Everything you need to know...
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What is the fee?
Home: £9,535 per year
International/EU: £17,155 per year -
How long will I study?
3 / 4 Years
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Where will I study?
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What are the entry requirements?
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What is the UCAS code?
W220
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When do I start?
September 2025
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Placement year available?
Yes
Course summary
- Develop the knowledge, skills, and attributes you need to become a professional illustrator
- Experiment with the latest digital tools and technologies in our purpose-designed workshops and illustration studios
- Transform your illustrative practice through live, client-led creative projects for diverse audiences
- Build a unique portfolio and showreel to prepare for a career in the wider creative industries and further study
The BA (Hons) Illustration course is a progressive, innovative, technologically enhanced course that prepares students for professional practice. Employability is integrated into the curriculum through applied creative projects. These real-world challenges and work experiences are designed to build confidence, creativity and resilience.
If you don't meet the entry requirements for this course, or you’d like extra preparation before starting degree-level study, we recommend you join our foundation year course.
Creative UK membership
We are members of Creative UK, which means our art and design students are also members until they graduate. With 10,000 members in its network, Creative UK represents, champions and supports the UK’s creative industries, advocating on the issues that matter the most to creative communities.
Student satisfaction
This course scored 90% for overall student satisfaction and teaching quality in the 2024 National Student Survey.
View our students' work
View our gallery of student work and learn more about the exciting projects they've been working on this year.
Graduate View
BA (Hons) Illustration graduate Will Rea talks about why he chose to study the course at Sheffield Hallam and how it helped him establish himself as a freelance illustrator and muralist with his recognisable artwork bringing popular venues to life across Sheffield.
How you learn
Based in our bespoke studios, workshops, and digital spaces, you’ll become part of a dynamic and collaborative learning community. Together, you’ll undertake creative adventures, explore possibilities, and challenge conventions.
Through our teaching, we help you unlock your potential to contribute as a creative thinker and doer – applying your knowledge to art practice, culture, society, and life systems.
You learn through:
- Studio practice
- Workshops
- Technical demonstrations
- Group work and collaboration
- Crit activities
- Lectures
- Guest talks
- External visits and field trips
Live projects
We take a holistic and person-centred approach to assessment to support your creative growth while respecting the diverse ways people learn.
Key themes
Year one lays the foundational principles of illustration practice. Drawing is at the heart of developing your conceptual, theoretical, and practical skills. You’ll learn the core methods used in illustration practice – research, process, and presentation.
As the course progresses, we’ll also explore the future role of illustrators and learn what it will mean to thrive as an illustrator of the future.
You’ll gain confidence with both analogue and digital tools, learning how to adopt new and emerging technologies as you define your own, unique visual language. You’ll also get to test your concepts on live industry projects with commissioners, agents, and future employers – not only developing professional skills, but also helping you build your profile and network.
In your final year, you’ll curate a portfolio of work that articulates your practice and moves you further towards your creative path.
Course support
91% of students on this course were satisfied with academic support in the 2024 National Student Survey.
We’re a dedicated, qualified, and highly experienced teaching team, with world-leading research and recognised professional creative reputations, who take the time to get to know you.
- Access to our Skills Centre with one-to-ones and online resources to help with planning and structuring your assignments
- Access to office and studio space, expert workshops, freelancing opportunities and a vast business network to tap into
- Industry-specific employability activities and careers support for up to five years after you graduate
The course develops strategies of attention, empathy, imagination, courage and resilience in the face of an uncertain future. Our course prioritises care as a critical activity – care for global human contexts and for the more-than-human world.
Course leaders and tutors
Applied learning
Your course has been designed to embrace real-world challenges and provide you with the practical skills and knowledge to be successful.
We do this by developing your expertise in collaboration with the professional creative and cultural sectors – with commercial and creative practitioners, commissioners, clients and arts organisations.
