External summary

To make clear, to explain or elucidate by means of pictures, to cast light upon… These words seek to define illustration, an element within the architecture of the page encompassing form, colour, line and composition. As a pictorial space, “the page” extends through established formats of the book, editorial design and paper artefacts, into electronic media and contemporary design. We teach the language of drawing and image-making from a broad methodology that includes observation, perception and literary interpretation. The students are guided through a range of pictorial concerns, visualising ideas and texts towards their own ways of seeing. An Illustration philosophy includes intellectual and aesthetic sensibilities, allied to practical methods within evolving disciplines of the graphic arts. Such a philosophy depends upon the energy and application of those that study and those who teach. As a part of this process, we collaborate with publishers, designers and writers towards developing the potential of each student. The Illustration programme at Edinburgh college of Art provides an education as well as a preparation for professional life.

Educational aims of programme

The main programme aims are:

• To promote a commitment to excellence as the prevailing standard for each activity within Illustration;
• To develop in students the ability to research and generate ideas relevant to the solution of Illustration problems through specialist subject provision;
• To develop in students a strong visual vocabulary in order to externalise ideas;
• To develop in students a spirit of initiative and adventure both in developing their own work and in serving their client(s)/audiences;
• To develop in students the capacity for both independent and group enquiry and research at a level expected of first degree study;
• To develop students’ ability to make informed value judgements by which to assess their work and the work of others;
• To develop in students sufficient manual skills and technical knowledge to control production processes related to Illustration;
• To develop in students the communications skills, both verbal and written, appropriate to their studio work;
• To develop students’ understanding of the cultural, historical, commercial and professional contexts of Illustration;
• To develop students’ understanding of the ethical and professional principles involved within Illustration.
• To improve the exploration, curiosity, ambition, depth and breadth of creative practice in a systematic and insightful manner;
• To encourage students to conceptualise and review their creative process and take incisive control over the direction of their practice;
• To critically evaluate and employ contemporary debates regarding practice-based research, practice-led research and cognate creative methodologies;
• To provide students with requisite knowledge and research skills to creatively contextualise their practice and imaginatively demonstrate its wider validity;
• To continually meet the rapidly changing needs, expectations, aspirations and experiences of today’s graduate students by improving their professional attributes.

Programme outcomes: Knowledge and understanding

Students will be expected to demonstrate a knowledge of: 

• key theories, practices, contexts and debates in relation to Illustration.
• a range of appropriate creative methods, techniques and approaches in response to Illustration project briefs.
• contemporary creative practice and user/audience needs.
• appropriate methodologies and strategies for the professional presentation, distribution and documentation of work
• the use of a range of appropriate materials, methodologies and strategies in relation to individual Illustration practice.

Students will be expected to demonstrate an understanding of:

• issues-based approaches to creative and intellectual endeavour
• the appropriate use of materials and processes and their development through  transparent iterative methodologies
• how practitioners personally conceptualise briefs.
• the philosophical and professional context for the discipline
• the role of the evaluation of original creative concepts in response to research findings through critical assessment

Programme outcomes: Graduate attributes - Skills and abilities in research and enquiry

Graduates in Illustration will be expected to demonstrate a knowledge and understanding of:

• a range of appropriate research methods.
• the use of a variety of practical and theoretical approaches to demonstrate an investigation of set and personally initiated research themes
• critical enquiry that leads to the visual, verbal and written communication of ideas in an analytical manner.
• the role of critical analysis and reflective appraisal in the context of set research themes.
• issues arising from research and its role in challenging established precepts and assumptions

Programme outcomes: Graduate attributes - Skills and abilities in personal and intellectual autonomy

Graduates in Illustration will be able to: 

• adopt a broad-ranging and flexible approach to study, identifying their own learning needs and pursuing activities designed to meet these needs in increasingly autonomous ways.
• with minimal guidance,  manage their own learning using a wide range of resources appropriate to subject/profession,  seeking and making effective use of feedback.

Programme outcomes: Graduate attributes - Skills and abilities in communication

Graduates in Illustration will be able to: 

• communicate in a clear structured and concise way, in writing and orally, in formal academic and professional styles.
• confidently communicate, present and demonstrate ideas, both formally and informally, in a variety of contexts at the threshold of professional practise.

