Illustration and Animation BA (Hons)

This course is in clearing

Why study at UEL?

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1st in England

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Fastest Rising in England for graduate employability

Graduate Outcomes Survey 2025

Overview

Course modules

The Illustration and Animation BA (Hons) first year equips you with foundational skills in creative practice, research, and experimentation, essential for an Illustration and Animation undergraduate. Professional Life 1 emphasises personal development and adaptability for future careers in the Illustration and Animation fields.

In the second year of the Illustration and Animation BA (Hons), you deepen your understanding of contemporary art and design through advanced research and critical thinking in Contextual Studies 2. Modules like Advanced Practice and Advanced Experimentation focus on refining technical and creative skills for professional application. The Illustration and Animation undergraduate experience includes live projects, industry engagement, and professional development to prepare you for Level 6 of the Illustration and Animation degree.

In the final year of the Illustration and Animation BA (Hons), you focus on independent projects and professional development. The Illustration and Animation undergraduate experience emphasises advanced research, skill refinement, and public-facing outcomes like the degree showcase. This capstone year of the Illustration and Animation degree prepares you for employment or postgraduate opportunities through live briefs, exhibitions, and industry engagement.

NOTE: Modules are subject to change. For those studying part time courses the modules may vary.

Download course specification

Entry requirements

Degree:

96 UCAS points

This is the standard advertised entry requirement for most students applying to this course.

Degree with contextual offer:

64 UCAS points

You may be eligible for a reduced offer based on your personal, educational or socioeconomic background.

Degree with foundation year:

48 UCAS points

If you do not meet the standard entry requirements, you can apply for a foundation year. This additional year prepares you with the academic skills needed to progress to the full undergraduate degree.

 

Pre-entry programmes


If you lack formal or current qualifications, there are routes available to help you achieve your goal. 

Recognition of prior learning (RPL)

Your previous qualifications, uncompleted study or industry experience may mean you can start your studies at a later point in the course and influence your eligibility for entry

What makes this course different

Developing skills

You will be able to explore both animation and illustration together

Interdisciplinary

Explore and find your way within the two disciplines of animation and illustration developing a practice which blurs the line between, something that has become more common in industry

Career focused

You will work alongside animation and illustration students gaining fresh perspectives and approaches, giving you the edge in the competitive job market

Connecting Creativity

Discover career-focussed, practice-based, collaborative art education at East London Arts. Through degrees, community projects and industry partnerships, we shape the next generation of creative talent in East London and beyond.

Explore East London Arts

Course options

Start date

Degree

UCAS code: WW20

Illustration and Animation BA (Hons), home applicant, full time

  • Home Applicant ,
  • This course is in Clearing,
  • Full time, 3 years
  • £ 9,790 per year. Subject to change, see fees, funding and additional costs below

Illustration and Animation BA (Hons), home applicant, part time

  • Home Applicant ,
  • Part time
  • pro-rata full time fee

Illustration and Animation BA (Hons), international applicant, full time

  • International Applicant
  • Full time, 3 years
  • £ 16020 per year

Degree with foundation year

with foundation year
UCAS code: WW22

Illustration and Animation BA (Hons), home applicant, full time

  • Home Applicant ,
  • This course is in Clearing,
  • Full time, 4 years
  • £ 9,790 per year. Subject to change, see fees, funding and additional costs below

Illustration and Animation BA (Hons), international applicant, full time

  • International Applicant
  • Full time, 4 years
  • £ 16020 per year

Detour Ahead 2025 - Creative Corner with Emma Stone-Johnson

How we support your career ambitions

We offer dedicated careers support, and further opportunities to thrive, such as volunteering and industry networking. Our courses are created in collaboration with employers and the arts industry to ensure they accurately reflect the real-life practices of your future career and provide you with the essential skills needed. You can focus on building interpersonal skills through group work and benefit from our investment in the latest cutting-edge technologies and facilities.

Career Zone

This digital platform provides you with careers and employability resources, including: 

  • Jobs board for internships, placements, graduate opportunities, flexible part-time work
  • Mentoring programmes for insight with industry experts
  • 1-2-1 career coaching services
  • Careers workshops and employer events
  • Learning pathways to gain new skills and industry insight

Mental Wealth programme

Our Professional Fitness and Mental Wealth programme issues you with a Careers Passport to track the skills you've mastered. Some of these are externally validated by corporations like Amazon and Microsoft.

