COURSE CURRICULUM

The MA Illustration and Animation program at Cardiff Met is structured across three semesters to support the development of independent, critically informed creative practice. In Semester 1, students undertake the Critique, Test, & Reframe module alongside Context and Methodologies Part 1, which together cultivate the ability to situate ideas within a critical framework, addressing contemporary issues in illustration and animation while advancing research skills and developing a research proposal. In Semester 2, students continue their advanced scholarship through the Idea module and Context and Methodologies Part 2, which focus on contextualising and implementing the research proposal with consideration of global, ethical, social, and political factors. These modules encourage collaboration with other arts disciplines, fostering diverse perspectives and enriching individual practice. Semester 3 is dedicated to the Output module, where students consolidate their findings and realise their major project through a curated exhibition and a written paper or article. This final stage emphasises self-directed learning, critical evaluation, and professional presentation, allowing students to communicate their creative ideas to academic and non-academic audiences. Throughout the course, students are guided to integrate theory, research, and practice, producing work that reflects originality, technical skill, and informed critical insight, culminating in a portfolio that showcases their creative vision and scholarly development.