Graphic Design and Visual Communication - BA Hons (Lancaster University)

Course

In Blackpool

Price on request

Description

  • Type

    Course

  • Location

    Blackpool

The BA (Hons) Graphic Design and Visual Communication provides you with a stimulating, challenging and creative environment in which to explore traditional and digital techniques in the context of the Graphic Design industry. The aim is for you to develop your own visual identity and be able to communicate and present creative ideas and concepts in visual, oral or written forms to a range of audiences. There is a strong vocational emphasis to ensure you develop the employability skills needed to manage project briefs from inception to fully realised outcomes. We have a long standing tradition of excellent results and winning multiple national awards every year.

Facilities

Location

Start date

Blackpool (Lancashire)
See map
Palatine Road, FY1 4DW

Start date

On request

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Subjects

  • Communication Training
  • IT
  • Design
  • Visual Communication
  • University

Course programme

This degree is part of multi-arts University Centre where creative individuals are able to collaborate, critique, nurture, develop and showcase their ideas as part of an outstanding learning community. In the school of Creative Arts and Digital Industries, designers, artists, illustrators, performers, photographers, musicians, filmmakers, fashion designers and scriptwriters combine to create an enriching environment that offers an holistic creative and digital experience.

In the ‘real world’ new ideas are at a premium, they are the life blood of great design, which is why we place experimentation and investigation at the heart of the curriculum and why the students have the opportunities to investigate the unproven and untried.

With that in mind, this programme is underpinned by strong links with industry, which comprises working in partnership with employers on live briefs, national competitions and work placement opportunities. As part of this process, you will work alongside some of the most influential designers and creative thinkers in the country, which will allow you to develop a range of disciplines and expertise in areas such as branding, packaging design, editorial, interactive design, advertising, information design, digital and moving image.

To date, students have undertaken work placements in New York, Amsterdam, Milan, South Africa, London, Manchester, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Leeds - as well as closer to home. Students have learned from such creative luminaries as Wally Olins at Wolf Olins, Brian Webb at Webb & Webb Design, Milton Glaser at Milton Glaser Inc and Jon Slater, the Ex-Creative Director of Sattchi and Saatchi. Work placements with Springetts, Smith and Milton, Open Agency, Bisqit, Lush Design, Brand Union and The Chase showcase the breadth and opportunity that is there for every student. For some, the work placement can turn into a ‘big break’ and lead directly to future employment.

In terms of live and competition briefs, we have a long-standing tradition of winners. In 2015, students won, were runners up or highly commended in the following national competitions: The Starpacks Awards, The National Calendar Awards (where our students won 5 out of the 6 awards given), The Creative Conscience Awards, The YCN Awards, The Royal Society of Arts Awards, The Penguin Book Awards and national recognition from Lonsdale and Saatchi.

In terms of enrichment, as well as offering and exciting package of extra curricular activities, you have the opportunity to sign up for inspirational study visits to exhibitions and to explore the fabulously rich artistic heritage in a variety European cities. In the past few years, we have organised trips to New York and Barcelona, which have had a significant impact on students' work and their experience.

As part of your programme of study, we have outstanding reputation for excellent teaching and learning, regular visiting lecturers, guest speakers and former students, many of whom are in successful and exciting careers. This means that as well as providing useful early insights into the world of work, you can draw on a rich source of industry experience and there are many opportunities for working in partnership with these employers.

Throughout the first year of your studies, you will be continually encouraged to develop your creativity, take risks and think both laterally and imaginatively developing a deeper understanding the design brief and its requirements. By embedding and building confidence in your creative development, you will be able to realise and articulate your ideas to gain a fresh perspective in all aspects of design. You will explore a range of skills including the language of typography, printmaking, illustration, digital imaging, editorial design, advertising, branding and interactive design. With the aid of workshops, demonstrations, lectures, seminars and group discussions students will be able to investigate and analyse the wider breadth of visual communication.

In the second year of your studies, you will begin to develop a more self-directed role, where you will be introduced to the development of initial design concepts and implementation taking into consideration their target audience, future clients, current trends within the marketplace, cultural climate and economic limitations. As part of this process, you will be given the opportunity to apply these new found skills within industry during work placements, together with live briefs and current competitions. Interaction with practising designers, guest lecturers and visiting alumni will also contribute to their understanding of the emerging issues within the creative industries. Graphic designers are ‘ ideas people’ and it is this skill that encapsulates the very core of the modules at this level.

In the second semester of Level Five two new pathways will also be introduced:

  • Creative Advertising and Branding
  • Web Design, Animation and Interactive Media

These pathways reflect current and projected market trends in Graphic design and will allow for increased autonomy and individual development as a creative artist. Both advertising and branding and web design have seen a real surge in their importance within the field of visual communication through the demand for interactive media and in particular social media. Social media now plays an ever increasing role in the development of many business opportunities, there is the potential to explore and expand within this area through the course pathways. There are also strands of animation and entrepreneurship to align with industry needs and the development of your professional competencies.

In their final year, you will continue on your chosen pathways under the umbrella of Graphic Design and Visual Communication. These pathways have been designed to give you an area of specialism that encourages a wider skillset that is needed in today’s creative industries. During your final year, you will have the opportunity to extend your creative potential and specialist focus through self-initiated projects, which will culminate in a professional portfolio and their graduate exhibition at the end of the year.

Below is an overview of the modules you will study:

Year 1 - Level 4

CS401 Thinking and Making - 20 credits
GD402 Exploring Advertising and Branding Technology - 20 credits
GD403 Narrative Image Making for Graphic Design - 20 credits
GD404 Experimental Journeys within Traditional Design - 20 credits
GD405 Digital Design: Creative Suite and Animation - 20 credits
GD406 Exploratory Approaches to Graphic Design and Visual Communication - 20 credits

Year 2 - Level 5

CS501 Research into Practice - 20 credits
GD502 Entrepreneurial Practice and Self-Promotion - 20 credits
GD503 Conceptualising in Graphic Design - 20 credits
GD504 Advanced Development and Realisation for Graphic Design - 20 credits
GD505 Self-Initiated Pathways for Graphic Design - 20 credits
GD506 Creative Perspectives and Interactive Media - 20 credits

Year 3 - Level 6

CS601 Independent Research Project - 20 credits
GD602 Professional Pathway - 20 credits
GD603 Professional Pathway Synthesis - 40 credits
GD604 Entrepreneurial Effectiveness, Exhibition Space and Portfolio - 20 credits
GD605 Transitional Design - 20 credits

Graphic Design and Visual Communication - BA Hons (Lancaster University)

Price on request