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Bachelor of Arts (with Honours) - BA (Hons)
Illustration and Animation (Top Up)
Hereford College of Arts
Entry requirements
Here's what you will need to get a place on the Illustration and Animation (Top Up) course at Hereford College of Arts.
We're still busy gathering entry requirements for Illustration and Animation (Top Up) at Hereford College of Arts. Look out for more info soon.
Course summary
What this course is about
UCAS code: W222
Here's what Hereford College of Arts says about its Illustration and Animation (Top Up) course.
There are opportunities for illustrators and animators to contribute visuals in film & television, theatre, publishing, advertising, information graphics, print, and with interactive new media platforms and this one-year top up degree course seeks to give its students experience of working in many of these specialist areas.
The course has been developed in consultation with a wide range of practicing artists, animators, designers, writers, publishers and teachers. Their accumulated knowledge has been combined to create a course that delivers skills and knowledge, challenges and stimulates and most importantly, is fun to take part in.
Projects are designed to reflect real world situations and issues. We want our students to begin showing, selling and sharing their work with communities at local, national and global level whilst still on the course, not just after they leave.
At HCA, you will have access to cutting edge animation equipment and software, including a stop-frame rig and Cintiq drawing tablets. Offering a sturdy footing in traditional processes alongside these modern techniques, this course presents an alternative to a pervasive computer-generated aesthetic. This includes drawing that moves, animation that isn’t lead by drawing at all, short witty films that require no explanation and ‘ambient’ animation.
A place at HCA also provides trips to cultural epicentres as well as opportunities to take part in live briefs with external clients, offering real-world, professional experiences before you even graduate.
What we provide
-
Boost your employability with flexible skills across illustration and animation.
-
Explore expressive, innovative, creative animation.
-
Small group teaching in a friendly studio environment with exceptional access to tutorial and technical support.
-
A programme of visiting lecturers from around the world bringing cutting edge practice to HCA students.
-
Develop your own visual language and evolve a unique style.
Who we work with A range of expert visiting practitioners contribute to the course. These have included award winning illustrators: A range of expert visiting practitioners contribute to the course. These have included award winning illustrators: Clive Hicks-Jenkins, Jonny Hannah, Rebecca Gibbon, Matthew Richardson, Alice Pattulo, Mark Hearld, Geoff Grandfield, Martin Ursell, Rebecca Gibbon and animators: BAFTA winning director Jonathan Hodgson and Sarah Salter of Salty’s Animation. Our students have taken part in Seminars with Quentin Blake atHay Festival, Oliver Jeffers and teamed up with HCA honorary fellow Nick Sharrat.
You will meet professional practitioners on inspiring local, national and international visits. In the past students have met Creative Director Barbara Ryan in Amsterdam and Animation Oscar-nominated Javier Mariscal in Barcelona.
Entry Requirements
-
Successful completion of a UK based level 5 qualification such as a Foundation Degree (FdA) or HND in a related subject (evidence of prior learning will need to be provided).
-
Portfolio submission or audition (as applicable) and successful interview.
Source: Hereford College of Arts
Course details
Qualification
Bachelor of Arts (with Honours) - BA (Hons)
Department
Media Arts
Location
Main Site | Hereford
Duration
1 Years
Study mode
Full-time
Subjects
• Animation
• Illustration
Start date
21 September 2026
Application deadline
14 January 2026
Tuition fees
| Location | Fees |
|---|---|
| England | £9,000 per year |
| Scotland | £9,000 per year |
| Wales | £9,000 per year |
| Northern Ireland | £9,000 per year |
| Channel Islands | £9,000 per year |
| Republic of Ireland | £9,000 per year |
The modules you will study
Year 1 (level 6) - Practice in Context 3?(20 Credits), Practice 5?(30), Practice 6 (60), Professional Practice 2?(10)
Hereford College of Arts student reviews
Showing 0 reviews
National Student Survey (NSS) scores at Hereford College of Arts
The NSS is an annual survey where final-year students are asked to rate different aspects of their course and university experience.
The Illustration and Animation (Top Up) course at Hereford College of Arts features content from more than one subject area. Using the options below, you can see ratings from students who took courses in each of these subject areas at this uni
Select an option to see a detailed breakdown
Teaching on my course
88%
med
Teaching on my course
88%
med
How often does your course challenge you to achieve your best work?
88%
med
How good are teaching staff at explaining things?
90%
med
How often do teaching staff make the subject engaging?
86%
med
How often is the course intellectually stimulating?
89%
high
Learning opportunities
90%
high
Learning opportunities
90%
high
To what extent have you had the chance to bring together information and ideas from different topics?
86%
med
How well does your course introduce subjects and skills in a way that builds on what you have already learned?
86%
med
How well has your course developed your knowledge and skills that you think you will need for your future?
93%
high
To what extent have you had the chance to explore ideas and concepts in depth?
93%
high
To what extent does your course have the right balance of directed and independent study?
89%
high
Assessment and feedback
88%
med
Assessment and feedback
88%
med
How well have assessments allowed you to demonstrate what you have learned?
85%
med
How fair has the marking and assessment been on your course?
88%
med
How often does feedback help you to improve your work?
93%
high
How often have you received assessment feedback on time?
93%
high
How clear were the marking criteria used to assess your work?
82%
med
Academic support
94%
high
Academic support
94%
high
How easy was it to contact teaching staff when you needed to?