Programme outcomes: Graduate attributes - Skills and abilities in personal effectiveness

Graduates in Illustration will be able to:

• clearly demonstrate an ability to independently define and analyse self-initiated project proposals for specific design contexts.
• confidently select and apply a range of facts, concepts and elements in a cohesive, independent manner to produce new solutions to both externally set, and self-initiated proposals.
• confidently apply their own criteria and support independent judgements in a fully autonomous way.
• be increasingly independent, confident and flexible in identifying and defining complex problems and in the application of methods appropriate to their solution, at the threshold of professional practice

Programme outcomes: Technical/practical skills

The range of technical and practical skills which may be acquired in the programme, both analogue and digital, is potentially very wide. Students have considerable choice in how they build their technical and practical skill set which is developed over their period of study.

Graduates in Illustration will be able to:

• clearly demonstrate confidence, independence and professionalism in the application of software/hardware to specific contexts.
• clearly demonstrate appropriately personalised use and application of information retrieval and networked communications within specific contexts.

Programme structure and features

Programme structure
The programme follows a well-defined structure in which, in common with other programmes in the Design sector, only the results from the final year of study are used in calculating the degree award.

1st Year

Exit Award: Certificate of Higher Education (120 credits)

2nd Year

Exit Award: Diploma of Higher Education (240 credits)

3rd Year (Semester 1)

3rd Year (Semester 2)

Exit Award: Batchelor of Arts (360 credits)

4th Year

Exit Award: Batchelor of Arts with Honours (480 credits)

Teaching and learning methods and strategies

The student journey in Illustration is characterised by sequential, experiential and iterative learning and pedagogically follows a constructivist model, subscribing to the view that: knowledge and understanding are not acquired passively but in an active manner through personal experience and experiential activities; and that learning is based on problem solving and/or an exploration of a particular line of enquiry and active engagement with ideas.

The third year is the main focus for student choice, where students are expected to propose a study plan comprising a portfolio of externally-facing activities which may typically include periods of exchange, internship, electives, live projects or competitions.

Assessment methods and strategies

For the majority of their studies students will not encounter prescriptive assessment where the absolute answers are known in advance of setting the assessed task. Assessment however is rigorous and robust and depends upon significant involvement of whole programme teams to ensure objectivity, accuracy, consistency and fairness to the students concerned.

Students receive regular formative feedback on their progress which is related directly to the published learning outcomes in their Course Descriptors and in their coursework material, such as project briefs and individual study plans;

The grading of student work is undertaken with close reference to the published learning outcomes and assessment criteria, for the Course Descriptor and for the particular piece(s) of work being assessed;

The method of assessment used is appropriate to the learning outcome(s) being assessed and the student’s performance for each individual learning outcome can be effectively examined and graded where a single method of assessment is used to examine more than one learning outcome;

Career opportunities

Illustration graduates can follow a wide range of careers from freelance illustration for the publishing and design industries to editorial design, packaging and paper products, web design, computer games industry, printmaking, agency work in print, design and digital media, community arts, education and art commissions, residencies and exhibitions. Collaboration with writers and publishers strongly underpins the Illustration degree, and visits from practitioners enhance the professional approach. In addition, there is a vibrant network of galleries for more exhibition oriented work. Students are encouraged to take part in national and international competitions.

Other items

Student/ Staff Liaison

Student representatives make a significant contribution to Programme Committees. They are responsible for canvassing the views of their fellow students on agenda items and, most importantly, informing them of the content and outcome of Programme Committee Meetings. Students are advised to make use of EUSA help in training for their role as representatives and in Committee procedures.

Student representatives are appointed annually. Invitations for nominations, seconded by at least two other students, are posted in the studio at the beginning of each year. A secret ballot is held if more than the requisite number of nominations is received by the closing date.

International Study/Exchange Programme

The School of Design believes that the addition of an international dimension to our degree programmes provides significant educational and social benefits for our students. We therefore encourage our students to participate in Erasmus and other international exchanges with approved partners, usually in Year 3 (Level 9).

Personal Tutors

All students are assigned a Personal Tutor on admission to the degree programme, who oversees the course of the student’s degree programme, offers advice on academic matters and should be the student’s first point of contact for course-related worries or concerns.