BA (Hons) Graphic Design

Course Overview

• Level 4: Certificate of Higher Education

  The first level of your degree is designed to improve your core knowledge and understanding of design and the creative industries.

  You’ll explore and develop a foundation of fundamental skills in a wide range of media, using both traditional graphic design techniques and industry standard digital software.

  • Level 4 Example Brief
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  Level 4 Example Brief

  ‘Cadbury’s Enchantingly Good Read’ Collection

  In this brief, you’ll create 3 chocolate wrapper designs based on a themed campaign by Cadbury and book publisher Wordsworth.

  The campaign is aimed to encourage young people aged 13-16 to read, by creating innovative chocolate designs themed around classic and contemporary novels.

  You should select from one of the following themes to base your designs on:

  • Little Red Riding Hood by Brothers Grimm
  • The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
  • Hansel and Gretel by Brothers Grimm
  • Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson
  • The Women in White by Wilkie Collins
  • Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street by Thomas Peckett Prest

  

   

  Research

  You should gather and evaluate a collection of characters that feature on chocolate, as well as other forms of branded materials. This will help you generate ideas for your own set of three solutions.

  You should examine a range of chocolate wrapper examples and packaging designs that will help to inform your ideas and concepts for the next phase of this brief.

  Your research should include evaluations of the use and effectiveness of colour, layout, typography and illustration/design styles.

   

  Design Thinking

  Your design thinking should be as experimental and imaginative as possible.

  Typeface style(s) for your titles are your choice, but these should aim to be as creative as possible, by using existing typefaces and adapting them so that their styles relate to each story.

   

  Mockups and Presentation

  Once you’ve completed your artwork, you’ll create physical mockups of your wrappers to show how your designs would work in practice.

  You should then photograph all three designs in an appropriate setting. You’ll need to link the themes of your designs to how and where you photograph them.

  This is an important part of the brief, as your pack shots should show your work off to the best of your ability, using effective lighting and a dynamic setting.

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  Visual Communication

  What You’ll Learn

  This first combined module will introduce you to core visual communication skills in both Graphic Design and Illustration.

  This will prepare you for a career in the creative industries, where designers and illustrators collaborate regularly.

  You’ll also extend your research abilities, problem-solving skills, range of design thinking and craft and mark-making techniques.

  You’ll be challenged to consider your creative thinking in the production of exciting visually narrative solutions.

   

  Outcomes

  You’ll be assessed on your generation and development of ideas, the manipulation of digital imagery, and the production of narrative artwork in answer to the two main briefs.

  As part of your studies you’ll also develop your awareness of target audiences, and refine your presentation and communication skills.

  You’ll be introduced to the worlds of contemporary graphic design and illustration, giving you the skills and opportunity to make an informed decision about your future career path.

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  Graphic Design Essentials Part 1

  What You’ll Learn

  In this module you’ll learn the core skills needed by contemporary graphic designers, before testing your knowledge through a series of graphic design project briefs.

  You’ll be introduced to the graphic design pathway, building skills in typography, layout, print formats and production, digital design software and problem-solving.

  There’s a strong emphasis on the design process, research, idea generation and development leading to the realisation of effective design solutions.

   

  Outcomes

  Within the briefs you’ll produce a portfolio of both print and digital graphic design outcomes within a variety of contemporary contexts.

  You will explore contemporary graphic design in a range of sectors – including editorial design, packaging design, and identity and branding.

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  Critical and Cultural Studies

  What You’ll Learn

  In this module you’ll reflect on the relation between art, photography, design, media histories and cultures, as well as your own creative practice.

  You’ll become familiar with a range of modern graphic design and illustration practices and debates, and understand their role in contemporary culture.

  You’ll also explore a variety of theoretical, historical, professional, cultural and critical perspectives relating to these practices.

   

  Outcomes

  This module also gives you the opportunity to improve your critical analysis skills and you will communicate your ideas using correct, conventional academic referencing.

  A series of activities will give you the opportunity to practise these skills and receive feedback before you complete your final essay.

• Level 5: Diploma of Higher Education

  In this next level, you’ll develop your newfound skills through advanced practice activities in design thinking, idea generation, development and presentation.

  You’ll start to build your own brand and explore key aspects of self-promotion – such as personal stationery and the design and creation of printed and digital portfolios.

  • Level 5 Example Brief
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  Level 5 Example Brief

  Build Your Own Brand

  Design a personal logo, social media logo and self-promotional items displaying a consistent style throughout.

