Children's Book Illustration

Entry requirements

Applicants should hold a 2:2 degree or equivalent professional experience or learning in a related field.

Applications from all candidates will be considered on their merits in the light of the nature and scope of the programme.

IELTS: Score of 6.5 or above.

A high level of achievement in undergraduate studies at a university elsewhere such as North America: Minimum overall GPA of 3.3 on a 4.0 scale.

All applicants are requested to submit digital supporting material and where possible will be invited to attend an interview with a portfolio of recent work.

Months of entry

September

Course content

The MA in Children’s Book Illustration is perfect for practicing professional illustrators, artists and designers wishing to develop new ideas and techniques aimed at the children’s market. This taught, studio course is also suitable for recent design graduates who wish to focus and refine their ideas at a more advanced level.

Although primarily a visual course for artists and illustrators, authorial control over content is also hugely important in the children's book field, so the ability to write creatively and to fuse written and visual content is an important component in the practice of children’s book illustration.

The emphasis of the course is on the practice of illustration for children’s picture books and story books. At postgraduate level you will be encouraged to pursue an original line of enquiry within your chosen area of children’s book illustration and design.

• Learn to generate ideas and visually problem solve to a deadline whilst forging your own visual vocabulary.
• At the end of the course you will have a body of work produced to a professional and publishable standard.
• Our students have won several national children’s book awards and our alumni have illustrated over 70 published titles so far.

• You’ll benefit from a programme of guest practitioner lecturers, company and consultancy visits as well as exhibitions and extra workshops.
• Project work will be exhibited in a final showcase that will be attended by industry and potential employers, as well as family, friends, students and the general public.
• You’ll have access to a wide range of staff expertise and extensive workshops and studio resources.

Through the collective community, you’ll have access to a wide range of staff expertise and extensive workshops and studio resources.

The course is supported by extensive computer, studio and workshop facilities located within the department and the University as a whole. There is also a programme of guest lecturers, company and consultancy visits as well as exhibitions and extra workshops.

Both the practical and theoretical elements will be assessed both during and at the end of each module. The final form of the assessment strategy and criteria is the result of collaboration between student and staff.

Information for international students

Visit our website for further information.