Skip to main content
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 2023
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

The course is for students who have a BA but perhaps not necessarily in this subject area and wish to progress to MA level. It is designed to help support the development of your illustration knowledge and skills. You will learn how to apply and adapt your current creative methods of practice in this context.

What to expect

  • An introduction to the fundamental principles of illustration through a wide range of image-making approaches. These will include text interpretation, narrative and sequence development, character design and understanding image, tone and pace
  • Projects that will help you work towards the development and execution of an individual programme of study. This will allow you to identify personal and sustainable directions in your creative practice
  • An introduction to research and design methodologies and principles of skills application
  • You will combine skills you already have with illustration ones you will gain. This will make you a more confident and capable illustrator and visual communicator
  • Think and make in an open, experimental way
  • Develop a practice that has a contemporary and global context
  • Have access to Camberwell's shared workshops that include printmaking, photography, film, moving image, digital, plastic, ceramics, wood and metalwork. View the Camberwell facilities

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.

Contact us

Register your interest to receive information and updates about studying at UAL.

Contact us to make an enquiry.

Course units

Unit 1 - Research, risk and context

This unit is an introduction to your course, the college and the university.

  • You will have inductions to learning resources and workshops at Camberwell
  • An introduction to key methods and knowledge that define the subject of illustration
  • A visiting speaker programme exploring contemporary practice
  • An introduction to research and practice methods
  • Develop an Individual Learning Plan
  • Critical thinking and practice workshops, talks and seminars
  • A series of illustration project briefs
  • Produce a process book that includes your project development work, research and written work
  • Develop a personal visual language

Unit 2 - Practice, development and realisation

In this unit you will develop your work further. You will work towards producing a professional portfolio that will help you realise your progression ambitions.

  • You will be set a series of illustration project briefs
  • Produce a significant body of work in response to your Individual Learning Plan
  • Contextual seminars and workshops shared across the illustration programme
  • Enhance and improve your personal visual language
  • Produce a process book that includes your project development work, research and written work
  • Present work in the college show

Learning and teaching methods

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

Student work

  • Yishi-Yang-Graduate-Diploma-Illustration-Camberwell-College-of-Arts.jpg
    Yishi Yang
    Graduate Diploma Illustration, Camberwell College of Arts, UAL
  • Xinya-Shi-Graduate-Diploma-Illustration-Camberwell-College-of-Arts.jpg
    Xinya Shi
    Graduate Diploma Illustration, Camberwell College of Arts, UAL
  • Zitian-Li-Graduate-Diploma-Illustration-Camberwell-College-of-Arts.jpg
    Zitian Li
    Graduate Diploma Illustration, Camberwell College of Arts, UAL

Film

Su Lee

Staff

  • Darryl Clifton - Programme Director
  • Angela Hogg - Course Leader
  • Tom Guilmard - Associate Lecturer
  • Valerie McBride - Associate Lecturer
  • Esther McManus - Associate Lecturer

Fees and funding

Home fee

£12,700

This fee is correct for 2023/24 entry and is subject to change for 2024/25 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

£25,970

This fee is correct for 2023/24 entry and is subject to change for 2024/25 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.

Scholarship search

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

Apply

Home students apply by direct application.

Apply

Personal statement

This should be about 500 words long 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.

Portfolio advice

  • A maximum of 30 pages showing a range of visual design work.
  • Clear documentation of large work.
  • Self-initiated as well as project or course work.
  • Evidence of research and development of ideas.
  • Evidence of recent written work - where relevant to your practice.

For more support, please visit our Portfolio advice page and PebblePad advice page.

Video task

  • We'd like you to submit a 2-3 minute video to help us learn more about you
  • Please speak clearly in English and face the camera
  • Your video task is submitted along with your portfolio. Read our guidance for how to submit your video task and which file types we accept

As part of your video task please respond to the following question:

If you are offered a place on this course, what would you like to have personally and creatively achieved by the end of the academic year?

What happens next

Communicating with you

After you’ve submitted your application, you’ll receive a confirmation email providing you with your login details for the UAL Portal. We’ll use this portal to contact you to request any additional information, including inviting you to upload documents or book an interview, so please check it regularly.

Initial application check and selection

We check your application to see if you meet the standard entry requirements for the course. If you do, you will be invited to submit a digital portfolio through UAL’s online portfolio review system. These will be reviewed by the academic team and a decision will be made on your application.

How we notify you of the outcome of your application

You will receive the final outcome of your application through the UAL portal.

Applicants for this course may be given an alternative offer. This decision will be based on our assessment of your creative and potential interests.