Work placements
You’ll have the opportunity to undertake a year-long work placement (25 weeks minimum) or multiple placements before your final year. This gives you valuable work experience to prepare you for your future career and allows you to graduate with an Applied Professional Diploma to add to your CV.
Live projects
You’ll have the opportunity to work on live projects, giving you the chance to apply your skills in a professional setting and gain valuable feedback, exposure and networking opportunities.
Recently, our students have created illustrations on beer can labels for Triple Point Brewing, produced posters for Sheffield Adventure Film Festival, and designed activist billboards with FlyingLeaps.
Field trips
In each year of your course you’ll have the opportunity to go on study trips in the UK and abroad. In recent years these have included trips to London to visit illustration agencies, working professionals and exhibitions.
There’s also the option to enhance your studies further with our optional field trips. Previous international trips have included Tokyo, New York and Reykjavik.
Students can also apply for funding through the Turing Scheme to support a study exchange or placement outside of the UK.
Networking opportunities
You’ll be able to work alongside practising illustrators who bring their expertise and network connections to the course. Throughout the course, you’ll learn valuable business and enterprise skills through our partnership and participation in the Sheffield Print Fair.
You’ll be part of a thriving community of creative practitioners through our membership with the AOI, BIMA, and our visiting lecture programme.
Competitions and exhibitions
We’ll encourage you to enter national and international design competitions. These include Penguin Cover Design Awards, D&AD New Blood, RSA Student Awards, Creative Conscience Awards and more.
At the end of your final year, you’ll have the opportunity to exhibit your work in our annual Future Now Festival of Creativity – to which we invite VIP guests, employers, businesses, influencers, friends and family, and the general public. The festival is widely attended and is hosted in the city centre. You’ll also be able to curate and exhibit your work on our online Gallery.
Come to an open day
Visit us to learn more about our gold-rated teaching and why we were awarded the highest possible rating in the Teaching Excellence Framework.
Future careers
This course prepares you for careers and future study in:
Illustration (agency and freelance)
Animation
Motion, interactive and games
Children’s books
Surface pattern design
Publishing
Art direction
Digital publishing
Printmaking
Many of our graduates launch their own businesses. Previous graduates of this course have gone on to work for:
- BBC
- Empire Magazine
- Everton FC
- Harper Collins
- Hodder Children’s Publishing
- Lush
- New Balance
- NHS
- Sheffield Council
- Templar Children’s Publishing
- The Big Issue
- The Economist
- The Leadmill
- The Sunday Times
- True North Brewery
- Twinkl Educational Publishing
- Vodafone
- Wessex Archaeology
- Which Magazine
Where will I study?
You study at City Campus through a structured mix of lectures, seminars and practical sessions as well as access to digital and online resources to support your learning.
City Campus
City Campus is located in the heart of Sheffield, within minutes of the train and bus stations.
City Campus map | City Campus tour
Adsetts library
Adsetts Library is located on our City Campus. It's open 24 hours a day, every day.
Learn moreLearn more about your department
Art and Design facilities tour - shared workshops
Take a look around the shared workshops in the Department of Art & Design at Sheffield Hallam University.
Equipment and facilities
You'll have access to a wide variety of facilities across the university campuses – including a 24-hour learning centre, Students’ Union, cafes and eateries, lecture theatres, exhibition spaces and more.
You'll be based in a fully equipped and purpose-designed studio, with state-of-the-art facilities including:
- Industry-standard computer software and equipment
- Adobe Creative Cloud
- Digital and analogue print facilities including screen-printing, etching, and risograph
- Life drawing
- A photographic studio and creative media centre
- Digital fabrication and rapid prototyping
- Stop-motion rostrum facilities
- Virtual reality equipment and software for coding
- Textile printers
- Ceramics
360 tour - City Campus
Media Gallery
Entry requirements
All students
UCAS points
- 112 - 120
This must include at least 64 points from two A levels, or equivalent BTEC National qualifications(to include a relevant subject such as Art, Design and Technology, Textiles, Graphics or Media). For example:
- BBC-BBB at A Level.
