• Three Dimensional Design Art & Design

EXAM BOARD: WJEC - EDUCAS

Entry requirements:

Ideally, DT at GCSE but students who have only studied Art will also be considered. Basic skills needed include ICT, CAD, sketching, modelling and researching, all of which are developed on the course. Students will also need to be familiar with workshop practice and have a basic grounding in the use of hand tools and workshop machinery.

Head of department:

Miranda Socratous

A course in 3D Design offers a unique opportunity within the curriculum for candidates to identify and solve real world problems. Using insights to gain an understanding of their user, they design and then manufacture solutions to a wide range of human centred project contexts. This will relate to an area of the candidates personal design interest and can include architecture, furniture design, environmental design, jewellery, interaction design and product design, too name but a few of these potential areas to specialise in.

This A level course is intended to be of interest to candidates with a real passion for design and is suitable for those students wanting a career in design or associated areas. The program of study is based entirely on coursework and has a focus upon being ‘hands on’, proactive, independent learning with the ability to ‘think through making’ at the heart of its pedagogy.

In the first-year students will take part in a range of projects that build their subject specific knowledge, skills and understanding. In the final year of the course students will complete two units of work for the A level award.

Assessment

Component 1: Personal Investigation (60%)

The Personal Investigation - two integrated parts: A major in-depth critical, practical and theoretical investigative project and outcomes based on themes and that have personal significance;

An extended written element of 1000 words minimum, which may contain images and texts and must clearly relate to practical and theoretical work using an appropriate working vocabulary and specialist terminology.

Component 2: Externally Set Assignment (40%)

Part 1 & 2: Preparatory study period and 15 hours sustained focus work Externally set assignment. Responses take the form of critical, practical and theoretical preparatory work/supporting studies, which inform the resolution of ideas in the 15 hours sustained focus study. Planning has to relate to the outcomes. The department has two extremely well equipped “university level” workshops and two design studios with the latest CAD/CAM. There is a blacksmith’s forge and outdoor project works. There are trips to design weeks and graduate shows. The department also has excellent links with Eindhoven’s Design Academy and Northumbria University, considered two of the best HE Design courses in the world.