Illustration Curriculum


The BFA in Design, Illustration and Animation program consists of a carefully-arranged sequence of courses that follow a four-year track from the fall semester of a student's year of admission to the program. 

The Illustration and Animation curriculum listed below is based on if you started the program before Fall 2024. Each student's path to graduation is unique. Students should meet with their academic advisor at least once per semester to ensure proper enrollment and track to graduation. In Fall 2024 course numbers changed the old course numbers are in (_).

*Studio Credit Hours have changed from 3cr to 4cr please work with your advisor to see how that affects your Professional Studies Requirement, number of ADS 320 credits or Concentration requirements, there is flexibility in the number of credits for professional studies/design electives, concentration credits, please work closely with your advisor.

You must complete ADS 320 at least 3 times for 3 credits total. You must have 120 credit hours to graduate.

First year - Fall
CourseHours
BDS 101: Think and Make I3
BDS 103: Drawing for Design3
KU Core: HA 150/160: Western Art History (AE42)3
KU Core: Social Science (GE3S)3
KU Core: English 101: Composition (GE21)3
 15cr
First year - Spring
CourseHours
ILLU 200: Foundations in Illustration3
VISC 200: Foundations in Typography or (VISC 201 or 301)3
ADS 340: History & Philosophy of Design3
DRWG 213: Life Drawing I3
KU Core: ENGL 102 or ENGL 105 (GE21)3
ADS 320: KU Design Lecture Series1
 16cr
Second Year - Fall
CourseHours
ILLU 205: Drawing Media4*
ILLU 215: Intro to Illustration (ILLU 315)4*
PNTG 263: Painting I3
HA Elective (accreditation requirement)3
KU Core: ENGL 203, 205, 209, 210 211 (GE11)3
ADS 320: KU Design Lecture Series1
 18cr
Second Year - Spring
CourseHours
ILLU 310: Drawing Media II (ILLU 405 )4*
ANIM 200: Fundamentals of Animation (ILLU 410)4
KU Core: HA 151/161: Western Art Hist. (GE3H)3
KU Core: Quantitative Literacy (GE12)3
ADS 320: KU Design Lecture Series1
 15cr
Third Year - Fall
CourseHours
ILLU 330: Illustration Concepts (ILLU 415)4
ILLU 325: Concept Art (ILLU 425 )4
KU Core: ADS 401: Ethics in Design (AE51)3
KU Core: Human Diversity (AE41)3
 14cr
Third Year - Spring
CourseHours
ILLU 335: Sequence & Narrative Illustration (ILLU 435)4
ILLU 325: Advanced Concept Art (ILLU 445)4*
PHTO or Design Elective4*
Academic Concentration (filled by extra studio hours)0
KU Core: Oral Communication (GE22)3
 15cr
Capstone Year - Fall
CourseHours
ILLU 510: Advanced Animation4
ILLU 455: Promo and Marketing I (ILLU 535)(Goal 6)4*
ADS 450 or (Concentration, GenEd, Studio Elective)3
KU Core: Natural Science (GE3N)3
 14cr
Capstone Year - Spring
CourseHours
ILLU 465: Promo and Marketing II (ILLU 545 )4
Professional Studies (Major Studio Elective)4*
Professional Studies (Major Studio Elective)4*
ADS 455: Senior Show Seminar1
Academic Concentration (filled by extra studio hours)0
General Elective Requirement (filled by extra studio hours)0 cr
 13cr