Become an illustrator, expanding your skills, portfolio and professional networks, through personal and professional real-world creative projects with an initial foundation year to prepare for the course.
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

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.

This foundation year course is for those who don't meet the entry requirements for our BA Illustration course, or would like extra preparation before starting degree-level study.

Work placements

You'll have opportunities to arrange single or multiple work placement/s in between your second and third years of the full course. Placements give you real-world experience to prepare you for your future career. You may also be able to work or study abroad with the possibility of funding through the Erasmus+ programme (until 2023) or the Turing scheme.

Live projects

You’ll engage in authentic work experiences in each year of the course, working with external partners and live briefs. Our students have worked with Museums Sheffield, Wessex Archaeology and Grimm & Co (Apothecary to the Magical).

Field trips

You’ll have the opportunity to go on study trips and visits in the UK and abroad – with free travel and accommodation for all mandatory field trips. These could include workshops, design conferences or visits to practitioners’ studios, museums and special collections. You may further enhance your studies with optional field trips, though these will incur additional costs. Recently the course has visited Dublin, Reykjavik, New York and Tokyo.

Networking opportunities

You’ll have the opportunity to meet guest lecturers, graduates and industry practitioners – both within our studios and on field trips to practitioners' studios.

Competitions

You’re supported to develop and showcase your professional creative work by entering national and international competitions. Our students are winners of competitions such as the Association of Illustrators annual competition and highly commended for the Penguin Books Student Design Award.

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.

You’ll experiment, engage, contextualise and apply your illustration to a number of professional contexts. You’ll work with external industry partners and have the opportunity to apply for placements. The distinctive portfolio of work you create will demonstrate your unique strengths and prepare you for a successful career after graduation. In the first ‘induction’ module you’ll learn to work confidently and creatively with a wide range of different materials. In the second ‘project’ module you’ll be taught by tutors from the BA (Hons) course supported by foundation tutors.

You’ll learn through

• problem-based and practical activity-based sessions
• applied industry (live) projects
• group work and collaboration
• workshops
• working with industry visitors
• lectures
• self-directed study
• group and individual tutorials
• exhibitions and presentations
• study trips
• independent study
• Blackboard online learning portal                                                                             
• presentations and feedback sessions

Take a look at the department's Instagram and TikTok to see what innovations and creations our students have been working on. For content directly from our BA Illustration students, visit the course Instagram. 

This course prepares you for future study and careers in

• illustration
• animation
• printmaking
• motion, interactive and games
• children’s books
• surface pattern design
• publishing
• art direction
• digital publishing

Previous graduates of this course have had work commissioned by

• Sheffield Council
• Twinkl Educational Publishing
• BBC Publications
• Wessex Archaeology
• New Balance
• Everton FC
• The Sunday Times
• The Big Issue
• The Economist
• Which Magazine
• Hodder Children’s Publishing
• Templar Children’s Publishing
• Harper Collins

 

UCAS points

• 80

This must include at least 32 points from at least one A level or equivalent BTEC National qualifications (to include a relevant subject, such as Art, Design and Technology, Textiles or Graphics). For example:

• CDD at A Level with a grade C in a relevant subject.
• MMP in BTEC Extended Diploma in a relevant subject.
• A combination of qualifications which must include an A level grade C or BTEC grade M in a relevant subject and may include AS levels, EPQ and general studies
• Access to HE Diploma from a QAA recognised Access to HE course. Normally we require 15 credits at level 2 and 45 at level 3. At least 15 level 3 credits must be at merit grade or above from a QAA-recognised Access to HE course, or an equivalent Access to HE certificate.

You can find information on making sense of UCAS tariff points here and use the UCAS tariff calculator to work out your points.

GCSE

• English Language or Literature at grade C or 4

We may also accept you, if you have limited qualifications but can show evidence of ability and a genuine commitment to studying Art and Design.

We treat the foundation year as part of the Art and Design degree programme. Offers made to students will be for four years of study (or five years of study including a placement). This is made up of the foundation year plus one of our Art and Design degrees.

If English is not your first language, you will need an IELTS score of 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in all skills or equivalent. If your English language skill is currently below IELTS 6.0 we recommend you consider either the International Foundation Programme: Art, Design and Media or Sheffield Hallam University Pre-sessional English course which will enable you to achieve an equivalent English score.

Portfolio review

If your application is successful, you will be invited to attend a portfolio review, this is where you can showcase your relevant work and highlight any pieces you are particularly proud of.

In light of the updated advice from the Government about the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, we are not currently offering face to face portfolio reviews but are instead accepting portfolios through digital submission. Find out about what happens at a portfolio review and how you can prepare to produce a strong portfolio.

Please note the University will only admit students who are aged 18 or over at the point of enrolment.

Important notice:

The structure of this course is periodically reviewed and enhanced to provide the best possible learning experience for our students and ensure ongoing compliance with any professional, statutory and regulatory body standards. Module structure, content, delivery and assessment may change, but we expect the focus of the course and the learning outcomes to remain as described above. Following any changes, updated module information will be published on this page.

You will be able to complete a placement year as part of this course. See the modules table below for further information.

Year 1 Compulsory modules
Module	Credits	Assessment
Foundation Projects — Developing Creative Practice	60	Coursework
Foundation Skills & Methods	60	Coursework

 

Year 2 Compulsory modules
Module	Credits	Assessment
New Adventures In Illustration: Methods, Tools, Technologies	60	Coursework
Pencils & Pixels: Drawing Foundations For Illustration	60	Coursework

 

 

Year 3 Compulsory modules
Module	Credits	Assessment
Future Now: Collaboration In Action	20	Coursework
Illustration In Action: Character, Narrative & Sequence	60	Coursework
In Here, Out There: Illustration Agency	40	Coursework

 

Year 4 Optional modules
Module	Credits	Assessment
Placement Year

 

Final Year Compulsory modules
Module	Credits	Assessment
Future Paths: Illustration Portfolio	60	Coursework
Future Proof: Illustration Practice	60	Coursework