BA (Hons) Illustration Bachelor's degree at Open College of the Arts
BA (Hons) Illustration at Open College of the Arts. OCA's illustration degree is delivered entirely by distance learning, making it accessible to anyone with a genuine interest in illustration, no prior qualifications or experience are required.
About this course
OCA’s distance learning illustration degree is open to anyone with a keen interest in illustration, regardless of previous experience or qualifications. From the provider’s course page.
BA (Hons) Illustration is a Bachelor's degree (BA (Hons)) at Open College of the Arts. It is studied part-time; duration varies by route.
For Design studies graduates from this provider, typical earnings around £27,000. (HESA Graduate Outcomes / LEO, via Discover Uni.)
For the typical curriculum, specialisations, career paths and graduate earnings for Art & Design, see the sections below.
Curriculum & modules
Real modules published for this course, grouped only where the source gives a year, stage or level.
Stage One 3 modules
- Introducing Illustration40 credits
Module details
Develops understanding of the basic visual language of illustration, creative strategies and way of documenting working process. Explores mark-making and drawing, composition, visual hierarchies and colour theory, and undertakes visual research and idea development.
- Visual Histories40 credits
Module details
Develops appreciation of the historical and contemporary contexts of illustration such as Victorian, American 20th century, technical, instructional and children's illustration, and surveys contemporary areas of practice such as digital drawing, editorial and commercial illustration, graphic novels, animation and concept art.
- Materials and Contexts40 credits
Module details
Considers how to produce artwork for a range of physical formats and visual outcomes such as posters, leaflets, magazine and newspaper illustration, book covers, comics and fanzines.
Stage Two 3 modules
- Visual Languages40 credits
Module details
Supports understanding of how illustration methods and techniques can be applied to contemporary areas of practice such as editorial and commercial, scientific and technical contexts including product packaging, fashion, medical, educational, archaeological and botanical.
- Global Perspectives40 credits
Module details
Develops understanding of current representational and interpretative image-making practice domestically and internationally, including use of metaphor, symbolism, abstraction, satire and pastiche, and considers current personal and social visual concerns and expanded specialist visual contexts.
- Self-directed Project40 credits
Module details
Supports application of understanding and skills in either a client led or personal project to create an original body of work.
Stage Three 3 modules
- Practice and Research40 credits
Module details
Introduces this Stage of study by supporting initiation and articulation of emerging creative practice, development of relevant skills and research methods, and refinement of fluency in critical thinking. Requires production of a body of work comprising a series of projects or larger piece of work with a supporting critical thinking element in the form of an essay or presentation.
- External Projects40 credits
Module details
Requires a self-directed project with a supporting critical thinking element in the form of a case study, business plan, evaluation, written essay or visual presentation.
- Major Project40 credits
Module details
Requires completion of a body of work with a supporting critical thinking element reflecting on and evaluating the body of work in the form of a written essay or visual presentation.
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
OCA's distance learning illustration degree is open to anyone with a keen interest in illustration, regardless of previous experience or qualifications. You'll usually begin with visual studies, building your understanding of colour, composition and form, alongside contextual studies that ground contemporary practice in design history. Alongside this, you'll explore materials and processes across print, textiles and digital media. As you progress, you'll develop sustained studio practice and work on live client briefs. In later stages, a course like this typically offers specialist pathways, such as graphic design, fine art, fashion & textiles, or UX & digital, allowing you to develop a personal direction. You'll conclude with professional practice, portfolio building and a final major project for the degree show.
Who it's for
This course is for you if you have a real passion for illustration and want to develop a coherent, professional body of work. You'll thrive if you're self-directed and can manage independent study; distance learning demands discipline and commitment, but it suits those juggling other responsibilities or preferring to study from home. You should be genuinely curious about visual communication and willing to engage critically with your own practice and that of others.
University & format
This BA (Hons) Illustration is offered by Open College of the Arts, a recognised UK degree-awarding body, and studied part-time by distance learning in English. As a nationally recognised degree, it meets UK higher education standards. The course is open to anyone with a keen interest in illustration, with no formal entry qualifications required, though most entrants hold A-levels or equivalent.
Applicant information
The next application dates for this course, followed by facts the provider publishes.
Part-time application dates vary by provider. UCAS dates
See and book current events. Dates can fill or change.
Opened 2 July 2026; last choice 19 October 2026. Check vacancies now. A cached page never claims a place is still available.
Entry & how to get in
Who gets in
What recently admitted students actually held, official admissions data, not a stated requirement.
Qualifications held on entry
| Qualification | Share |
|---|---|
| A-levels or equivalent | 35% |
| Other | 21% |
| a previous degree | 16% |
| another higher-education qualification | 16% |
| No / unknown prior qualifications | 10% |
| an Access course | 2% |
| a Baccalaureate | 1% |
| a foundation course | 1% |
Entry & your chances
An honest read from the official entry data, plus your personal match.
Entry is set by the university and based on your offer. Use your predicted grades to see how you compare, then check the university's stated requirements.
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 Apply directly to the provider
Part-time application dates vary by provider. 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. The cap depends on the UK nation the provider sits in; the provider's page is authoritative.
Check fees at Open College of the Arts →Check the finance route that applies to you
Support depends on ordinary residence, assessed fee status, course and provider nation. The provider nation is unresolved here, so no national cap or loan amount is being guessed.
Find your official student-finance route →Paying for it
- Tuition fee loan: applied for through the student-finance body for the UK nation you live in.
- Living-cost support: means-tested on household income, from your nation's student-finance body.
- Repayment: only above the income threshold set by your nation's student-finance system.
- Earn alongside: most students work part-time in term, part-time roles on the StudySmarter job board.
Each UK nation runs its own student-finance system; check gov.uk for the rates that apply to you.
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 | £27,000 | £23,000 – £31,000 | 115 |
| 3 years after | £27,000 | £18,000 – £41,500 | 90 |
| 5 years after | £29,500 | £18,000 – £43,500 | 80 |
Nominal earnings for graduates of this course/subject at this provider. Stronger evidence. Published sample: 115. Cohort 2021-22.
- 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.
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.
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
Home tuition is regulated and the cap depends on the UK nation the provider sits in; check the provider's course page for the exact figure. Eligible students can apply for a tuition fee loan and living-cost support from the student-finance body for the UK nation they live in. Repayment thresholds differ by nation.
Where graduates go
Most graduates were in work or further study, with a median salary of £27,000. See the full breakdown in Careers & earnings above.
Who studies here and in this subject?
Provider- and UK subject-level context.
Design, and creative and performing arts across the UK
HESA student record 2024/25. Counts are rounded.
Is Art & Design right for you?
Tick what applies to you and see how good a fit it is.
International students
What applying to Open College of the Arts from outside the UK involves: fees, English, visa, funding and living costs.
Tuition fees
International tuition is £21,438 / 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 Open College of the Arts’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 Open College of the Arts and gov.uk before you apply.
Related courses
More at Open College of the Arts
Common questions
What are the entry requirements?
What do graduates go on to do?
What will it cost me?
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