Design

Since the establishment of our design degrees in 1994, our philosophy recognises innovation and creativity as the key aspects of the Design provision which help you to achieve your creative goals. Our courses encompass a broad range of creative skills that are vocationally relevant and specifically orientated towards you gaining employment in the creative and related industries.

The design industry is as dynamic as it gets, with new processes, techniques and technologies regularly surfacing. With our courses; Design: Communication, Design: Creative Media and Design: Applied Arts, you’ll get the chance to investigate these.

Our aim is to produce graduates who can not only combine their conceptual and technical skills in art, design and media, but who are also design practitioners who share a common vision i.e. be able to view things holistically, strategically, objectively, socially, economically as well as creatively.

Designers who can respond creatively to communication problems remain in high demand. We place a strong emphasis on the language of design through exploration and expression of ideas and use of materials processes and practices.

Our courses promote excellent communication skills and professional practice and encourage innovative and interdisciplinary use of media and materials. There is also a strong emphasis on developing interpersonal skills through collaborative projects and teamwork.

Click here to see our Design:Communication Flickr set, which offers a flavour of the work produced by students on the course.

Meet student Richard di Blasi

Key facts

• Strong vocational programme with outstanding industry links. We have established relationships with industries locally and nationally that enable you to secure excellent work experience opportunities with design agencies and illustration publishers
• The teaching team are research active practitioners who exhibit their own work both nationally and internationally
• Great facilities equipped with the latest design industry software, housed in our dedicated art and design school on Regent Street (pictured below), a Grade II listed building on the edge of Wrexham town centre and in our new Creative Industries Building
• Apple certified software training. Become fluent in a wide range of industry standard software
• Visits and trips abroad to prestigious festivals, such as the International Children’s Book Festival in Bologna, galleries, exhibitions and design seminars in London
• Industrial visits to London-based agencies and publishers
• The opportunity to enter major national and international design competitions such as the Young Creative Network (YCN), British Design and Art Direction Awards (D&AD) and the Roses and Royal Society of Arts (RSA), Macmillan book competition
• Work with real clients and real jobs
• Work collaboratively with students from other disciplines. The University has established relationships with industries of all sizes, both locally and nationally. As a result we welcome visiting practicing artists and designers for lectures and demonstrating and also host co-operative projects and industrial sponsorships such as our Creative Futures week
• Study abroad opportunities through the Erasmus Scheme. We have links with France, Finland, the University of Mataro in Spain, the Polish Academy of Art in Katowice and Renmin University in China
• Exhibit your work in high profile places. Past graduates have had work on show at the New Designers Exhibition in the Business Design Centre and Young Blood, London

BA (Hons) Design: Communication

Course content

Our Design Communication degree will equip you with all the skills to be a designer of the future. There is a strong focus on core values of design such as audience and social responsibility, sustainability, environmental awareness, functionalism, ethics, matching appropriate use of materials to cost effective solutions, as well as innovative, aesthetical and cultural values.

You can produce work in graphic design and illustration including interactive multimedia design, web design, branding, advertising, packaging, typography, narrative design, anthropomorphism, character development, general drawing, figure drawing and illustration for a variety of purposes, all using the latest industry standard design software.

You’ll be encouraged to develop your own style, and see how layout, colour and materials can be used to solve design problems. You will also explore all the different techniques you need to tackle designing for any form of media or audience, from children’s books and adverts, to graphic novels and the world wide web. Combine traditional drawing skills with knowledge of digital media to create powerful, individual ways of communicating your graphic design and illustration ideas.

Emphasis is placed on problem solving and the design process that forms a key part of the work of a designer. You will understand the social, economic and environmental impact of the work you produce and boost your professional skills in industry software and computer applications.

How will I study?

Students will gain instruction through taught software workshops into all the latest industry software. There will be taught sessions and introductions of modules through powerpoint workshops, discussion groups, seminars and the introduction of assignments that relate to specific modules on the programme. As well as private and self directed study days were students are expected to use the colleges resources and library to their full advantage in relation to their project work.

What will I study?

In graphic design a student will get a broad experience at Level 4/Yr 1 to introduce them to as many of the disclines and subject area in graphic design as possible. These range from packaging design, typography, web design and interactive multi-media, advertising and branding and how all these areas relate to the changing technologies in the design industry.

