Children's Literature: Children's Book Illustration

Goldsmiths, University of London
Postgraduate MA Full-time 1 Year Digital media, production, and technologyMedia studiesPR and communicationsEducation

About this course

Immerse yourself in the exploration of practical and professional approaches to children’s book illustration and writing for young children.

Why study MA Children’s Literature: Children’s Book Illustration

  • This Masters is taught by Goldsmiths Department of Media, Communication and Cultural Studies, with some learning taking place in the Department of Education Studies.

  • To refine your practical illustration skills and ideas by working on projects that focus on materials and their combination; colour, tone, creating atmosphere, addressing the reader, and the relationship of illustration to text. At the end of the programme there will be an opportunity to exhibit your work.

  • To study bespoke modules in: Children’s Publishing which will help you with promoting your work and establishing dialogues with designers, editors, and agents; Picture Book Writing where you will learn how to write a picture book text that you will be given the chance to illustrate for your final project.

  • To benefit from exposure to professional networks; recent visits have included Macmillan Children’s Books, Farshore, an imprint of Harper Collins, and Walker Books, the Association of Illustrators with guest lectures from established illustrators and visits to illustration studios.

  • To be taught by specialist teaching staff, including prominent children’s authors and illustrators.

  • To develop more than your practical skills: we draw on both professional and critical perspectives from art and education, cultural studies, design, and sociology to deliver a comprehensive and interdisciplinary approach to the subject of illustration. We expect you to interrogate the power relations that determine what is published, distributed and selected to be read by children.

  • The Department of Media, Communications and Cultural Studies has been ranked 2nd in the UK for 'world-leading or internationally excellent' research (Research Excellence Framework, 2021) and 16th in the world (3rd in the UK) in the 2024 QS World Rankings for Communication and Media Studies.
  • Study Options

    This course is available in 2 study options:

    Full-time Shown above

    Duration: 1 Year

    Qualification: MA

    Location: London

    Part-time

    Duration: 2 Years

    Qualification: MA

    Location: London

    Career Prospects

    Graduates from this course typically go into the following occupations:

    2317 Teachers of English as a foreign language
    1133 Public relations and communications directors
    2315 Nursery education teaching professionals
    2316 Special and additional needs education teaching professionals
    2435 Professional/Chartered company secretaries
    3416 Arts officers, producers and directors

    Course Details

    Qualification
    MA
    Study Mode
    Full-time
    Duration
    1 Year
    Start Date
    2025
    Academic Year
    2025
    Campus / Location
    London
    Scheme
    Postgraduate
    Subjects
    Digital media, production, and technology, Media studies, PR and communications, Education