Illustration with Foundation BA Honours

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Course Overview

Attendance

UK Fees £9,250 *
International Fees £15,400 *
Duration 4 or 5 years

* Price per academic year

Course summary

Our degree courses with Foundation year offer the opportunity to prepare you for advanced study before you progress onto a full honours degree at the University of Westminster.

Whether you do not feel ready for degree-level study, don’t have the right qualifications, want to change your subject specialism or return to study after an absence from education, we aim to encourage a broad range of students to undertake our Foundation year in order to progress onto their full honours degree with us.

Our foundation year in Art and Design is designed to provide you with an introduction to our range of subject areas, and to prepare you for the discipline of your choice. It will give you the opportunity to explore new ideas, opening up new perspectives on the key debates within the field. It begins in the first semester with the development of fundamental Art and Design skills, as well as practical exploration across all of the disciplines in our Art and Design foundation programme. In the second semester, you are encouraged to specialise in your own discipline and are supported at this stage by tutors from your host course. You will also benefit from workshops in our high-end facilities, and from working with leading academics who will encourage you to become a confident and creative thinker. Your practical development is accompanied by modules in both semesters on foundational academic skills – skills that will be essential as you progress to your chosen full degree.

On successful completion of the foundation year, you will be able to move on to study for the Illustration BA Honours degree for a further three years. 

On our Illustration BA you’ll find your distinctive creative voice and gain the skills you need to transform your passion for design into a successful career.

Illustration spans a huge range of visual communication practices. On this course, we provide you with the space, facilities and support to explore these techniques and approaches to the full and discover where your artistic vision lies. You’ll spend time drawing from life, and experiment with traditional ‘messy’ processes like printmaking and 3D making techniques such as metalwork, casting and laser cutting. Alongside this physical grounding, you’ll learn to explore ideas and develop skills through digital mediums and emerging technologies.

Studying on our Harrow campus you’ll be part of a close-knit creative community. You’ll have access to a vast range of facilities, including large studios, 3D workshops and our Emerging Media Space, and also spend time off campus, observing visual culture in London.

Throughout the course, our focus is on building your credentials as a creative professional – teaching you how to develop your portfolio, negotiate with clients, and build your brand. Between your second and third years you can choose to spend a placement year with a studio or design company, enabling you to gain valuable industry experience and define the field you want to pursue.

There are plenty of opportunities to work on live industry briefs – both within study modules and via our award-winning Westminster Enterprise Network. Through our membership of the Association of Illustrators and D&AD, you’ll have access to events, industry-set competitions, awards schemes and other opportunities. At the end of your course, you can take part in a prestigious graduate show, showcasing your work to industry professionals.

Top reasons to study with us

  • Learn from tutors who are active practitioners across the creative industries – from children’s book illustration to documentary filmmaking
  • Gain skills in the physical and digital arts, enabling you to adapt to emerging opportunities in design and new media
  • Work in advanced facilities including six large studios, printmaking, 3D workshops and an Emerging Media Space
  • Study just 20 minutes from the city centre by train, taking advantage of the capital’s cultural and creative environment
  • Learn to market your skills, network with industry professionals and find work through the Westminster Enterprise Network, and Careers and Employability Service
  • Choose to do a year’s placement, adding an impressive element to your CV
  • Exhibit at end-of-degree student showcases at galleries that in the past have included London Gallery West and New Designers
  • Follow in the footsteps of successful alumni like Jim Kay, illustrator of the Harry Potter books, and Paul Vincett, puppet-maker whose credits include X-Men: First Class and Thor 2

Course structure

Each year you’ll study core modules and choose from a varied range of optional modules. You’ll learn through a dynamic mix of formats including individual tutorials, student-led studio classes, group work, presentations, technical sessions, online training and lectures. In project work, you’ll collaborate with students from your course and others, helping you to build vital teamworking skills.

You’ll also get to hear talks from visiting artists, take part in workshops led by industry experts, and go on frequent trips into central London to exhibitions and design fairs.

The following subjects are indicative of what you will study on this course.

Subjects of study include (across 5 core modules): 

  • Art and Design Explorations
  • Critical Thinking for Academic and Professional Development
  • Introduction to Academic Practice
  • Making and Modelling
  • Seeing and Doing

There are no optional or elective modules offered at Level 3, as the focus is on the development of key academic skills through a broad understanding of Media and Design

Credit Level 3

In the first year, you’ll explore different techniques and approaches in image-making and visual communication. There’s a focus on observational drawing, which gives you an important grounding for technical mediums such as digital arts, printmaking, animation and graphic mark-making.

