BA (Hons) Graphic Design with Typography with Foundation

Your foundation year will:

• Welcome you to an engaging, experiential learning environment with a focus on active exploration, experimentation and discovery across a wide range of material, methods and media.
• Help develop your practical, technical and creative skills through studio and workshop based projects.
• Provide training in key learning skills for further undergraduate study and build an awareness of practise, context and theory.
• Introduce you to the accessible community of experienced academics, practitioners and technical staff that will support you on your studies.
• Give you access to a wide range of enviable specialist workshops, laboratories and facilities across the campus and become part of our vibrant student community through the various opportunities available within the School of Art, Design and Architecture.
• Enable you to explore and develop your personal interests and strengths as a creative practitioner.
  
  

This course is an integrated part of the BA (Hons) Graphic Design with Typography degree at the University of Plymouth. Successful completion of your foundation year (Year 0) will not lead to a separate award or qualification in its own right but provides progression onto Year 1 of the graphic design with typography degree.

When you join the BA (Hons) Graphic design with Typography with Foundation, you will:

• Prepare yourself for your dream career: our graduates finding creative fulfilment working for companies such as DesignBridge, Leo Burnett, Snask, IBM and The Times.
  
• In your final year you can choose a specialism to match your interests and career goals with options that relate directly to the design industry. Choose from identity and branding, editorial and publishing and Information design.
  
• Draw on support from committed tutors with long-term industry and academic experience.
  
• Fly high and join alumni and current students who have won national and international competitions.
  
• Engage with live client briefs, giving your creativity real-world impact.
  
• Explore our range of resources including printmaking workshops, photographic studios and Apple Mac workstations complete with the latest Adobe CC software.
  
• Develop your knowledge and develop yourself by taking advantage of a learning environment that includes open plan studios with a 360 degree view of Plymouth, a city at the heart of art and culture in the South West.
  
• Have direct contact with prestigious visiting speakers such as Jonathon Barnbrook, Michael Johnson and Angus Hyland. Get feedback on your work from practicing graphic designers during our ‘Industrial Liaison Day’.

• Year 1

• Core modules

  • GDES413 Type as Image

    Students are introduced to graphic design for platforms which involve user experience. Students are encouraged to consider how typography, image and other graphic elements can combine with motion and interaction, to evoke experiences within an audience. Working methodology and conceptual thinking in the context of designing user experiences is developed.

  • GDES423 Type and Image

    This module extends graphic communication thinking and encourages exploration of both typographic and image based solutions to design problems. Issue-based content is introduced and developed. Working methodology and conceptual thinking is further developed. Awareness of graphic design as a subject is extended.

  • GDES433 Editorial Design

    Students explore editorial design in relation to graphic communication. Students are encouraged to consider how typography, image and output might play a part in editorial design. Working methodology and conceptual thinking in the context of creating editorial design is developed.

  • GDES443 Identity Design

    Students explore identity design in relation to graphic communication. Students are encouraged to consider how typography, image and output might play a part in identity and branding design. Working methodology and conceptual thinking in the context of creating a graphic identity is developed.

  • GDES453 Experience Design

    Students are introduced to graphic design for platforms which involve user experience. Students are encouraged to consider how typography, image and other graphic elements can combine with motion and interaction, to evoke experiences within an audience. Working methodology and conceptual thinking in the context of designing user experiences is developed.

  • GDES463 Introduction to Design Research

    This module introduces students to the historical and theoretical context of graphic communication and design. Through written tasks, students learn how to analyse and articulate these contexts following academic conventions.

UCAS tariff

32 - 48

Don’t have 32–48 UCAS tariff points? We will consider ‘non-standard’ applications on a case-by-case basis.

A levels: For Level 3 entry the Tariff points entry level will normally be 32–48 points from A level or equivalent. Non-standard applicants will normally be interviewed.

BTEC National Diploma/QCF Extended

Irish Leaving Certificate: Irish Highers, H5 in five subjects equivalent to 32–48 points.

International Baccalaureate: 24 overall

Proficiency in English: Students for whom English is an additional language will need to demonstrate ability in spoken and written English equivalent to an IELTS score of 6.0 and/or successfully complete the university’s special test before entering the foundation year.

English language requirements.

We welcome applicants with international qualifications. To view other accepted qualifications please refer to our tariff glossary.

We are looking for applicants with good potential including with non-standard qualifications and background, so will consider every application on a case by case basis. Alternatively, if you have any questions or concerns about meeting the entry requirements listed above we would encourage you to contact the Admissions Team on 01752 585858 or email ug-admissions@plymouth.ac.uk, where a member of the team can offer you further advice.