Illustration, Bachelor of Arts

Who is the Bachelor’s Degree Programme in Illustration at the University of Communication and Design Suitable For?

The Bachelor’s degree programme in Illustration is aimed at creative minds who have a passion for visual design, drawing and storytelling. It is especially directed at school leavers with a general university entrance qualification or a corresponding subject-specific entrance qualification, who can imagine working in the future as freelance or permanently employed illustrators in the creative industries, at media companies, in agencies or as self-employed designers. The course is suitable for everyone who wants to systematically and practically prepare for the diverse fields of illustration such as narrative illustration, technical and scientific illustration, animation, character design or visual storytelling, and who find interdisciplinary projects as well as working with digital and analogue media appealing.

Admission Requirements: What Do You Need for the Illustration Degree?

• General or subject-specific university entrance qualification: The prerequisite is usually the Abitur, Fachhochschulreife or an equivalent entrance qualification recognised for university study in Baden-Württemberg.
• Application procedure: You must submit an application to the University of Communication and Design.
• Design aptitude: Usually, you will be invited to submit a portfolio of your own artistic and design work. Additionally, an aptitude interview or an entrance examination may be required to assess your design skills and motivation.
• Good knowledge of German: The course is offered in German, so appropriate language skills are expected.

The university offers individual counselling sessions and portfolio advice for this purpose. It is recommended to contact the student advisory service early, especially if you have questions about the portfolio or the selection process.

Personal Requirements for the Illustration Degree Programme

• You have a strong interest in artistic and design processes as well as in the visual implementation of concepts.
• Basic drawing skills as well as openness to working with different analogue and digital techniques are expected.
• Creativity, imagination and the ability for conceptual and narrative design are advantageous.
• Teamwork skills, enthusiasm for interdisciplinary exchange and strong communication skills will support you during your studies and in later professional practice.
• You are willing to work independently and responsibly on projects and to continually develop your design expression.
• An interest in current trends in media, design and digital technologies can be helpful.

How is the Bachelor's degree programme Illustration at the Hochschule für Kommunikation und Gestaltung structured?

The Bachelor's degree programme Illustration at the Hochschule für Kommunikation und Gestaltung in Stuttgart is tailored to creative minds. You will be prepared to master a variety of design and illustrative tasks in the professional field of illustration. The focus is on acquiring practical subject-specific and methodological knowledge: from traditional analogue exercises and practice-oriented studies to visualising in various techniques and the development and implementation of complex cross-media illustration projects. From the third semester onwards, you can specialise in Narrative Illustration or Factual and Scientific Illustration.

Which content is taught in the Illustration programme?

• Fundamentals of design
• Practical exercises in drawing and visualisation in various techniques
• Conceptualisation and implementation of cross-media illustration projects
• Specialisation from the 3rd semester in Narrative Illustration as well as Factual and Scientific Illustration
• Experimental design and digital art
• Visual communication
• Creative writing and scenography
• Animation and motion design
• Character design (games) and comics
• Interdisciplinary projects with other degree programmes or modules
• Legal basics, media law as well as marketing and entrepreneurship
• Development of design-related, economic, legal and social skills
• Soft skills and professional ethical reflection

How does the Illustration programme proceed?

The programme is a first-degree course laid out over seven semesters. Special features such as a compulsory practical semester are not planned. Initially, the design fundamentals are taught, on which all other content builds. From the third semester onwards you choose a specialisation and work increasingly project-oriented. Modularly structured courses enable interdisciplinary cooperation. Throughout the entire programme, you gain practical experience in your own projects as well as cooperation projects. At the end of the course, the Bachelor’s thesis with an independent project concept is generally required.

What career prospects do you have as a graduate of the Illustration programme?

• Freelance work or permanent employment as an illustrator
• Fields of work in companies in the creative and film industries
• Activities for institutions and scientific organisations
• Areas of use: book and magazine publishers, game manufacturers, editorial offices, advertising agencies, design studios
• Areas of responsibility such as editorial design, corporate design, packaging design, product design, retail design, information design
• Illustration of books, magazines, posters, DVDs, scientific publications, operating manuals and user guides

The programme prepares you to carry out projects both on commission and independently. The broad range of skills is the basis for a successful start to your career or the development of your own self-employment.

Where is the Illustration programme offered?

You study Illustration at the Hochschule für Kommunikation und Gestaltung at the Stuttgart location. The city is an important creative hub, known for innovation and versatile opportunities in design and visual communication.

What does the Illustration programme cost and how can you finance it?

• Tuition fees: 500 Euros monthly
• Total costs: 21,000 Euros (for 7 semesters)

For financing your studies, you can use various options, e.g. BAföG, scholarships or educational loans. The private tuition fees are an investment in a practice-oriented education with career prospects in creative industries.