This BA is an independent, studio-based programme which looks specifically at illustration as professional practice. Learn to challenge the boundaries of illustration in a creative studio environment with your peers, and discover where you can make a difference in the exciting world of illustration.

Our course is specifically focused on developing your skills as a professional illustrator and finding your personal visual language. The course has a strong focus on drawing and you'll be able to continue developing your drawing skills in life and observational drawing classes each work throughout the three-year degree.

Our facilities are state-of-the-art and as part of your blended learning, you'll have access to The Grove, an £80 million learning facility. We have a number of illustrators, agents, publishers and designers who make themselves available to discuss your portfolios. Many of our students get the opportunity to publish their work before they graduate.

Our north London campus is perfectly located for you to explore museums and galleries to gain inspiration. In previous years, illustration students have also visited Edinburgh and Lisbon to be inspired by new surroundings.

Gain specialist illustration skills

We ensure that you graduate from our course with the specialist skills you’ll need to approach agents, set up studios, and produce a website as you start on your career path. Many of our students go on to work in magazine publishing, editorial illustration, advertising, animation, and more. We have strong industry links with art and design employers. Industry partners sponsor final students as well as give visiting lectures while hundreds of agencies and organisations attend the final degree show each year.

Our course is unique in that as soon as possible, we will provide you with an individual workspace that you can treat as your own studio throughout your studies. Previous students have told us that this helped them with feeling creatively fulfilled. As part of your blended learning, you will also have access to our amazing workshops as illustration students often use the printmaking and digital media workshops, laser cutting and photographic studios.

In your second and third year, you'll have the opportunity to enter Creative Industry competitions such as the Macmillan's Children's Book Prize. Past graduates have won many yellow pencils in the D&AD while others have been shortlisted for the Folio Society and Macmillan children’s book prize.

On our BA Illustration course there is an emphasis on identifying specialist skills, and equipping students with the knowledge to enable them to set up studios, approach agents or produce websites in order to embark on their future careers. There are specific lectures and visiting illustrators, agents and publishers to inform students of the issues involved. Our students gain work in writing and illustrating children's books, magazine publishing, editorial illustration, advertising and design.

Middlesex has strong links with art and design employers. Our industry partners sponsor final year students and give visiting lectures, and hundreds of art and design agencies, organisations and other employers attend our final year degree show each year.

Many of our students gain work during or soon after graduating, they have published books and gained full time employment working for the creative Industry as graphic designers and web designers.