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Postgraduate

MA Illustration

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Illustration of a girl with a lollipop and a fish bowl with fish swimming outside the bowl and spacemen swimming in the bowl by Wei Guo - MA Illustration.
Wei Guo.,
MA Illustration, Camberwell College of Arts, UAL
College
Camberwell College of Arts Start date
September 2022 Course length
15 months (full time)

MA Illustration at Camberwell College of Arts is a broad, inclusive and experimental course that enables individual practitioners to develop sustainable creative models that respond and contribute to the expanding field of contemporary illustration.

Apply to start in September 2022

This course has places available for UK applicants only. We are no longer accepting applications from international students for 2022/23 entry to this course. International applications for 2023/24 entry will open in Autumn 2022.

Student work

  • Camberwell-MA-Illustration-Emily-Nash-1.png
    , Emily Nash - MA Illustration
  • Camberwell-MA-Illustration-Follow-Me-comic-strip.jpeg
    , MA Illustration
  • Camberwell-MA-Illustration-Robbie-Porter-1860.jpg
    , Robbie Porter - MA Illustration
  • Camberwell-MA-Illustration-Ruoqi-Zheng-4-1860.png
    , Ruoqi Zheng - MA Illustration
  • Camberwell-MA-Illustration-Shichong-Wan.jpg
    , Shichong Wan - MA Illustration
  • Camberwell-MA-Illustration-Yu-Cao-1200.png
    , Yu Cao - MA Illustration

Film

Graduate Showcase: MA Illustration

Course overview

MA Illustration focuses on the creation of original work, individual agency and the continued development of an individually defined visual practice. The course encourages visual thinking, research skills and storytelling ability. Alongside these you will develop your entrepreneurial qualities, communication and professional skills. Through ambitious projects you will build on the skills you already have to define your future ambitions.

What to expect  

  • To consider the development of your practice in a variety of conventional and non-conventional contexts
  • To test and apply critical and practical skills
  • Workshops, discussion groups and one-to-one tutorials
  • A lecture programme, practitioner visits and seminars 
  • Engagement with London's creative environment
  • You will be encouraged to take part in exhibitions, competitions and commissions
  • To 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  

MA Illustration is offered in full-time mode and runs for 45 weeks over 15 months. 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 - Locate, identify and position

This unit is an introduction to your course, the college and the university. You will identify, map and develop your personal interests as an illustrator.

  • To expand your visual language by exploring a range of materials and media
  • To be encouraged to take an innovative and experimental approach to illustration practice
  • A programme of critical and theoretical study
  • An introduction to research and practice methods
  • Inductions to learning resources and workshops at Camberwell
  • To submit work in progress and a 1500 word Critical Position
  • To produce an audio-visual presentation or written major project proposal
  • To keep an online reflective journal throughout the course

Unit 2 - Intersect, converge, focus, trajectory

You will focus on your own work and consider how to build sustainable momentum in your practice.

  • Seminars, tutorials and workshops
  • Visiting speaker programme exploring contemporary practice
  • To integrate your deepening knowledge of the discipline of illustration with an individually defined method of enquiry
  • To submit work in progress and a 5000 word document
  • To produce an audio-visual presentation or written major project proposal

Unit 3 - Realisations

The final unit of the course will focus on the production of your major project and preparation for potential professional contexts.

  • Professional development and practice workshops, talks and seminars
  • To submit personal project outcomes
  • To put together a professional portfolio of work
  • To produce an audio-visual presentation
  • Lectures and visiting practitioner talks
  • Seminars, crits, tutorials and workshops
  • To present work in the college postgraduate show

Note: 120 Credits must be passed before the final unit is undertaken.

Learning and teaching methods

  • Group seminars, critiques and individual tutorials
  • Guided process workshops
  • Lectures and visiting practitioner talks
  • Progressive and inclusive assessment model
  • Reflection and self-evaluation
  • Student led community of enquiry meetings
  • Studio based teaching

Assessment methods

  • Contextual and evaluative writing
  • Exhibition
  • Presentations
  • Project proposal
  • Reflective journal
  • Research portfolio
  • Writing on critical practice - including blogs

Staff

How to apply

Information for disabled applicants

UAL is committed to achieving inclusion and equality for disabled students. This includes students who have:
     
  • Dyslexia or another Specific Learning Difference
  • A sensory impairment
  • A physical impairment
  • A long-term health or mental health condition
  • Autism
  • Another long-term condition which has an impact on your day-to-day life
Our Disability Service arranges adjustments and support for disabled applicants and students. Read our Disability and dyslexia: applying for a course and joining UAL information.

