HND Graphic Design

About this course

Is the course right for me?

Would you like to help shape the design of your surroundings? Do you dream of picking up a magazine or seeing an animation or website and saying "I designed that"? Can you spot a Comic San from a Helvetica? If the answer is yes, then you should consider a HND in Graphic Design!

Our course offers you the opportunity to develop into an independent creative ready for employment, so we will encourage you to be as imaginative and unique as possible. The course offers the best of both worlds: a qualification that can both secure you work and launch you into the final year of a degree.

The HND is a hands-on course. It is where you will learn the skills that industry professionals use everyday and create design concepts fit for the professional market. While we strongly advocate academic and theoretical research, our main emphasis is on practitioner skills that will make you a designer for today's industry.

What makes WCT the best?

We produce successful students. We have strong links with many graphic design companies and work to continually develop these close ties. As a result, our past students have worked on exciting 'live' projects such as storyboarding for O2 commercials, film and DVD artwork, graphic design props, film credits, photography, animation and event promotion. The intention is to give you real life opportunities in these industries and, as a result, the course is geared as much as possible towards providing you with the experience of working on live briefs with our real-life contacts.

Our graduating students have become successful designers employed by many of the companies that we work with. Companies approach us when recruiting new staff because they are confident in the results of our teaching. We can boast that we have past students working for a variety of top companies, such as Codemasters and Eurocom (who produce games for Playstation and Xbox), Dair (who produce TV commercials for O2), Top-Banana (who design for Gucci) and The BBC.

How will I learn?

Our course offers a full-time programme of study lasting two years. We offer an exciting, varied and challenging approach to learning that mixes theoretical and practical study with a strong vocational element.

You will study 16 modules in total, covering a variety of disciplines. Learning activities include lectures, demonstrations, self-directed study, presentations and a dedicated on-line learning resource.

You will learn in a well-equipped professional office environment that is welcoming and practical. Individual workstations provide you with a dedicated iMac computer containing the latest graphic software enabling you to develop current skills and compete with contemporary designers who are currently in the industry.

What will I be doing?

You will study a variety of topics such as image manipulation, typography, visual communication, animation, video production, editorial design, web authoring, design for print and on-screen motion graphics, using a combination of hand-rendered and computer generated imagery. This will be enabled through lectures, guest speakers, regular group critiques and tutorials. You will be encouraged to develop a conceptual approach to design solutions, mindful of current design principles.

The practical live briefs you undertake will require you to host meetings and presentations with your client in our dedicated studio. Other recent course events have been hosted by Design Religion, Ninety Five Creative, Nexus Creative Ltd and Antony Poels (Sculptor), providing many networking opportunities. The course terminates with a graduation show designed and managed by you and your peers.

Entry requirements

To apply for the course, you will need three A Levels or a qualification in a related subject such as a Diploma in Graphics or Art & Design, or prior knowledge of the industry. As a guide, 240 UCAS points is the minimum requirement for joining the course.

If your application is successful, you will be invited for an interview where you will be asked to bring a portfolio of artwork. You can apply through UCAS.

Please submit a personal statement on your application form stating why you would like to take this course and why you think you are a suitable candidate.

Assessment

You will be assessed continually throughout your two years at College. You will be asked to submit a body of work that represents both practical and theoretical knowledge for each of the 16 units required.

What next?

After completing course, you can choose to continue studying by topping-up to a degree or stepping out of education and seeking employment.

An HND in Graphic Design will qualify you to work in a range of exciting careers in many different areas. If you are interested in Art, you could become an Animator, Technical Illustrator, Storyboard Artist, Colourist, Advertising Designer, Art Editor or Illustrator for Graphic Novels. If design is your passion, you could work with graphics, websites, CGI technology, film and TV, print and packaging or even games! Or why not become a Photographer and specialise in Fashion, Studio, Advertising or Editorial work? Or you could be a Typographer, Video Producer, Art Director, Events Designer, Studio Manager........the list is endless!

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For help applying call 01905 743456