- DDM in BTEC Extended Diploma.
- Merit overall from a T Level Qualification
- A combination of qualifications, which may include AS levels, EPQ and general studies.
You can find information on making sense of UCAS tariff points here and use the UCAS tariff calculator to work out your points.
GCSE
- English Language at grade C or 4 or equivalent
• Access: an Access to HE Diploma with at least 45 credits at level 3 and 15 credits at level 2. At least 18 level 3 credits must be at merit grade or above, in an art & Design related programme from a QAA-recognised Access to HE course, or an equivalent Access to HE certificate.
If English is not your first language, you will need an IELTS score of 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in all skills or equivalent. If your English language skill is currently below IELTS 6.0 we recommend you consider a Sheffield Hallam University Pre-sessional English course which will enable you to achieve an equivalent English score.
We welcome applications from people of any age. We may be flexible in our normal offer if you can show a commitment to succeed and have the relevant skills and experience. This must show that you will benefit from and finish the course successfully.
Portfolio review
If your application is successful, you will receive an email inviting you to submit a link to your portfolio.
The portfolio helps us understand whether we are able to offer you a place on the course you’ve applied for. Your UCAS statement and portfolio provide you with the opportunity to demonstrate your creative experience, potential ability and enthusiasm for the course you’ve applied for. Visit our portfolio review guidance.
Additional information for EU/International students
If you are an International or non-UK European student, you can find out more about the country specific qualifications we accept on our international qualifications page.
For details of English language entry requirements (IELTS), please see the information for 'All students'.
Modules
Important notice: The structure of this course is periodically reviewed and enhanced to provide the best possible learning experience for our students and ensure ongoing compliance with any professional, statutory and regulatory body standards. Module structure, content, delivery and assessment may change, but we expect the focus of the course and the learning outcomes to remain as described above. Following any changes, updated module information will be published on this page.
You will be able to complete a placement year as part of this course. See the modules table below for further information.
Year 1
Compulsory modules
This is the level 4 work experience module and will enable you to work on an Applied Project.
Module Aim:
This module builds on the foundations established in semester one. You will collaborate with external partners to respond creatively to real world challenges, being considerate of client and audience requirements. You will develop your voice as an illustrator through active experimentation with methods, tools, and technologies.
You will explore the place of Illustration within the wider creative industries, considering your place within it. Reflection and evaluation of your process, projects, and emerging portfolio underpin your continuing personal and professional development.
Indicative content:
- Applied Project
- Developing research skills and techniques
- Overview of the creative industries Working with clients
- Study choice: Turing Scheme
- Time/Project management
- Contracts / Legal & Ethical
- Using crits & feedback effectively
- Sketchbooks (research & development)
- Drawing Programme
- Pitching/Presenting concepts
- Professional contexts / Field Trip
- Portfolio development
- Presentation & participation in group crits/reviews
- CPD
- Career Readiness Programme
- Digital Skills Development
Module Aim:
Drawing is the root level skill of illustration. This module explores how illustrators use and have used drawing as a fundamental part of their process and practice.
You will expand your knowledge and understanding of the role drawing plays within Illustration. You will develop your analogue and digital technical drawing skills. You will learn how illustrators use drawing as a way of thinking, a research method, and as outcome. You will develop an appreciation of the sketchbook, using it as a vehicle to experiment, play and reflect.
A key aim is to nurture an attitude to drawing, establishing routines, underpinned by technical skill, that builds confidence.
Indicative content:
- Role of drawing in Illustration
- Developing research skills and techniques
- Types of drawing
- Analytical drawing (observation)
- Perspective system/s
- Othrographic Systems
- Proportional Awareness
- Simple geometric shapes (dot/line/shape)
- Construction of finished forms
- Grid systems and pattern networks
- Tesselations, golden rectangle, reflection
- Code driven drawing
- Drawing in the field
- Materials/Materiality
- Sustainability
- Introduction to core tools and technologies
- Foundational digital skills & attributes
- Presentation skills
- Historical context
- The role of the sketchbook
- Introduction to CPD
Year 2
Compulsory modules
Module Aim:
This project-based module will facilitate you to collaborate with others to tackle sustainable development challenges creatively. With the support of academics and external stakeholders, you will develop your collaborative, creative, communication, and presentation skills. Through multi-disciplinary project work, you will develop an informed and imaginative response to local and global sustainable development challenges.
