BA (Hons) Illustration

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• Be inspired by a varied studio-based culture and practise in our easy-access workshop facilities. Take part in everything from life and location drawing to printmaking and media exploration.
• Develop your Photoshop, Premiere, InDesign and Flash skills in digital workshops, and explore typography basics, bookbinding, creative writing and more.
• Gain invaluable knowledge, confidence and professional awareness by seizing work experience opportunities in years 2 and 3. This can range from simple studio visits to longer-term placements and collaboration, such as graduate Kate Mowbray’s placement as a Publishing Assistant with BBC History Magazine.
  
• Develop your personal visual ‘voice' and start getting noticed in the professional world by taking part in external commissions and competitions. Get an insight into the world of our award-winning students with freelance illustrator, Jack Teagle. 
• Define your illustrative direction within specific routes such as comic/graphic novels, children’s markets, printmaking, and design for animation/screen – or continue to explore within a broad range of practice. 
• Raise your profile and make new contacts by exhibiting your work at both our Degree Show and London graduate shows.
• Set your work in a global context through inspiring overseas study trips to places such as London, New York and Barcelona.
  
• Choose to take part in an International Exchange programme in your second year, broadening your cultural references and forging new contacts in the international illustration scene. Find out about recent student Alexander Lee’s experiences living and learning in Japan.
  
• Benefit from a varied visiting speaker programme of illustrators, commissioning editors, publishers and ex-graduates ready to share advice and insight to help shape your future career.
  
• Build up your analogue and digital portfolios and develop your professional profile and confidence, ensuring you’re ready for whatever future direction you wish to pursue, whether freelance, studio-based or within further education such as MA or PGCE courses. 
• Our National Student Survey (NSS) 2018 return show that 88 per cent of students felt our staff were good at explaining things.*

• Year 1
• The first year will introduce you to the basics of illustration practice. You’ll develop your knowledge of image-making through character design, life drawing, printmaking, bookbinding, sequential and conceptual approaches, digital workshops and media exploration. We’ll also introduce you to the techniques and essential processes of illustration practice within historical and contemporary frameworks, preparing you for year 2.

  Core modules

  • ILLUS403 Character

    Students visually explore character creation via a broad range of traditional and digital media and formats whilst being introduced to some of the design processes utilised within illustration practice. Practical character development, narrative and creative writing are a feature. Critical reflection underpins practical work and help to identify strengths and weaknesses. Potential collaborative practice is also a feature.

  • ILLUS413 Narrative Sequence

    You will visually explore sequence creation within your work via a range of traditional and digital media and formats. Character development, narrative pacing, creative writing are a feature. Critical reflective writing underpins practical work. Reflection and planning help to establish personal ambitions and identify strengths and weaknesses. Potential collaborative practice is also a feature.

  • ILLUS423 Meaning / Ideas

    This module introduces Illustration as a means to communicate issues of social, ethical, environmental or political interest. Through discussion students share personal beliefs and values. Students explore and challenge received communication via the interpretation and manipulation of imagery. Projects emphasise creative thinking and ideas generation as essential skills for illustrators by identifying a well-defined focus for enquiry, planning and investigation from a range of sources.

  • ILLUS433 Play

    Students reflect upon prior outputs and practice and negotiate proposals for areas of visual development and exploration, preparing them for Level 5 study directions. Critical reflection underpins practical work and helps to identify strengths and weaknesses. Potential collaborative practice may be a feature.

  • ILLUS443 Contextual 1

    This module establishes drawing and critical contextual evaluation as fundamental activities within illustration practice. It aids in the development of an individual visual vocabulary expanding practical, analytical and technical skills, developing visual confidence. Critical reflective writing builds confidence and underpins practical work. The module operates within the life-room, the general studio, lecture theatres and on location.

  • ILLUS453 Contextual 2

    Students examine the theoretical, social, cultural, ethical and political thinking and current trends which shape contemporary visual culture with particular emphasis upon illustrative outputs and concerns. Critical reflective writing continues to build confidence and underpin practical work. Students follow a programme of drawing projects and approaches which seek to inform and empower them to make mature and original responses to external stimuli.

