7Dec
UndergraduateCoventry University has participated in the Teaching Excellence Framework. These ratings were awarded in 2023, for four years.
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Course summary
The future graphic designer is visionary, informed, responsible and technically adaptable. Coventry University’s BA (Hons) Graphic Design course challenges and guides you to become just that. The course aims to get you industry-ready, whether that means joining a design business or starting up your own. During the course you will develop an all-round grasp of graphic design and a bespoke portfolio of work that suits your personal career aspirations. The course aims to offer you:
- A comprehensive design foundation: the course equips you with key design principles and experience across a wide range of design contexts. Through an intensive exploration of today’s vast graphic design landscape and crucial design theory you’ll delve into branding, advertising, packaging, mapping, editorial design, web design, font design and app design.
- Creative ownership: the course empowers you to shape your learning alongside preferred routes. Through select modules you will get to choose your own briefs, practice skills you’re passionate about and formulate your own views on design.
- Expand your portfolio: Your aim will be to develop a strong portfolio of work, and proactively define and pursue your own interests and long-term goals.
- Exploration: The course fosters ways of working that encourage creative discovery. Play and experimentation with analogue and digital mediums, methods and techniques is embedded in all modules. The course is attuned to industry standards, but it does not aim to replicate the working world; instead, it provides a safe space for innovation and uninhibited imagination.
- Employability: The course prepares you to be a productive force within industry. You will gain confidence and key professional skills by working on authentic design briefs, with real clients, taking part in studio visits and portfolio reviews, attending guest and alumni talks and showcasing your work through participation in renowned competitions such as D&AD*.
- Technical Skill: The course wants you to take pride in the work that you make. Attention to detail and industry standard designs are developed through practiced skill and iteration. Craftsmanship is considered just as important as a clever idea.
- Critical Thinking: The course believes that an inquisitive and investigative mindset leads to original designs. You will learn to gather data, ask questions and draw conclusions to justify design decisions. In a world of questionable news and misinformation, an informed, inquisitive designer can begin to make a change in local, national and global communities.
- Storytelling: The course channels the power of design to connect and engage with people. Not only will you use design to solve problems, but through storytelling methods you will also access design's ability to enchant and activate emotions.
Modules
This course has a common first year. The common first year enables you to work alongside students doing similar courses to you, to widen your knowledge and exposure to other subject areas and professions. You will have the opportunity to collaborate with other students, so you can share your insights and experience which will help you to develop and learn. Common first year courses: Automotive and Transport Design BA (Hons) Graphic Design BA (Hons) Product Design BA (Hons) Year One In your first year you will explore the fundamentals of design exploring techniques, technologies and research-inspired design as you work on both individual and team projects. Modules Design Exploration Design Visualisation Design Enquiry Design Reflection Design Context Design Experience Year Two In year two, you will continue to develop the skills and knowledge you’ve learnt. We do this by embedding the following four principles into the curriculum and developing your: Technical skills – digital fluency, backed with the right academic knowledge Study skills – to be an adaptive, independent and proactive learner Professional skills – to have the behaviour and abilities to succeed in your career Global awareness – the beliefs and abilities to be a resilient, confident and motivated global citizen In the second year, you will begin to think more professionally about graphic design. Modules Design System Design Interaction Design Narrative Design Activism Design Profession Design Specialism Placement Year There’s no better way to find out what you love doing than trying it out for yourself, which is why a work placement* can often be beneficial. Work placements usually occur between your second and final year of study. They’re a great way to help you explore your potential career path and gain valuable work experience, whilst developing transferable skills for the future. If you choose to do a work placement year, you will pay a reduced tuition fee* of £1250. For more information, please go to the fees and funding section. During this time you will receive guidance from your employer or partner institution, along with your assigned academic mentor who will ensure you have the support you need to complete your placement. Whilst we would like to give you all the information about our placement/study abroad offering here, it is often tailored for each course every year and depending on the length of placement or study abroad opportunities that are secured. Final Year Your final year aims to bring you to the level to enter the world of work by consolidating your knowledge and skills from years one and two. With your accumulated understanding of graphic design contexts and theory, an inquisitive mind and process driven design, you will be encouraged to challenge graphic design's boundaries through speculative projects and participation in renowned design competitions. Modules Design Agility Design Identity Design Experiment Design Adventure Design Showcase Design Culture We regularly review our course content, to make it relevant and current for the benefit of our students. For these reasons, course modules may be updated. Before accepting any offers, please check the website for the most up to date course content. For full module details please check the course page on the Coventry University website. *For further information please check the course page on the Coventry University website
Assessment method
This course is assessed using a variety of methods that recognise module-specific skills and learning. You are predominantly assessed by coursework and assessment methods prepare you for the diverse contexts in which your design work may exist. Assessment methods include: Practical coursework Digital coursework Individual work Group work Live presentations Video presentations Video essays Academic essays The Coventry University assessment strategy aims to ensure that our courses are fairly assessed and allows us to monitor student progression towards achieving the intended learning outcomes.
How to apply
31Jan
This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.
Application codes
Please select a course option – you will then see the application code you need to use to apply for the course.
Points of entry
The following entry points are available for this course:
- Year 1
Entry requirements
Qualification requirements
UCAS Tariff - 112 points
A level - BBC
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016) - DMM
Access to HE Diploma
Scottish Higher - CCD
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme - 29 points
GCSE/National 4/National 5
All applications are considered on an individual basis and the whole application is reviewed which includes previous and predicted qualifications, experience, reference and your motivation to study the course. The University also accepts the BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate/BTEC Level 3 Subsidiary Diploma and BTEC Level 3 National Diploma/BTEC Level 3 Diploma for entry onto degree programmes, provided that they are studied in combination with other qualifications that are equivalent to three A2 Levels. This may include subject specific requirements where necessary.
Additional entry requirements
Interview
Portfolio
Student Outcomes
Operated by the Office for Students
Employment after 15 months (Most common jobs)
Go onto work and study
The number of student respondents and response rates can be important in interpreting the data – it is important to note your experience may be different from theirs. This data will be based on the subject area rather than the specific course. Read more about this data on the Discover Uni website.
Fees and funding
Tuition fees
| England | £9250* | Year 1 |
| Northern Ireland | £9250* | Year 1 |
| Scotland | £9250* | Year 1 |
| Wales | £9250* | Year 1 |
| Channel Islands | £9250* | Year 1 |
| Republic of Ireland | £9250* | Year 1 |
*This is a provisional fee and subject to change.
Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website .
Additional fee information
No additional fees or cost information has been supplied for this course, please contact the provider directly.
Provider information
Coventry University
Priory Street
Coventry
CV1 5FB