Learning will be blended and delivered through teaching, workshops, doing, and independent study individually and in groups.
Indicative content:
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Study and consideration of Sustainable Development
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Exploration and utilisation of collaborative skills
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Exploration and utilisation of design thinking and creative thinking tools
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Project management
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Creative research methods
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Understanding audiences
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Communication and presentation skills
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Working with others, building relationship including with external stakeholders
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Critical thinking and reflection
Module Aim:
This module equips you with the knowledge, tools and skills to create sequential illustration. You will explore the work of contemporary illustrators working at the forefront of this expanding specialism. You will learn the fundamentals of character design, storyboarding, animation, and post- production. You will use a range of analogue and digital tools and technologies to realise characters and stories. You will experiment and play with new and emerging technologies and interactive media, building skill and confidence.
Indicative content:
- Telling stories
- Developing compelling narratives
- Character design
- Production workflows
- Working in production teams
- Scheduling and costing
- Basics of animation
- Storyboarding
- Style sheets
- Animatics
- Working with sound
- Tools & technologies for sequential production
- Post-Production & Delivery
- Using crits & feedback effectively
- Sketchbooks (research & development)
- Drawing Programme
- Presentation & participation in group crits/reviews
- CPD
- Career Readiness Programme
- Digital Skills Development
Module Aim:
This is the level 5 work experience module and will enable you to work on a Consultancy Project.
This module prepares you for your journey into professional practice. Work experience revolves around a professional illustration agency model. You will develop and showcase your professional identity on an online platform. You will enter into consultation with clients on commissions and live creative briefs. You will test your professional identity in the illustration marketplace of ideas. You will consider how your practice can thrive within an evolving, globally connected, professional landscape.
This module also prepares you for sandwich placement.
Indicative content:
- Reviews of contemporary practice
- Licensing
- Contract advice
- Legal advice
- Professional field trip
- Portfolio consultation
- Business frameworks
- Sketchbooks (research & development)
- Drawing Programme
- Presentation & participation in group crits/reviews
- CPD
- Career Readiness Programme
- Digital Skills Development
Elective modules
This module is for undergraduate students to study abroad in their second year, Semester 2 (only for courses that offer this option). With this module, you can spend a semester at one of the University’s approved partner institutions worldwide – from Europe to the Americas, Asia Australia or Canada.
Study Abroad plays an important role in the University's commitment to an engaging, challenging, and thriving learning culture. It offers opportunities to experience other academic cultures and foster intellectual maturity while enhancing co-curricular skills and students' long-term employability.
Study abroad for credit is permitted on existing university-approved courses only. Students are awarded credits and grades at the partner institution, which are converted into Sheffield Hallam credits and grades on return and included in the Sheffield Hallam degree classification.
Please check and refer to the webpage How study abroad works. You must submit a Learning Agreement outlining the modules you will be taking at the partner institution. The Learning Agreement will be signed off by your academic tutor to ensure that the Learning broadly covers the Learning Outcomes set out in your course curriculum during your study abroad.
Year 3
Compulsory modules
Module aim:
The aim of this module is to enhance students’ professional development through the completion of and reflection on meaningful work placement(s).
A work placement will provide students with opportunities to experience the realities of professional employment and experience how their course can be applied within their chosen industry setting. The placement will:
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Allow student to apply the skills, theories and behaviours relevant and in addition to their course
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Enable students to enhance their interpersonal skills in demand by graduate employers – communication, problem solving, creativity, resilience, team work etc.
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Grow their student network and relationship building skills.