92%
med
How well have teaching staff supported your learning?
96%
high
Organisation and management
82%
high
Organisation and management
82%
high
How well were any changes to teaching on your course communicated?
82%
med
How well organised is your course?
82%
high
Learning resources
94%
high
Learning resources
94%
high
How well have the IT resources and facilities supported your learning?
92%
high
How well have the library resources (e.g., books, online services and learning spaces) supported your learning?
97%
high
How easy is it to access subject specific resources (e.g., equipment, facilities, software) when you need them?
94%
high
Student voice
78%
med
Student voice
78%
med
How clear is it that students' feedback on the course is acted on?
64%
med
To what extent do you get the right opportunities to give feedback on your course?
82%
med
To what extent are students' opinions about the course valued by staff?
87%
med
How well does the students' union (association or guild) represent students' academic interests?
46%
low
Other NSS questions
Other NSS questions
During your studies, how free did you feel to express your ideas, opinions, and beliefs?
89%
med
How well communicated was information about your university/college's mental wellbeing support services?
90%
high
Select an option to see a detailed breakdown
Teaching on my course
86%
med
Teaching on my course
86%
med
How often does your course challenge you to achieve your best work?
86%
med
How good are teaching staff at explaining things?
88%
med
How often do teaching staff make the subject engaging?
84%
med
How often is the course intellectually stimulating?
86%
high
Learning opportunities
87%
med
Learning opportunities
87%
med
To what extent have you had the chance to bring together information and ideas from different topics?
84%
med
How well does your course introduce subjects and skills in a way that builds on what you have already learned?
81%
med
How well has your course developed your knowledge and skills that you think you will need for your future?
91%
high
To what extent have you had the chance to explore ideas and concepts in depth?
91%
med
To what extent does your course have the right balance of directed and independent study?
88%
high
Assessment and feedback
87%
med
Assessment and feedback
87%
med
How well have assessments allowed you to demonstrate what you have learned?
86%
low
How fair has the marking and assessment been on your course?
86%
med
How often does feedback help you to improve your work?
91%
high
How often have you received assessment feedback on time?
95%
high
How clear were the marking criteria used to assess your work?
77%
med
Academic support
94%
high
Academic support
94%
high
How easy was it to contact teaching staff when you needed to?
93%
high
How well have teaching staff supported your learning?
95%
high
Organisation and management
77%
med
Organisation and management
77%
med
How well were any changes to teaching on your course communicated?
77%
med
How well organised is your course?
77%
med
Learning resources
97%
high
Learning resources
97%
high
How well have the IT resources and facilities supported your learning?
95%
high
How well have the library resources (e.g., books, online services and learning spaces) supported your learning?
100%
high
How easy is it to access subject specific resources (e.g., equipment, facilities, software) when you need them?
95%
high
Student voice
78%
med
Student voice
78%
med
How clear is it that students' feedback on the course is acted on?
64%
med
To what extent do you get the right opportunities to give feedback on your course?
83%
med
To what extent are students' opinions about the course valued by staff?
86%
med
How well does the students' union (association or guild) represent students' academic interests?
51%
low
Other NSS questions
Other NSS questions
During your studies, how free did you feel to express your ideas, opinions, and beliefs?
90%
med
How well communicated was information about your university/college's mental wellbeing support services?
90%
high
Student information
We're still busy gathering student information for Illustration and Animation (Top Up) at Hereford College of Arts. Look out for more info soon.
Graduate prospects
What graduates do next
The Illustration and Animation (Top Up) course includes content from more than one subject area. Choose an option below for information about Hereford College of Arts graduates across each of those subject areas.
Graduate statistics
35%
In a job where degree was essential or beneficial
80%
In work, study or other activity
40%
Say it fits with future plans
35%
Are utilising studies
Top job areas
25%
Elementary occupations
10%
Sales occupations
10%
Skilled trades occupations
10%
Web and Multimedia Design Professionals
Graduate statistics
35%
In a job where degree was essential or beneficial
45%
Say it fits with future plans
40%
Are utilising studies
Top job areas
20%
Elementary occupations
10%
Sales occupations
10%
Skilled trades occupations
10%
Web and Multimedia Design Professionals
Graduate statistics
40%
In a job where degree was essential or beneficial
80%
In work, study or other activity
45%
Say it fits with future plans
45%
Are utilising studies
Top job areas
20%
Elementary occupations
15%
Sales occupations
15%
Web and Multimedia Design Professionals
10%
Design occupations
Graduate statistics percentages are determined 15 months after a student graduates
Earnings after graduation
Earnings from Hereford College of Arts graduates who took Illustration and Animation (Top Up) - or another course in the same subject area.
Earnings
£17k
First year after graduation
£20.4k
Third year after graduation
£20.8k
Fifth year after graduation
Shown here are the median earnings of graduates at one, three and five years after they completed a course related to Illustration and Animation (Top Up).
Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree
Hereford College of Arts open days
Are you thinking of applying to this university?
Before you do, it's a good idea to go to an open day. You can have a good look around campus, getting a better idea of what it's like to study there. You'll meet current students and staff and get the chance to ask them questions.
Universities will list upcoming open days on their websites. Most will also have virtual open days; these are a great alternative if you really can't get there in person. For tips on preparing for open days, check the advice section here on The Uni Guide.
