Location

Farnham

Start date

Sept 2026, Sept 2027

Duration

3 years full-time

UCAS logo

UCAS codes

Course: W223
Institution: C93

+1

Foundation year

Optional extra year of study

+1

Placement year

Optional extra year of study

Entry requirements

Check qualifications

Comic & Concept Art at UCA

Worldbuilding, character creation, and storytelling – all rolled into one, on our BA (Hons) Comic & Concept Art degree course.

Where your voice matters most

Your individual creative identity – the worlds you build, the stories you tell, the style you develop – is treated as your most valuable professional asset. From first year, you'll develop your own projects and ideas alongside set briefs. Specialist pathways from second year let you sharpen that identity further. Every step is designed to help you become a more distinctive artist.

Concepts that go somewhere

In second year, you'll work with the games students on campus in a collaboration that mirrors real studio pipelines. You'll create character sheets, environment designs, props, and storyboards – then see that work actually built into playable productions. It's concept art as pre-production for something real and it will fundamentally change how you think about your own work.

Run your own convention

You'll plan, produce, and deliver a public-facing comic and concept art convention on campus. Whether you're tabling and selling work, cosplaying your character, speaking, or managing the event, you'll build the kind of entrepreneurial and communication skills a creative career demands. 

Taught by working artists

The teaching team includes an Eisner Award-nominated comic artist, a Guildford Games Award nominee for Best Educator, an award-winning novelist and concept artist, and a world-famous pioneer of the British games industry. WIth that squad on your side, you’ll learn to create in a way that you never thought was possible.

Two minute stories


Discover the stories of our Graphic Design students

What you'll study

The content of the course may be subject to change. Curriculum content is provided as a guide.

UCA’s Integrated Foundation Year is designed to give you the skills you’ll need to start your degree in the best possible way – with confidence, solid knowledge of creative practice, study skills and more.

You’ll explore a range of creative techniques and develop your portfolio, with your chosen subject in mind. We’ll work with you throughout the year to ensure you’re on the right track and give you the tools to achieve your highest potential on your degree.

Find out more about the Integrated Foundation Year

Complementary Studies for Comic and Concept Art; 30 credits
This module develops complementary, artistic, contextual, and professional-practice knowledge, understanding and skills for comic and concept artists. Through workshops focusing on traditional techniques like life drawing, in this module you will develop the knowledge, skills, understanding, and application needed to create drawings from the human form in physical space. You will also examine key media histories relating to the development and reception of comics, concept art, and related media practices via lectures and seminars, with this critical and contextual grounding augmented by a complementary series of lectures focusing on professional and research practices. This module establishes a common foundation of knowledge and skills to support the development of expanded and critically aware comic and concept art practice.

Career Catalyst: Skills & Capability; 30 credits
In this module, you will experiment with traditional tools alongside industry-standard software to create compelling visual work, developing confidence across 2D and 3D workflows aligned to professional standards. You will become fluent in key 2D fundamentals such as line, perspective, composition, light, shadow and colour, while also exploring 3D art production and its role within comic and concept art workflows. Through practical projects, you will document, present and refine your work using analogue and digital tools, applying feedback and reflection to strengthen professional literacy, confidence and resilience. Alongside the development of creative, technical and digital capability, you will engage with core design theories, which may include perspective, form, value and colour theory and develop approaches to self-reflection and peer critique necessary for professionally aligned practice. The module supports the development of transferable skills that prepare you to apply your practice across related disciplines, laying foundations for collaboration, industry engagement and more complex creative challenges.

Storytelling for Sequential and Concept Art; 30 credits
A module that continues your development of a range of fundamental traditional and digital techniques across 2D and 3D art production in alignment with narrative methods applied to concept and sequential art. To support your emerging narrative practice across comic and concept art, key narrative conventions and structures will be introduced and aligned to the development of your storytelling practices. In addition, you will continue to develop your self- management through lecturer and peer review, your ability to communicate narratives to audiences, and integrate ethical and sustainable principles through reflection and storytelling.