Subjects of study include:

  • Digital Arts 1
  • Documentary Illustration
  • Illustration: Contexts and Cultures
  • Industry 1: Working in Professional Contexts
  • Visual Messaging and Communication
  • Drawing Exploration
  • Visual Effects

Credit Level 4

In your second year, you’ll build on your technical and creative skills, working on projects which reflect the kind of briefs you’ll find in the industry. Increasingly, you’ll be able to tailor your course through optional modules, enabling you to further develop your creative identity.

Subjects of study include:

  • Visual Storytelling
  • Contextualised Practice
  • Digital Arts 2
  • Industry 2: Professional Practice and Enterprise
  • Sequence and Message
  • Brands
  • Designing for Games 
  • Reality VR, AR, and MR
  • Theories of Media and Communication
  • UX/ UI Design

Credit Level 5

Between Years 2 and 3, you can opt to do a year’s placement (or a series of short placements) in a relevant company or spend the year studying abroad at one of Westminster’s partner institutions. Taking this option will lead to the final award: BA Honours – Illustration with Professional Experience or BA Honours – Illustration with International Experience.

In your third year, you'll focus on a major illustration project, complemented with optional modules that build on your creative strengths and professional direction. The culmination of the year is the opportunity to show your work at our degree shows at galleries that in the past have included London Gallery West and New Designers.

Subjects of study include:

  • Digital Arts 3
  • Industry 3: Professional Practice and Public Engagement
  • Major Project (Illustration)
  • Audio Storytelling
  • Contextual Research Project
  • Creative Advertising
  • Critical Design
  • Stop-Motion Animation
  • User Experience (UX) and App Design

Credit Level 6

Illustration at Westminster

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Programme specification

For more details on course structure, modules, teaching and assessment Download the programme specification (PDF).

To request an accessible version please email [email protected]

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Prospectus

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Get in touch

Contact us for general course enquiries:

+44 (0)20 7911 5000 EXT 65511
(Mon-Fri, 10am-3pm GMT)

[email protected]

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(Mon-Fri, 10am-4pm GMT)

Open days

Join us at an open day online or on campus. Get a feel for student life at the University of Westminster and talk to course leaders and our support teams.

Careers

The Illustration BA can take you in many different directions. While becoming a freelance illustrator is a popular pathway, many graduates go on to join small collectives or design studios, or work as designers in publishing houses, media companies or in events management. Some graduates work in film and TV as storyboard artists or prop makers, or as concept artists specialising in visual effects or virtual and augmented reality for computer games, entertainment or advertising.

Our Careers and Employability Service is here to support you to achieve your full potential, and has built up a network of over 3,000 employers around the world, helping all our students explore and connect with exciting opportunities and careers.

Successful alumni

Alumni include Jim Kay, illustrator for the Harry Potter books and Paul Vincett, puppet maker for X-Men: First Class.

Westminster Enterprise Network

This hub gives students access to workshops, business advice and project work with well-known companies.

3,000

Employers around the world

The University’s Careers and Employability Service has a network of over 3,000 employers around the world.

Industry links

Opportunities to gain an industry perspective form a fundamental part of your course. You will be taught by active practitioners who ensure that what you learn reflects the needs of today’s creative industries.

You can choose to undertake placements, internships and work experience, and to respond to briefs from organisations that in the past have included the BBC, National Health Service, Hayward Gallery, Penguin and Creative Conscience. Our Westminster Enterprise Network gives you access to expert-led workshops, training, networking events, business advice and work experience opportunities.

Job roles 

This course will prepare you for roles in a variety of areas including:

  • Animator
  • Art director
  • Art therapist (requiring further training)
  • Company manager
  • Event manager
  • Graphic designer
  • Illustrator – editorial illustration/decorative merchandising and interiors, branding and promotion, visual effects, concept art
  • Museum/gallery curator
  • Teaching (requiring further training)

Graduate employers

Graduates from this course have found employment at organisations including:

  • ORCA
  • National Portrait Gallery
  • The Artworks
  • Tate Gallery
  • WildBrain Spark
  • Guinness Partnership
  • Trafalgar Strategy
  • BAMBI
  • ProAmpac
  • CULT – LDN + NYC
  • Grafik magazine

The clients our alumni have worked for include:

  • New Balance
  • Barbour
  • ITV
  • Saatchi & Saatchi
  • Nike
  • Harley Davidson
  • The Guardian
  • British Museum
  • Design Museum
  • Marks & Spencer

