This module is designed for design students who wish to develop their digital skills in their practice. This module will enable students to acquire the skills and competencies to represent designs and ideas graphically using digital tools and software. Participants will develop a firm understanding of digital tools associated with their chosen design pathway. Learners will develop skills through a series of demonstrations, direct experience and focused reflection.

On completion, learners will have gained experience in navigating a range of industry standard digital tools with focused learning in their core pathways.

1. Identify professional practices and production processes for digital design

2. Recognise key theoretical principles, skills and technologies involved in the production of digital design

3. Transform analogue concepts into digital form

4. Prepare digital artwork, using a range of techniques and software, for both digital and print media

5. Apply key design principles, skills and technologiesin the production of digital designs

6. Produce a coherent body of design work using digital tools to a presentation standard

This module provides an overview of the role of design in contemporary society, and design methodologies to address the challenges faced by people and planet. Contemporary theories and principles of design including sustainable, universal and service design will be explored. Global strategies and reports pertaining to complex design problems will be referenced and innovative contemporary designers and their platforms will also be discussed.

1. Define a design problem in comprehensive terms and viewpoints.

2. Research, develop and evaluate alternative ideas and possible solutions to complex design problems

3. Write and present clearly articulated, factually supported, critical reflections on a topic from the lecture series employing academic methods of research and citation

4. Apply knowledge of design theory and principles to the analysis of case studies in both written and verbal presentations.

5. Interpret and critique the effectiveness of various design methodologies in addressing the issues that impactcontemporary society.

Visual Communications aims to develop student's ability to give visual form to information, ideas and emotions. The module will stress visual problem-solving and conceptual solutions in order to create meaningful communications. While exploring the creative communications process the student will engage with theoretical and practical principles of the discipline (type, image, layout, visual principles) in order to create effective visual communications. Students will learn how to position a project in respect of its target audience(s). Exploration and experimentation in making will be central to the activities. Students will explore critical and contextual aspects of their discipline with lectures on design theory and student seminars on current and historical practices and practitioners.

1. Follow an iterative design development process (research, define, ideate, prototype, test), working to a brief and in a timely manner.

2. Understand and apply the principles of graphic design (colour, image, type, layout, grid systems and material qualities) in written and visual practice.

3. Demonstrate the ability to develop, iterate and critically evaluate a concept based on self-evaluation, peer and lecturer feedback.

4. Describe and critique graphic design work, processes and technical issues using appropriate design vocabulary.

5. Demonstrate the ability to integrate learning from associated modules (Typography, Illustration, Digital Tools,etc.) into the briefs.

6. Position communicationsappropriate to a projects market and target audience.

The fundamentals of drawing, illustration, printing, composition, narrative and sequence are studied through iterative research and development. Students will explore a wide range of techniques and methods for creating image-based visual language. The module encourages students to develop their problem-solving and image-making skills to develop work that is both conceptually and aesthetically communicative. As illustrators, students will respond to brief and be tasked with visually communicating ideas relevant to the communications aims, content and target audience. This module will also look at the breadth of emerging opportunities for illustrators, current practices and practitioners.

1. Conceive and develop imagery that communicates a message.

2. Demonstrate exploratory research and develop ideas using a range of media and approaches.

3. Describeformal qualities of imageryusing discipline specific terminology.

4. Appraise the viability of their own design solutions and that of peers through participation in seminar discussion and group critiques.

5. Identify practitioners working in thefield.

This module gives students formal exposure to typography. The module covers typographic formalism, classifications, anatomy, hierarchy and typographic history. Students will examine basic typography as a compositional tool, grid systems as a compositional aid, the architecture of type from single letterforms to typesetting multipage documents. Projects will include opportunities for personal expression and experimentation typographically.

1. Develop functional and visually engaging compositions using type.

2. Use a variety of grid systems to develop compositions invisual designs.

3. Distinguish between denotative and connotative type designs.

4. Discuss typographic form usingindustry standard terminology.

5. Use type expressively to convey feeling /emotion.

6. Apply basic typesetting rules to a page of type.

Work Based Learners will participate in a seminar series which will develop their theoretical knowledge, writing and presentation skills, while offering them the opportunity to apply this to active learning situations.

There will be an emphasis on preparing for independent research with a focus on methodologies that can be applied towards an Extended Essay for level 7 or onwards to a level 8 dissertation if they choose to progress to the Higher level BA stage.

