BA (Hons) Illustration Bachelor's degree at Coventry University
BA (Hons) Illustration at Coventry University covers core theory, research and methods, applied practice, specialist options, an independent project, and professional skills.
About this course
BA (Hons) Illustration | Coventry University Skip to main content Skip to footer Illustration BA (Hons) Study level: Undergraduate Turn your passion for art and creativity into a professional career in illustration. From the provider’s course page.
BA (Hons) Illustration is a Bachelor's degree (BA (Hons)) at Coventry University, based in Coventry Campus. It runs 3 years, studied full-time.
For Design studies graduates from this provider, 82% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, 60% in highly skilled roles, typical earnings around £24,000. (HESA Graduate Outcomes / LEO, via Discover Uni.)
For the typical curriculum, specialisations, career paths and graduate earnings for Art & Design, see the sections below.
Course evidence score
The arithmetic mean of the official measures available for this course: NSS satisfaction, graduate activity and continuation.
Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Limited evidence Published sample: 25; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2022-23. Graduate Outcomes work or further study 82% (2022-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Published threshold met Discover Uni suppresses continuation data below its publication threshold. Cohort 2022-23. Continuation 75% (2022-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Curriculum & modules
Real modules published for this course, grouped only where the source gives a year, stage or level.
Year one 4 modules
- Creative ThinkingCompulsory30 credits
Module details
Unlock new ways of thinking by exploring the cultural and historical contexts that shape creative practices. Engage in thought-provoking debates, refine your ideas and discover how contemporary issues influence your work. Develop your ability to curate information, refine concepts and engage with emerging trends, all while considering your audience to create impactful, well-informed outcomes.
- Processes and MaterialsCompulsory30 credits
Module details
Experiment with a range of approaches to your practice, expanding techniques, problem-solving and finding new materials and platforms to work with. Embrace both traditional and digital materials, taking risks to push boundaries and develop unique outcomes. Tackle real-world challenges, interpret briefs and refine your ideas through hands-on exploration, unlocking new ways of working and thinking that shape your creative journey.
- Professional ContextsCompulsory30 credits
Module details
Sharpen your ability to articulate your creative intentions and communicate effectively with others. Develop strong interpersonal skills while collaborating and negotiating with stakeholders, ensuring your ideas are clearly understood and refined. Archive and reflect on your project experiences, documenting your journey and personal growth, as you build the skills needed to thrive in professional creative environments.
- Creative PracticeCompulsory30 credits
Module details
Explore creative making through a hands-on approach, tackling practical challenges with specialist techniques and processes. Develop innovative solutions while reflecting on how your practice aligns with industry standards and professional codes. Let your personal interests refine your ongoing projects and gain valuable insights into potential career paths and how to make your mark in the creative world.
Year two 4 modules
- Style and MeaningCompulsory30 credits
Module details
Explore how visual style affects and enhances meaning. Analyse different illustration approaches and apply this understanding to develop your own distinctive and adaptable personal style. Through a wide range of experimentation and testing, new visual forms, materials and processes are developed and critically appraised, leading to the building of a confident portfolio of work that can be applied across a variety of contexts.
- Innovative Approaches in IllustrationCompulsory30 credits
Module details
Encouraging creative risk-taking, push the boundaries of illustration through unconventional methods, mixed media and new technologies. Question the future sustainability of your practice and how to innovate to capture audience attention, future career destinations and market opportunities. This module explores innovative techniques and processes, promotes iterative thinking, encourages embracing change and uncertain knowledge, fosters questioning of existing knowledge and challenging preconcept
- Illustration ShowcaseCompulsory30 credits
Module details
Engage in individual and collaborative projects to showcase your work in innovative and exciting ways for different audiences. Explore a wide range of presentation and audience engagement approaches and possibilities. Consider the role of your work within the public realm and how audiences engage and benefit from interacting with your work. Focus on practical decision-making, personal process thinking and documentation, effective teamworking and role management in projects, discourse and the sha
- Content CreationCompulsory30 credits
Module details
Develop content-driven projects across various media, focusing on storytelling and digital applications. Refine your ability to create engaging, high-quality illustrations for a range of platforms and contexts. Through developing and shaping visual content, learn how to produce impactful and engaging media incorporating a range of visual communication, image creation and sequential materials and approaches.
Placement year 2 modules
- UK Work PlacementOptional
Module details
This module provides you with an opportunity to reflect upon and gain experience for an approved placement undertaken during your programme. A placement should usually be at least 26 weeks or equivalent; however, each placement will be considered on its own merits, having regard to the ability to achieve the learning outcomes.
