Illustration with Foundation Year

Please check the Sheffield Hallam University website for the latest information.

Course summary

- Develop the knowledge, skills, and attributes you need to become a professional illustrator

- Experiment with the latest digital tools and technologies in our purpose-designed workshops and illustration studios

- Transform your illustrative practice through live, client-led creative projects for diverse audiences

- Build a unique portfolio and showreel to prepare for a career in the wider creative industries and further study

If you don't meet the entry requirements for our BA (Hons) course, or you’d like extra preparation before starting degree-level study, we recommend you join the foundation year – which has been designed to encourage exploration and experimentation.

The BA (Hons) Illustration course is a progressive, innovative, technologically enhanced course that prepares students for professional practice. Employability is integrated into the curriculum through applied creative projects. These real-world challenges and work experiences are designed to build confidence, creativity and resilience.

Creative UK membership

We are members of Creative UK, which means our art and design students are also members until they graduate. With 10,000 members in its network, Creative UK represents, champions and supports the UK’s creative industries, advocating on the issues that matter the most to creative communities.

How you learn

All our courses are designed around a set of key principles based on engaging you with the world, collaborating with others, challenging you to think in new ways, and providing you with a supportive environment in which you can thrive.

Through our teaching, we help you unlock your potential to contribute as a creative thinker and doer – applying your knowledge to art practice, culture, society, and life systems.

We take a holistic and person-centred approach to assessment to support your creative growth while respecting the diverse ways people learn.

Key themes

Year one lays the foundational principles of illustration practice. Drawing is at the heart of developing your conceptual, theoretical, and practical skills. You’ll learn the core methods used in illustration practice – research, process, and presentation.

As the course progresses, we’ll also explore the future role of illustrators and learn what it will mean to thrive as an illustrator of the future.

You’ll gain confidence with both analogue and digital tools, learning how to adopt new and emerging technologies as you define your own, unique visual language. You’ll also get to test your concepts on live industry projects with commissioners, agents, and future employers – not only developing professional skills, but also helping you build your profile and network.

In your final year, you’ll curate a portfolio of work that articulates your practice and moves you further towards your creative path.

Course support

- Access to our Skills Centre with one-to-ones and online resources to help with planning and structuring your assignments

- Access to office and studio space, expert workshops, freelancing opportunities and a vast business network to tap into

- Industry-specific employability activities and careers support for up to five years after you graduate

Applied learning

Your course has been designed to embrace real-world challenges and provide you with the practical skills and knowledge to be successful.

Live projects

You’ll have the opportunity to work on live projects, giving you the chance to apply your skills in a professional setting and gain valuable feedback, exposure and networking opportunities.

Recently, our students have created illustrations on beer can labels for Triple Point Brewing, produced posters for Sheffield Adventure Film Festival, and designed activist billboards with FlyingLeaps.