The Seminar Series will commence with workshops delivered that respond to current trends in design theory, practice and research.

Learners may present topics based on their experiential learning while completing their professional practice and projects module.

Delivery will be fully online to accommodate remote placement of learners throughout the year.

1. Demonstrate ability to source and critically reviewpublished literatureon design theory and case studies,themes and issues in contemporary design.

2. Synthesise a review of literature with their own critical thinkingin awritten essayfully supported with academic referencing and illustrations

3. Deliver a Seminar Presentation of their researchto peers using current online presentation tools.Actively engage peers in discussion and participate and contribute todialogue during peer seminar presentations

4. Bring previous knowledge of design history and theoryto the analysis of the consequences and impact of historic practices oncontemporary design solutions

5. Source innovative international case studies of contemporary design that exemplify current theories and best practice

6. Contributeto group discourse in the online space in which the seminar series is delivered and present both written and presentation content in an e-portfolio along with other modules from level 7.

This module is designed for design students who wish to deepen their digital skills in the context of their practice. The module builds on the competencies learned Digital Tools 1, and prepares students for implementing modern digital skills in the workplace. This module will enable students to develop the skills and competencies to represent designs and ideas graphically using digital tools and software. Participants will develop a deep understanding of digital tools associated with their chosen design discipline. Learners will develop skills through a series of demonstrations, tutorials, direct experience and focused reflection.

On completion learners will have strengthened their competency in using a range of industry standard digital tools with focused learning in their core pathways.

Product Design – This module develops the learner's use of Computer Aided Design (CAD) systems and their application for the realisation of 2 and 3 dimensional images of design concepts. It employs currently used industry-standard software and stresses the value of computer based visual data to professional designers, particularly in respect to the speed of producing or updating visualisations, drawings, models and to their communication.

1. Recognise the relationships between design technology,production,the individual, society and the environmentwithin contemporary design practices.

2. Select appropriate techniques and software to transpose design ideas into digital form and environments.

3. Express solutions in response to scenarios through problem solving, experimentation and testing ideas within the digital environment.

4. Apply the features of design software to implement geometric concepts and principles.

5. Generate enhanced visualisations ofdesign conceptsusing industry-standardsoftware.

6. Prepare technical drawings and specifications in accordance with relevant standards.

7. Compose multimedia presentations which clearly express design information and embody design intentions.

This module normally involves a year long professional practice and/or project a design company, department or other organisation involved in design. Learners combine experience in the day-to-day operations of the organisation with projects selected to enhance the learners skills and provide benefits to the organisation. Some learners may be based on campus while carrying out their professional practice work. Learners can complete 26 weeks focused on an industry project or professional placement, or can complete a semester long project and a semester long professional practice.

1. Work as productive member of a team in a design company, department or other organisation involved in design.
2. Apply learning, working as a professional in the design sector
3. Analyse and solve real-world problems
4. Develop professional practice in project work – quality, deadlines, budgets etc.

This module involves a semester-long professional project (or projects) in a design discipline to be undertaken on campus. The project will provide learners with practical, hands-on experience with projects selected to enhance the learner's skills and problem-solving abilities to address real challenges and produce tangible outcomes. Undertaking professional projects on campus aims to bridge the gap between theoretical learning and real-world application by immersing students in a simulated professional design project setting.

1. Work independently or collaboratively towards the completion of project objectives.
2. Apply theoretical learning to practical problems in a design discipline.
3. Analyse and solve real-world problems.
4. Develop professional practice in project work i.e. communication, quality, deadlines, budgets.

This module involves a semester-long professional practice in a design company, department or other organisation involved in design. Learners combine experience in the day-to-day operations of the organisation with projects selected to enhance the learner's skills and provide benefits to the organisation. In addition to using practical skills in a real-world environment, students will develop valuable soft skills such as communication, collaboration, and problem-solving. Undertaking professional practice for industry provides learners with invaluable real-world experience, bridging the gap between academic learning and practical application.

1. Work as a productive member of a team in a design company, department or other organisation involved in design.
2. Apply theoretical learning to practical problems in a design discipline.
3. Analyse and solve real-world problems.
4. Develop professional practice in project work i.e. communication, quality, deadlines, budgets.