Graphic Design (Vocational)

Outline

The course takes you through the creative process from initial research and experimentation to developing specialist skills and producing your own creative outcomes.

The Creative Process

Explore research, idea generation, development and refinement, learning how to take an initial concept and develop it into a considered design.

Developing Creative Practice

Experiment with different approaches, materials and techniques while building your practical and creative skills.

Responding to a Set Brief

Plan and develop a creative project in response to a set theme, applying your design thinking and problem-solving skills.

Specialist Industry Practice

Gain deeper experience of the design industry through specialist practice and live briefs.

Specialist Technical Skills Development

Develop more advanced technical skills while exploring the areas of Graphic Design that interest you.

Specialist Creative Outcome

Plan and realise your own creative project, bringing together the research, ideas and skills you have developed throughout the course.

Throughout your studies, you will develop experience across areas such as illustration, branding, advertising, games design, publishing, UX design and web design.

Enrichment opportunities

Your learning will extend beyond the classroom through opportunities including:

• Live creative briefs
• Visits from creative practitioners
• Trips to design agencies

These experiences will deepen your understanding of the design industry and help you explore where you may want to specialise.

Progression

Vocational Graphic Design can support progression into a wide range of careers and further study within design, illustration and the wider creative industries.

Graphic Design

You could progress towards areas including:

• Branding
• Advertising
• App Design
• Infographics
• Promotion and Marketing

Illustration

The course can also support progression into areas including:

• Publishing
• Editorial Illustration
• Scientific Illustration
• Comics and Graphic Novels
• Design for Gaming

Wider careers

Your creative and technical skills can also support progression into:

• Marketing
• Animation
• UX & UI
• Teaching
• Research and Further Study
• Media

Assessment

The course is assessed through 100% coursework, which is internally marked and externally moderated.

Practical Creative Projects

You will complete practical creative projects that allow you to demonstrate your design thinking, technical abilities and creative problem-solving skills.

Your assessment will include:

• Practical creative projects
• Digital portfolio
• Live briefs
• Research
• Presentations
• Sketchbooks
• Externally moderated Final Major Project

This practical approach allows you to demonstrate your development as a designer through the work you research, plan, create, refine and present throughout the course.

Entry Requirements

Students will need a minimum of five grade 4s at GCSE, which must include a grade 4 in English. Students who enroll on this course will typically have a GCSE (or vocational) qualification in a creative subject. Applicants who do not have a creative qualification will need to demonstrate that they have the necessary knowledge, skills and interest to succeed on the course, usually via a portfolio of creative work produced outside of the school environment.Additional Information: We will consider 1 Vocational qualification in place of a GCSE as long as a grade 4 is achieved in English.

* Fees

Don’t let the cost of studying put you off – most of our students study for FREE, and those who don’t qualify for funding are very often eligible for an Advanced Learner Loan.

Eligibility depends on both the course you have chosen to study and your individual circumstances.

Apply

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