study trips are optional and you will be expected to pay full cost. Optional study trips abroad will cost in the region of £200–£800. UK trips, where offered, will be £50–£150.

If you take a placement year or study abroad year, tuition fees for that year are as follows:

  • UK/Channel Islands and Isle of Man students – £1,385 a year (may be subject to annual increase)
  • EU students – £1,385 a year, including Transition Scholarship (may be subject to annual increase)
  • International students – £2,875  a year (subject to annual increase)

Apply

How to apply

To start this course in 2024, apply through UCAS. You'll need:

  • the UCAS course code – W220
  • our institution code – P80

 Apply now through UCAS

 

If you'd prefer to apply directly, use our online application form.

You can also sign up to an Open Day to:

  • Tour our campus, facilities, and halls of residence
  • Speak with lecturers and chat with our students 
  • Get information about where to live, how to fund your studies and which clubs and societies to join

If you're new to the application process, read our guide on applying for an undergraduate course.

Applying from outside the UK

As an international student you'll apply using the same process as UK students, but you’ll need to consider a few extra things. 

You can get an agent to help with your application. Check your country page for details of agents in your region.

Find out what additional information you need in our international students section

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

Admissions terms and conditions

When you accept an offer to study at the University of Portsmouth, you also agree to abide by our Student Contract (which includes the University's relevant policies, rules and regulations). You should read and consider these before you apply.