  This will include:

  • Letterheaded paper sized A4 (210 x 297mm)
  • Business cards sized 85 x 53mm
  • CV Design
  • Digital Portfolio (PDF)

  

  (Design by IDI Student: Richard Mole)

  The identity or stylistic theme of your logo designs and promotional items should be consistent throughout and be linked to those used in your PDF portfolio. Your logos and promotional items are to be created using Adobe Illustrator.

  CV Design

  You are required to design a CV and present it in a suitable format, in-keeping with your stationery design work. Traditional CV’s are presented in portrait, A4 (210 x 297mm) format, however, you are encouraged to submit a more unconventional CV design if it fits more appropriately with your overall visual identity.

  PDF Portfolio

  You must also develop and present your professional portfolio to be used as a tool for obtaining employment. Your portfolio layout should include your logo and any associated visual styling you applied from your stationery work in order to create a unified presentation.

  Working to an A4 landscape document (as this is for screen viewing), you will create a PDF portfolio using any of the Adobe CS Illustrator, QuarkXpress or InDesign as each of these has the facility for generating PDFs.

  You are required to produce/include the following:

  • Consider your portfolio layout and presentation of your work examples
  • As you will also be preparing images for online application you need to ensure that they are of a size and quality that render on screen without pixelation occurring
  • Your PDF portfolio should be created as an A4 landscape document (as this is for screen viewing)
  • Create your PDF portfolio using any of the Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Indesign or QuarkXpress as each of these has the facility for generating PDFs
  • Your portfolio must contain between 5-10 pages of artwork examples that adhere to a grid structure
  • A front cover

  Note: Interactive features are optional. Elements of styling must be consistent with your business card and letterhead designs.

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  Graphic Design Essentials Part 2

  This module builds on Level 4 Graphic Design and aims to both reinforce and further develop your core skills, knowledge and creative decision making ability, whilst introducing you to new essential skills and technologies such as web design and other screen applications.

  There is an increased focus on idea generation and the skills necessary to create, select and evaluate design content. The activities and project briefs will reinforce your core skills in typography, layout, craft skills and design for print, while integrating your knowledge with digital design and emerging digital media platforms.

  Within the briefs, you are encouraged to consider your audiences and users, and to exercise critical thinking, analysis and reflection as part of the design process.

  In the briefs, you will explore contemporary graphic design across a range of integrated contexts reflecting emerging sectors of the industry including graphic design for exhibitions, editorial design, identity and branding, packaging design and multimedia experience design.

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  Graphic Design: Professional Development

  This module addresses key issues and concerns in self-promotion with a view to preparing you for employment within the contemporary graphic design industry. Your work on the briefs will be carried out in relation to professional and industry contexts, with a view to developing your understanding of professional practice in contemporary graphic design.

  You will be asked to carefully consider your portfolio in a number of physical and digital formats as well as other core aspects of self-promotion such as personal stationery and the design and creation of printed and/or digital portfolios. You will consider your work as a marketable product, and consider how to record, photograph, annotate and present it to professional audiences and clients.

  Throughout your work on the briefs, you will gain an insight into the world of graphic design through your own reflective research investigating leading contemporary design practices. This will allow you to explore professionally related themes, and encourage you to reflect on your personal brand and professional aspirations as an emerging designer.

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  Graphic Design Live Projects

  This module provides you with an opportunity to put into practice all of the skills, understanding and knowledge acquired so far on the programme. The project briefs will be focused on practical set design briefs drawn from a range of national and international design competitions or other equivalent industry briefs and live briefs.

  The project briefs are designed to develop your design work in preparation for producing professional and competition standard work. The project briefs will provide opportunities to develop your graphic design skills in areas such as branding and identity design, packaging, typography, advertising, editorial, digital, web and screen design.

  Within the briefs you will be encouraged to develop your own original and unique approach to design problem solving. Alongside this, you will further develop your skills in research, editing, idea generation, development and critical reflection, as well as the technical skills required to realise and implement your ideas.

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  Critical and Cultural Studies

  At Level 5, you will be introduced to critical theories and methodologies relevant to your own discipline. You will learn how to critically engage with your own practice, as well as that of others.

  You will undertake in-depth research and set out aims and objectives for further study, suggesting possible methods of approach. You will complete a series of activities and receive ongoing tutor feedback, which will support you in your choice of research topic for the final brief. You will also further develop your academic writing skills.

