ComicScene Courses and Academics

Here’s a selection of academic courses in the U.K. focused on comics / graphic novels. They span undergraduate, postgraduate and short-courses.

Please let us know if these details are out of date or of courses we are unaware of at our new comicscenecr@gmail.com

Full-Degree Programmes

Teesside University – BA (Hons) Comics & Graphic Novels (Undergraduate) Location: UK Overview: A 3-year full-time course focused on sequential storytelling, combining practical, professional and artistic training in comics.  Key features: Includes digital/traditional media, situates you to develop a strong personal voice in comics.

Teesside University – MA Comics & Graphic Novels (Postgraduate) Overview: A specialist MA aimed at visual + textual elements of comics/graphic novels; strong facilities (drawing, software) for advanced creators. 

Leeds Arts University – MA Comic Art & Graphic Novel (Postgraduate) Overview: Designed for graduates/creative practitioners; you produce your own major project (comic/graphic novel) and build professional skills (publishing, crowdfunding). 

Leeds Arts University – BA (Hons) Comic & Concept Art (Undergraduate) Overview: 3 years (or 4 with placement) combining comic + concept art, digital/analog skills, immersive world building. 

University of Staffordshire – BA (Hons) Cartoon & Comic Arts Overview: Full-time undergraduate degree, preparing you for comics, graphic novels, visual storytelling, character design, etc. 

De Montfort University – BA (Hons) Concept and Comic Arts Overview: 3 years full-time (4 with placement). Undergrad programme combining concept art and comics; portfolio required. 

Wrexham Glyndŵr University – BA (Hons) Comics Overview: Undergraduate degree emphasising sequential storytelling, developing unique style in comics, digital and traditional media. 

Modules & Short Courses / Part-Time Options

University of Dundee – Module “Comic Art & Graphic Novels” Overview: A module (not full degree) covering history/development, narrative skills, traditional & digital methods, producing your own short comic. 

University of Dundee – Module “British Comics Creators” Overview: Focus on British comics/graphic novels, history, culture, publishing and creator roles. 

City Lit – “Introduction to Graphic Novels” Overview: Evening course over 8 sessions for beginners; learn skills of comics/graphic novel creation, sequential art, digital tools. 

City Lit – “Writing Comics and Graphic Novels” Overview: Short course (6 sessions) on writing skills for comics/graphic novels: history, features of medium, create your own project. 

Putney School of Art & Design – “Comics and Graphic Novels” (10-week course) Overview: For all levels; teaching character/story structure, layout, composition, and examples from global comics. 

Institute of Continuing Education (Cambridge) – “From Watchmen to Maus and Beyond: the Modern Graphic Novel” Overview: Historical/theoretical short course on the graphic novel as medium; more critical/discussion-based. 

Summary & Tips

If you want to make comics/graphic novels (illustration + storytelling) → consider the full-degree creation focus (Teesside BA, Leeds MA, Staffordshire BA, etc). If you are more interested in studying the medium (history, theory, criticism) modules like Dundee “British Comics Creators” or short courses at Cambridge are good. For part-time / hobby / portfolio building → short courses at City Lit, Putney, etc provide manageable options. Entry requirements vary: creation-led programmes will expect portfolios, strong drawing/storytelling skills; modules & short-courses often have lower barriers. Consider your career aim: publishing your own graphic novel, working in comics industry, teaching, or perfecting your craft. Location & cost matter: check tuition, living costs, and whether the programme offers industry links, placements, live briefs.

Comics & Graphic Novel Scholars

This list provides a comprehensive overview of over 40 notable academics specialising in comics and graphic novel studies worldwide, including the UK. Each entry includes name, affiliation, country, research focus, and key publication or contribution. If this list is out of date or is missing any names please email us at comicsceneuk@gmail.com

Donald D. Ault (USA) – University of Florida. Foundational scholar in comics studies, especially Disney comics. Key work: Donald Duck: The Secret Origin of a Genre.

Will Brooker (UK) – Kingston University. Research on pop culture, Batman, comics, and transmedia storytelling. Key work: Batman Unmasked.

Julian C. Chambliss (USA) – Michigan State University. Interdisciplinary work on comics, media, and urban studies.

Peter M. Coogan (USA) – Washington University in St. Louis. Specialist in the superhero genre; co-founder of Comics Arts Conference.

Neil Cohn (USA/Netherlands) – Cognitive scientist; studies visual language and cognition in comics. Key work: The Visual Language of Comics.

Suzy Covey (USA) – University of Florida. Research on digital comics, sound, and online comics archiving.

Randy Duncan (USA) – Henderson State University. Researches comics history, communication, and pedagogy. Co-editor of The Power of Comics.

Mel Gibson (UK) – Lecturer and trainer; focuses on visual literacy, comics in education, and children/young people’s graphic novels.

Thierry Groensteen (France) – Major European comics theorist. Author of The System of Comics, structural analysis of graphic narratives.

Paul Gravett (UK) – Comics historian, critic, curator, and festival organiser. Author of Graphic Novels: Everything You Need to Know.

Charles Hatfield (USA) – Scholar of comics theory and pedagogy. Author of Alternative Comics.

Kamila Tuszyńska (Poland) – Institute of Literary Research, Polish Academy of Sciences. Studies narrative structures in European comics; works on graphic novel semiotics.

Jeet Heer (Canada/USA) – Comics criticism, superhero studies, graphic novel historiography.

