Art, Design & Photography - Level 3 Graphic Design, Digital Art and Animation

Graphic Design is an exciting and rapidly growing area within Art & Design. Designers use a wide range of creative techniques to produce engaging visuals for posters, packaging, book covers, advertising, branding, and motion graphics.

On this course, you will develop your skills using industry-standard Adobe software, including Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign and After Effects. You will combine digital tools with traditional art and design techniques to create personal, high-quality work and build a professional portfolio for progression into the creative industries.

The course is ideal for anyone with a creative mindset who wants to develop their design skills and pursue a career in graphic design or related fields. Alongside practical work, you will build confidence and gain valuable employability skills, including teamwork, application writing and interview techniques, preparing you for university, apprenticeships or employment.

Teaching is delivered through practical assignments and workshops led by experienced, supportive staff. You will have access to specialist studios and IT suites, working across 2D and 3D media with a range of industry-standard tools.

You will create a variety of design outcomes such as branding, editorial layouts, websites, packaging, animation and motion graphics, while also exploring the graphic design industry and contemporary practice. Guest speakers and industry professionals will provide insight into real-world design environments.

Please note: Work placement opportunities are available at all levels.

Examples of some of the topics you may study are:

Digital Imaging

Design for Advertising

Animation

Motion Graphics

Packaging Design

Illustration

Typographic and Layout Design

You will be continually assessed by your tutors throughout the academic year, and an external moderator will verify and confirm your final grades.

Year 1 will complete one module, A1 Skills Development and A2 Creative Project and these will be internally assessed and graded at a Pass, Merit or Distinction.

Year 2 will complete a further module, B1 Personal Progression and B2 Creative Industry Response, graded at a Pass, Merit or Distinction. The combination of grades from both years will determine the overall grade for the course.

4 GCSEs at Grade 9-4, including English or Maths and a Grade 3 in either English or Maths.

OR

4 GCSEs at Grade 9-4 including English or Maths and a Level 2 in either English or Maths.

OR

Successful completion of Level 2 at Merit Grade and GCSE English or Maths at Grade 4 and Level 2 English or Maths.

PLUS

Satisfactory interview and a portfolio of work for all options above.

For Interview

When you attend your interview, please bring along your latest school report, your predicted grades and examples of creative work which may include sketchbooks, portfolio or sample work from your current GCSE course in Graphics, Art or Photography.

On completion of the course, with the appropriate pass and English and maths grades you can progress onto Higher Education degree programmes in Graphics, Illustration, Animation and Comic Art, apprenticeships or employment.

Those interested in web design could progress to the HND Photography or the BA Creative Industries courses at Wakefield College whilst those interested in Art & Design could progress onto our HND in Fine Art. Many students have been successful in progressing onto a range of design related Higher Education courses throughout the UK as well as to employment.