COURSE CURRICULUM

In your first year of the BA (Hons) Visual Communication degree, you will build foundational knowledge across both graphic design and illustration while developing essential academic and practical skills. Shared with the Graphic Design degree, the curriculum introduces the history of fine art and contextual studies, equipping you to analyse creative work critically and reflectively. You will explore fundamental creative methods in Practice 1, designed to establish an open-minded, experimental approach to problem-solving and visual communication. Experimentation and Application modules further allow you to test a broad range of analogue and digital techniques through workshops, electives, and projects. Meanwhile, the Research into Practice module helps build an intellectual framework that ties theory to your creative outcomes. The Professional Life 1 module develops emotional, cognitive, and physical intelligences essential for creative careers, alongside building early career awareness and employability skills.In your second year, you continue to refine your practical work, expanding your creative voice while being encouraged to take creative risks. Practice 2 and Advanced Practice modules help shape your individual design or illustration direction, while advanced workshops enhance your technical proficiency. Contextual Studies 2 deepens your engagement with contemporary design and illustration discourse. Research into Practice and Professional Life 2 continue to develop your analytical, reflective, and collaborative abilities, as you begin to work on live briefs, build industry-ready portfolios, and explore your professional identity.Your final year offers the flexibility to specialise in either graphic design or illustration as your creative identity becomes more defined. The Independent Major Project and Practice 3 modules allow you to propose, develop, and exhibit a self-directed body of work. Research modules offer tailored routes to suit your discipline and interests, while Professional Life 3 focuses on leadership and real-world experience, ensuring you graduate with the creative confidence, industry knowledge, and personal resilience to succeed in the design and illustration industries.