• Level 6: BA (Hons)

  In your final bachelor’s level, you’ll focus on building a portfolio of professional-level graphic design work, while developing a critical approach to your design process.

  You’ll work on professional projects such as live briefs and design competitions. You’ll also be encouraged to expand your self-promotion work through innovative 3D packaging design.

  • Level 6 Example Brief
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  Level 6 Example Brief
  Live Competition Brief
  You will select two briefs from a list of recommended contemporary and stimulating student competitions and industry briefs, enabling you to showcase your talents.
  The briefs demand a high level of research, thorough design development methods, and realisation of innovative outcomes and excellent levels of production. The briefs typically require a considered response which may include graphic design for branding, advertising, editorial design, social issues campaigns, packaging, typographic solutions, as well as new media and online contexts.
  The following list provides a recommended selection of competitions suitable for graphic design undergraduate students*:
  *Actual list is longer, we’ve just provided you with a snippet here.
  
  D&AD New Blood Awards
  D&AD, The Designers and Art Directors Association, sets innovative industry briefs with global companies, and awards the prestigious ‘Yellow Pencil’ achievement awards.
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  YCN
  YCN sets a wide range of challenging real-life design briefs for students in association with national and international companies. YCN also provides a website with many features and interviews with contemporary graphic designers. RSA – Royal Society of the Arts Student Awards The RSA sets annual student design briefs with a social issues and design problem solving focus. The briefs are run with real-life companies and challenge students to develop innovative solutions for social design campaigns.
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  ISTD
  Typographic student award scheme with an emphasis on innovative typography within wider graphic design contexts. Students who meet the typographic standards receive free annual membership and publication opportunities.
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  You are encouraged to be aware of all the major student graphic design awards. Many of the student award websites offer extensive graphic design resources, and a number of awards are also open to graduates as well as students.
  Responding to a student competition brief will allow you to:
  • Work to an exciting, industry-level brief
  • Produce a strong graphic design work for your own portfolio
  • Develop your professional practice awareness
  • Be aware of the very best student work nationally and internationally
  • Benefit from the resources and networks available on the major student award websites
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  Graphic Design Advanced Practice 1

  This module aims to provide you with the learning and skills required to confidently complete national and international competition briefs or other appropriate set briefs to advanced standards.

  The set competitions will vary, but examples of suitable competition briefs include Design & Art Direction (D&AD), Young Creative’s Network (YCN), International Society of Typographic Designers (ISTD) and other relevant equivalent set and live briefs. The briefs will challenge you to further develop your knowledge, understanding, skills and abilities. The project briefs will cover a wide range of discipline areas within graphic design such as branding and identity design, packaging, editorial layout, book design, advertising campaigns and digital/screen design.

  The module aims to help you to achieve professional standards and to produce advanced professional work equivalent to national and international design competition standards, as well as to meet your own personal employment ambitions. Alongside guided and peer group learning and critique, at this level you are also expected to work with a high degree of independence and personal initiative in order to fully develop your own individual directions and identity as a graphic designer.

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  Graphic Design Advanced Practice 2

  This final module on the BA (Hons) programme represents the culmination of your undergraduate design journey. It contains a series of challenging and rewarding set and personally generated project briefs, which will develop your commitment and passion for design, as well as your time and project management skills.

  In the module, you will complete a Final Major Project alongside at least two other projects, one of which will be a piece of personal design self promotion. The work produced within this module will form the bulk of your final graduating portfolio, and there is scope and potential for you to select projects that provide a unique and individual direction to your portfolio.

  Your Final Major Project will typically emerge from a set of self-negotiated briefs. This constitutes the most ambitious design project undertaken on the programme. In addition, you will complete a further competition brief or negotiated self-initiated project. A self-promotion exercise completes the module, during which you will consider self-branding and the presentation of your work in printed and digital formats in order to launch your design career.

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  Critical and Cultural Studies

  This module will enable you to conduct an in-depth study of an aspect of design culture of your choice, with emphasis on the analysis of appropriate social, cultural, economic, technical, historical and aesthetic issues relevant to your chosen topic and creative work.

  You will have the opportunity to bring your own interests into your work, and your independent research will be supported through discussion with your peers in the forums and course materials. You will also further develop skills in research, organisation and planning, and critical analysis.

  The assessed element of this module consists of a 6,000 word essay or technical report.