- International Study/Work PlacementOptional
Module details
This module provides you with an opportunity to reflect upon and gain experience for an approved international study/work placement undertaken during your programme. A work/study placement should usually be at least 26 weeks or equivalent; however, each placement will be considered on its own merits, having regard to the ability to achieve the learning outcomes.
Final year 4 modules
- Illustration PathwaysCompulsory30 credits
Module details
Critically reflect on your career aspirations, researching industry trends and opportunities. Develop a strategic plan for your transition into a range of professional creative careers. Through research into current industry trends and case studies, build a confident plan for your professional future. This module emphasises responsible research practices, including ethics and sustainability, developing and understanding audiences, applying critical thinking in context, and articulating personal
- Personal PortfolioCompulsory30 credits
Module details
Refine your creative identity through self-initiated projects, experimenting with materials and techniques to create a portfolio that reflects your unique creative voice. Start from a place of self-reflection, purpose and personal expression and consider how you will bring individual creative value to the forefront of your work. This module encourages you to challenge and test your ideas, position yourself as an innovative creator, advance process-based thinking within a creative context, and cr
- Creative Self-PromotionCompulsory30 credits
Module details
Learn how to market yourself effectively through branding, networking and online presence. Create promotional materials and strategies for both freelance and employment success. Innovative and attention-grabbing self-promotional ideas are explored and developed through a range of mixed media approaches. This module focuses on recording and presenting project activity, establishing effective team-working structures with clear roles and responsibilities, developing the ability to listen, contribut
- Commercial PortfolioCompulsory30 credits
Module details
Focusing on professional practice, develop a portfolio tailored for industry clients and a range of commercial applications and careers. You are encouraged to identify the appropriate context that your work is suited to, as well as seek out commercial opportunities and live briefs. This module supports you to present and articulate your practice, refining your work in line with a specialist focus, and understanding how your practice fits within the broader professional context, including future
Source: provider course page. Modules can change; required/optional status, credits, descriptions and assessment are shown only when explicitly published.
Course in depth
What this course covers, who it suits and where it leads.
What you'll study
This course turns your passion for art and creativity into professional illustration practice. You'll usually begin with visual foundations, colour, composition and form across different media, alongside workshops in materials, processes and making, from print and textiles to digital tools. Contextual studies ground your work in art and design history. As you progress, you'll undertake sustained studio projects to develop a personal visual direction, whilst engaging with digital and emerging media relevant to contemporary illustration. Year 2 typically introduces live briefs and real-world client work. In your final year, you'll specialise deeply in illustration or related areas such as graphic design, fine art, fashion and textiles, or UX and digital practice. You'll complete professional portfolio development and culminate in a self-directed major project exhibited in a degree show.
Who it's for
This course suits students with A-level qualifications or equivalent. Recent entrants typically held UCAS tariffs between 144 and 159 points. You'll benefit from this course if you're committed to developing illustration practice and want structured support across theory, research, applied work, and professional development. First-year continuation stands at 85% across the student body.
University & format
This BA (Hons) degree is studied full-time over 3 years at Coventry University, a university located in Coventry. Teaching is delivered in English. The university is a recognised UK degree-awarding body, so your degree carries national recognition. It holds Gold for teaching quality in the Office for Students' TEF 2023.
Student satisfaction
How students on this course answered the National Student Survey, by theme.
Share of students responding positively.
Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Applicant information
The next application dates for this course, followed by facts the provider publishes.
- 2027 entryCompleted applications can be submitted
Your application needs a reference before you can send it.
- 2026 entryFinal date for 2026 applications
Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.
- 2026 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice
Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.
- 2027 entryEqual-consideration deadline
18:00 UK time for most undergraduate courses.
Show 5 later dates
- 2027 entryUCAS Extra opens
Applicants who used all five choices and hold no offer may be able to add another choice.
- 2027 entryLast day applications go directly to providers
Applications received after 18:00 UK time are entered into Clearing.
- 2027 entryClearing opens
Eligible applicants can see vacancies and release themselves into Clearing.
- 2027 entryFinal date for 2027 applications
Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.
- 2027 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice
Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.
Placement year. Availability, selection and pay can vary.
See and book current events. Dates can fill or change.
Entry & how to get in
Who gets in
What recently admitted students actually held, official admissions data, not a stated requirement.
UCAS tariff of entrants
Grades are the A-level equivalent of each points band. Tap a band to check your own chances below.
Qualifications held on entry
| Qualification | Share |
|---|---|
| A-levels or equivalent | 100% |
Entry & your chances
An honest read from the official entry data, plus your personal match.
Accepted students typically held strong UCAS tariffs. Check how your predicted grades compare and whether a contextual offer applies.