Entry requirements

The standard minimum entry requirements for this course are:

  • BA (Hons) degree or equivalent academic qualifications
  • 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:

  • An interest and involvement in visual arts
  • Demonstrable skills in your existing practice
  • The ability and capacity for self-reflection
  • Ambition and research interest
  • Aspiration for a higher level of practice
  • Quality of work

Personal statement

This should be about 500 words long and include:

  • Your reasons for choosing the course
  • Your current creative practice and how this will help with your future plans
  • If you do not have any formal academic qualifications please describe your relevant education and experience

Portfolio advice

Portfolios should show the following:

  • Work that provides a good overview of your creative practice
  • A selection of your work that is relevant to your application. This can include finished work and examples of your research and development
  • For video, sound or web-based work please provide links
  • Where appropriate include captions or short explanations that give context for your work. If you have worked on any group projects explain your role
  • Provide indications of the size and media used

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 direction:

We would like you to identify one project from your portfolio which challenged you and your understanding of illustration. Explain how this experience has inspired you to apply to MA Illustration at Camberwell College of Arts.

Making your application

Home International

Apply to start in September 2022

This course has places available for UK applicants only. We are no longer accepting applications from international students for 2022/23 entry to this course. International applications for 2023/24 entry will open in Autumn 2022.

Apply

Home students apply by direct application.

Apply

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.

Please add ccw.ukeu@arts.ac.uk to your contacts to ensure that you do not miss any important updates about your application to UAL.

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:

This course receives a high number of applications. Unfortunately, we can’t provide feedback to everyone who is unsuccessful. We can only provide feedback after you’ve had an interview. We are only able to provide feedback to you directly, or to someone you have told us in writing can receive it on your behalf. If you would like to request feedback please email ccw.ukeu@arts.ac.uk.

Deferring your place

This course accepts requests from offer holders to defer their place for one academic year. Deferral requests are granted on a first-come, first-served basis until all deferral places are filled, or a deadline has been reached, whichever is sooner. Read our Admissions Policy for details, including how to request a deferral and by when.

Transfers

If you are currently studying at another institution and if you have successfully completed 60 credits in the equivalent units/modules on your current postgraduate 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. Please check our Student Transfer Policy for more important information and be ready to provide us with your current course handbook and transcripts.

Please be ready to provide an official document (translated into English if necessary) from your current university, explaining the learning outcomes of the units you have completed.

Application deadline

Other

This course is open for UK applications until places have been filled. We recommend you submit your application as early as possible to allow the Admissions team to quickly resolve any queries.

We will request your portfolio separately after initial processing of your application is complete. Once we request your portfolio, you will have 7 days to submit it.

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.

Apply to start in September 2022

This course has places available for UK applicants only. We are no longer accepting applications from international students for 2022/23 entry to this course. International applications for 2023/24 entry will open in Autumn 2022.

Apply

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

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

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.

Please add ccw.international@arts.ac.uk to your contacts to ensure that you do not miss any important updates about your application to UAL.

Initial application check

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:

This course receives a high number of applications. Unfortunately, we can’t provide feedback to everyone who is unsuccessful. We can only provide feedback after you’ve had an interview. We are only able to provide feedback to you directly, or to someone you have told us in writing can receive it on your behalf. If you would like to request feedback please email ccw.international@arts.ac.uk.

Deferring your place

This course does not allow offer holders to defer. If you want to start later, please re-apply when applications open for that academic year.

Transfers

If you are currently studying at another institution and if you have successfully completed 60 credits in the equivalent units/modules on your current postgraduate 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. Please check our Student Transfer Policy for more important information and be ready to provide us with your current course handbook and transcripts.

Please be ready to provide an official document (translated into English if necessary) from your current university, explaining the learning outcomes of the units you have completed.

Application deadline

Other

We are no longer accepting applications from international applicants for 2022/23 entry to this course. Applications for 2023/24 entry will open in Autumn 2022.

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.

Fees and funding

Home fee

£11,550

This fee is correct for 2022/23 entry and is subject to change for 2023/24 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

£23,610

This fee is correct for 2022/23 entry and is subject to change for 2023/24 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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Careers and alumni

The range of creative destinations for Camberwell’s MA Illustration graduates has included book contracts, comic strip creations for Flicking Publishing as well as work with the Thames Festival. Other course alumni have also gone on to work for Rave Magazine in Bombay and Samsung Advertising in Europe.

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