Self + Society; 30 credits
In this module, you will explore and experiment with your creative practice through both digital and traditional methods, developing a distinctive creative voice. You’ll learn to translate conceptual and critical ideas into artistic outcomes, making meaningful connections with your identity and positioning as a creator in wider culture and society. The module also introduces key theoretical perspectives, examining how debates around identity inform artistic practice and how comic and concept art shapes and responds to society and culture through theories of reception and representation. You will consider how your own practice sits within or challenges existing creative traditions and explore the ways contemporary comic and concept art engages with cultural, social, political, and environmental concerns.

Advanced Practices and Workflows; 30 credits
This advanced skills-focused module focuses on developing specialist skills and workflows for comic and concept art through discipline-specific delivery across areas like sequential art, visual development, and concept design. You will explore storytelling techniques for comics and graphic novels, learn how visual development shapes the style, mood, and narrative language of entertainment projects, and gain experience in concept design by producing detailed characters, props, and environments suitable for a production context. Through a series of workshops and contextual lectures, this module acts as a creative testing ground, enabling you to experiment with traditional and digital practices while refining your technical and conceptual approach. Alongside practical development, you will reflect on future pathway alignment, strengthen your ability to communicate work effectively, and critically evaluate ethical and sustainable considerations within your creative process.

Career Catalyst: Communities & Influence; 30 credits
In this module, you will apply your creative and technical skills to produce a body of work within a collaborative group setting, designed for production in term two. Working to a brief developed in partnership with industry and academic collaborators, you’ll design elements which may include characters, props, environments and creatures, as well as sequential elements such as storyboards or comics tailored to real-world production projects. Through participation in live or outward-facing briefs and engagement with professional contexts, the module emphasises collaboration, teamwork and real-world impact. To support this, you will explore theories and frameworks for team working, approaches to project management within comic and concept art practice, and strategies for positioning your developing work within broader frameworks. The module supports the development of professional agency, enabling you to understand how creative practice creates value, influence and opportunity beyond the studio.

Comic and Concept Art Pathways; 30 credits
This module enables you to deepen your expertise in narrative, character design, and worldbuilding within comic and concept art, aligned to pathways. You will explore advanced storytelling techniques through discipline-specific workshops and lectures, developing work that aligns with professional practices and roles. Alongside practical skills, the module introduces critical and contextual perspectives, potentially including the history of science fiction and fantasy, orientalism, paratext, transmedia storytelling, and historical research, helping you make informed creative decisions. These frameworks will support you in producing conceptually rich and ethically aware work, embedding considerations of sustainability and inclusivity into your creative process. By the end of the module, you will have expanded your specialism, strengthened your professional positioning, and created work that demonstrates both technical excellence and critical engagement, preparing you for the final year of your degree.

Festival; 30 credits
Festival is a module that focuses on the planning, production, and delivery of public-facing creative work for a comic and concept art convention, which is part of a broader collaboration with a range of courses creating content and events for this module. You develop practical skills in planning, documentation, and presentation while producing individual and collaborative outcomes that respond to real-world audiences and contexts. Alongside practice, the module introduces critical and historical perspectives on fan culture and convention practices which may include tabling, cosplay, and public speaking, supported by lectures and seminars on convention history, culture, and contemporary events management. Independent research and reflective production ensure that creative outcomes are critically grounded, research-informed, and professionally relevant.

If you opt to complete a professional practice year, this will take place in year three. You will undertake a placement within the creative industries to further develop your skills and CV.

While on your Professional Practice Year, you will be required to pay a reduced tuition fee for that year. This fee will be determined using government funding regulations. Based on current regulations, we expect this to be a maximum of 20% of the tuition fee rate that you are charged for your second year of study. You will also incur additional travel and accommodation costs during this year. The University will provide you with further advice and guidance about this as you approach your Professional Practice Year.

Please note: If you are an international applicant, you will need to enrol onto the course ‘with Professional Practice Year’. It will not be possible to transfer onto the Professional Practice Year after enrolment.

