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Visual Design
Visual Design will develop your visual and graphic design ability and skills.
For more information about this course please visit the Bath School of Art and Design website.
This course will enable you to express and articulate your ideas and study interests through a confidence in design. You will experience publishing your work in a variety of media (print, web, lens-based) and develop specialist areas of knowledge and ability by the end of the course.
Course Structure and Content
Visual Design is part of the Creative Arts programme, so you will select another subject to study with Visual Design.
Year 1
In Year 1, the subject starts with the basics of design related to typography, image and layout. You will be taken through design principles and become familiar with concepts to help you learn how to layout text and graphics with confidence and knowledge. You’ll be shown how to use industry standard layout software in readiness for creating printed publications, such as magazines and books.
By the middle of the first year you will be introduced to aspects of web design, including developing personalised blog-sites. This will allow you to develop research skills and methods of gathering and interpreting information. Your online presence is also increasingly vital way of self-marketing and you will develop this over the period of the course. Online publishing is also a rapidly expanding area with the electronic book and website enabling people to self-publish to the world.
The first year ends with an introduction to creating printed publications, making you aware of how to create books and binding techniques (how books are physically put together). You will have gathered content from research to make a publication of your own.
Year 2
Year 2 will allow you to study a subject area of your choice related to visual design, for example typography, publications, visual design, lens based media. An emphasis will be placed on design narratives and you will be guided through your projects. In addition you will study how graphic designers work and how theory influences contemporary design.
Year 3
Year 3 expects you to contextualise your work with increased sophistication. You will have a knowledge of contemporary design and be able to apply it to your own study area with independence. Supported by regular tutorials you will develop a body of work, a portfolio in readiness for a professional career, or self-employment.
As part of the Creative Arts course your other subject will no doubt have a strong influence on your choices within visual design. It is a subject that can complement other routes by giving you the techniques and abilities to confidently express and communicate your ideas in a visual context.
Career Opportunities
Studying Visual Design includes taking optional professional studies based modules. These will allow you to increase your awareness of professional practice, enable you to learn how to present yourself and improve your chances of gaining the career you want upon graduation. These modules will enhance your transferable skills such as presentation, communication, organisation, etc.
Upon graduation, a choice of creative career paths will be available, depending on how you have focussed your course. Career areas directly related to Visual Design include, graphic design, web design, art-worker, publishing, artist, book illustrator. However, combined with your other subject, a wider choice is available allowing you to uniquely position yourself within the jobs market, or develop a successful freelance or self-employed career.
Entry Requirements
240 – 280 UCAS Tariff points (eg BCC; BB + As a), with minimum 80 points from Visual Arts subject.
OR Art Foundation course and portfolio of recent work
Alternative qualifications welcome.