Push your creative limits in this intensive illustration degree from Falmouth University, designed to encourage bold exploration of illustration techniques and diverse audience engagement.

You’ll learn from experienced academics and guest speakers, developing skills to become a powerful visual communicator and in-demand illustrator. As you explore career pathways and gain professional experience, you’ll join a vibrant community of illustrators, opening doors to future collaborative opportunities.

Draw up inspiration with visual storytelling frameworks 

This online degree is broken up into three stages. The first will introduce you to a range of creative processes across different mediums, refining your critical thinking and practical skills through workshops, case studies, independent research, collaborative projects, and engaging lectures. 

You’ll explore the ins and outs of visual storytelling and apply these insights to what you find inspiring around you. You’ll also come to understand the value of visual communication in the editorial illustration industry and capturing audiences.    

Start building your art portfolio with a distinct visual language style

Next, you’ll experiment with a range of media, mark-making techniques, and drawing styles, by embarking on a creative project of your own. 

You’ll discover what visual tools you prefer by trying out wet and dry media, life drawing, print-making processes, collage and 3D assemblage, and colour and compositional theory on various skill-building workshops.

Learn to draw through narrative illustration

You’ll analyse the components of narrative illustration, such as character development, and apply them in various publishing contexts, and innovatively challenge these conventions as you begin to create your own projects and collaborations.   

As you progress through these projects, you’ll continue to shape your visual identity while considering editorial themes, persuasion and identity, narrative fiction, non-fiction, and publication routes. 

Gain real-world insights into the illustration industry

The illustration industry is broad, thus, at this point in your learning, you’ll discover how to apply your creative skills and art tools to different contexts, including product and packaging, digital and site-specific platforms, and more.

To ensure you’re job-ready, you’ll ‘challenge briefs,’ which reflect the kinds of assignments you might encounter while working in the industry. These practical assignments will refine your technical and soft skills. 

Launch your illustration career

By the final stage of this course, you’ll demonstrate your technical, creative, and self-reflective skills to clients, peers, and prospective employers, through self-guided practice projects, building out your digital portfolio. 

Having gained insights into creative industries and self-promotion strategies, you’ll feel confident showing your work to a body of international art directors, publishers, designers, and agencies. 

What can you do with an Illustration BA?

As a graduate with a BA degree, you’ll be equipped with a robust portfolio, refined illustration style, and the technical, practical, and theoretical skills needed to turn your passion for drawing into a career. 

From editorial illustration to product packaging design, there are many visual communication roles and creative industries you’ll be able to explore with your BA, including: 

• Publishing and media

• Illustration agencies

• Design consultancies

• Art direction

• Freelance illustration

• Graphic design

How will you be assessed?

You’ll be assessed through a range of formative and summative assessments that support your writing development and gauge your progress. You’ll receive ongoing feedback, participate in peer exchanges, and complete a variety of assignments (portfolios, pitches, presentations, journals, case studies, competition analysis, and a final major project) that put your writing, critical thinking, and reflective skills to the test.

You’ll learn from a blend of lectures, video and audio resources, interactive activities, writing exercises, and creative practice, via Falmouth University’s cutting-edge virtual learning environment. 

Is this a part-time or full-time degree?

This accelerated online degree program offers flexible learning options for full- or part-time study. As a full-time student, you’ll complete your compulsory modules in two years, dedicating around 40-50 hours per week to your studies. 

If you prefer a schedule that accommodates your personal and professional commitments, you can opt for part-time study, which allows you to finish in three years, with a study commitment of approximately 27-33 hours per week.