Our alumni

Our course alumni have progressed to many different careers, including:

  • Anna Reynolds - Studio and Communications Manager at A Practice for Everyday Life, Designer and Assistant to Mike Radcliffe, and Staff Writer for Grafik
  • Ben Jennings – Satirical illustrator – the Guardian, New Statesman, i Newspaper
  • Diyala Muir – Animator - winner of the Best Student Film at British Animation Awards 2018
  • Chris Tichborne – Bafta award winning animator / director - Corpse bride, Coraline, Fantastic Mr Fox, Rupert Bear, Postman Pat, Bob the Builder, Bafta award for the Clangers
  • Davinia Gregory - Assistant Professor at Teachers College Columbia University - research in material culture studies, Caribbean studies
  • Grace Russell - Illustrator and winner of the student V&A Illustration Award 2014
  • Hiroko Uemoto - Graphic Designer - Paldas, Japan
  • Jim Kay -  Illustrator and concept artist for books, TV and film (Illustrator for Harry Potter books)
  • Josey Senoy - Illustrator and Surface Designer. Clients include British Museum, Design Museum, Historical Royal Palaces, Imperial War Museum, Somerset House, Anthropologie, Marks & Spencer
  • Kaishi Yamaguchi - Graphic and Web Designer, Guanabana Restaurants
  • Marcelina Amelia - Painter, printmaker, illustrator. Featured in publications including Booooooom, Bomb, Art Maze, Create Magazine, Digital Arts, Vogue, Refinery29, The NY Times, Der Spiegel, Ballad Of Magazine. Saatchi Art's featured 'Artist in Spotlight' in 2018
  • Mateusz Gidaszewski - Head of art and design dept for Vopulus – healthcare education
  • Megg Wilford - Graphic Designer and Art Director creating content for the music, fashion and lifestyle industries. Clients include: New Balance, Barbour, ITV
  • Michael William Lester – Illustrator and animator - ‘Beginners’ creative studio
  • Miles Lauterwasser - Limited Editions Co-ordinator, Tate Gallery
  • Paul Vincett - Character Designer, Puppet/costume and prop maker for film and theatre. Film credits include: X-Men: First Class, Tim Burton’s Dark Shadows, Thor 2, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children and Beauty and the Beast. Theatre credits include: His Dark Materials, War Horse, and Shakespeare's Globe’s Gabriel
  • Raphael O'Selle - Brand Designer for Guinness Partnership
  • Sam Hawkins and Seb Chaloner (aka illustration duo MysteryMeat) – illustration, graphic design, art direction for Adam & Eve, Saatchi & Saatchi, Leo Burnett, The Corner, Pablo, WCRS, Mother. The new Your Times, The Sunday Times, TFL, Droga5NYC, Esquire
  • Solomon Tremowo – CEO of Playerium – games and moving image design studio
  • Stephanie Alexander Jinks – Director, The Artworks Illustration Agency
  • Tim Mcdonagh - Illustrator - Clients: Nike, Penguin, HMV, Virgin, Harley Davidson, Ryanair, Hodder & Stoughton, New Scientist, Wired; Vibe, Variety, CNBC

International Opportunities

Many of our courses offer international study and work experiences, and the University provides other global opportunities that all students can apply for - so whatever you're studying, you'll have the chance to go abroad.

Opportunities could include:

  • Taking part in semester or year-long exchanges at institutions around the world
  • Attending an international summer school or field trip
  • Developing your CV through volunteering or work placements abroad

International experience broadens horizons, boosts self-confidence, and improves global understanding, alongside being fantastic for your career.

Find out more about our international opportunities, including funding options and where you can go.

Students working and studying internationally

Course Leaders

Emma Dodson's profile photo

On the Illustration BA we nurture your individual creativity and encourage an open, explorative approach to image making practice.

Emma Dodson

Senior Lecturer

An alumna of the University of Westminster’s Illustration course herself, Emma has spent three decades freelancing as a painter, puppet/prop maker and occasional art director for film and TV. Notable films she has worked on include Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, Captain America, Hugo, Wolfman, Pirates of the Caribbean, Chocolat, Evita and Captain Corelli’s Mandolin.

Emma also writes, illustrates and designs novelties for children’s picture books. Her work has been published by Walker Books, Hachette, Templar, Scholastic, Barrons, Candlewick Press, and A&C Black.

Emma teaches across a range of disciplines and practice-based areas of illustration and visual communication.
 