Creative Research; 30 credits
In this module, you will develop a practice-informed or practice-led research project that may take the form of practice-based research through art production or a reflective essay, applying research methodologies to synthesise theoretical, contextual, material, and conceptual findings in dialogue with your creative work. You will engage with theories and debates on how creative and academic research methodologies generate knowledge and inform practice within comic and concept art, as well as explore critical perspectives drawn from historical, contemporary, and emerging contexts. Learning takes place through lectures on theoretical and methodological approaches to creative research, group tutorials and critiques that provide feedback and foster collaborative thinking, peer-led activities to test research arguments and refine academic skills, and independent study involving experimentation, reading, writing, and iterative development of both practical and written research outputs.

Career Catalyst: Futures & Direction; 30 credits
This module operates as a preproduction phase for your Major Project and supports future professional practice by developing a clear project proposal that defines the concept, scope, audience and purpose of your work. You will produce a detailed production schedule with key milestones, ensuring effective planning and time management ahead of your final project. Through a proactive and investigative approach, you will create a body of work to a professional standard, researching and applying contemporary techniques aligned to your chosen discipline. Alongside this, you will engage in essential professional practices such as portfolio development, CV writing, competition entries and building an online presence through websites and available opportunities, supporting the consolidation of professional identity, positioning and future direction. Learning takes place through professional practice lectures that provide industry insight, pathway-oriented workshops to develop career-focused outcomes, and feedback from lecturers and peers to support creative development, autonomy, confidence, resilience and professional positioning as you prepare for employment, freelance practice or further study beyond graduation.

Major Project; 60 credits
In this module, you will develop and realise an ambitious, self-directed project that brings together research, experimentation, and refined technical comic or concept art practice, building on pre-production outcomes to create a significant body of resolved work. Your project will demonstrate advanced levels of understanding, technical skill, and clarity, reaching a professional standard of comic or concept art production. You will document your journey through a comprehensive portfolio that includes iteration, contextual research, reflective writing, and planning materials. You will also build and maintain professional networks, engaging with peers, tutors, collaborators, and external audiences to support your creative and professional growth. Throughout the module, you will explore how contemporary research and professional contexts inform the development and framing of advanced practice, and consider ethical, sustainable, and professional expectations at graduate level. Critical self-reflection will underpin your approach, helping you position your artistic identity and plan future career trajectories. Learning takes place through supported studio production workshops, presentations, and lecturer-led dialogue to articulate intentions and review progress, as well as independent practice dedicated to experimentation, production, and refinement. Professional development activities, including discussions on audience engagement, industry networks, and contemporary research, will further strengthen your ability to make informed creative decisions and ready you for professional life within the creative industries.

This course is designed to offer you (if eligible) the opportunity to study part of your degree aboard at a UCA partner university, while still earning credits towards your UCA degree.

For more information please visit the Study Abroad section

Integrated foundation year

  • Independent study: 72%
  • Scheduled teaching: 28%
  • Maximum percentage of scheduled delivered online: 20%

Year one

  • Independent study: 72%
  • Scheduled teaching: 28%
  • Maximum percentage of scheduled delivered online: 20%

Year two

  • Independent study: 74%
  • Scheduled teaching: 26%
  • Maximum percentage of scheduled delivered online: 20%

Year three

  • Independent study: 76%
  • Scheduled teaching: 24%
  • Maximum percentage of scheduled delivered online: 20%

Professional placement or International year (if undertaken)

  • Independent study: 98%
  • Scheduled teaching: 2%
  • Maximum percentage of scheduled delivered online: 100%

Please note: these details are for 2026 entry and could be subject to change for other years of entry.

Course specifications

Please note, syllabus content indicated is provided as a guide. The content of the course may be subject to change in line with our Student Terms and Conditions for example, as required by external professional bodies or to improve the quality of the course.

Explore our gradshow

Each year, we’re privileged to be able to share our graduates’ incredible work with the world. And now’s your chance to take a look.

Visit the online showcase

Upcoming webinars

We offer a range of webinars throughout the year that you may be interested in.

You can also view recordings of all previous sessions through the UCA webinar archive.


Fees & financial support

Tuition fees - 2026/27

  • Integrated Foundation Year: £9,790
  • BA course: £9,790

If you opt to study the Professional Practice Year, you will be required to pay a reduced tuition fee, for 2026/27 this is £1,955. You will also incur additional travel and accommodation costs during your Professional Practice year. The University will provide you with further advice and guidance about this.

