Illustration Top-up

Buckinghamshire New University
Undergraduate BA (Hons) Full-time 1 Year ArtFashion, textiles, and jewelleryGraphic designProduct design

About this course

Completed a foundation-level degree, HND, or equivalent qualifications in a relevant Art and Design subject? Top-up your studies to gain a full bachelor’s degree in Illustration. Are you a creative individual wanting to progress into the world of illustration? This BA (Hons) Illustration course helps you gain the thinking and understanding you’ll need to tackle industry briefs. From narrative to traditional and digital technologies, we’ll give you the skills, all you need is an imaginative and artistic flair.

Why study BA (Hons) Illustration Top-up at BNU? A degree for you Whether you end up in a studio, working as a freelance visual-artist or following one of the other many routes illustration offers, you can be sure that your designs and creations can help convey a message to consumers and artistically inspire the next generation of image makers.

A top-up degree is the equivalent of the final year of an undergraduate degree, and offers a chance to deepen your knowledge, skills and understanding of your subject, while also getting an internationally-recognised qualification.

If you have completed a foundation-level degree, HND, or equivalent qualifications in a relevant Art and Design subject, you can choose to top-up your studies to gain a full bachelor’s degree.

Inspiring facilities The Illustration course is located within the School of Art, Design and Performance, giving you access to a community of creative learners and diverse resources to help you achieve your creative outcomes. These include:

  • silkscreen equipment

  • plotter cutters

  • letterpress equipment

  • photography studios

  • litho equipment

  • laser cutting

  • 3D printing technology

  • Adobe Creative Cloud

    To aid your development you will learn practical skills and experience both digital and traditional processes and technologies. Photography and film making are integral to most things we do.

    Expert teaching With a history of delivery expert craft, art and design education for more than 130 years, Buckinghamshire New University is the perfect place to start your creative career. Led by our dedicated and supportive course team, who boast years of experience within the industry, you’ll have the freedom to explore all areas of Illustration, whether that’s digital such as vector art or traditional methods such as printmaking.

    We also have specialist technicians on-site to share their knowledge and support you as you bring your illustrations to life.

    Location With London and Oxford only a short journey away, you can take the opportunity to visit some of the world’s best exhibitions, galleries, and museums for inspiration.

    What will I study? On this illustration course you are encouraged to solve visual problems with your own unique aesthetic solutions, experiment with image and type and explore appropriate digital technologies.

    Through practical hands-on, project-based learning you will explore the fundamental core aspects of the subject such as narrative structure, hierarchy, composition and layout, typography, information design, image creation and conceptual thinking skills. Students are encouraged to take risks in their work and learn to challenge established languages and processes through questioning and individual experimentation.

    Central to the ethos of the Illustration course is the development of two aims; the first is self-authorship, where your point of view and vision play the pivotal role in identifying and communicating images and messages that are central to your own personal interests, opinions, and core values, and secondly a multi-disciplinary confidence and ability to accomplish communication tasks across a range of media and client bases. These aims reflect the current contemporary vocabulary of a modern illustrator.

  • Career Prospects

    Graduates from this course typically go into the following occupations:

    2142 Graphic and multimedia designers
    3422 Clothing, fashion and accessories designers
    3421 Interior designers
    3411 Artists
    3429 Design occupations

    Course Details

    Qualification
    Bachelor of Arts (with Honours) - BA (Hons)
    Study Mode
    Full-time
    Duration
    1 Year
    Start Date
    2025
    Academic Year
    2025
    Campus / Location
    High Wycombe
    Scheme
    Undergraduate
    Subjects
    Art, Fashion, textiles, and jewellery, Graphic design, Product design