Studying Illustration

Meet the team!

Welcome to the BA (Hons) Illustration course!

Led by Molly Turton, a passionate advocate for image-making in all its diverse forms, she believes creativity should promote positive vibes and ideas that makes a difference.

Molly worked in freelance Illustration, and attained a PGCHPE, before becoming a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, and is dedicated to fostering a nurturing environment where students can discover and express their unique voice as Illustrators.

Molly looks forward to supporting you in the Illustration studio, where you'll build a portfolio you can confidently present to any publisher, art director, or creative agency.  You'll also build your confidence in networking and entrepreneurial skills.  The world of Illustration is vast and vibrant, and under the Illustration team's guidance, the course captures this excitement, integrating play and imagination into every project you'll work on and inspiring your creative journey.


We look forward to welcoming you to the studio!

Student highlights from across Illustration at Staffs!

Congratulations on your offer to join our exciting and vibrant Illustration degree within the department of Creative Industries at University of Staffordshire.

We wanted to share some of the wonderful student highlights from across this year to give you a flavour of what you could be experiencing when you join our studio community.

From live briefs and winning top prizes for sustainability designs at a national competition, to gaining inspiration during a hands-on trip to Amsterdam, our students have been developing their practice and gaining industry experience.

Read more and watch the work

Teaching staff

Molly Turton

Lecturer

Molly is a Lecturer on BA(Hons) Illustration at Staffordshire University and since graduating has been working as a freelance Illustrator as well as exploring work within education, feeding a passion for teaching

Molly's profile

Matt Buckingham

Senior Lecturer

Matt Buckingham is an internationally published author, illustrator, educator and designer with specialisms in children’s publications and picture books.

Matt's profile

Sarah Rushton

Senior Lecturer

Sarah is a Senior Lecturer in Graphic Design and Illustration

Sarah's profile

Richard Mellor

Senior Lecturer

Richard is a graphic designer and multi-award winning Digital Creative Director with a specialisation in new media. His main area of interest is the application of augmented reality across all aspects of visual communication. 

Richard's profile

Jason Brindley

Lecturer

Jason’s work covers comic books, illustration, and fine art. Using traditional, digital, and CGI techniques, he has produced work for 2000AD and several independent publishers and has exhibited nationally.

Samantha Owen

Senior Lecturer

Sam is a visual communicator with extensive industry-based agency experience working across a range of channels, sectors and communication disciplines including advertising, digital, moving image and print.

Samantha's profile

David Lyttleton

P/T Lecturer (Hrly)-Cartoon & Comic Arts

Stephen Waterhouse

P/T Lecturer (Hrly)-Illustration

Your next steps

  1. Accept your offer

    An exciting new chapter awaits you here at University of Staffordshire - we can't wait to meet you. Before you can progress with finance or accommodation choices, you'll need to confirm your offer via UCAS.

    Accept your offer

  2. Apply for student finance

    It's best to arrange your student finance before starting University. You can learn more about student finance and make an application at www.gov.uk/student-finance. Our support team is here to help, get in touch if you have any questions about student finance.

    Enquire about finance

  3. Apply for your accommodation

    We have a range of accommodation to choose from to suit all lifestyles and budgets, including en-suite and accessible rooms. Browse rooms and find out how to apply.

    Browse University accommodation

Your Offer Holder Events

You're now part of our offer holder community, and we've planned an exclusive programme of events to help you prepare for becoming a student. These include both virtual and on‑campus sessions.

Keep an eye on your inbox for your invitation to our offer holder events - we'd love to welcome you, answer your questions, and help you feel confident about your next steps.

Your first event will be an interactive session designed to bring your course to life, with real case studies, taster activities, and live challenges tailored to your interests. If you're taking exams this summer, you can get some great tips at our exam preparation session.

At other upcoming events, you'll be able to explore your accommodation options, and find out more about student support and opportunities to earn while you learn. We'll also keep you up to speed on all the key deadlines and next steps, so you are ready for September.

for Career Prospects

Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2025

for Social Inclusion

The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2026

for First Generation Students

The Mail University Guide 2026

in the UK for Games Education

Rookies Games Design and Development 2023, 2025

TIGA Best Games Institution 2024, 2025

of Research is “Internationally Excellent” or “World Leading”

Research Excellence Framework 2021

of Research Impact is ‘Outstanding’ or ‘Very Considerable’

Research Excellence Framework 2021