Concept and Comic Art BA (Hons)

This new degree allows you to develop your creativity through practical experience in a range of visual mediums covering concept art to comic arts.

Overview
Structure and assessment
Facilities and features
Opportunities and careers
more about your DMU
Contact us

Overview

Subject to validation

Concept art is a specific industry-focused discipline in which students will explore a range of professional tools, practices and techniques for developing pre-production, production and post-production art as appropriate to the film and video game industries, achieved through practical, hands-on studio-based activity.

Comic art allows students to explore a broad range of idea generation, visual storytelling, visual communication, traditional and digital tools, practices and techniques through practical hands-on studio-based activity.

These two practice-based strands are underpinned by contextual studies which inform and enhance practice through an exploration of the historical, cultural and social contexts of the wider world of print and web-based comic arts, graphic novels and visual communication.

Both strands are firmly based on the teaching and mastery of fundamental traditional art skills, and contemporary digital tools and techniques. The two contrasting curriculum strands – one structured, process driven, industry-focused and the other more exploratory, personal and freeform – allow students to develop as fully rounded artists whilst allowing them a range of creative possibilities and opportunities.

Graduates will be skilled across a range of traditional and contemporary digital tools, techniques and practice, and will have developed transferable skills across a range of visual problem solving, idea generation, communication and visual storytelling.

Key features

Develop your skills and interests towards your own personal specialist interests.
Benefit from special guest lectures to enhance your understanding of industry and learn directly from film and game industry professionals.

Gain valuable international experience as part of your studies with our #DMUglobal programme.
Access dedicated facilities, including a specialist games studio with a range of high-spec PCs for producing 3D game content, a drawing studio and a suite of Cintiq graphics tablets
Expand your portfolio with House, DMU’s Design Society, which gives you the chance to develop your practical and professional skills through live project briefs set by real clients from the design industry.
97.3% of DMU graduates from summer 2017 are in work or further study after graduating, according to the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education (DLHE) 2016-17 report.

More courses like this:

Graphic Design BA (Hons)

Graphic Design (Illustration) BA (Hons)

Communication Arts BA (Hons)

Game Art BA (Hons)

UK/EU
International

Key facts for UK/EU students

Institution code: D26

UCAS course code: W223

Duration: Three years full-time, four years with placement

Fees and funding: For 2020/21 tuition fees will be £9,250

Find out more about tuition fees and available funding.

Find out about additional costs and optional extras.

Contact us: For more information complete our online enquiry form or call us on +44 (0)116 2 50 60 70.

How to apply

Submit a study-related enquiry

Key facts for international students

Institution code: D26

UCAS course code: W223

Duration: Three years full-time, four years with placement

Fees and funding: For 2020/21 tuition fees will be £14,250

Find out more about course fees and available funding.

Find out about additional costs and optional extras.

Contact us: For more information complete our online enquiry form or call us on +44 (0)116 2 50 60 70.

How to apply

Submit a study-related enquiry

Entry criteria

120 UCAS points from at least two A-levels with Art and Design at grade B or above, or
Art and Design BTEC National Diploma/ Extended Diploma at DDM

Plus, five GCSEs at grade 4 or above, including English and Mathematics or equivalent.

Alternative qualifications include:

Pass in the QAA accredited Access to HE Art and Design course with at least 15 level-3 credits in Art and Design at Distinction. English GCSE required as a separate qualification
Art and Design Foundation Diploma: Pass

We will normally require students to have had a break from full-time education before undertaking the Access course or

International Baccalaureate: 30+ points including Art and Design at higher level grade 6 or

Portfolio Required: You will also need a good portfolio according to the course guidelines as part of your application

Interview Required: No

UCAS Tariff changes

Students applying for courses starting in September will be made offers based on the latest UCAS Tariff. Find out more.

We welcome applications from mature students with non-standard qualifications and recognise all other equivalent and international qualifications

English language — If English is not your first language we require an English language level of IELTS 6.0 with 5.5 in each component or equivalent.

