ACADEMIC INNOVATION

With more than 20 years of presence, the programme is constantly evolving, following international trends in art and design, as well as technological developments in the field of creative applications. It keeps track of changes in artistic movements, innovations in digital design, and contemporary design software, dynamically incorporating them into the curriculum.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

AKTO constantly supports its graduates through the Career Office and its wide network of partners, ensuring strong professional prospects. Graduates of the programme have established themselves in the job market, with a dynamic presence in creative agencies, advertising and visual communication companies, as well as in sketching, comics, and animation. They work as comic creators, storyboard artists, and concept artists, while also working in publishing, advertising, and illustration. The market has recognized the high standard of studies and the professional specialization of the programme’s graduates, who are often recognized with awards, distinctions, and commendations. Many of them have built international careers, contributing decisively to shaping contemporary trends in design and visual storytelling.

EDUCATIONAL VISITS

Participation in visits to museums, exhibitions, and companies offers direct exposure to current trends and the real conditions of the industry. In addition, students have the opportunity to take part in educational trips, broadening their experiences and professional prospects.

HIGH ACADEMIC STANDARD

The study programme combines professional specialization with academic and research development, preparing students for postgraduate studies in Greece and abroad. Graduates are admitted to leading postgraduate programmes, as the programme strengthens both theoretical training and practical application.

Through dedicated research projects, experimentation, innovation, and the development of critical thinking, professional responsibility, and independence in learning are encouraged. The design of the programme promotes the continuous exploration of new ideas and methods, aiming at producing new knowledge and preparing well-trained professionals capable of shaping the future of the creative field.

PROFESSIONAL PARTNERSHIPS & COMPETITIONS

During their studies, students have the opportunity for direct contact with the job market by taking part in projects in collaboration with major organizations such as Samsung, Michelin, Greenpeace, The Smile of the Child, Doctors of the World, METAdrasi, the British Embassy, radio stations, and other bodies. At the same time, recognition in Animation competitions in Greece and abroad is a consistent point of recognition, strengthening students’ professional profile and presence in the creative field.

ACADEMIC TEAM

The programme is staffed by an outstanding academic team, combining deep knowledge with extensive professional experience in Comics and Cartoon. The teaching staff come from different generations and specializations, shaping a dynamic, multifaceted educational environment. The coexistence of experienced professionals and younger creators offers a unique balance between freshness, creative energy, and the wisdom of experience, strengthening the learning process.

By joining the programme, you engage with the principles and techniques that will give you the foundations to develop the necessary skills and that will lead you toward creating your own personal style. Through design-technical modules and Colour Theory modules, you develop your drawing abilities and your sense of symmetry, volume, and the value of shape and colour. You develop methods and techniques in sketch design and specialize further in forms of sketching such as cartooning, representational drawing, children’s illustration, caricature, etc.

At a theoretical level you are taught Art History, so as to broaden your knowledge base and get to know artistic movements and the evolution of the visual arts, while through the History of Comics you go in depth into the phenomenon and nature of comics, covering all schools, trends, and the work of the great creators who shaped this distinctive visual literature. At the same time, you are introduced to the basic principles and rules of illustrated narrative, while through the photography module you gain knowledge that will prove very useful in developing your imagination and capturing your images.

Character creation, developing your own heroes; Illustration, with in-depth analysis and application of techniques; and the continuation of the comics module, developing methods of page layout and narrative structure — these are modules that allow you to develop your creativity and, through specific exercises, evolve your personal style. Through Film Graphics you make use of the technical possibilities of expression offered by moving image, while in the Screenwriting module, through exercises and narrative techniques, you progress in organizing and formulating your ideas and your own stories. Finally, through the use of computers, you gain in-depth knowledge of contemporary digital image processing software that will prove essential for the development of your creativity.

Contact us at admissions@aktocollege.gr so we can send you the Detailed Study Guide.

Here you can view the Programme Specification And Curriculum Map For Sketch-Comics-Cartoon.

This programme was developed and is delivered and assessed by AKTO, awarded by and quality assured by Middlesex University London.

YEAR 01

In the first year you will take 6 modules (3 per semester), which introduce you theoretically and creatively to the magical world of moving image.

