Visual Communications BA (Hons)

Course overview

Our BA (Hons) top-up degree validated by Kingston University London is delivered over one academic year after the successful completion of a 2-year HND in Visual Communications. You will already have a specialist background in Graphic design, Illustration or User Experience design. 

This innovative programme is designed to give you the time and space to explore and develop your Visual communications and design specialism within a real-world, industry-focused context. You will be encouraged to innovate, be inventive, push boundaries and inspire change. You will refine your core practice and research skills and you will work to define and solve live and set design challenges. 

You will work with staff, specialist industry partners and peers in Graphic design, User Experience design and Illustration to set up and run an internal design agency. You will define the agency structure, allocate roles and responsibilities and work to solve live design briefs. You will have the opportunity and time to fully research and explore an extended self-directed project and you will continually refine your specialist practice through rigorous investigation of directed briefs and competitions.  

The creative industries require innovative, agile, and confident graduates who understand and can engage with the global context of Visual Communications.  

Authentic assessment and professional alignment are at the heart of all projects. Through a range of lectures, seminars, tutorial supervision, and guidance from core staff, industry professionals and peers you will work individually and collaboratively to resolve live and directed design briefs, equipping you with the skills and knowledge required to enhance your employability. 

What you will learn

Creative Team Projects: 60 Credits

Module Summary

Collaboration and teamwork are at the heart of this module. You will work on a range of briefs gaining valuable experience in multidisciplinary teams and groups.

You will work with staff and your peer group to set up an internal design agency. Working with mentors from the industry. The projects you undertake will provide the opportunity to extend and develop your creative practice in an authentic industry context. This module will allow you the time and space to develop skills and insights into modern studio practices through a range of creative, commercial, and directorial activities and roles. You will work with peers to plan, collate, and present commercial and creative project activities in a collaborative environment.

Aims:

• To provide opportunities for professional design practice in an authentic setting.
• To foster an entrepreneurial and adaptive mindset, enabling effective collaboration.
• To encourage students to demonstrate working strategies and successful client relationships
• To enable students to articulate key stages and influences on the creative process

Self-Initiated Projects: 30 Credits

Module Summary

You will work on a range of self-initiated briefs gaining valuable experience by exploring contemporary design problems, issues, and challenges in visual communication. Working with mentors from the industry, the project/s undertaken will provide the opportunity to extend and develop your creative practice in an exploratory context. This module will allow you the opportunity to develop your skills and process within a variety of design-focused specialisms based on substantial and in-depth research and investigation. You will also design and prepare artwork and outcomes for your portfolio to industry standards. Authentic assessment and professional alignment are at the heart of projects. You will be required to prepare and present your solutions and supply deliverables, artworks or digital assets required by the brief. You may work collaboratively but will be assessed individually.

Aims:

• To encourage initiative, independence and an understanding of emerging trends and practices within specialist creative fields.
• To enable you to engage audiences/employers/stakeholders with key stages of the project’s process.
• To encourage students to articulate skills, knowledge, and professionalism in the implementation of the project(s).
• To promote the effective use of creative processes

Responding to Directed Briefs: 30 Credits

Module Summary

You will work on a range of directed briefs, gaining valuable experience by working to industry standards in terms of constraints, guidelines, deliverables, specialist tools and deadlines. Working with mentors from the industry, the projects undertaken will provide you with the opportunity to extend and develop your creative practice within a professional context. This module will include competition, live, and set briefs. These will enable you to further develop your soft and specialist skills to a recognised industry level. You will write and publish case studies for each project you undertake. This can be in a variety of formats and represents an additional, flexible assessment tool. Authentic assessment and professional alignment are at the heart of projects. You will be required to prepare and present your solutions and supply deliverables, artworks or digital assets required by a given brief. You may work collaboratively but will be assessed individually.

Aims

• To encourage student creativity and innovation when creating content
• To enable students to develop a range of digital skills relevant to current industry practice.
• To facilitate projects that contribute to a well-rounded professional portfolio.

HA6307: Self Initiated Project Mr Alex Gunn

HA6309: Creative Team Projects Mr Iain Lauder

HA6308: Responding to Directed Briefs Mr Chris Hughes

Number of days per week

• You will have 3 days of taught time with your lecturers over the week.
• The BA (Hons) Visual Communication students benefit from access to a dedicated studio space over 5 days Monday to Friday.

Entry requirements

• HND Visual Communications with a minimum of grade B at Graded unit or equivalent to SCQF Level 8.
• You will be using your specialisms working individually and in teams with peers and Industry partners on real-world authentic projects. To work at this level, it is expected that you will already have developed an industry-ready skillset. You will have a proven and successful self-directed and collaborative record of accomplishment clearly demonstrated in your portfolio.

Information on Tests / Auditions / Interview Requirements

• All applicants for this course are required to submit a Digital Portfolio and will be invited to a portfolio review session.
• Specific information on Digital Portfolios and review Sessions for the course you have applied for will be sent to you after you submit your online application form
• Your portfolio should fully demonstrate your range of approaches and your process at an advanced level and should include project case studies. Entry to the course is competitive and your portfolio is a key component of the entry process. 
• For this course, we will ask you to submit a short piece of writing in response to a set topic in addition to your portfolio.
• For more information and advice on your portfolio please read the Art and Design Application and Portfolio Guide This includes advice on the content, formatting and size of your portfolio but also information on the portfolio review process, what to do if you don’t have a portfolio and the support available for Teachers supporting School pupils preparing portfolios for Art and Design courses.

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English Proficiency Requirements

English Proficiency Requirements IELTS 6 are required if English is not your first language.Further information regarding IELTS levels and certification is available from our admissions team.

Progression and Articulation Routes

• Post-graduate Visual Communications programmes 
• Post-graduate academic programmes 
• Post-graduate teaching programmes

Career options

Potential occupations; Agency, in-house and freelance:

• Art Director
• Art Educator
• Illustrator
• Product Designer
• Graphic Designer
• UX / UI Designer