Become a skilled and versatile animator, illustrator or interactive comic artist at Cambridge School of Art, and turn your creative ideas into a rewarding career as visual storyteller.
Develop your distinctive visual language in our supportive and vibrant studio culture. Our BA (Hons) Illustration and Animation course explores the connections between illustration and animation, helping you to create sequential narratives using a variety of methods from observational drawing and traditional handmade image-making to the latest specialist digital animation software and cutting-edge interactive techniques. You’ll become an experienced creator of innovative and engaging visual content using both traditional processes and digital technologies to communicate your ideas. Perhaps most importantly, you’ll get the time, guidance and support from our team of practising illustrators, animators and visiting professionals dedicated to your creative development.
At Cambridge School of Art, you’ll experiment and discover, make mistakes and find solutions, develop and create. Our Design & Crafts courses ranked 8th in the UK for 'Satisfied with Course' and 3rd for 'Satisfied with Teaching' in The Guardian University Guide 2020, reflecting how our students value their experience at Cambridge School of Art.
While developing a unique visual style, you’ll also focus on the core foundations: studying the world around you, refining your drawing skills and learning to tell stories through moving images.
You’ll go on group reportage drawing trips, with opportunities to visit museums, galleries and animation festivals in the UK and overseas. You’ll find lots of visual inspiration in Cambridge from the Botanic Gardens to the art collection in the Fitzwilliam Museum as well as the city’s architectural beauty and vibrant culture and student life.
You’ll be able to take advantage of our industry relationships, and the networks we’ve built with local and international animators, illustrators and production studios. Competitions and opportunities for live projects with animation studios (previous clients have included Curveball Media and Allia Future Business Centre) will help you build a strong body of work ready for a professional career in the creative industry. You’ll also receive ongoing support to find placements and work experience, develop a professional showreel, and present your work at festivals and fairs.
As well as our dedicated animation base rooms with workstations for stop motion and digital animation, you’ll have use of Mac and PC suites; a dedicated stop motion studio; a printmaking workshop including etching, screen printing, lithography and relief presses, letterpress studios; 3D workshops with equipment for woodwork, plastics/vacuum forming, metalwork, plaster, clay, mould making, laser-cutting and 3D printing; a sound recording studio; green screen and film editing suites; a digital photography lab; photography and film studios and darkrooms. You’ll also get access to the full Adobe Creative suite; up-to-date specialist professional software TVPaint, Autodesk Maya and Dragonframe Stop Motion; Apple iMacs with Cintiq drawing tablets; wide-format printers and scanners; camera lighting and sound recording kit.
Our team of technical officers are always on hand to give you full training and support in all our art facilities – not just the ones for your course.
Course Details - Modules
Year one, core modules
Illustration Practice 1
Illustration in the Round
Digital Animation
Year one, optional modules
Contextual Studies
Understanding Images
English for Study 1 & 2
Year two, core modules
Animation Practice
Debates and Practices
Ideas Through Design
Year two, optional modules
Business for the Creative Arts
Moving Illustration
Narrative Printmaking
Writing for Images
Anglia Language Programme
Year three, core modules
Research Project
Portfolio Development
Major Project
Course Details – Assessment Method
You’ll demonstrate your developing knowledge and skills through a number of methods.
Your ongoing (formative) assessment will include group and individual critiques and class discussions.
Meanwhile, at the end of each module you’ll demonstrate your overall progress through a combination of written and practical work. This will include sketchbooks, concept development, project proposals and work-in-progress, as well as final outcomes such as animated sequences, series of prints, websites or text-based research as required.
Course Details – Professional Bodies
Professional Bodies are not listed for this Course.
How to Apply
26 January This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.
Application Codes
Course code:
WW26
Institution code:
A60
Campus Name:
Cambridge Campus
Campus code:
Points of Entry
The following entry points are available for this course:
Year 1
Entry Requirements for Advanced Entry (Year 2 and Beyond)
Entry Requirements for Advanced Entry are not listed for this Course.
International applicants
Standard Qualification Requirements
96 UCAS Tariff points from a minimum of 2 A Levels (or equivalent), including Grade C in Art, Design or Media subject.
UCAS Tariff points from a minimum of 2 A Levels (or equivalent), including Grade C in Art, Design or Media subject.
UCAS Tariff Points accepted.
2020 Entry requirements are under review for the next cycle and have been published using the current cycle information. Please check back when apply opens for the exact requirements.
If English is not your first language you will be expected to demonstrate a certificated level of proficiency of at least IELTS 6.0 (Academic level) or equivalent English Language qualification, as recognised by Anglia Ruskin University.
Please click the following link to find out more about qualification requirements for this course
