BA (Hons) Graphic Design & Illustration: course modules in detail

The BA (Hons) Graphic Design & Illustration follows a typical three year structure, resulting in a BA (Hons) degree awarded by Kingston University London (subject to validation).

Core modules

Click on the links below to read module descriptions:

Year 1
Critical and Cultural Studies
Introductory Design Studies 1A
Introductory Imagery 1A
Graphic Design and Illustration Design Studies 2A
Graphic Design and Illustration Imagery 2A

Year 2
Critical and Cultural Studies
Graphic Design and Illustration Design Studies 2B
Graphic Design and Illustration Imagery 2B
Graphic Design and Illustration Negotiated Project
Professional Development and Employability

Year 3
Portfolio building
Advanced technical skills
Live project
Dissertation

Critical and Cultural Studies

At Level 1, students are encouraged to familiarise themselves with a range of key figures in their discipline and to begin to develop understanding of the conventions of the discipline. A survey of the recent history of Graphic Design and Illustration using case studies and sample practitioners forms a lecture and seminar series which will enable students to access a range of references in their own design work. In addition study skills comprise a major emphasis at Level 1 in order that such skills are gathered and practised well in advance of the more challenging assessment tasks at Levels 2 and 3. Indicative module content and sampling of key moments to include:

• Industrialisation and Artisanship in Design Practice
• Reactions to Industrialisation
• Modernism and Mechanisation
• Intimations of Postmodernity.

Contemporary graphic design is not produced in a vacuum but is informed and shaped by a wide range of social, political, economic, cultural and professional contexts. This module aims to encourage students to see such contexts and histories as a vital tool for innovative, critically well informed, professional practice and particular attention is given to the analysis of objects and ideas that relate to students' own work. The module also provides students with the opportunity to reflect critically upon their studio work and to begin to locate their practice within a wider contextual and professional framework.

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Introductory Design Studies 1A

The purpose of this module is to act initially as a bridging study period, establishing a more consistent level of skills and awareness among students of disparate prior learning experience. A study theme is set which provides cohesion to the range of experiences that make up the content of the module. These include visual research, exploratory exercises, designed outcomes and the process of discussing the students' work. One of the primary aims of the module is to introduce the student to both a visual language and a design development process that they will learn to use with growing confidence. On completion of the module, the student will have a basic knowledge and understanding of how to go about solving a design problem and have the skills and attributes with which to do it at an introductory level. In other words, the student is equipped with the 'toolbox' he or she needs in order to progress.

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Introductory Imagery 1A

The purpose of this module is to introduce students to a basic range of problem solving approaches that can be utilised in response to the demands of a design brief. Designers, in the early stages of their education, bring with them all sorts of preconceived ideas about the practice of graphic design and illustration. This module aims to challenge preconceptions and extend students' range of problem solving approaches to a design brief. The projects deal with the problem of communicating ideas through graphic imagery in a series of exercises that include conventional and experimental drawing and creative thinking skills. Students research relevant examples of graphic imagery in contemporary practice and are expected to present their ideas in context, for example as a book cover or package.

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Graphic Design and Illustration Design Studies 2A

This module builds on the Introductory Design Studies course in Semester A by extending the students' range of basic skills and awareness of contemporary design practice. In particular the module develops students' experience of digital production techniques and professional standards of presentation. To equip students with industry standard production skills, publishing software package is introduced to complement the image software introduced in Semester A. Students are expected to apply visual research, a design development process and acquired digital production skills to take a project from concept through to a design solution. The design will be fully realised in a contextualised form such as a promotional poster.

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Graphic Design and Illustration Imagery 2A

Following on from the Semester A module 'Intoductory Imagery 1A', this module extends/introduces a basic range of visual development approaches that can be utilised in response to the demands of a design brief. The themes of the projects are designed to stimulate lateral responses requiring creative thinking and experimental use of media. The range of visual development approaches include drawing from a range of sources, use of a variety of drawing media and alternative approaches to image creation. These practical skills are complemented by idea development exercises such as brainstorming, group discussion and word-to-image development. As with Semester A Imagery module students may be required to present their ideas in a design context (for example, as a book of graphic imagery of proverbs). At key points during the module examples of graphic imagery in the field of graphic design and illustration are discussed.

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Graphic Design and Illustration Critical and Cultural Studies

This module aims to encourage students to see critical and cultural studies as a vital tool for further innovative and well-informed practice, and particular attention is given to the analysis of ideas that specifically relate to students' own work. The module provides students with the opporunity to make an in-depth examination of one of a range of theoretical positions that inform recent and contemporary practice and to use such debate to reflect critically upon their own work and to locate their practice within the context of historical, social, cultural and professional currents. The module examines recent and contemporary graphic and illustration design against the backdrop of various issues such as gender, decoration, multiculturalism, media and ecological issues.

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Graphic Design and Illustration Design Studies 2B

This module comprises two main components: Design Project and Professional Practice. The design project provides the student with the opportunity to extend their development through the exploration of research methods and the application of research to a design brief. Students are encouraged to apply a multidisciplinary but integrated approach to the development of this work and optional specialist workshops are made available. Subjects can include: drawing as communication, mixed media workshop practices, advanced photographic, professional and alternative photographic practices, digital publishing, advanced typographic approaches, web authoring and presentational techniques and strategies. Students are also expected to develop an individual design method that locates their practice within the fields of Graphic Design and Illustration. Professional Practice develops the student's awareness of the design industries, potential career directions and career-management skills. It also assists the student in defining themselves professionally within the fields of Graphic Design and Illustration.

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Graphic Design and Illustration Imagery 2B

The purpose of this module is to make the student aware of the potential for expressing abstract concepts through the creation and application of graphic imagery. Following the Semester A module 'Imagery 2A', this module asks the student to focus on the individual interpretation of a set theme, and to make visual and conceptual links between this theme and the subject of the concurrent Negotiated Project. The aim is to direct their work towards their chosen career direction in preparation for Level Three. Themes explored might be, for example, the communication of concepts through indirect means by the use of visual metaphor and allusion. As the emphasis is on individual interpretation, students are given a free choice of approach, use of media and means of presentation.

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Graphic Design and Illustration Negotiated Project

The negotiated and self-directed approach to this module forms a preparation for similar levels of work at Level Three in which students are expected to exercise personal responsibility and initiative. The student is given the responsibility for determining the subject and scope of the Negotiated Project within clearly set parameters. A schedule of work including the construction of a realistic brief will be undertaken and discussed with tutors during the research stage. (This may be informed by work undertaken during semester A ). During the project, progress is monitored by means of group tutorials. Because of the duration of the module, the occasional `bomb' project (which may last no longer than a day) is dropped into the module to introduce relevant topics and to add breadth of experience. This project is seen as a major indicator of the direction of the student's studies within the fields of graphic design or illustration.

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Professional Development and Employability

This module provides contextual knowledge and experience relating to professional practice in the visual communications industry, both nationally and internationally. It enables students to acquire first-hand knowledge of professional designers and illustrators and design / advertising agencies through a number of opportunities. These include work placements, case-studies involving research and presentations of findings to peer groups, live project work (working on real projects with real clients in a competitive pitch situation), and lectures / seminars delivered by a variety of practising professionals specifically chosen to reflect a wide range of practice. In addition, the module contains practical work to test team-working skills, along with an exercise in self-promotion and marketing with a view to securing work placements in industry. This includes portfolio presentation, verbal presentation of work, interview techniques, CV and letter writing skills. Alternatively students may undertake a faculty work experience instead of this module, subject to agreement with the programme tutor.

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