English Language tuition, delivered by our British Council accredited Centre for English Language Learning, is available both before and throughout the course if you need it.

Structure and assessment

Year one

Tools, Techniques and Processes 1

Contextual Studies 1

Studio Practice 1

Year two

Tools, Techniques and Processes 2

Contextual Studies 2

Studio Practice 2

Year three

Studio Practice: Personal Exploration

Studio Practice: Professional Practice

Students will engage with learning and teaching primarily through hands-on practical studio activity. A vibrant studio culture supported by academic and technical staff will encourage individuals to achieve their full potential. Learning is supported by practical workshops, seminars and lectures. Extensive use is made of online tools to support an enthusiastic course community.

The course features regular guest lectures and workshops from a range of professionals, including alumni, giving students a unique opportunity to experience first-hand what it takes to design and develop successful content.

The curriculum focuses on practical hands-on activity, focusing on learning through content creation with two distinct practical themes:

1:concept art
2:comic arts

underpinned by a third:

3:contextual studies

The assessment strategy will include regular presentations of work in progress for formative feedback and guidance purposes, and final summative assessments by portfolio of completed work and supported by evidence of engagement and development in the process and production of the portfolio.

In the final year, students will develop their own portfolio of professional standard work, guided by artists from relevant industry and the teaching team.

Facilities and features

Game Art Studios

We have excellent specialist facilities that include a games studio with a range of industry standard software and high spec PCs for producing 3D game content and for studying games on PC, Playstation, Xbox as well as the next generation hardware as it becomes available. We also have VR development facilities to support students who wish to work in visualisation and VR. The 2D elements of the course benefit from a dedicated drawing studio, and you will have access to a professional-standard suite of Cintiq tablets. We also have fully AV-equipped lecture/ seminar rooms to support other learning and teaching activities.

Leicester Media School

You will have the opportunity to receive support from the Leicester Media School Drawing Centre, which provides extra-curricular support for developing artists and designers to have a creative forum and discourse.

More flexible ways to learn

Our Universal Design for Learning (UDL) has been recognised as leading the university sector. It builds upon our pledge to offer an equitable and inclusive approach to learning and teaching for all our students.

UDL means we offer a wide variety of support, facilities and technology to all students, including those with disabilities and specific learning differences.

Just one of the ways we do this is by using ‘DMU Replay’ – a technology providing all students with anytime access to audio and/or visual material of lectures.

This means students can revise taught material in the way which suits them best, whether it's replaying a recording of a class or adapting written material shared in class using specialist software.

Opportunities and careers

Graduate Careers

Graduates on our related GAme Art BSc have worked for companies such as Atomhawk, the BBC, Blizzard, BMW, Capcom, Codemasters, Creative Assembly, Crytek, Deepsilver, Gusto Games, Headstrong, Honda, Jagex, Konami, Other Ocean, Playground Games, Razorworks, Rebellion, Riot Games, Rockstar North, Rocksteady Studios, Splash Damage, SEGA, Sony, and Ubisoft.

We expect graduates of this course to work as 3D artists, visualisation and VR artists, environment artists, character artists, concept artists, technical artists, team leads, studio managers, producers and directors.

DMU Global

This is our innovative international experience programme which aims to enrich your studies and expand your cultural horizons – helping you to become a global graduate, equipped to meet the needs of employers across the world.

Through DMU Global, we offer a wide range of opportunities including on-campus and UK activities, overseas study, internships, faculty-led field trips and volunteering, as well as Erasmus+ and international exchanges.

Placements

Work-based placements are one of the best ways to boost your skills and experience, and can often lead to your first graduate role.

They are the perfect means of discovering how your studies relate to the real world, and provide an opportunity to improve your confidence and make contacts to help you get ahead in the job market.

DMU’s dedicated Placements Teams can help you by providing access to hundreds of opportunities, giving one-to-one CV advice and interview preparation, and offering training sessions and support from a dedicated tutor.