SEMESTER 01 | MODULES

• Introduction to Comics

• Principles & Practices of Comics I

• Theory of Comics

SEMESTER 02 | MODULES

• Documented Practice in Comics

• Methods & Exploration in Comics

• Thinking & Approach in Comics

Class schedules are mainly in the morning and early afternoon, in order to smoothly support the transition into the new academic reality, giving members of the student community the necessary “space” for systematic practice, guidance, and intensive presence in the studios. At the same time, this schedule also makes it easier for those who have recently completed secondary education to be smoothly integrated into the daily study programme.

YEAR 02

In the second year you will take 6 modules (3 per semester), designed to enrich the knowledge gained in the first semester and go deeper into more specialized fields.

SEMESTER 03 | MODULES

• Conceptual Visual Narrative I

• Illustration & Visual Media I

• Screenwriting & Cinema I

SEMESTER 04 | MODULES

• Conceptual Visual Narrative II

• Illustration & Visual Media II

• Screenwriting & Cinema II

Maintaining morning and early-afternoon schedules ensures a steady study pace and intensive depth in both studio and theoretical subjects, thereby supporting skills development and personal progress at this critical stage of study.

YEAR 03

In the third year you will take 3 modules. You will have the opportunity to carry out a Research Project on a topic of your choice, as well as to create your own design work.

SEMESTER 05 | MODULES

• Research Project

• Conceptual Visual Narrative: Professional Development

SEMESTER 06 | MODULES

• Final Major Project

During the development of your research project you will receive consistent guidance and supervision both from your instructors and from your fellow students, aiming to achieve a high level of results and develop a steady work rhythm throughout the semester.

Classes take place both in the morning/early afternoon and in the late afternoon/evening, allowing for substantial research and practical work, while also making it easier for members of the student community to be professionally active. During the third year, having already developed important skills and built a strong portfolio, many students stand out and become active in the job market, through freelance or part-time collaborations, both in Greece and abroad.

In addition, you will have many opportunities for professional practice through Real Work Projects, in collaboration with major agencies, brands, and art and cultural organizations in Greece and abroad.

It usually all starts from a simple sketch. With the simplest materials — a pencil, a pen, a marker, paper — and in the most direct way, the fascinating process of expression begins. This is the key that opens the door to an exciting artistic field hidden behind the seemingly innocent term “comics.” Because comics, beyond their comedic dimension — as betrayed by the Greek root of the term — are a form of complete narrative art, combining written language equally with the tools and techniques of the visual arts.

From the late 19th century to today, this multidimensional form of expression has evolved into a very broad artistic spectrum, extending from sketching and cartooning to animation and three-dimensional digital applications. Our main goal is to guide each student in shaping their “personal artistic line” — the unique visual identity that will make them stand out. Through constant practice and creative exploration, a young artist can build a career as a comic creator, sketch artist, and illustrator in publishing and print.

At the same time, with the sense of sequential imagery and direction that developing the 9th Art requires, they can evolve into a storyboard designer and build a career in Advertising, in television and film production companies, and can also expand into animation.

So, it all starts from a sketch. How far someone can go, designing their future, has no limits — just like creativity.

Giorgos Botsos
Programme Leader BA (Hons) Comics & Cartoon

At AKTO, distinguished Greek illustrators, comic artists, and art theorists teach, recognized for both their academic and artistic work. Specialized professors and PhD holders, together with research staff, pass on innovative and in-depth knowledge to students, responsive to the changing needs of society, technology, and the market. AKTO’s academic team helps students express themselves through a free and bold spirit of inquiry and research, aiming for social benefit both domestically and internationally.

Meet the members of AKTO’s Comics-Cartoon Academic Team

For the Full-Time undergraduate study programmes, the academic year has one (1) intake period, starting in October. For the Open College undergraduate study programmes, the academic year has two (2) intake periods. The first period is in October, followed by the second period the following February.

Contact us at admissions@aktocollege.gr for more information about intake periods.

Read below for information about tuition for AKTO’s undergraduate programmes:

• BA (Hons) | Full-Time
• BA (Hons) | Open College

Contact us at admissions@aktocollege.gr for further clarification about tuition and payment methods.