See full profileSee full profile of Emma Dodson

Peter Dukes

Principal Lecturer

Peter Dukes is a Principal Lecturer in Westminster School of Arts, University of Westminster, and a course leader for the Art and Design Foundation year. He studied Fine Art at Central St Martins and the Royal College of Art, and was Course Leader for BA Contemporary Media Practice from 2006 to 2016. He is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and is currently School Senior Tutor for Westminster School of Arts.

His work engages with a variety of media and is interdisciplinary in nature, spanning visual arts and literature. He has shown nationally and internationally in a visual arts context, published work in literary magazines, as well as creating online moving image, textual and interactive media art.

See full profileSee full profile of Peter Dukes
Peter Dukes profile's profile photo

Our Foundation programme challenges you to develop your creative skills across all of our disciplines, helping you gain the confidence and experience to succeed on your chosen degree.

Course Team

Our tutors have extensive experience across illustration, fine art filmmaking and curation. The course team has expertise in children’s book illustration, prop making for film and TV, drawing, textile/printmaking, animation and filmmaking for companies such as the BBC. Tutors continue to work in the industry alongside their teaching duties, ensuring that you learn the latest commercial practice and thinking.

Why study this course?

Professional insights

Industry professionals and our alumni visit regularly to talk to students about their future careers.

Collaborative learning

Opportunities to work with students from other courses including film, fashion, music, fine art photography and journalism.

Industry-standard facilities

Facilities for everything from large-scale work to traditional figure drawing, printmaking to green screen work.

Entry Requirements

  • A Levels – DD (48 UCAS Tariff points)
  • T levels – 48 UCAS Tariff points
  • International Baccalaureate – 48 UCAS Tariff points from all components of the Diploma Programme. International Baccalaureate Career-related Programme will be considered on a case-by case basis
  • BTEC Extended Diploma – PPP
  • BTEC Diploma – MP
  • Access – 48 UCAS Tariff points from the Access course

In addition to one of the above, you should have: 

  • GCSE English Language grade 4/C - IB grade 4 Higher level, GCSE Maths Pass - IB Pass

If your first language is not English, you will need an IELTS of 6.0 overall, with 5.5 in each component.

You will be required to submit a portfolio of 10 to 15 images of art and design work to reflect your course of interest. This might include drawing and painting, graphic design, illustration, photography, printmaking and digital prints, sculpture and 3D work, installations, animations or video. Video and animation files may need to be uploaded to YouTube or a similar online platform, and then embedded in your portfolio website or with links also provided. There should be a maximum of three video files, each no longer than three minutes duration.

We also welcome applications from students who are taking a combinations of qualifications listed above. For further information, please contact Course Enquiries.

View more information about our entry requirements and the application process.

  • International Baccalaureate – 48 UCAS Tariff points from all components of the Diploma Programme. International Baccalaureate Career-related Programme will be considered on a case-by case basis

If your first language is not English, you will need an IELTS of 6.0 overall, with 5.5 in each component.

You will be required to submit a portfolio of 10 to 15 images of art and design work to reflect your course of interest. This might include drawing and painting, graphic design, illustration, photography, printmaking and digital prints, sculpture and 3D work, installations, animations or video. Video and animation files may need to be uploaded to YouTube or a similar online platform, and then embedded in your portfolio website or with links also provided. There should be a maximum of three video files, each no longer than three minutes duration.

More information

Pre-sessional English programmes

Need to improve your English before starting your course? We offer summer pre-sessional English programmes to help develop your English language skills.

Find out more about our pre-sessional English programmes.

Westminster Degree Shows

The Westminster Degree Shows are an annual collection that showcases the creativity, vibrancy and artistic talent of our undergraduate arts courses. You can see the latest online collection on Westminster Degree Shows.

Banner text: Westminster Degree Shows 2023

Learn new skills

Learn a new language

From Arabic to Spanish, you can learn a new language alongside your degree with our Polylang programme

Develop your entrepreneurial skills

Our award-winning Creative Enterprise Centre offers industry networking events, workshops, one-to-one business advice and support for your startup projects. 

Gain extra qualifications

We provide access to free online courses in Adobe and Microsoft Office applications, as well as thousands of specialist courses on LinkedIn Learning.

Fees and Funding

UK tuition fee: £9,250 (Price per academic year)

When you have enrolled with us, your annual tuition fees will remain the same throughout your studies with us. We do not increase your tuition fees each year.

Find out how we set our tuition fees.

Funding

As well as tuition fee loans, there is a range of funding available to help you fund your studies.

Find out about undergraduate student funding options.

