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Postgraduate

Graduate Diploma Illustration

Illustration of couple in a landscape by Xinya Shi - Graduate Diploma Illustration at Camberwell College of Arts.
Xinya Shi
Graduate Diploma Illustration, Camberwell College of Arts, UAL
College
Camberwell College of Arts Start date
September 2024 Course length
1 year (full time)

Graduate Diploma in Illustration at Camberwell College of Arts is a one year pre-masters course that prepares you for further study in this exciting area of practice.

Course overview

This course is aimed at students who have an undergraduate degree that may be from a different subject area and would like to progress to postgraduate study in illustration or a related field.

An introduction to the fundamental principles of illustration through a wide range of image-making approaches. This course will develop your illustration knowledge and skills and prepare you for postgraduate study. It will also encourage you to become an ethically, socially and critically sensitive illustrator. 

What to expect  

  • Identify a creative direction: Work on projects that will lead you towards developing and carrying out an individual programme of study. This will enable you to identify personal and sustainable directions in your creative practice. 
  • Knowledge development: Learn about research and design methodologies and how to apply these to your work as an illustrator.
  • Build on your skills: Find out how to combine the skills you already have with new skills in illustration. This will make you a more confident and capable illustrator and visual communicator. 
  • Experienced staff: Learn from tutors and visiting lecturers who are practicing designers and leading practitioners within the London and wider UK industry.
  • Creative facilities: Have access to Camberwell's shared workshops, including printmaking, photography, film, moving image, digital, plastic, ceramics, wood and metalwork. View the Camberwell facilities. 

Industry experience and opportunities

Where possible you’ll have the chance to practice these new skills through live projects and work-based learning activities.

Mode of study

Graduate Diploma Illustration is offered in full-time mode and consists of 30 teaching weeks over 1 academic year. You will be expected to commit an average of 40 hours per week to your course, including teaching hours and independent study.

Course units

Unit 1: Research, risk and context 

This unit offers an introduction to your course, the College and the University. Talks, seminars and guest speakers will help you develop your understanding of the key principles in illustration. During practical workshops, you’ll apply this knowledge to complete a series of illustration project briefs. This blended approach will ensure you develop your own personal visual language as an innovative and professional illustrator. 

Unit 2: Practice, development and realisation 

During this unit, you will continue developing your professional portfolio. A set series of project briefs will help you master key illustration skills while also enabling you to realise your ambitions for your progression. Contextual seminars and workshops will help you understand how your creative practice can be applied to different professional settings. You will finish this unit by presenting your work at the College graduate show.
 

Learning and teaching methods

  • Group crits, demonstrations and workshops
  • Lectures, talks and seminars
  • Online and face to face studio teaching by practitioners
  • Studio based group and individual tutorials
  • Visiting specialists

Explore work by our recent students on the UAL Graduate Showcase

Film

Su Lee

Staff

Fees and funding

Home fee

£13,330

This fee is correct for 2024/25 entry and is subject to change for 2025/26 entry.

Tuition fees may increase in future years for new and continuing students on courses lasting more than one year. For this course, you can pay tuition fees in instalments.

Home fees are currently charged to UK nationals and UK residents who meet the rules. However, the rules are complex. Find out more about our tuition fees and determining your fee status.

International fee

£28,570

This fee is correct for 2024/25 entry and is subject to change for 2025/26 entry.

Tuition fees may increase in future years for new and continuing students on courses lasting more than one year. For this course, you can pay tuition fees in instalments.

Students from countries outside of the UK will generally be charged international fees. The rules are complex so read more about tuition fees and determining your fee status.

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Entry requirements

The standard minimum entry requirements for this course are:

  • BA (Hons) degree or equivalent academic qualifications
  • Evidence of ability in art or design
  • Alternative qualifications and experience will also be taken into consideration
  • Personal statement
  • Portfolio of work

Entry to this course will also be determined by the quality of your application, looking primarily at your portfolio of work and personal statement.

APEL - Accreditation of Prior (Experiential) Learning

Applicants who do not meet these course entry requirements may still be considered in exceptional cases. The course team will consider each application that demonstrates additional strengths and alternative evidence. This might, for example, be demonstrated by:

  • Related academic or work experience
  • The quality of the personal statement
  • A strong academic or other professional reference
  • A combination of these factors

Each application will be considered on its own merit but we cannot guarantee an offer in each case.

English language requirements

All classes are taught in English. If English isn't your first language you must provide evidence at enrolment of the following:

Selection criteria

We look for:

  • Evidence of visual and conceptual creative abilities
  • A clear commitment to the chosen field of study
  • Potential to develop the full range of practical, expressive, critical and conceptual skills necessary to complete the course
  • Ability to benefit from the learning environment and experience
  • Awareness of contemporary and historical illustration contexts
  • Some understanding of the role that contemporary critical thought and historical study can play in the development of personal creative work
  • Ability to communicate and discuss issues and ideas both verbally and in written form in English
  • Awareness of how to communicate with an audience
  • Ability to manage your own time and initiate projects

Apply now

Application deadline

Deadline

Round 1:

13 December 2023 at 1pm (UK time)

Round 2:

3 April 2024 at 1pm (UK time)

Digital portfolio and video task deadline

Round 1:

16 January 2024

Round 2:

16 April 2024

Decision outcome

Round 1:

End of March 2024

Round 2:

End of June 2024

Round 1
Round 2
Deadline
13 December 2023 at 1pm (UK time)
3 April 2024 at 1pm (UK time)
Digital portfolio and video task deadline
16 January 2024
16 April 2024
Decision outcome
End of March 2024
End of June 2024

All applications received by 3 April will be treated equally. If there are places available after this date, the course will remain open to applications until places have been filled.

