Graphic Design BA (Hons)

" Graphic Design BA (Hons)

Want to know what it’s like at @CovArtDesign? Tweet your questions using #AskCU and find out…

— Cov Uni Art & Design (@CovArtDesign) February 9, 2015 OVERVIEW

This Graphic Design course runs in 2016/17.

A career in graphic design requires intelligence, imagination and originality. You’ll also need a thorough knowledge and understanding of the skills required for print, the Internet, moving image and multimedia.This course prepares you for that.

WHY CHOOSE THIS COURSE?

This course gives you the chance to explore and develop. For example, you can design a brand new font in Illustrator, make it in wood on the latest laser-cutter, print it on a 150-year old hand–operated press then scan it and manipulate it in Photoshop!

If you choose this course you will benefit from:

• Placement/professional experience (subject to application) as part of the course during the second year;
• professional portfolio reviews (usually in the third year);
• good ongoing relationships with many companies who often work with our students providing employment, placements or professional review and guidance, for example Airbus France, Betahaus in Barcelona, Spain and in Berlin, Germany, Blind Mice Design, FILTAweb, Librios, Migraphics, Totem Learning Ltd and Watermill;
• award-winning staff with expertise in a range of disciplines from editorial and book design to web- based design and typography. Staff will discuss their work with you so you can connect what they do with what you learn. All staff are active researchers and practitioners, and ensure that this feeds into their teaching;
• access to dedicated design studios, the best software packages for page layout, image manipulation and multimedia design, a metal type workshop, printmaking workroom, screen printing studio, photographic resources and a digital print bureau;
• opportunity of exchange programmes overseas;
• coursework including national and international competitions. In 2013 students from Graphic Design at Coventry University won first prize for the Puffin/ Penguin book cover design competition, a D&AD yellow pencil and the Sky Arts sting and in 2014 were runners-up in the Puffin/Penguin prize and highly placed in the Sky Arts sting competition.

WHAT WILL I LEARN?

You will begin by exploring the basics of typography and visual communication before being encouraged to experiment with type and image to solve graphic design problems.

The course is built around the four key themes of graphic design: typography, visual communication, design in context, and integrated design. These happen at the same time each year (but always with different briefs) so that you get a real sense of achievement as you progress.

In your third year you will be able to focus on building your portfolio in your area of interest, for example print, editorial and book design, advertising, corporate design or digital media. The course culminates in a school-wide degree show that attracts employers from industry.

HOW WILL THIS COURSE BE TAUGHT?

Our course will be primarily based on the development of your studio practice but you will also have lectures, seminars and workshops.

HOW WILL I BE ASSESSED?

Your work will be marked according to how well you achieve the various learning outcomes of each module. These outcomes are clearly set out on all project briefs, and your final feedback will refer to each outcome as well as giving you an overall percentage grade. You need to get above 40% to pass, and anything above 70% is outstanding.

There is one written assignment per year. The rest of the coursework is in the form of practical projects, usually mounted on boards and accompanied by developmental work and sketchbooks. Some project submissions are electronic and in these cases you’ll either supply a disc, flash drive or load your work onto the University server.

An estimated percentage breakdown of how your final grade is assessed is as follows: practical coursework 70%; essays/reports 20%; presentations 10%.

A compulsory Add+vantage module must also be completed: please see the page on the Add+vantage scheme for more details.

TEACHING CONTACT HOURS

In a typical week you will have up to 17 contact hours of teaching and this will break down as:

Personal tutorial/small group teaching: 1 hour smaller tutorial/seminar with focused tutor contact each week

Medium group teaching: 2 hours of seminars each week

Large group teaching: 2 hours of lectures and 12 hours of studio practice each week

Personal study: You will be expected to work on your coursework assignments as self-directed study for a further 20 hours each week

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