Feedback requests:

If you would like to request feedback  please contact us through the UAL Portal using the Contact Us button in your My Application(s) tab.

Deferring your place

Read our Admissions Policy for details, and request your deferral by contacting us through the UAL Portal using the Contact Us button in your My Application(s) tab.

Transfers

If you are currently studying at another institution and if you have successfully completed 60 credits in the equivalent units and modules on your current graduate diploma course and wish to continue your studies at Camberwell College of Arts, you can apply to transfer. The Admissions Tutor will consider applications on a case by case basis, subject to places being available. You must apply directly to the course via the course webpage as early as possible. Further information can be found in our UAL External Student Transfer Policy.

Application deadline

19 December 2022 and 3 April 2023

Our equal consideration deadlines have now passed. This course will remain open to applications for 2023 entry until places have been filled. Please be aware that courses can close without notice.

We recommend you submit your application as early as possible to allow the Admissions team to resolve any initial queries about your application as quickly as possible.

When you'll hear from us

If this course requires a digital portfolio as part of the application process, you will be invited to submit this through UAL’s online submission tool, PebblePad. We will request this separately after initial processing of your application is complete. Once we request your portfolio, you will have 7 days to submit it.

Once you’ve sent in your application, this will be sent through to our course teams for review. Find out more about what happens after you apply.

Apply

There are 2 ways international students can apply to a graduate diploma course:

Apply

Read our immigration and visa information to find out if you need a visa to study at UAL.

You can only apply to the same course once per year. Any duplicate applications will be withdrawn. Read the UAL international application advice for further information on how to apply.

Personal statement

This should be about 500 words long 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.

Portfolio advice

  • A maximum of 30 pages showing a range of visual design work.
  • Clear documentation of large work.
  • Self-initiated as well as project or course work.
  • Evidence of research and development of ideas.
  • Evidence of recent written work - where relevant to your practice.

For more support, please visit our Portfolio advice page and PebblePad advice page.

Video task

  • We'd like you to submit a 2-3 minute video to help us learn more about you
  • Please speak clearly in English and face the camera
  • Your video task is submitted along with your portfolio. Read our guidance for how to submit your video task and which file types we accept

As part of your video task please respond to the following question:

If you are offered a place on this course, what would you like to have personally and creatively achieved by the end of the academic year?

What happens next

Communicating with you

After you’ve submitted your application, you’ll receive a confirmation email providing you with your login details for the UAL Portal. We’ll use this portal to contact you to request any additional information, including inviting you to upload documents or book an interview, so please check it regularly.

Immigration history check

Whether you’re applying online via UCAS, through a UAL representative or by direct application you will need to complete an Immigration History Check to establish whether you are eligible to study at UAL. If you don’t complete the check we won’t be able to proceed with your application.

Initial application check and selection

We check your application to see if you meet the standard entry requirements for the course. If you do, you will be invited to submit a digital portfolio through UAL’s online portfolio review system. These will be reviewed by the academic team and a decision will be made on your application.

How we notify you of the outcome of your application

You will receive the final outcome of your application through the UAL portal.

Applicants for this course may be given an alternative offer. This decision will be based on our assessment of your creative and potential interests.

Feedback requests:

If you would like to request feedback please contact us through the UAL Portal using the Contact Us button in your My Application(s) tab.

Deferring your place

Read our Admissions Policy for details, and request your deferral by contacting us through the UAL Portal using the Contact Us button in your My Application(s) tab.

Transfers

If you are currently studying at another institution and if you have successfully completed 60 credits in the equivalent units and modules on your current graduate diploma course and wish to continue your studies at Camberwell College of Arts, you can apply to transfer. The Admissions Tutor will consider applications on a case by case basis, subject to places being available. You must apply directly to the course via the course webpage as early as possible. Further information can be found in our UAL External Student Transfer Policy.

Application deadline

19 December 2022 and 3 April 2023

Our equal consideration deadlines have now passed. This course will remain open to applications for 2023 entry until places have been filled. Please be aware that courses can close without notice.

We recommend you submit your application as early as possible to allow the Admissions team to resolve any initial queries about your application as quickly as possible.

When you'll hear from us

This course receives a high volume of applications. We need to make sure that we give all applications equal consideration, so the course team will review them in two rounds. This means that offers won’t be sent to successful applicants until after the relevant application deadline date. Outcomes for Round 1 will be released by 31 March 2022 and outcomes for Round 2 will be released by 30 June 2022.

Remember to check the outcome of your application in the UAL Portal. If you apply in Round 1 and don’t hear back from us, we will consider your application within Round 2.

Find out more about what happens after you apply.

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.