In the first year, you'll be introduced to the University and the technical workshops and facilities available to you. On the course you’ll learn the technical and conceptual skills that will give you a solid foundation from which to explore your areas of specialist activity. 

Introduction to Illustration and Animation
Introduces you to different ways of approaching, questioning and solving creative problems. You'll investigate, analyse and document a range of subjects in response to projects set by your tutors. Through these projects, you'll be taught skills related to the collection of information and visual analysis.

Illustration Fundamentals: Image, Type, Print
You'll continue to develop your research and idea generation skills - and also your image making skills - through practical workshops, tutorials and seminars. These include practices such as observational drawing, printmaking, photography, collage, 3D and type.

Animation Fundamentals: Motion, Narrative, Screen
You'll be introduced to the basics of storytelling, narrative and sequence for a range of media outputs. You'll learn how to build visual stories, develop pictorial and typographic elements from research, establish themes, characterisations, environments and use of metaphor. And you'll experiment with composition and layout for communication.

Message, Medium, Meaning
You'll examine a range of topics through the exploration of examples from historical and contemporary practice and analysis of your studio work. These will include basic concepts in semiotics, the relationship between word and image, the construction of narrative, photographic language, function and expression, culture connotation and myth, subversion and propaganda.

The second year focus is on finding your own specialist way of working and you’ll be encouraged and supported to start working more independently. During this year you may also have the opportunity to complete an industry work placement or even study abroad. 

Social and Cultural Contexts
Encourages you to examine and explore your personal ethics, values and motivation through the production of work for others.

Developing your Practice
This project that runs throughout Year 2 acts as a stepping-stone to the personal, self-negotiated work you will be undertaking in Year 3. You will be able to concentrate on a specialist interest that you hold within the field of illustration and/or animation. This interest can arise out of a focus upon a particular medium or process; or it can develop from a design problematic that you are attracted to. Equally a visual language that you enjoy (e.g. drawing, photography etc.) could become the centre of this unit.

Authorial Narrative
This unit consolidates and develops further the narrative development and making skills from Year 1, and further develops your critical perspective through a written task or similar outcome.

Spatial Practices
This unit allows the opportunity to combine the design of spaces and their surfaces. You will learn how to manipulate spaces to create identities, multi-sensory experiences, and innovative events/exhibitions in a sustainable and environmentally conscious context.

Study Abroad (optional)
This optional unit is designed to broaden your educational experience and deepen your understanding of cultural diversity. It will enable you to study within a different cultural context and gain fresh perspectives.

The third year will see you achieve a greater level of independence with self-managed research, study and practice, resulting in a final major project and a written dissertation. 

Professional Practice
Helps you to explore contemporary and future definitions of creative practice, for a professional career in the varied fields of illustration and/or animation (or related creative disciplines). The unit aims to equip you with the skills, knowledge and confidence to gain a foothold in - and launch a professional career in - the creative industries.

Major Project
Provides you with a framework within which to research, develop and realise a set/self-initiated project. You'll be given a choice of set projects, competitions, live briefs or a self-initiated project where you'll originate, develop and produce a body of work based on your interests, aspirations and skill.

Option 1: Dissertation
You'll undertake a substantial period of self-directed research on a subject related to the historical, theoretical or critical concerns of your discipline or professional area.

Option 2: Combined Dissertation / Critical Reflection
Two periods of sustained, individually negotiated research on subjects which are likely to be related to the contextual and/or theoretical concerns of your chosen areas of practice, towards the provision of structured argument.

This course offers the opportunity to study abroad for part of your second year. To find out more about studying abroad as part of your course please see the Study Abroad section:

• Study abroad information

Our Illustration & Animation course benefits from a shared programme of speakers with Graphic Design, reflective of current crossovers in disciplines, including:

• Jonathan Barnbrook
• Hans Reichardt, editor of Baseline Magazine
• Why Not Associates
• Matthew Richardson
• Mireille Fauchon
• Cognitive Media.

The support received from such leading industry professionals will help to maximise your employment opportunities. You'll also be encouraged to undertake a period of work placement in a top design studio or publishing company.

Our graduates develop rewarding careers in:

• Books and editorial
• Digital media
• Filmmaking
• Residencies
• Public Arts
• Curatorial
• Postgraduate studies
• Research
• Set and spatial design
• Production and post-production
• Art direction
• Web and broadcast design.