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

  • ADA001 Materials, Methods and Media

    This module will introduce students to various techniques, materials and mediums through practise-based experiments, play and problem solving. You will be introduced to different creative processes and methods of working that will help you to develop your ideas and engage in critical and reflective practice.

  • ADA002 Image, Type and Narrative

    Students will experiment with media, photography and typography to explore the relationship between image and word. This module enables students to gain knowledge within subject areas and explore the importance of developing an independent voice. Projects will become increasingly student driven as they develop their ability to propose ideas and solutions through self-directed inquiry, discovery and production.

  • ADA003 Risk and Resolution

    Students will consolidate their skills, knowledge and understanding in initiating, researching, developing and presenting a final project and exhibition. This module will also enable students to continue to research and develop their strengths as an independent art and design practitioner and prepare them for their next stage of study.

  • ADA004 Critical Themes in Art & Design

    This module introduces students to transformative phases within the historical and contemporary context of art, design, photography and media. Students will learn to ask critical questions and find answers through information gathering, reading and research. Through articulating responses, students will be introduced to academic conventions in preparation for progression to further Higher Education.

• Year 2

• 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.

• Final year

• Core modules

  • GDES513 Designing with Type A

    This module extends and develops students’ typographic practice gained in stage one. A complex graphic communication problem is answered typographically. Aesthetic understanding of typographic design as well as conceptual communication skill is developed.

  • GDES563 Understanding Design Contexts and Influences

    This module progresses an individual research project, towards an essay, which is a study of the work of a practitioner/practitioners of graphic communication. It also provides group research meetings and tutorials, culminating in a presentation, representative of the whole group’s efforts. There is a series of lectures covering a range of historical and contextual design topics. Each presentation is an investigation into a particular theme within design history and follows the line of influence into contemporary graphic communication.

  Optional modules

  • GDES500 Design Negotiated

    The student identifies an appropriate personal learning opportunity. A learning contract (with agreed aims and objectives) is negotiated with a tutor. Students may wish to undertake a work placement, commission, competition brief, professional body entry submission or expand on work undertaken successfully in a previous module.

  • GDES523 Communicating Editorial

    This module extends and develops students understanding of editorial design. A complex editorial design problem involving a range of items is addressed. Aesthetic understanding of editorial design as well as conceptual communication skills are developed.

  • GDES533 Communicating Identity

    This module extends and develops students understanding of identity and branding design. A complex identity/branding design problem involving a range of items is addressed. Aesthetic understanding of identity/branding design as well as conceptual communication skills are developed.

  • GDES543 Communicating Experience

    This module extends and develops students understanding of graphic design for experiential media. A complex design problem involving the development of a visual user interface is addressed. An understanding of aesthetic considerations and effective visual communication, within the context of user experience, are explored.

  • GDES553 Looking Forward

    This module synthesizes creative, cognitive and technical skills learned so far in preparation for stage three. Students construct a written design brief (including a schedule of work), which draws upon previous learning and reflects personal aims and ambitions in relation to graphic communication and design (typography, identity, editorial, information).

  • GDES583 Exchange

    Designed to extend students’ experience and understanding of subjects through study abroad. Students spend a minimum of ten weeks at an approved international institution offering complementary graphic communication/design options as a major subject. An opportunity to increase communication skills, self-reliance, cultural awareness and vocational prospects. Based on this period, students’ present a critical evaluation of their educational, cultural and personal experience in GDES586, which must be taken in conjunction with this module.

  • GDES586 Exchange Presentation and Report

    This module follows the exchange module experienced by students who choose to study at an institution abroad. Upon return the student prepares a presentation and a written report based on their experience of studying abroad, incorporating an insight into the methods by which work was achieved, the technologies available and the academic/cultural influences of the institution visited.

• Year 4

• Core modules

  • GDES613 Designing with Type B

    After reflecting on stage two learning experiences, and in relation to chosen aims and subject options (typography, identity, editorial, information), students, in negotiation with the tutor, construct a brief that presents a complex graphic communication problem which relates to personal interests. The problem is expected to be solved typographically.

  • GDES633 Facing Out

    Looking forward to completion of the programme, students consider employment or postgraduate possibilities that reflect personal aims/ambitions. Personal portfolios are prepared/presented, self-promotion ‘packages’ are designed. Investigation of external bodies/ organisations that might benefit portfolio development and/or future learning will be undertaken.

  • GDES643 Major Project

    After self-initiated reflection, research and consultation with tutors, a written design brief and schedule of work is presented outlining a complex/substantial graphic communication task. Upon approval, the student undertakes self-directed and negotiated study leading to the production of a major body of work reflecting chosen aims, interests and subject option.

  Optional modules

  • GDES623 The Competition

    Students are presented with several competition briefs. One is selected for research/development. A brief is constructed (by negotiation with a tutor) that relates to a chosen subject option (typography, identity, editorial, information). It must provide an original/ challenging graphic communication task and reflect personal interests/knowledge base.

  • GDES663 The Dissertation

    This module requires that students research, analyse and write a consistently argued dissertation. Students will demonstrate academic skills relating to selection of appropriate methodology and suitable methods of research. Academic writing styles and correct referencing systems will be used.

  • GDES673 The Extended Dissertation

    This module requires that students research, analyse and write a consistently argued dissertation. Students will demonstrate academic skills relating to selection of appropriate methodology and suitable methods of research. Academic writing styles and correct referencing systems will be used.

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.