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Course type: Degree

Degree

Also known as an undergraduate or bachelors degree.

Internationally respected, universally understood.

An essential requirement for many high-level jobs.

Gain a thorough understanding of your subject – and the tools to investigate, think critically, form reasoned arguments, solve problems and communicate effectively in new contexts.

Progress to higher level study, such as a postgraduate diploma or masters degree.
Credits: 360

Credits

Credits measure the student workload required for the successful completion of a module or qualification.

One credit represents about 10 hours of study over the duration of the course.

You are awarded credits after you have successfully completed a module.

For example, if you study a 60-credit module and successfully pass it, you will be awarded 60 credits.
How long it takes
Study method: Distance learning
Entry requirements: Find out more about; Entry requirements

BA (Honours) Illustration

: Course code: A25

Bring ideas to life through the power of visual storytelling. This online degree nurtures your ability to tell stories and convey complex ideas through visual art. From editorial illustrations to graphic novels, you'll explore diverse styles and mediums, developing your unique visual voice. The flexible distance learning format allows you to balance your creative growth with other life commitments, all while building a professional portfolio that showcases your evolving skills as an illustrator.

This online course is available through our college dedicated to the creative arts, the Open College of the Arts.

Key features

Entry requirements

Fees and funding

Key features

Master a range of illustration techniques, both traditional and digital
Develop critical thinking skills to tackle diverse visual challenges
Engage with current trends and ethical considerations in illustration
Create a professional portfolio tailored to your career aspirations
Benefit from flexible online study supported by experienced illustrators

Course highlights

This honours degree in illustration has three stages, each comprising 120 credits.

Stage 1 (120 credits)

As you begin your illustration journey, you'll explore fundamental visual language and creative strategies. You'll experiment with mark-making, composition, and colour theory while developing your research and idea-generation skills. Throughout this stage, you'll study the historical and contemporary contexts of illustration, gaining insights that will inform your own work. You'll learn to produce artwork for various formats, from eye-catching posters to engaging comics, giving you a well-rounded start to your illustration career and helping you discover the areas that most inspire you.

Stage 2 (120 credits)

Building on your foundation, you'll deepen your practical skills and creative understanding of illustration. You'll explore how different methods apply to contemporary contexts such as editorial, commercial, and technical fields. This stage will broaden your horizons as you investigate global perspectives in image-making and address current social issues through visual representation. You'll have the opportunity to apply your growing expertise in a self-directed project, where you'll create an original body of work that reflects your developing style and interests, preparing you for more independent work in the final stage.

Stage 3 (120 credits)

In this final stage, you'll refine your unique illustrative voice through a series of self-directed projects and critical thinking assignments. This approach will foster an autonomous and professional attitude towards your practice, preparing you for the realities of a career in illustration. You'll produce a substantial body of work that reflects your interests and skills and demonstrates your readiness for the industry. By engaging in external projects and preparing a major final piece, you'll create a capstone to your studies that showcases your growth and potential as a professional illustrator, ready to make your mark in the visual arts world.

Course type

Degree

Credits

360

How long it takes

Part-time study – 6–9 years

Time limit – 12 years

Study method

Distance learning

Entry requirements

Find out more about Entry requirements

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Regulations

As a student of The Open University, you should be aware of the content of the qualification-specific regulations below and the academic regulations that are available on our Student Policies and Regulations website.

Entry requirements

This open-access degree welcomes students from all backgrounds. No formal qualifications are required – just bring your passion for visual storytelling and willingness to learn. You'll need basic IT skills, a reliable internet connection, and English language proficiency equivalent to CEFR B2 to engage fully with the course.

Fees and funding

Read the detailed description on the Open College of the Arts website to learn more about this degree's fees and funding options.

How will I study this course?

With our unique approach to distance learning, you can study from home, work or on the move.

You’ll have some assessment deadlines to meet, but otherwise, you’ll be free to study at the times that suit you, fitting your learning around work, family, and social life.

For each of your modules, you’ll use either just online resources or a mix of online and printed materials.

Each module you study will have a module website with

a week-by-week study planner, giving you a step-by-step guide through your studies
course materials such as reading, videos, recordings, and self-assessed activities
module forums for discussions and collaborative activities with other students
details of each assignment and their due dates
a tutorial booking system, online tutorial rooms, and your tutor’s contact details
online versions of some printed module materials and resources.

If you have additional needs, we can also provide most module materials in alternative formats. Find out more about materials on our accessibility webpage.

Tutor support

You’ll have a tutor for each module, who will introduce themselves before the module begins.

Throughout the module, they will:

mark your assignments and give feedback to help you improve
guide you to learning resources
support you, whether with general study skills or help with a specific topic.

Tutorials

Tutorials usually take place online, and they’re always optional.

Online tutorials are live presentations with module tutors in dedicated online tutorial rooms and are sometimes recorded.

Assessment

Our assessments are all designed to reinforce your learning and help you show your understanding of the topics. The mix of assessment methods will vary between modules.

Computer-Marked Assignments

Usually, a series of online, multiple-choice questions.

Tutor-Marked Assignments

You’ll have a number of these throughout each module, each with a submission deadline.
They can be made up of essays, questions, experiments or something else to test your understanding of what you have learned.
Your tutor will mark and return them to you with detailed feedback.

End-of-Module Assessments

The final, marked piece of work on most modules.
Modules with an end-of-module assessment won’t usually have an exam.

Exams

Some modules end with an exam. You’ll be given time to revise and prepare.
You’ll be given your exam date at least 5 months in advance.
Most exams take place remotely, and you will complete them at home or at an alternative location.
If a module has an in-person exam (that you must take at one of our exam centres) or is invigilated online, we’ll make this clear in the module description.

Progressing to a point where I felt more comfortable writing my assignments, and having my scores reflecting that, made me quite happy because it showed the hard work was being rewarded.
Patrick ‘Ricky’ Skene, BSc (Hons) Sport, Fitness and Coaching

Other support and resources

Throughout your studies, you’ll have access to our subject-specific Student Support Teams.

They’ll help you with any general questions about your study and updates to your OU account.

To help with your studies, you’ll also have access to:

our online library, with high-quality online resources to support your study
other university libraries in the UK and Ireland
the online Help Centre, which has general information about OU study and support, along with study skills advice
free Microsoft Office 365 software
IT and computing support from our Computing Helpdesk.

Find out more about student support and being a part of the OU community.

Interested in finding out more?

This degree is delivered by The Open University's Open College of the Arts.

To explore this course in detail, including entry requirements, fees and funding options, and how to apply, visit the Open College of the Arts website.

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