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Provide student with insights into the industry and sector in which their placement occurs
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Help student make informed graduate careers choices.
Indicative Content:
In this module students undertake a sandwich placement (min 24 weeks / min 21 hours per week) which is integrated, assessed and aligned to their studies.
Their personal Placement Academic Supervisor (PAS) will be their key point of contact during their placement and will encourage and support students to reflect on their experience, learning and contribution to the organisation they work for.
To demonstrate gains in professional development, students will be required to share their progress, learning and achievements with their Placement Academic Supervisor and reflect on these for the summative piece of work.
Final year
Compulsory modules
Module Aim:
This module is your gateway into professional practice and/or further study. It is the summation of your learning on the course. You build on the foundations and intent established in semester one. You apply skills and intercultural knowledge through the delivery of your negotiated projects. Creative professionals review and feedback on your work. You showcase your voice and identity as an illustrator through your portfolio and showreel. You amplify your work through appropriate platforms and channels.
You have the opportunity to promote your work through industry fairs, shows and exhibitions.
Indicative content:
- Project management
- Creative research and analysis
- Project development in workshops, studios and drawing lab
- Collaboration with peers, clients and audiences
- Exhibition and presentation
- Employability workshops
- Professional field trip
- External live projects
- Portfolio reviews
- Business frameworks
- Drawing Programme
- Presentation & participation in group crits/reviews
- CPD
- Career Readiness Programme
- Digital Skills Development
Module Aim:
This is the level 6 work experience module and will enable you to work on an immersive Enhanced Applied Project alongside employers and organisations.This module places you at the centre of the learning experience. You will make supported, negotiated choices about the composition of your portfolio through the final year. Through a process of research and discussion with tutors, you will determine a body of self-directed study that allows you to develop your illustration practice.
You will interact with clients, commissioners, and audiences appropriate to your illustration practice. The focus is to prepare you for your transition into creative work or further study.
Indicative content:
- Review of contemporary practice
- Enhanced work experience
- Project management.
- Undertaking an independent research enquiry
- Project development in workshops and studios
- Collaboration with peers, clients and audiences.
- Origination of personal design proposals
- Employability workshops
- Visits from suppliers and production partners
- Competitions
- External live projects
- Business frameworks
- Sketchbooks (research & development)
- Presentation & participation in group crits/reviews
- Career Readiness Programme
- CPD
- Digital Skills Development
- Expanding future ambitions and aspirations
- Exploring career pathways and planning (including action plan, goal setting, and speculative job applications)
- Reflection on skills, motivation and values and applying them to the professional labour market.
- Critically reflect on developed values, skills and motivations to articulate post-university plans in the short, medium and long-term
- Presenting as a professional
- Assemble professional profiles appropriate to individual goals using individual experience
- Articulate and reflect on previous experience, skills, and knowledge both in writing and verbally
Fees and funding
Home students
Our tuition fee for UK students on full-time undergraduate courses in 2025/26 is £9,535 per year (capped at a maximum of 20% of this during your placement year). These fees are regulated by the UK government and therefore subject to change in future years.If you are studying an undergraduate course, postgraduate pre-registration course or postgraduate research course over more than one academic year then your tuition fees may increase in subsequent years in line with Government regulations or UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) published fees. More information can be found in our terms and conditions under student fees regulations.
International students
Our tuition fee for International/EU students starting full-time study in 2025/26 is £17,155 per year (capped at a maximum of 20% of this during your placement year)
Financial support for home/EU students
How tuition fees work, student loans and other financial support available.
Additional course costs
The links below allow you to view estimated general course additional costs, as well as costs associated with key activities on specific courses. These are estimates and are intended only as an indication of potential additional expenses. Actual costs can vary greatly depending on the choices you make during your course.
General course additional costs
Additional costs for Sheffield Creative Industries Institute (PDF, 268.6KB)Legal information
Any offer of a place to study is subject to your acceptance of the University’s Terms and Conditions and Student Regulations.