Scholarships

The University is dedicated to supporting ambitious and outstanding students and we offer a variety of scholarships to eligible undergraduate students, which cover all or part of your tuition fees.

Find out if you qualify for one of our scholarships.

Additional costs

Basic art and studio materials are provided, but you may need to pay for some specialist art materials. The University provides Adobe CC software, and we advise that it’s preferable to have your own laptop. 
If you are unsure about what to purchase, our technical support team can advise you once you have enrolled. 

See what you may need to pay for separately and what your tuition fees cover.

International tuition fee: £15,400 (Price per academic year)

When you have enrolled with us, your annual tuition fees will remain the same throughout your studies with us. We do not increase your tuition fees each year.

Find out how we set our tuition fees.

EU Qualifications Welcome Award Scheme

If you are an international student accepted on an undergraduate programme starting in September 2024 or September 2025 at level 3 (Foundation) or level 4 (first year) on the basis of an eligible EU qualification only, you will be awarded a tuition fee reduction which will align your fee more closely to the one for UK students. For more information, see the EU Qualifications Welcome Award Scheme.

International student funding

Find out about funding for international students.

Additional costs

Basic art and studio materials are provided, but you may need to pay for some specialist art materials. The University provides Adobe CC software, and we advise that it’s preferable to have your own laptop. 
If you are unsure about what to purchase, our technical support team can advise you once you have enrolled. 

See what you may need to pay for separately and what your tuition fees cover.

Facilities

The course provides dedicated studio accommodation for each cohort with both collaborative and individual workspace.

Studios are equipped with computers, photocopiers, printers and scanners for IT and digital production. The studios are open 5 days a week, 8am–8pm with some studios and the campus library open for 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Our facilities provide multiple approaches to practice and include photography, animation, painting, drawing, printmaking, textile printing, 3D digital printing, laser cutting, high-end inkjet printing, digital imaging, three-dimensional design construction, ceramics, woodwork, metalwork and casting.

Teaching and Assessment

Below you will find how learning time and assessment types are distributed on this course. The graphs below give an indication of what you can expect through approximate percentages, taken either from the experience of previous cohorts, or based on the standard module diet where historic course data is unavailable.  Changes to the division of learning time and assessment may be made in response to feedback and in accordance with our terms and conditions.

How you'll be taught

Teaching methods across all our undergraduate courses focus on active student learning through lectures, seminars, workshops, problem-based and blended learning, and where appropriate practical application. Learning typically falls into three broad categories:

  • Scheduled hours: examples include lectures, seminars, practical classes, workshops, supervised time in a studio
  • Placement: placement hours normally include placement opportunities, but may also include live projects or virtual activity involving employers
  • Independent study: non-scheduled time in which students are expected to study independently. This may include preparation for scheduled sessions, follow-up work, wider reading or practice, completion of assessment tasks, or revision
Year
F
25%75%
1
27%73%
2
21%79%
P
1%99%
3
8%92%
Scheduled hoursIndependent studyPlacement

How you'll be assessed

Our undergraduate courses include a wide variety of assessments.

Assessments typically fall into three broad categories:

  • Practical: examples include presentations, videos, podcasts, lab work, creating artefacts  
  • Written exams: end of semester exams 
  • Coursework: examples include essays, reports, in-class tests, portfolios, dissertation
     
Year
F
4%96%
1
25%75%
2
9%91%
P
100%
3
100%
Written examsPracticalCoursework

Data from the academic year 2023/24

Supporting you

Our Student Hub is where you’ll find out about the services and support we offer, helping you get the best out of your time with us.

  • Study support — workshops, 1-2-1 support and online resources to help improve your academic and research skills
  • Personal tutors — support you in fulfilling your academic and personal potential
  • Student advice team — provide specialist advice on a range of issues including funding, benefits and visas
  • Extra-curricular activities — volunteering opportunities, sports and fitness activities, student events and more

Visit our student hub

Course location

Harrow is our creative and cultural hub, home to most of our arts, media and digital courses. It houses state-of-the-art facilities for every discipline, including project and gallery spaces, film studios, creative labs, collaborative learning spaces, and the Westminster Enterprise Network.

Harrow Campus is based in north-west London, just 20 minutes from the city centre by train.

For more details, visit our Harrow Campus page.

Contact us

Call our dedicated team on:

+44 (0)20 7911 5000 ext 65511

Opening hours (GMT): 10am–4pm Monday to Friday

[email protected]

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Opening hours (GMT): 10am–4pm Monday to Friday

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