Will you get in? Plot your grades
Pick your predicted A-levels and watch your UCAS points land on the real spread of students admitted to this course.
Each bar is the share of admitted students in that UCAS-points band (lower → higher). Grades show the A-level equivalent.
Based on the official admitted-student tariff distribution. Many universities make contextual (reduced-grade) offers, so a result below the range doesn’t rule you out.
How to apply
Undergraduate applications go through UCAS. Here’s what matters for this course, the right deadline, the grades to aim for, and the steps in order.
- 1Register on UCAS Hub
Create your UCAS application and add this course. One application covers up to five choices.
- 2Write your personal statement
A single statement covers all your choices, so keep it broad enough for similar courses while showing genuine interest in this subject.
- 3Submit by 13 January 2027, 18:00 UK time
UCAS equal-consideration deadline for most undergraduate courses. Source: UCAS 2027 dates.
- 4Reply to your offers
When decisions are in, pick a firm (first) choice and an insurance (back-up) choice with slightly lower grades.
- 5Results day & confirmation
On results day (mid-August) your place is confirmed if you meet the offer. Just missed? Talk to the university, or find a place through Clearing.
Fees & funding
What this course costs and how UK student finance covers it.
Tuition per year
Provider fee page (England 2026/27 cap where not stated).
Check fees at Coventry University →For students who normally live in England
2026/27 Student Finance England figures. Maintenance support is means-tested and this two-point view is not an entitlement calculator. The course total uses its published length and home fee where both are available; a missing full-time fee uses the clearly labelled England-cap scenario, while part-time fees and unknown lengths are never guessed. Use the official calculator. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland use separate systems: SAAS, Student Finance Wales, and Student Finance NI.
Starting on or after 1 January 2027?
The Lifelong Learning Entitlement is a separate system. A new learner’s tuition entitlement is currently stated as £39,160 (about 480 credits at 2026/27 fee levels), subject to prior study and eligibility. Check the official LLE guide.
Paying for it
- Tuition Fee Loan: can cover eligible tuition up to the applicable limit and is paid straight to the provider.
- Maintenance Loan: up to £10,830/yr away from home outside London (England, 2026/27), means-tested on household income.
- Repayment: 9% of income above £25,000, nothing below it; written off after 40 years.
- Earn alongside: most students work part-time in term, part-time roles on the StudySmarter job board.
England figures shown; Scotland, Wales & NI run their own schemes, check gov.uk.
Scholarships & bursaries you could qualify for
That does not mean no funding exists. Check the university directory for current amounts, eligibility and application dates.
We only display a named award when its provider source identifies the award and who it is for.
Still deciding what to study?
StudyKit brings course choice, applications and funding together in one place, with a personal AI assistant. Find what really fits you and start your UCAS application step by step.
Careers & earnings
What Art & Design graduates actually earn, from real outcome data, 15 months, 3 years and 5 years after graduating.
Graduate earnings: this course
| When | Median | Typical range | Graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 months after | £24,000 | £21,000 – £28,000 | 25 |
| 3 years after | £22,000 | £17,000 – £26,500 | 295 |
| 5 years after | £27,500 | £22,500 – £34,000 | 295 |
Nominal earnings for graduates of this course/subject at this provider. Limited evidence. Published sample: 25; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2022-23.
Graduate outcomes, 15 months on: this course
- 1Graduate roleFirst role after the degree · 0–2 yrs
- 2Specialist / PractitionerWorking in art & design · 2–5 yrs
- 3Senior / LeadLeading work and people · 5–10 yrs
- 4Head of / ExpertSenior leadership or deep expertise · 10+ yrs
How pay grows: this course vs Art & Design nationally
National figures for Art & Design graduates, HESA Graduate Outcomes (15 months) and the Longitudinal Education Outcomes (LEO) dataset (3 & 5 years). These are national, not university-specific; actual pay varies by employer, region, role and experience. Different cohorts, so the bars are not one group over time.
Work out your pay
Headline figures hide a lot. Calculate realistic take-home pay for this field by role, region and experience, then check your CV before you apply.
What happened to 100 students?
Choose an outcome to translate the published percentage into a simple 100-person view. Each dot represents one percentage point, not an individual tracked student.
were in work or further study
15 months after graduation
Source: Discover Uni, using Graduate Outcomes and continuation data. Cohorts: 2022-23. Limited evidence. Published sample: 25; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2022-23. Each tab is a separate published measure; categories can overlap and should not be added together.
Value compared with similar courses
How this course’s 5-year median earnings compare with Art & Design courses at the same study level.
Compared with 1,698 courses with compatible official earnings data. This is a course-value comparison, not a quality ranking.