Maurice Horn (France/USA) – Historian and editor; early academic in comics studies; editor of major comics encyclopedias.

Karin Kukkonen (Finland/UK) – University of Turku/Oxford. Focuses on narratology and comics storytelling. Key work: Contemporary Comics Storytelling.

Paul Levitz (USA) – Comics publishing history; former DC Comics executive; expert on superhero history.

Ann Miller (UK) – University of Leicester. Specialist in French-language comics (bande dessinée), translation, and semiotics. Author of Reading Bande Dessinée.

Ben Saunders (UK/USA) – University of Oregon. Researches superhero comics, comics history, and literature-popular culture intersection.

Sean Howe (USA) – Comics historian, particularly Marvel history; author of Marvel Comics: The Untold Story.

Rachel Thorn (Japan/USA) – Manga studies, translation, cultural context; key editor of Comics Studies in Translation.

Roger Sabin (UK) – Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London. Research in comics history and culture; author of Adult Comics.

Julia Round (UK) – Bournemouth University. Specializes in Gothic, horror, and British girls’ comics. Author of Gothic for Girls (2019); co-editor of Studies in Comics.

Nicola Streeten (UK) – Graphic novelist and academic. Research on autobiographical comics and women cartoonists; co-founder of Laydeez do Comics.

Zan Christensen (USA) – Scholar and publisher. Research in LGBTQ+ comics and independent publishing.

Trina Robbins (USA) – Historian and creator; specialist in women’s comics. Author of From Girls to Grrrlz.

Daniel Stein (USA) – Comics theory, visual storytelling, and adaptation studies.

Marc Singer (USA) – Comics aesthetics, modernism, and narrative.

Ian Gordon (Canada/USA) – Comics historiography and graphic narrative analysis.

Charles Hatfield (USA) – Alternative comics, pedagogy, and comics aesthetics.

SCOOL TEACHERS

Here’s a list of teachers in K-12 classroom settings who have been featured speaking about or modelling the use of comic books/graphic novels in the classroom.

Richard Ruddick (UK, Primary / Key Stage 2) A Year 6 teacher in Norfolk (UK) who runs the blog Comics in Class.  He uses graphic novels to support literacy and reading-for-pleasure in primary students, especially those less confident in reading. He co-hosted a webinar on using comics & graphic novels to boost reading for pleasure.  Good for primary years and UK context.

Becky Greenhow (Canada, Grades 4-7) Elementary school teacher in British Columbia (grades 4-7) featured in a teacher roundtable on graphic novels.  She emphasises that graphic novels gave reluctant readers a sense of accomplishment and pride. She focuses on helping students visualise, infer, and engage with stories via comics format. Good for upper-primary and reluctant readers.

Adam Peterson (USA, Elementary) Based in the Chicago area, featured in a webcast “Cool Ways to Teach with Graphic Novels”.  Described as “loves using graphic novels with his students” and presents at events/conferences. Useful for elementary teaching context in the US.

Hilary Statum (USA, ESL / Elementary) ESL teacher in Tennessee, runs the blog Pencils to Pigtails. Featured in the same webcast.  Focuses on using books (including graphic novels) to motivate reluctant readers in ESL contexts. Good for language learners, elementary.

Keri Brown (USA, Elementary / Intervention) Elementary teacher with over 15 years’ experience, now an interventionist, also featured in the webcast.  She uses graphic novels across curricula, including mixing them with STEM. Useful for cross-discipline teaching and intervention contexts.

Maureen Bakis (USA, Secondary English) High school English teacher in Massachusetts. She authored The Graphic Novel Classroom: Powerful Teaching and Learning with Images.  Focuses on integrating graphic novels into secondary English curriculum, and literacy practice for teens. Good for secondary level (middle/high school).

Beverley Brenna (Canada, Reading Specialist / Former Classroom) Although not currently in a traditional K-12 classroom full-time, she has experience as a reading specialist and classroom teacher in elementary, now educates preservice teachers.  She reflects on how graphic novels serve as valuable tools across subjects, not just ELA. Good for teacher-education and literacy lead roles.

Jon Biddle (UK, Primary) Featured by the UK-based Bookmark Reading Charity with tips for teachers on using graphic novels.  Promotes reading confidence, graphic novel clubs, student ownership of graphic novel shelves. Good for primary schools, reading-for-pleasure contexts.

Amanda Ferraioli (USA, Lower Elementary) A 2nd grade teacher who wrote “A Teacher’s Take On Graphic Novels” about her practice.  Emphasises how graphic novels help younger children dive deeper into story and visual literacy. Good for early primary settings.

Larry Ferlazzo (USA, Reading Specialist / Secondary) Though more of a reading/ESL specialist than a single-classroom teacher, he wrote an opinion piece advocating for graphic novels in classrooms.  Useful perspective for school-wide literacy strategies and older students.

Lucy Starbuck‑Braidley (UK, Literacy Lead). Lucy Starbuck-Braidley is Senior Programme Manager at the National Literacy Trust and leads initiatives around comics/graphic novels in education in the UK.  She co-hosted a UK webinar on “Using Graphic Novels & Comics to Boost Reading for Pleasure” aimed at primary school staff.  While not strictly a classroom teacher in the blogged sense, she works with teachers and schools directly on embedding graphic novels as literacy tools.

Check out her podcasts here