Curious about studying Illustration - BA (Hons)at Bucks New University? We've gathered all the key details—entry requirements, modules, fees, and more. Hear from real students by checking out reviews, or take the next step by booking an open day to explore it for yourself.
Bachelor of Arts (with Honours) - BA (Hons)
High Wycombe Campus
Full Time
Oct 2026
3 Year
We aim to emerge students on this course within the industry from the get-go. During your time with us you’ll get direct access to industry-professionals and guest lecturers, often coming in to set live project briefs, hold master classes and talks on the industry. We also have an extensive network of successful alumni now making waves in various areas of illustration, both nationally and internationally. We often call upon them to come back in for guest visits and to offer talks and workshops. Led by our enthusiastic and dedicated team of design practitioners and experienced academics, you’ll benefit from their industry knowledge, as well as the network of professionals they bring to the course.
FacilitiesOur Illustration course is situated in an open plan studio alongside the creative advertising and graphic design courses, meaning you get to experience how a working advertising and design agency would run in the real-world.The course is located within the School of Art, Design and Performance, giving you access to a community of creative learners and diverse resources to help you achieve your creative outcomes. You’ll be encouraged to explore both traditional and current mediums to craft your design solutions, you can do this through our;silkscreen equipmentplotter cuttersletterpress equipmentphotography studioslitho equipmentlaser cutting3D printing technologyiMac Suites with Adobe Creative CloudYou also benefit from our specialist technicians and demonstrators on site, who can support you in bringing your ideas to life.
What will I study?On this illustration course you are encouraged to solve visual problems with your own unique aesthetic solutions, experiment with image and type and explore appropriate digital technologies. Through practical hands-on, project-based learning you will explore the fundamental core aspects of the subject such as narrative structure, hierarchy, composition and layout, typography, information design, image creation and conceptual thinking skills. Students are encouraged to take risks in their work and learn to challenge established languages and processes through questioning and individual experimentation.Central to the ethos of the Illustration course is the development of two aims; the first is self-authorship, where your point of view and vision play the pivotal role in identifying and communicating images and messages that are central to your own personal interests, opinions, and core values, and secondly a multi-disciplinary confidence and ability to accomplish communication tasks across a range of media and client bases. These aims reflect the current contemporary vocabulary of a modern illustrator. This course is also offered as a four-year programme, including an initial Foundation Year. The Foundation Year is a valuable stepping-stone, enabling you to enhance your academic study skills, bolster your confidence, and identify your individual strengths and areas for growth as you prepare for progression into the undergraduate program.Through specialist modules in Editorial Applications and Narrative Illustration you’ll explore a range of media, techniques and theoretical ideas which build an understanding of the role of a professional illustrator. By investigating contexts and audiences through practical projects and live briefs, you’ll develop your personal visual language, consolidate critical and strategic thinking, complex problem-solving and presentation skills, to build an awareness of the wider contextual role of an Illustrator.Upon graduating from this course, you’ll leave with your own distinctive portfolio that demonstrates your unique strengths and interests to prospective work opportunities.
This interdisciplinary theory-based module introduces you to the skills and perspectives needed to research, analyse, speak and write about images, objects and designed spaces. It familiarises you with historical and contemporary topics and issues, alongside the development of skills in research, critical analysis and communication, and interpretive strategies appropriate to studio-based art & design disciplines.
This module will introduce you to a range of creative skills taught in the Red Shed Workshops, as well as through Adobe technologies. These are skills you will use throughout your time at BNU and into industry. You'll develop a range of approaches and develop executions that communicate across a range of media to reach a defined audience. You will be able to evaluate the specific skills you are learning and contextualise the appropriateness of each through creative briefs, as you start to hone your creative and communication skills.
This module supports you to explore, critically reflect, and understand how the various applications of type and image can be employed for the purpose of communicating messaging and meanings to an intended audience. This module has been designed to provide orientation in initiating and executing a project via a brief.
This module provides the basis for establishing key methods of working which are fundamental to a conceptual and creative course. Its key purpose is to change the way you think in your approach to solving problems and idea generation, through a series of diverse activities and projects to broaden your perceptions, experience, and reference points.
This is a practical hands-on module comprising of workshop-based activities and projects based on the design cycle to manifest ideas utilising the following: Sketch book skills, hand drawn and digital typography, collaging and mastering a range of drawing techniques.
On this module you’ll be presented with key global debates which impact our lives and could influence your creative practice and positions as creatives in ever-changing professional industries. Through research and critical reflection, you’ll explore these issues which may be related to sustainability, politics and other ecological or socio- economic factors, and respond to them creatively using your chosen discipline-specific practice.
Drawing on the knowledge, understanding and skills acquired at Level-4, this module offers a more focused and critical approach to issues and concerns surrounding visual and material culture, and contemporary art & design practice.
This module aims to support your employability by encouraging you to consider and evaluate your graphic design and illustration practice within a professional context, and to develop an understanding of the key considerations required to develop and support practice.
This industry focused module helps you better understand the creative standards needed to work in a contemporary design and communications industry and encourage a wider appreciation and understanding of the creative sector, and its social and ethical responsibility.
In this module you’ll be introduced to a range of illustrative contexts, mediums and applications. Project briefs are designed to build confidence and allow experimentation with materials, techniques and personal image authorship in the creation of image-led, audience-aware illustration outcomes.
This module focuses on the development of storytelling in the modern context, through pictorial narrative. It develops core illustration skills which indicatively include, drawing, printmaking, composition, photography and digital software.
You are provided with an opportunity to sustain the creative dialogue between your research and subject-based practice, enabling you to establish your professional and creative identity through a self-directed brief/proposal.
The Level 6 Contextual and Historical Studies Dissertation is a distinguishing feature of a BA (Hons) studio-based discipline. The dissertation is a response to your emerging, subject specific interests and a chance to showcase your academic and communication skills in your chosen format.
This module will enhance your understanding and appreciation of the roles, relationships, and responsibilities that can play a major part in progressing and sustaining your professional practice. Extending your work in relation to career aspirations, you’ll develop visual, verbal and written presentation skills to support communication with employers.
This puts focus on knowledge and skills to support professional practice in the visual arts, design and the creative industries. You’ll develop in-depth knowledge of your chosen field of practice, which will support the critical appraisal process and inform the social and professional context for your work.
This module encourages you to respond to a relevant work-based learning opportunities including industry briefs, competition entries or a personally initiated live project by negotiation with your tutor.
4.4Bucks New University (BNU) is a student-focused university based in High Wycombe, with over 130 years of educational his...