UK occupations graduates enter
Published graduate destinations, joined conservatively to UK SOC 2020, ONS pay and Skills England demand.
- Web and Multimedia Design ProfessionalsSOC 2020 214 · 18% of published destinations · ASHE median £32,574
- Design occupationsSOC 2020 342 · 15% of published destinations · ASHE median £35,957
Discover Uni JOBLIST/JOBTYPE; ONS ASHE 2025 provisional, all employee jobs; Skills England Occupations in Demand 2025. SOC is shown only for an exact normalised label match; demand is shown only at exact four-digit SOC. Published sample: 150; response rate: 55%. Pay describes the occupation across workers, not a guaranteed graduate salary.
Job market & outlook
How Art & Design graduates fare in the labour market, and how AI is reshaping the work.
How AI is changing the work
AI doesn't replace the profession, it shifts it: routine tasks get automated, while judgement, working with people and using AI well become more valuable.
What AI takes off your plate
- Routine information gathering
- First-draft writing and summaries
- Standard analysis and admin
- Repetitive processing tasks
More human than ever
- Judgement and original thinking
- Working with and leading people
- Owning and sense-checking AI output
- Ethics and accountability
The strongest graduates pair subject depth with the ability to use AI tools critically.
Roles & employers
Where Art & Design graduates typically go, indicative destinations from graduate career data. Each role links to live openings on the StudySmarter job board.
Roles graduates go into
Where they work
- Design studios & agencies
- In-house brand teams
- Games & media companies
- Freelance & self-employed
Jobs after this course
Current roles from the StudySmarter job board that suit Art & Design graduates.
Fine Art TechnicianFirst Choice StaffPharmacy Technician – Brand New State-of-the-Art HospitalCompass AssociatesArtificial Intelligence Engineering ManagerMBN SolutionsArtificial Intelligence EngineerExperis UKDelivery Driver (Part Time 24 hours) - AndoverOcado LogisticsCompliance Business PartnerNashrock Insurance RecruitmentIs this course right for you?
The essentials UK applicants ask about: finance, outcomes, entry and quality.
Student finance
For comparison, the standard full-time England tuition cap is up to £9,790 per year in 2026/27; the actual fee varies by course and provider. If you normally live in England, eligible students can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan, plus a Maintenance Loan for living costs. Under Plan 5 you repay 9% of income above £25,000, nothing below that, and the balance is written off after 40 years.
Where graduates go
82% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, with a median salary of £24,000. See the full breakdown in Careers & earnings above.
Your entry chances
Use the UCAS points calculator above to see how your predicted grades compare with admitted students, and whether a contextual offer could apply.
Official-data snapshot
Averaging the official measures published for it, this course scores 8.1 out of 10: NSS 84.4% · in work or study 82% · continued 75%.
Who studies here and in this subject?
Provider- and UK subject-level context.
Coventry University
Design, and creative and performing arts across the UK
HESA student record 2024/25. Counts are rounded.
Local crime-data context
A neutral snapshot around the published teaching location.
Around Coventry Campus
2,964 street-level reports returned within roughly one mile across 2026-04 to 2026-06.
Police.uk street-level API. Approximate locations, not confined to campus. England, Wales and Northern Ireland; not Scotland.
Is Art & Design right for you?
Tick what applies to you and see how good a fit it is.
International students
What applying to Coventry University from outside the UK involves: fees, English, visa, funding and living costs.
Tuition fees
International tuition is £20,800 / year for this course (from the provider’s fee page). You’re not eligible for UK Tuition Fee or Maintenance Loans, so plan for fees plus living costs upfront.
English language
Most UK undergraduate courses ask for around IELTS 6.0–6.5 (no band below 5.5–6.0), or an accepted equivalent. If you’re just short, most universities run a pre-sessional English course that counts towards the requirement.
Student visa
You’ll usually need a Student visa (Student Route). After you accept an offer the university issues a CAS; you then show funds for fees plus about £1,023–£1,334/month living costs and pay the Immigration Health Surcharge for NHS access.
Scholarships & funding
Many universities offer international/global scholarships (often £2,000–£6,000/yr), check Coventry University’s funding pages.
Living costs
Budget roughly £1,100–£1,400/month outside London and £1,400–£1,800/month in London for rent, food and travel; the figure also matters for your visa.
Working while you study
A Student visa usually allows up to 20 hours/week in term time and full-time in holidays, useful alongside study, though not something to rely on for fees.
Visa rules and fees change. Always confirm the current requirements with Coventry University and gov.uk before you apply.
Related courses
More at Coventry University
Common questions
How competitive is entry?
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