BA (Hons) Graphic Design.
UCAS Code W214
Amber Smith 0113 202 8000 amber.smith@leeds-art.ac.uk
BA (Hons.) Graphic Design.
The studio is the focus here: a creative space with the atmosphere of a busy agency rather than a group of students. You’ll benefit from immediate exposure to the structures and disciplines of a working studio, learning how individual creativity and collaborative teamwork combine to produce exceptional work. You’ll have access to cutting-edge Mac suites plus all of the College facilities, and there are countless opportunities for cross-discipline collaboration. Our industry links are fantastic, with plenty of visiting professionals to discuss your work with you. Places on this intensive, challenging course are in high demand—and you’ll be expected to put in the hours if you want to reap the rewards.
Course validated by the Open University.
This programme will encourage you to develop your own voice, opinions and individual understanding of your role while building the discipline and skills you need to apply them in a professional environment. Our students work at a very high level and the quality of work at their end of year show is outstanding.
You’ll explore the designer/client relationship in response to the brief, developing your creative understanding and your ability to communicate ideas both visually and verbally. You’ll benefit from a wider understanding of the creative, social, cultural and ethical context of contemporary visual culture.
The emphasis is on working as a designer within a wider studio while you continue to build your individual creative practice. We will explore how the application of type and images can solve complex problems, and how to communicate ideas which inform, excite or challenge your audience.
We’ve developed an exciting range of links with industry. In Years 2 and 3 you will be encouraged to take advantage of opportunities such as live briefs, competitions, work placements and involvement in the D&AD, YCN, International Society of Typographic Designers, Creative Networks and other national graduate schemes. Visiting speakers will offer insights into the practising world of the graphic designer.
This programme will encourage you to develop your own voice, opinions and individual understanding of graphic design.
Course Structure. Year One. Focusing on the fundamentals of visual language, you’ll explore research methods and studio practice around type, language, image, narrative, meaning and message. You’ll work with typography, print, drawing, digital media, photography and the moving image.
Placements. Work placements and internships can be negotiated across sectors such as branding/ identity, packaging, information graphics, digital, editorial and publishing. Past placements include Aardman Animations, Brass, Build, Creative Spark, Creative Review, Generation Press, Glue, SEA, TBWA, The Beautiful Meme, Uber London, and many more.
Amber Smith Programme Leader
Year Two. Taking a more self-directed role, you’ll develop your ideas using specialist workshops, critical assessments and seminars. You’ll also consider audience context, distribution, and ethical practice.
Year Three. You’ll be introduced to professional practice, project management and business/marketing studies. You’ll work on negotiated briefs, competition briefs, self-promotion and selfpublication, building your portfolio and contribution to the End of Year Show.
Accolades.
Future Careers.
Students win countless awards; recent wins include D&AD Best New Blood, International Society of Typographic Designers, SH!, and Yorkshire Digital Awards (Best New Talent).
Graduates work as freelancers or in a studio as part of a design team. Careers include design for publishing (books, magazine and newspapers); retail, branding and promotion; web design; motion graphics; packaging; information graphics and much, much more.