Read more about deadlines

Apply to UAL

Start your application

Apply now

Application deadline

Deadline

Round 1:

13 December 2023 at 1pm (UK time)

Round 2:

3 April 2024 at 1pm (UK time)

Digital portfolio and video task deadline

Round 1:

16 January 2024

Round 2:

16 April 2024

Decision outcome

Round 1:

End of March 2024

Round 2:

End of June 2024

Round 1
Round 2
Deadline
13 December 2023 at 1pm (UK time)
3 April 2024 at 1pm (UK time)
Digital portfolio and video task deadline
16 January 2024
16 April 2024
Decision outcome
End of March 2024
End of June 2024

All applications received by 3 April will be treated equally. If there are places available after this date, the course will remain open to applications until places have been filled.

Read more about deadlines

Apply to UAL

Start your application
or

Apply with a UAL Representative

Based across the world, our local UAL representatives can support you with your application from your home country. Check to see if there is a representative available in your country currently.

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How to apply

Follow this step-by-step guide to apply for this course

Step 1: Initial application

You will need to submit an initial application including your personal statement and CV.

Personal statement advice

Your personal statement should be maximum 500 words and include:

  • your reasons for choosing the course
  • your current creative practice and how this course will help you achieve your future plans
  • any relevant education and experience, especially if you do not have any formal academic qualifications.

Visit our personal statement page for more advice.

CV advice

Please provide a CV detailing your education, qualifications and any relevant work or voluntary experience. If you have any web projects or other media that you would like to share, please include links in your CV. If English is not your first language, please also include your most recent English language test score.

Step 2: Video task and digital portfolio

We will review your initial application. If you have met the standard entry requirements, we will ask you to submit a video task and digital portfolio.

You’ll need to submit these via PebblePad, our online portfolio tool. Please submit your video task on the first page followed by your portfolio.

Video task advice

We’d like you to submit a 2-3 minute video to help us learn more about you. When recording your task, please face the camera and speak in English.

What to include in your video task

  • If you studied this course, what would you like to personally and creatively achieve by the end of the academic year?

Read our guidance for how to submit your video task and which file types we accept.

Digital portfolio advice

Your portfolio should consist of recent work that reflects your creative strengths.

It should:

  • be maximum 30 pages, including your video task
  • include a wide range of visual design work
  • feature work from your past degrees and/or from self-initiated projects and professional work
  • include any supporting research and creative inspiration
  • include any recent written work that is relevant to your practice.

For more support, see our Portfolio advice and PebblePad advice.

Step 3: Interview

You may be invited to an interview following our review of your application. All interviews are held online and last 15 to 20 minutes.

For top tips, see our Interview advice.

You also need to know

Communicating with you

Once you have submitted your initial application, we will email you with your login details for our Applicant portal.

Requests for supplementary documents like qualifications and English language tests will be made through the applicant portal. You can also use it to ask questions regarding your application. Visit our After you apply page for more information.

Applying for more than one course

You can apply for more than one postgraduate course at UAL but we recommend that you limit your applications to no more than 3 courses. Your application, supporting documents and portfolio should be tailored to each course. If you receive offers for multiple courses, you will only be able to accept one offer. UAL does not accept repeat applications to the same course in the same academic year.

Visas and immigration history check

All non-UK nationals must complete an immigration history check. Your application may be considered by our course teams before this check takes place. This means that we may request your portfolio and/or video task before we identify any issues arising from your immigration history check. Sometimes your history may mean that we are not able to continue considering your application. Visit our Immigration and visas advice page for more information.

External student transfer policy

UAL accepts transfers from other institutions on a case-by-case basis. Read our Student transfer policy for more information.

Alternative offers

If your application is really strong, but we believe your strengths and skillset are better suited to a different course, we may make you an alternative offer. This means you will be offered a place on a different course or at a different UAL College.

Deferring your place

We do not accept any deferral requests for our postgraduate courses. This means that you must apply in the year that you plan to start your course and you will not be able to defer your place to start at a later date.

Application deadlines

For postgraduate courses at UAL there are 2 equal consideration deadlines to ensure fairness for all our applicants. If you apply ahead of either of these deadlines, your application will be considered on an equal basis with all other applications in that round. If there are places available after the second deadline, the course will remain open to applications until places have been filled.

Careers

The course will give students the skills, knowledge and experience required for further study at MA level.

Find out how careers and employability helps our students and graduates start their careers.

Camberwell College of Arts

Contact

Telephone

+44 (0)20 7514 6302

Address

Camberwell College of Arts
45 - 65 Peckham Road
London
SE5 8UF