Government guidance indicates that tuition‑fee caps will rise annually with inflation from 2026, subject to legislation, so tuition fees are likely to increase each year of study. 

Tuition fees - 2026/27

  • Integrated Foundation Year: £9,790 (see fee discount information)
  • BA course: £9,790 (see fee discount information)

If you opt to study the Professional Practice Year, you will be required to pay a reduced tuition fee, for 2026/27 this is £1,955. You will also incur additional travel and accommodation costs during your Professional Practice year. The University will provide you with further advice and guidance about this.

Government guidance indicates that tuition‑fee caps will rise annually with inflation from 2026, subject to legislation, so tuition fees are likely to increase each year of study. 

Tuition fees - 2026/27

  • Integrated Foundation Year: £18,000
  • BA course: £18,000

If you opt to study the Professional Practice Year, for 2025 you will be required to pay a reduced tuition fee of £3,490. You will also incur additional travel and accommodation costs during your Professional Practice year. The University will provide you with further advice and guidance about this.

The fees listed here are correct for the stated academic year only, for details of previous years please see the full fee schedules.

UCA scholarships and fee discounts

At UCA we have a number of scholarships and fee discounts available to assist you with the cost of your studies.

Financial support

There are lots of ways you can access additional financial support to help you fund your studies - both from UCA and from external sources. Discover what support you might qualify for please see our financial support information.

Additional course costs

In addition to the tuition fees there may be other costs for your course. The things that you are likely to need to budget for to get the most out of a creative arts education will include books, printing costs, occasional or optional study trips and/or project materials.

These costs will vary according to the nature of your project work and the individual choices that you make. Please see the Additional Course Costs section of the Course Information Document for more details of the costs you may incur.

Find out what's included in your tuition fees.

Comic & Concept Art career opportunities

Whether our graduates become self-employed artists and establish a freelance career, there are a wide range of specific roles within the industry to explore.

These include:

  • 2D and 3D art designers
  • Character concept developer and artist
  • Concept artist
  • Animation and games artist
  • Comic print artist
  • Comic book illustrator
  • Cartoonist
  • After Effects compositor and motion designer.
Kevin Tarazona, BA (Hons) Studio Practice (Games), UCA Farnham

What careers can you do with a Games degree?

When you sit down to play a game, you’re witnessing the result of hundreds of people working together behind the scenes.

You may also like to consider further study at postgraduate level.


Games Studios, UCA Farnham

What our concept art students say

“A few years ago, I never thought I’d be able to show my work to professionals. My confidence wouldn’t have been up to it – but I’ve recently pitched my work to Creative & Art Directors at Supermassive Games. It’s such a thrill and I’m so proud of myself and my classmates"

Read Josie's story Chat to UCA students

Comic & Concept Art entry requirements

For both the BA (Hons) course and the Integrated Foundation Year course we will need to see your portfolio for this course, see the portfolio requirements for more information.

 

Select your country to find the equivalent requirements

Portfolio requirements

For both the BA (Hons) course and the course with the Integrated Foundation Year we will need to see a portfolio.

  • UK applicants: We will invite you to attend an Applicant Day so you can have your portfolio review in person.
  • International applicants: We will ask you to submit an online portfolio. 

These courses focus on fundamental, traditional art skills and contemporary digital techniques. Your portfolio should show us that you have the underlying skills to fulfil the demands of the course as well as demonstrating your creativity and passion for this subject area. Your portfolio should provide an insight into your work ethic, enthusiasm and skills as an artist.

Please see our Comic & Concept Art portfolio advice and read our advice on creating a strong portfolio.

UCAS applicants should also check our UCAS personal statement guide for games applicants.

Full portfolio requirements and advice

Apply to BA (Hons) Comic & Concept Art

Please use the following fields to help select the right application link for you:

UCAS codes

  • UCA institution code: C93
  • Three year degree: W223
  • Plus professional practice year: W224
  • Plus integrated foundation year: W22A
  • Plus integrated foundation year and professional practice year: W22B

BA (Hons) Comic & Concept Art key statistics

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