HELP! BA Illustration - Conflicted between ARU, LCC and Ravensbourne
I'll be entering into an art degree this year but I'm super conflicted between my 3 top choices. Would anybody have any advice or info that could help make my choice? It would be insanely appreciated.
ARU - Initially I was certain on going to ARU because I can do a combined Illustration and Animation degree, there's a Placement year which I love and their students do incredibly well. However, ARU has a bad rep online and I'm unsure because I love being part of a huge community of artists (currently doing UAL CCW Foundation). The facilities look great and I love the city but I'm worried about the employability and how low it ranks.
LCC - The facilities are amazing and it ranks really high, but ideally I want to be taught fundamental techniques/skills to improve my work which it lacks I think. I'm also put off by my time at UAL CCW because I don't suit their approach to creating work at all (it's too Fine art for me?)- but I'm not sure if this will be the same.
Ravensbourne - The building and facilities are amazing and the location is 10/10 but it's all digital. This is great because I want to be able to create mainly digital work however ideally I would want some other mediums mixed it. Also the degree is Illustration specific and I would like to learn skills from Animation or other areas.
They're all super strong contenders and I could see myself going to any of them but I want to be sure of my decision. If you attend any of these degrees or have accepted your place please let let me know. I'm also curious as to what you think their flaws are so if you know, please include them if you can. Thanks for reading!
ARU - Initially I was certain on going to ARU because I can do a combined Illustration and Animation degree, there's a Placement year which I love and their students do incredibly well. However, ARU has a bad rep online and I'm unsure because I love being part of a huge community of artists (currently doing UAL CCW Foundation). The facilities look great and I love the city but I'm worried about the employability and how low it ranks.
LCC - The facilities are amazing and it ranks really high, but ideally I want to be taught fundamental techniques/skills to improve my work which it lacks I think. I'm also put off by my time at UAL CCW because I don't suit their approach to creating work at all (it's too Fine art for me?)- but I'm not sure if this will be the same.
Ravensbourne - The building and facilities are amazing and the location is 10/10 but it's all digital. This is great because I want to be able to create mainly digital work however ideally I would want some other mediums mixed it. Also the degree is Illustration specific and I would like to learn skills from Animation or other areas.
They're all super strong contenders and I could see myself going to any of them but I want to be sure of my decision. If you attend any of these degrees or have accepted your place please let let me know. I'm also curious as to what you think their flaws are so if you know, please include them if you can. Thanks for reading!
Have you looked at the employment stats for each course on the discover uni website?
I doubt ARU is that different. London universities don’t have much of a community feel due to the number of students commuting across the city.
Don’t second guess yourself based on assumptions. ARU has a strong artistic community and a brilliant reputation for illustration.
If you don’t want to be 100% digital then rave isn’t for you.
I doubt ARU is that different. London universities don’t have much of a community feel due to the number of students commuting across the city.
Don’t second guess yourself based on assumptions. ARU has a strong artistic community and a brilliant reputation for illustration.
If you don’t want to be 100% digital then rave isn’t for you.
Original post by PQ
Have you looked at the employment stats for each course on the discover uni website?
I doubt ARU is that different. London universities don’t have much of a community feel due to the number of students commuting across the city.
Don’t second guess yourself based on assumptions. ARU has a strong artistic community and a brilliant reputation for illustration.
If you don’t want to be 100% digital then rave isn’t for you.
I doubt ARU is that different. London universities don’t have much of a community feel due to the number of students commuting across the city.
Don’t second guess yourself based on assumptions. ARU has a strong artistic community and a brilliant reputation for illustration.
If you don’t want to be 100% digital then rave isn’t for you.
Thanks for your answer! On the discover uni website ARU can clearly compete with the other more prestigious unis on everything except for that 25% of surveyors said they left the course after a year which is.... strange. Even considering that I feel more confident about it now. Thanks so much
Pretty much every illustration degree course will have an element of animation. It's something illustrators need to know.
ARU does sound like the best bet. It does have a bit of a leaning towards particular types of illustration and styles, but if you like the student work that you see online, then go for it. Cambridge is lovely.
I wouldn't put too much emphasis on rankings. University courses are not playing a sports league and shouldn't be compared using data. Also, ignore all data regarding "employability". The method of gathering the information results in almost meaningless statistics.
ARU does sound like the best bet. It does have a bit of a leaning towards particular types of illustration and styles, but if you like the student work that you see online, then go for it. Cambridge is lovely.
I wouldn't put too much emphasis on rankings. University courses are not playing a sports league and shouldn't be compared using data. Also, ignore all data regarding "employability". The method of gathering the information results in almost meaningless statistics.
Original post by insidedesigner
Also, ignore all data regarding "employability". The method of gathering the information results in almost meaningless statistics.
What do you mean?
Sorry, yes, it's worth clarifying! The current set of statistics is based on the last DHLE survey. Firstly, that data is based on responses to questions asked to graduates of each course. Naturally, a very small percentage respond to emails and phone calls, so figures can be skewed higher or lower with a couple of unusual responses.
The last DHLE definition of employment or further study includes:
1) Work and further study includes those who reported that they were in full-time paid work only (including self-employed), part-time paid work only, voluntary/unpaid work only plus work and further study.
2) Further study only includes those who gave their employment circumstances as temporarily sick or unable to work/looking after the home or family, not employed but not looking for employment, further study or training, or something else, and who were also either in full-time or part-time study, training or research. It also includes those who were due to start a job within the next month or unemployed and looking for employment, further study or training, and who were also in full-time study, training or research.
