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Turn your passion for art and creativity into an exciting professional career in illustration.
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 2025
The information on this page is for 2024-25 entry and should be used as guidance for 2025-26 entry. Please keep checking back on this course page to see our latest updates.
This course is designed and taught by successful practicing illustrators, artists and designers, who all share a common desire to explore your personal interests in drawing and storytelling and push the boundaries of illustration.
The course has an inter-disciplinary and student-centred approach, enabling you to develop your individual creative practice and direct your portfolio towards a wide range of potential career paths.
The course and students benefit from membership to the AOI (Association of Illustrators).
Engage with and explore the talents and achievements of our art and design Foundation Year course and final-year students.
Find out moreThis course has a common first year.
The common first year enables you to work alongside students doing similar courses to you, to widen your knowledge and exposure to other subject areas and professions. You will have the opportunity to collaborate with other students, so you can share your insights and experience which will help you to develop and learn.
If you discover an interest in a specific subject you have studied, upon successful completion of your first year, you could swap degrees with another course in your common first year (subject to meeting progression requirements
Common first year courses
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.
Teaching and learning on the course is student-centred and focuses on working with students to develop your individualised creative practice and professional goals. You will be taught through a range of methods including workshops, lectures, studio practice, software skills sessions, tutorials, and seminars. You will engage in team working, active learning and problem-solving.
Modules are practice based and revolve around working to specific briefs that focus on various aspects of developing a professional and job ready creative practice.
Additionally, you should be prepared to invest a proportion of your time exploring and self-directing your practice.
The School of Art and Design may provide opportunities to engage in external or collaborative activities such as competition/Industry briefs and speakers beyond your course studies2. We strongly encourage you to take advantage of these opportunities to support your learning journey.
The number of full-time contact hours may vary from semester to semester, however, on average, it is likely to be around 15 to 18 hours per week in the 1st year, 12 to 15 hours per week in 2nd year and 10 hours per week in the final year as you become a more independent learner.
Additionally, you will be expected to undertake significant self-directed study each week of approximately 15 hours each week, depending on the demands of individual modules.
The contact hours may be made up of a combination of face-to-face teaching, individual and group tutorials, and online sessions/ tutorials.
Part of university life is undertaking self-directed learning. During a typical week you will have time that allows you to work independently to apply the skills and knowledge you have learnt in taught or facilitated sessions to your projects or assignment briefs. This self-directed learning allows you to use your research skills, consolidate your knowledge or undertake collaborative group work.
As an innovative and enterprising institution, the University may seek to utilise emerging technologies within the student experience. For all courses (whether on-campus, blended, or distance learning), the University may deliver certain contact hours and assessments via online technologies and methods.
Since COVID-19, we have delivered our courses in a variety of forms, in line with public authority guidance, decisions, or orders and we will continue to adapt our delivery as appropriate. Whether on campus or online, our key priority is staff and student safety.
Your learning journey will be wide ranging, developing your work to have integrity, resilience and be authentic in its production and delivery. The learning that you will undertake will include sessions that are led by staff, group projects, guided learning and directed skill sessions.
This course will be assessed using a variety of methods which may vary depending upon the module concerned. Assessment methods include practical coursework, essays/reports, presentations, individual assignments and/or group work elements.
This course is predominantly assessed by coursework.
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.
Each year, when possible, we also offer study trips abroad2. For example, second- and third-year students will be provided with opportunities to voluntarily visit an international university as part of their studies.
Students can also engage in Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) projects with participating institutions and other international universities around the world.
I know that working within the field of creative illustration opens possibilities and is a hugely rewarding creative career. We teach students professional skills and knowledge to be industry ready and able to pursue their passion with confidence.
Joy Monkhouse, Senior Lecturer in Illustration (2022)
Typical offer for 2024/25 entry.
2024/25 tuition fees.
Student | Full-time | Part-time |
---|---|---|
UK, Ireland*, Channel Islands or Isle of Man | 2025/26 fees TBC 2024/25 fees - £9,250 per year |
Not available |
EU | 2025/26 fees TBC 2024/25 fees - £9,250 per year with EU Support Bursary** 2025/26 fees TBC 2024/25 fees - £19,850 per year without EU Support Bursary** |
Not available |
International | 2025/26 fees TBC 2024/25 fees - £19,850 per year |
Not available |
If you choose to do a work placement2, you should consider travel and living costs to cover this. There is also a tuition fee3 of £1,250 that will cover your academic support throughout your placement year.
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.
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:
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.
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.
The course facilitates learning and production of innovative design solutions through access to specialist facilities4 including: PC and Mac suites running the latest industry standard software, traditional print-making and making workshops (etching, silk-screen printing, relief printing, woodwork, laser-cutting) as well as a generously stocked letterpress room.
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.
You will be taught by dedicated software demonstrators on our up-to-date Apple Mac studios industry standard Adobe Creative Suite software.
You will have access to workshops such as print workshops, wood and metal workshops, 3D workshops, Print Bureau, and rapid prototyping and laser cutting.
You will have access to the media loan shop where you can hire out professional cameras, video and lighting equipment.
On successful completion of this course, you will:
The university's Talent 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.
Graduate destinations include: Post-graduate study, internships, freelance work and commissions, creative design and visualisation roles including;
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.
You can choose to continue your studies at Coventry University with:
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.
Tutors do everything they can to give you an engaging and interesting course with all the help and support needed.
Georgia Baldassarra, BA (Hons) Illustration graduate and Digital Designer at TwentyTwoDigital Limited
Based on current information from the UK Government, international students whose study extends beyond summer 2021 may be eligible for a visa under the UK Government’s Graduate Immigration Route, which will enable students to stay and work, or look for work, in the UK at any skill level for up to two (2) years. Check the most up to date guidance available to check your eligibility and any updates from the UK Government before making an application or enrolment decision.
Applications open for this course in May 2024. In the meantime you can register your interest in Coventry University.
Part-time students should apply directly to the university.
If you'd like further support or more information about your course get in touch with us today.
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International codes:
AHU094
For further support for international applicants applying for an undergraduate degree view our International hub.
You can also download our International guide which contains lots of useful information about our courses, accommodation and tips for travel.
Get in touch with us today for further advice and guidance.
Chat with our admissions team
Complete our contact form