• Year 2
• In your second year, you can keep your focus broad or pursue a more specific area of personal interest at a deeper level. You’ll make contact with experts in the industry and analyse why the creative world is how it is. Critical and contextual modules with a varied visiting speaker programme will help you begin to position yourself as a professional. You’ll also have the opportunity to take part in placements, live briefs and competitions, to study abroad or collaborate with other disciplines.

  Optional modules

  • ILLUS500 Thematic: Finding Your Context

    Working on a shared theme students identify a context within illustration practice and in consultation with tutors write an individual which reflects personally identified objectives proposal. The resulting diverse array of outcomes developed from one central topic helps you to consider the impact audience and context have upon communications. The potential strand exit awards are highlighted.

  • ILLUS501 Technique and Approach 1

    Engaging with representational theories within the global, historical, contemporary and cultural landscape you express your findings as part of a group. Study trips offer the opportunity to gain primary research. Lectures, individual and group research, meetings and tutorials, run concurrently throughout the module, culminating in a presentation representative of the whole group's efforts. A visual research journal that includes a written report is submitted at the time of the presentation by each of the group members. Drawing skills are defined and explored as a test bed for ideas and a reflective tool-kit for discovery. The module is also designed to extend your visual research skills and awareness of the value of drawing within illustration.

  • ILLUS510 Interpreting Information

    Choosing from a selection of information from a variety of sources, you negotiate a project brief that allows you to interpret that information visually for a specific illustration context. By reflecting upon your output to date and considering the variety of illustrative fields open to study (including the exit award strands), negotiated learning helps you to question and, where appropriate, reinforce your ambitions. Competition briefs and/or work-based learning through placements or studio visits may be undertaken as part of this module (subject to negotiation and the nature of the project undertaken).

  • ILLUS511 Technique and Approach 2

    Individual research identifies, analyses, and communicates an investigation into the work of an individual or a group of practitioners in illustration or an allied practice. Lectures and research run concurrently throughout the module, to support the writing of an essay. Preparation for dissertation is undertaken. Drawing skills develop along with knowledge of the value of drawing within your illustrative practice.

  • ILLUS520 Japanese Exchange and Report

    This module enables you to extend your experience and understanding of illustration through study abroad. You spend a minimum of twelve weeks at the Hokkaido College of Art & Design, Bisen, Japan. This offers the opportunity to increase communication skills, self-reliance, a greater awareness of cultural values and increased vocational prospects. You write and present a critical evaluation of your educational, cultural and personal experience.

  • ILLUS531 International Exchange and Report

    The module is designed to extend your experience and understanding of subjects through study abroad. You spend a minimum of twelve weeks at an approved international institution offering illustration or complementary design options as a major subject. This offers the opportunity to increase communication skills, self-reliance, a greater awareness of cultural values and increased vocational prospects. You write a critical evaluation of your educational, cultural and personal experience.

• Final year
• There is increased emphasis on developing and consolidating your personal visual ‘voice' in your final year, while visiting lecturers will offer a variety of viewpoints. You’ll undertake a dissertation related to your personal interests and have the chance to exhibit your work at both our Degree Show and in London. Modules focus your attention on building up your analogue and digital portfolios, and raising your professional profile and confidence ready for your first job in your chosen field.

  Core modules

  • ILLUS600 Consolidating Your Approach

    After an initial period of preparation, research, consultation and project work, you submit a portfolio evidencing your practice to date and a typewritten report identifying aims and learning objectives for the year ahead reflecting your practice and professional aspirations. At the end of this module you may opt (subject to negotiation) to focus your studies towards one of the specific exit award titles

  • ILLUS610 Negotiated Project 1

    A number of broad themes are presented. After reflection and evaluation of previous conclusions and future ambitions, you select one theme and submit a typed brief associated with the selection to satisfy your personally identified goals. Upon acceptance of your brief, you undertake an in depth study of the chosen theme (or the identified aspect of the theme) and produce a body of work that responds to your written brief, demonstrating a full engagement with the task defined within the brief. Competition or live briefs may be undertaken as part of this module provided they fit within the agreed proposal and cover the Learning Outcomes.

