Illustration with Foundation Year

Illustration is a discipline built on the conviction that images can do things words alone cannot: clarify complex ideas, evoke atmosphere, tell stories, provoke thought and create connection. It encompasses an enormous range of practice, from traditional media such as pencil, ink and watercolour to digital tools, printmaking, collage and mixed media. Contemporary illustration works across editorial publishing, children's books, advertising, animation, games, textiles, public art and many other contexts, and strong illustrators typically develop a personal visual language that is immediately recognisable.

This programme at the University of Derby runs over four years, with a foundation year that opens the course to students from a wide range of prior learning backgrounds, building skills, confidence and critical self-awareness before you progress into the main degree. Throughout the programme you will be encouraged to explore and experiment, challenging yourself beyond simply responding to a brief and developing the motivation and curiosity that sustain a creative practice over time. The course includes a sandwich placement year and a year abroad, both of which give you extended experience beyond the studio, whether in a professional illustration context or in an international academic setting.

Work placement opportunities are embedded throughout, keeping your practice connected to the industry.

Illustration graduates work across a broad range of creative roles. Freelance illustration is a common path, with commissions from publishers, magazines, design studios, brands and cultural organisations. Others move into animation, graphic design, surface pattern design, art direction or concept art for games and film.

The critical and conceptual skills developed through the degree are also valued in arts education, gallery education and community arts. Some graduates pursue postgraduate study, taking their practice into more research-focused or experimental territory, or into specialist areas such as medical illustration, editorial design or children's books.