Assessment

Coursework. We will advise you on your level of attainment and direct you towards a strategy for further progression.

Course duration

Full-time

Three years

Part-time

Five to six years

Entry Requirements and applying

240 points at A Level or equivalent. Your portfolio will be reviewed at interview. It should demonstrate your creative and visual skill, interests and abilities. Students undertaking projects in Illustration for Children’s Publishing will require a CRB check.

UCAS code: W215

Part-time applicants should apply direct

General entry requirements

From 2012 our general academic requirement for an honours degree will be 240 UCAS points, and for a foundation degree 120 UCAS points. If you do not have the points required your application will still be considered. We welcome applicants from diverse backgrounds and with a range of experiences.

Your specialist area

Graphic design

You are encouraged to develop your design potential, problem solving skills and develop creative thinking abilities. 

The programme will enable you the time to develop your own individual style and visual language through the creation of a portfolio of work. It is the production of this creative portfolio that will create the first job opportunities and hopefully that first step on the employment ladder. 

Graphic design students will experience a wide variety of learning opportunities throughout their study in graphic design. This will include visits to design exhibitions and museums, attendance of conferences such as the 4 Designers seminars in London and visits to design companies throughout the UK. European visits have also been a feature of the programme that enable you to see first-hand the way graphic designers work overseas, gaining a European perspective, and employment opportunities by visiting design studios there. 

The programme provides you with the opportunity to enter national and international design competitions. Some of our students have gained recognition for their efforts by winning Yellow Pencil Awards from the D&AD (British Design and Art Direction Student’s Awards) and a top awards from the CSD (Chartered Society of Designers). Students have gained grants from NESTA to fund the development of interesting business ideas. This in turn puts our students in the spotlight for design studios/talent scouts to view their work with a view to their future employment. 

The graphic design route aims to stimulate your imagination through intellectual challenges, which are inherent in the practical assignments. These create a critical awareness of the world around you and facilitate a critical and contextual thought process whilst you practice fundamental design skills.

Illustration

This course element is designed for those who want to pursue a career in the design industry, specifically in the subject area of illustration. It explores all aspects of the illustration industry and emphasis is placed on your personal and professional development, communication skills and entrepreneurial skills, so that you are well equipped to enter a diverse and rapidly changing industry.

You will be able to explore the techniques of illustration, through both traditional and digital media, with an emphasis on drawing and conceptual thinking. To develop an individual style and language for communication, that culminates into a creative, individual and professional portfolio of work.

Over the past few years, the area of illustration has established good links with companies and publishing houses, which set briefs and visit the programme, to view the work, with a view to future employment.

Illustration for children's publishing

This element not only deals with illustration techniques and skills, but places emphasis on creative writing, storytelling and narrative imagery for children, thereby extending understanding and ability in both. This has been strengthened through the links with local primary schools, where you can study the development and needs of children. It has been designed for those individuals who want to pursue a career in the children’s publishing industry.

It explores all aspects of the children’s publishing industry, from 0 – teens and emphasis is placed on your personal and professional development, communication skills and entrepreneurial skills, so that you are well equipped to enter the children’s publishing industry.

You will be able to explore sequencing, narrative, character development, storytelling through both traditional and digital media, with an emphasis on drawing. It develops an individual style and language for communicating text and image for the younger audience, which culminates into a creative, individual and professional portfolio of work, flexible enough to attract interest from other career options within design.

Over the past few years, the area of illustration for children’s publishing has established good links with a number of publishing houses, who will set briefs and visit the programme to view the work, with a view to future employment.

There are organised study trips such as book fairs in Bologna, Paris, Frankfurt and London, as well as guest speakers/lecturers, which provide a broader appreciation of their subject area and aid discussion and lateral thinking.

This route offers the opportunity to develop interactive design skills for the digital industries, through the exploration of the potential of web design, mobile communications, CD-ROM and DVD authoring and digital games design. Using the latest software packages you will gain theoretical and hands on experience utilising 2D/3D animation, audio, typography, digital photography and the moving image.

You are introduced to the cultural and critical framework that informs current thinking in interactivity. This is delivered through lectures, seminars and regular viewings, as well as gameplay throughout the programme.

Emphasis is placed on allowing you to reach your full creative potential and to develop your professional design skills and teamwork, self-management, presentation and communication skills. Career opportunities exist within web design, installation design, interactive television, DVD production and computer game design.