So a course could have a figure of 98% of graduates in work of full-time study (which looks very impressive to applicants and parents) yet almost all of them could be in unskilled part-time work and/or "unemployed and looking for employment". Also, graduate pay is so low in the art and design sector, that students in unskilled work may well be earning more than those working in top-end design agencies. I'm sure this data might be useful in assessing which business school to attend, for example, but for art and design subjects it's almost meaningless.
The last DHLE definition of employment or further study includes:
1) Work and further study includes those who reported that they were in full-time paid work only (including self-employed), part-time paid work only, voluntary/unpaid work only plus work and further study.
2) Further study only includes those who gave their employment circumstances as temporarily sick or unable to work/looking after the home or family, not employed but not looking for employment, further study or training, or something else, and who were also either in full-time or part-time study, training or research. It also includes those who were due to start a job within the next month or unemployed and looking for employment, further study or training, and who were also in full-time study, training or research.
So a course could have a figure of 98% of graduates in work of full-time study (which looks very impressive to applicants and parents) yet almost all of them could be in unskilled part-time work and/or "unemployed and looking for employment". Also, graduate pay is so low in the art and design sector, that students in unskilled work may well be earning more than those working in top-end design agencies. I'm sure this data might be useful in assessing which business school to attend, for example, but for art and design subjects it's almost meaningless.
Original post by emilymclau
I'll be entering into an art degree this year but I'm super conflicted between my 3 top choices. Would anybody have any advice or info that could help make my choice? It would be insanely appreciated.
ARU - Initially I was certain on going to ARU because I can do a combined Illustration and Animation degree, there's a Placement year which I love and their students do incredibly well. However, ARU has a bad rep online and I'm unsure because I love being part of a huge community of artists (currently doing UAL CCW Foundation). The facilities look great and I love the city but I'm worried about the employability and how low it ranks.
LCC - The facilities are amazing and it ranks really high, but ideally I want to be taught fundamental techniques/skills to improve my work which it lacks I think. I'm also put off by my time at UAL CCW because I don't suit their approach to creating work at all (it's too Fine art for me?)- but I'm not sure if this will be the same.
Ravensbourne - The building and facilities are amazing and the location is 10/10 but it's all digital. This is great because I want to be able to create mainly digital work however ideally I would want some other mediums mixed it. Also the degree is Illustration specific and I would like to learn skills from Animation or other areas.
They're all super strong contenders and I could see myself going to any of them but I want to be sure of my decision. If you attend any of these degrees or have accepted your place please let let me know. I'm also curious as to what you think their flaws are so if you know, please include them if you can. Thanks for reading!
ARU - Initially I was certain on going to ARU because I can do a combined Illustration and Animation degree, there's a Placement year which I love and their students do incredibly well. However, ARU has a bad rep online and I'm unsure because I love being part of a huge community of artists (currently doing UAL CCW Foundation). The facilities look great and I love the city but I'm worried about the employability and how low it ranks.
LCC - The facilities are amazing and it ranks really high, but ideally I want to be taught fundamental techniques/skills to improve my work which it lacks I think. I'm also put off by my time at UAL CCW because I don't suit their approach to creating work at all (it's too Fine art for me?)- but I'm not sure if this will be the same.
Ravensbourne - The building and facilities are amazing and the location is 10/10 but it's all digital. This is great because I want to be able to create mainly digital work however ideally I would want some other mediums mixed it. Also the degree is Illustration specific and I would like to learn skills from Animation or other areas.
They're all super strong contenders and I could see myself going to any of them but I want to be sure of my decision. If you attend any of these degrees or have accepted your place please let let me know. I'm also curious as to what you think their flaws are so if you know, please include them if you can. Thanks for reading!
Hey @emilymclau,
Good luck with your decision making!
I went to the LCC degree show the year before last and was super impressed by the range and quality of work on display.
I am a current CSM student so can only speak from my experience of attending the different libraries and from my friends but feel every college has a bit of a different vibe. I would defiantly say LCC is less 'fine arty' than Camberwell, a lot of the courses are more graphic or film/media based.
Have you checked out current/previous students work from this course on the UAL website? Its always a good way to try and work out if this is the course for you.
All the best,
Tegan
UAL Student Rep
Hi Emily!
I’m currently doing illustration in ARU and I’m in my 3rd year and honestly so far I’m loving it. The community is really tight and quite small numbers so you really get to know everyone and the staff is super nice and always there to help. Illustration and Animation BA course will end up focusing a lot on animation, but Illustration BA will focus on illustration and all possible ways of answering briefs. We did have a module that taught us stopmotion animation and some digital frame by frame animation too. I think there is no style and it’s a very open course to what you want to create and what you think illustration is. Some of my coursemates are embroidering, photographing, using photoshop, ceramics or just traditional illustrations. The facilities are also great, you have all the access to 3D workshops and the printmaking room.
Also just to say, I fell in love with Cambridge when I came here, it’s such a lovely town with so much art, parks and lovely people :-)
Hope that helps!
Guoste
I’m currently doing illustration in ARU and I’m in my 3rd year and honestly so far I’m loving it. The community is really tight and quite small numbers so you really get to know everyone and the staff is super nice and always there to help. Illustration and Animation BA course will end up focusing a lot on animation, but Illustration BA will focus on illustration and all possible ways of answering briefs. We did have a module that taught us stopmotion animation and some digital frame by frame animation too. I think there is no style and it’s a very open course to what you want to create and what you think illustration is. Some of my coursemates are embroidering, photographing, using photoshop, ceramics or just traditional illustrations. The facilities are also great, you have all the access to 3D workshops and the printmaking room.
Also just to say, I fell in love with Cambridge when I came here, it’s such a lovely town with so much art, parks and lovely people :-)
Hope that helps!
Guoste
Quick Reply
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