Candidates for the undergraduate study programmes must hold a Greek Lyceum Leaving Certificate or an equivalent secondary education qualification from abroad, such as an IB Diploma, A levels, or GCSE. Citizens of countries that are not members of the European Union or the Schengen Agreement must obtain a student visa or residence permit before enrolling. For candidates whose native language is not Greek, the language proficiency requirement is level B2.​

Contact us at admissions@aktocollege.gr for more information about the enrollment requirements.

At AKTO, we accept applications for transfers and admission via qualifying exams in every enrollment period. The process includes an interview and a presentation of a portfolio from the candidate’s previous academic path. Interested applicants can be admitted to an advanced semester or year of study and complete their studies through AKTO’s programmes.

Read detailed information about the transfer process to AKTO

AKTO subsidizes students with scholarships, tuition discounts, or even full subsidies, depending on the enrollment period, available places, and social criteria.

Read detailed information about:

• Tuition Subsidies & Social Responsibility
• Scholarships

Contact us at admissions@aktocollege.gr for more information.

AKTO, recognizing the pedagogical challenges and contemporary demands of education, offers its students a range of benefits to help them, both with their studies and with their social life. These benefits include:

• ISIC Student Card (International Student Identity Card)
  • Offers countless benefits and discounts to cardholders
• Counselling Centre
  • Specialized psychologists and counsellors
• VLE (Virtual Learning Environment) access
  • Microsoft Office 365
• Weekly Design Software workshops
• Technical Support
• Fonts from Fonts.GR
• E-Registrar’s Office

Read in detail about all the benefits AKTO offers

• Studies at AKTO are supported by modern, high-aesthetic building facilities, forming a contemporary environment ideal for learning and creation, across two state-of-the-art Campuses, the Athens Campus and the Thessaloniki Campus.

  At AKTO’s two Campuses, we give students access to state-of-the-art, specialized equipment in the fields of art and design, through:

  • Libraries
  • Computer Labs
  • Photography Studios
  • Fashion Labs
  • Fine Art Labs
  • Model-Making & Product Prototyping Labs
  • 3D Printing
  • Green Box Studio
  • Amphitheatre
  • AKTO Gallery

The extensive creative and artistic field defined by comics is literally “at the heart of developments,” both globally and in our country, where, especially over the last decade, it has shown rapid growth. The establishment of comics as a narrative form, and publishers’ recognition of their huge appeal, has led to an explosion of comic book and graphic novel publications, which now appear on bestseller lists regardless of genre. At the same time, all contemporary design trends expressed through the culture of the thriving entertainment industry, manga, anime, and the use of concept art for creating characters and illustrations, are based on the primary and dominant use of the sketch, and on developing the skill of “speaking through images.”

AKTO’s pioneering Sketch-Comics-Cartoon programme has, for more than 20 years, set the direction to meet the demands of the international market, and with its hybrid character, it evolves and is upgraded every year, keeping up with artistic movements and technological developments, equipping its graduates with the knowledge needed to succeed in Greece and abroad.

A very wide range of professional options and employment areas opens up for graduates of the Sketch-Comics-Cartoon study programme, as they can work as:

• Comic creator (publishing, book production, etc.)
• Cartoonist (newspapers, magazines, digital platforms, multimedia, etc.)
• Illustrator (children’s illustration, book and publication covers and illustrations, poster design, digital illustration, etc.)
• Storyboard/Visualizer Designer (advertising, film production companies, and animation studios)
• Concept Artist/Character Designer (film production companies and animation studios)
• Educator for adults and children (workshops, free-study and lifelong learning centres)

AKTO’s Careers Office helps graduates connect with the job market and a wide range of professional activity across various fields. AKTO Alumni is the largest 360˚ Art & Design community in Greece.

AKTO’s university Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees, awarded in collaboration with Middlesex University London, are recognized as professionally equivalent, in accordance with Presidential Decree 38/2010, as amended by Law 4093/2012, 4111/2013, 4205/2013, and 4635/2019. Middlesex University London is recognized by DOATAP as an institution equivalent to Greek Higher Education Institutions, while our graduates’ degrees have been recognized by A.T.E.E.N. Holders of these degrees are able to take part in ASEP competitions, in accordance with Article 13 of Law 4148/2013.

Read more about the Recognition and Accreditation of AKTO’s University Degrees

Read more about the Academic Progression of AKTO’s Undergraduate Studies graduates