  Optional modules

  • ILLUS620 Negotiated Project 2A

    This module is designed to consolidate the learning achieved throughout and fully prepare you for your professional ambitions. After an initial period of preparation, research and consultation, you submit a written brief identifying aims and objectives reflecting your practice and professional aspirations. Following approval of the proposal you undertake an extensive period of self-directed, negotiated study leading to the production of a substantial body of work. The work is presented verbally and visually. Competition or live briefs may be undertaken as part of this module provided they fit within the agreed proposal.

  • ILLUS621 Negotiated Project 2B

    This module is designed to consolidate the learning achieved throughout and fully prepare you for your professional ambitions. After an initial period of preparation, research and consultation, you submit a written brief identifying aims and objectives reflecting your practice and professional aspirations. Following approval of the proposal you undertake an extensive period of self-directed, negotiated study leading to the production of a substantial body of work. The work is presented verbally and visually. Competition or live briefs may be undertaken as part of this module provided they fit within the agreed proposal. You equip yourself for entry into professional practice or post-graduate study through production of promotional materials.

  • ILLUS630 Dissertation (written)

    You propose, research and communicate knowledge and understanding of a subject related to their Illustration studies, via writing an essay of between 5,000 and 6,500. You receive a formal document, (Guidelines for Dissertation Writing) and attend an initial explanatory lecture, after which you submit a proposal for your intended area of study. You are allocated a tutor for the duration of the module. Field study trips to gain first hand research may be undertaken.

  • ILLUS631 Dissertation (presentation)

    You propose, research and communicate knowledge and understanding of a subject related to their Illustration studies via giving a presentation of up to 25 minutes with accompanying essay of 2,200 - 2,500 words. You receive a formal document, (Guidelines for Dissertation Writing) and attend an initial explanatory lecture, after which you submit a proposal for your intended area of study. You are allocated a tutor for the duration of the module. Field study trips to gain first hand research may be undertaken.

  • ILLUS632 Practice, Research and Analysis

    A practical research project appropriate to your practice and ambitions and commensurate with Level 6 study is negotiated as an alternative to ILLUS630. A visual research journal is used to record your process of enquiry of a negotiated project and then as a basis for an illustrated, reflective report of not less than 1000 words that analyses and critiques your explorations, findings and practical outcome. This incremental, applied research approach facilitates the development of your critical thinking skills and creates a record of the reflective dialogue between you, your practical development and relevant cultural and historical materials.

  • ILLUS633 Dissertation Extended

    Research of a topic in considerable depth with methodological and conceptual sophistication, using primary/secondary sources to complete a dissertation of critical writing (between 10,000 and 12,000 words). You receive 'Guidelines for Extended Dissertation Writing', an initial lecture, after which they submit a proposal. You are allocated a tutor for the module. Field study trips to gain first hand research may be undertaken.

  • ILLUS640 Professional Practice

    You locate your studio-based practice within a context of your chosen area of professional specialism and articulate this understanding through production of a report. You gain a deeper understanding of the business and professional dimensions of the subject of illustration. You equip yourself for entry into professional practice or post-graduate study through production of promotional materials. Live briefs and / or work-based learning through placements or studio visits may be undertaken as part of this module. Field study trips to gain first hand research may be undertaken.

Every undergraduate taught course has a detailed programme specification document describing the course aims, the course structure, the teaching and learning methods, the learning outcomes and the rules of assessment.

The following programme specification represents the latest course structure and may be subject to change:

BA Hons Illustration programme specification 3888

UCAS tariff

96 - 144

A level
A minimum of 2 A levels, General Studies accepted.

International Baccalaureate
28 points.

18 Unit BTEC National Diploma/QCF Extended Diploma
DMM. 

BTEC National Diploma modules
If you hold a BTEC qualification it is vital that you provide our Admissions team with details of the exact modules you have studied as part of the BTEC. Without this information we may be unable to process your application quickly and you could experience significant delays in the progress of your application to study with us. Please explicitly state the full list of modules within your qualification at the time of application.

All access courses
Pass a named Access to Higher Education Diploma (preferably art and design or combined), with at least 33 credits at merit and/or distinction.

GCSE
Mathematics and English Language grade C.

English language requirements.

Equivalent qualifications may be considered, please contact admissions@plymouth.ac.uk.

For a full list of all acceptable qualifications please refer to our tariff glossary.

An interview and portfolio presentation are requirements for entry onto this course.

Find further information on our interview and portfolio guidance page.