Our Mental Wealth programme

We are careers first

Our teaching methods and geographical location put us right up top:

  • Work-based projects
  • Networking and visits to leading organisations
  • Support in starting a new business
  • London on our doorstep

Careers Guarantee

The UEL Careers Guarantee is the University’s commitment to supporting you with your career development during your studies and after you graduate. It brings together careers guidance, employability support and opportunities designed to help you prepare for work or further study.

What can I do with this degree?

This course sits at the intersection of illustration and animation, giving you the skills to pursue opportunties across both industries. Graduates have gone on to work at Blink Ink and Passion Pictures, two of the most respected animation studios in the UK, as well as at Sainsbury's, Merlin Entertainment and Carphone Warehouse. 

Roles graduates go onto include: 

  • 2D animator or animation director 
  • Storyboard artist or character designer 
  • Concept artist or asset designer 
  • Magazine illustrator or editorial artist 

Postgraduate study options include: 

Official student data from Discover Uni

The banner below displays some key factual data about this course (including different course combinations or delivery modes of this course where relevant).

How you'll learn

Benefit from our progressive approach to learning through forward thinking and inclusive blended/ flipped learning and patchwork assessment, allowing you to make connections between modules, technical skills, research and your arts practice. You will gain fresh perspectives and approaches (divergent thinking) giving you the edge in the competitive job market, and skills for the fourth industrial age (4iR).

Learn through critical thinking and undertake complex problem solving, to be able to succeed in the fourth industrial age and beyond (we call this emotional intelligence) and gain insights in our yearly cluster employability initiative Detour Ahead: Roadmaps for the Art and Design Industry, a week-long inter-disciplinary guest talk series as well as advice about copyright and licensing, freelancing and tax.

Guided independent study

We are investing in key areas beyond your studies including our career services, library and well-being, to be available both face-to-face on campus and online with many of these available 24/7. We have new, modern library facilities on both campuses offering inspirational environments for study and research. Libraries contain resources in print and digital formats, a range of study spaces and a dedicated librarian who can assist with your learning.

Academic support

If you need a bit of extra help with certain skills such as academic writing, English, maths or statistics, our Academic Tutors offer workshops, drop-in sessions and one-to-one appointments to help our students achieve their potential. You can receive advice and guidance on all aspects of the IT systems provided by the university from our IT Service Desks located on all three campuses.

Our Student Support hubs in Docklands and Stratford feature centralised helpdesks to cater for your every need. UEL provides also support and advice for disabled students and those with specific learning difficulties (SPDs).

Dedicated personal tutor

Students are supported with any academic or subject-related queries by an Academic Advisor, module leaders, and former and current UEL students.

Workload

Each year you will spend around 300 hours of timetabled learning and teaching activities. These may be lectures, workshops, seminars and individual and group tutorials. Contact hours may vary depending on each module. 

The approximate percentages for this course are: 

  • Year 1: scheduled teaching - 300 hours; guided independent study - 900 hours.
  • Year 2: scheduled teaching - 300 hours; guided independent study - 900 hours.
  • Year 3: scheduled teaching - 300 hours; guided independent study - 900 hours.

Your timetable

You will receive your personalised timetable at the beginning of the academic year depending on your course.

Class sizes

The size of classes can vary depending on the nature of the course, module and activity. This can range from large groups in a lecture theatre setting, to smaller groups taking part in seminars and collaborative work.

How you'll be assessed

We'll assess you through a combination of coursework and exams. Coursework will include presentations, exhibitions, pin-ups and critiques. Furthermore, you'll also be assessed through learning, research journals, online portfolios and degree shows. You'll always receive detailed feedback outlining your strengths and how you can improve. 

Students with disabilities and/or particular learning needs should discuss assessments with the course leader to ensure they are able to fully engage with all assessments within the course. 

Feedback is provided within 15 working days in line with UEL's assessment and feedback policy.

Campus and facilities

What our students and staff say

Textile design ACI
Art and Design at UEL offers everyone a chance to operate in an economy which is moving further and further into the realms of the creative industries."

Joe Pleass

Graphic Design