**From the icons on your smartphone to the type on your favourite magazine, visual communications play a powerful part in shaping our choices.**
**Visual Communication** is a broad discipline, encompassing graphic design, image generation, typography and screen-based design. If you’re looking to be a part of the choice-shaping process then this is the course for you. Throughout the course, your industry knowledge will be strengthened through independent research, as well as collaborative and individual participation in ‘live’ and prestigious competition briefs, set by the likes of D&AD and ISTD.
Past are the days when the role of a professional communication designer was limited to the confines of a single discipline or linear career-path. What is required now is a combination of skills and personal qualities, including: the ability to be well-versed in a wide range of technical skills and in processes of thinking-through-making which are supported by rigorous self-criticism and reflection; an informed awareness of context and audience; the ability to work collaboratively as well as independently. Above all, the designer of today/tomorrow should have an idealistic commitment to improve all aspects of sustainable user-centred communication design both locally and globally.
**What you will learn**
Visual Communication explores the interface and overlap between analogue and digital technologies, and looks at ways in which traditional craft media and processes are used alongside, and combined with, digital developments. The course is interested in these ‘hybrid’ processes of developing ideas and communicating these ideas through visual language to an audience. Visual Communication is a rich fusion of graphic design, illustration and photographic practices and dialogues, whose influences come from a myriad of cultures and experiences; its practitioners are characterised by their innovative multi-disciplinary approach to the development of contemporary communication solutions.
The teaching and learning within BA (Hon) Visual Communication’s working studio environment is fluid and open so that you can make the most of opportunities that arise from both within and beyond the curriculum structure. This manner of teaching is essentially multidisciplinary, and is characteristically based on collaborative studio practice. The course allows you to pursue your particular creative interests and to extend the scope and depth of your enquiry. You will be encouraged to formulate and identify your particular professional and academic interests. Intellectual and academic integrity will be further encouraged, both through written content and ‘thinking through practice’.
Across the three years approximately 55% of your time will be contact hours, including scheduled teaching sessions, but also supervised time in the workshop or studio, and the remainder will be independent study. 100% of assessment for this course is coursework based.
**By the end of the course you will be able to...**
- Apply a broad range of analytical, interrogative processes that inform experimentation, innovation and resolution.
- Understand and apply the benefits of live projects, cross-course and collaborative and/or interdisciplinary practice in academic and professional environments.
- Apply an ethical approach to sustainable design and visual communication problem-solving.
- Demonstrate a sound understanding of the broad critical and cultural contexts of visual communication, and knowledge of the principles and methodologies which underpin them.
- Select, evaluate and critically reflect upon a range of research in order to create effective visual communication solutions.
- Demonstrate the ability to produce critically informed visual communication solutions targeted at specific audiences.
- Demonstrate competence in the advanced technical skills necessary for professional practice.
Course Details - Modules
Modules are not listed for this Course.
Course Details – Assessment Method
Assessment Methods are not listed for this Course.
Course Details – Professional Bodies
Professional Bodies are not listed for this Course.
How to Apply
26 January This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.
Application Codes
Course code:
W215
Institution code:
A66
Campus Name:
Main Site - Arts University Bournemouth
Campus code:
Points of Entry
The following entry points are available for this course:
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Entry Requirements for Advanced Entry (Year 2 and Beyond)
AUB welcomes applications for direct entry to year 2 or 3 of our degree courses, providing your previous studies can be assessed to be equivalent to the work completed at AUB. We require that the institution be accredited or recognized by the relevant national authority.
. To enter year 2/year 3 you will need to have passed 120/240 ECTS credits in your first and second years of study and that the units you have studied on the course are broadly equivalent to what the students in our first year/first two years will have learned. Please note that having completed the required number of credits is not by itself sufficient to guarantee placement on the subsequent year. AUB assesses applicants on the whole of the application and the course team will recommend the offer admission on the year that is suited to the applicant’s entire profile.
International applicants
Standard Qualification Requirements
Scottish Highers – five passes at Grade C or above
**Please see AUB's website for a full list of our entry requirements, including tariff points where applicable.**
We are happy to accept a wide range of qualifications, including but not limited to: A Levels, BTEC Extended Diploma, OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Diploma, BTEC Subsidiary Diploma(s), Access to HE courses, Scottish Highers, IB Diploma Programme, Foundation Diploma in Art and Design. We can also accept many EU and International qualifications. See website for details. Email Admissions (admissions@aub.ac.uk) with any queries about entry requirements.
We welcome applicants who are currently studying or who have gained a Foundation Diploma in Art and Design and this qualification meets our level three entry requirements. This is a recommended qualification for many of our courses but it is not a compulsory qualification.
Other relevant and equivalent Level 3 qualifications are considered on an individual basis and we are happy to accept applicants with a combination of Level 3 qualifications. Please check your qualifications using UCAS Tariff calculator and remember we are looking for the equivalent of 3 A levels if you are combining Level 3 qualifications.
AUB tailors its offers to the qualifications an applicant is studying and looks for applicant to be studying a relevant creative subject. AUB makes offers based on up to three A Levels or equivalent Level 3 qualifications with the most UCAS Tariff points attached to them to give applicants the best chance possible at achieving our required tariff (120 UCAS Tariff points in most cases).
Please click the following link to find out more about qualification requirements for this course
Minimum Further Information are not listed for this Course.
English language requirements
Test
Grade
AdditionalDetails
IELTS (Academic)
6.0
6.0 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in each component (reading, writing, speaking and listening)
PTE Academic
54.0
A minimum of 51 in each component
Cambridge English Advanced
Overall score of 180
Cambridge English Proficiency
Overall score of 200
AUB can also accept International Baccalaureate English Language B or English Language and Literature A at Higher Level grade 4 or Standard Level grade 5.
We may also accept TOEFL iBT scores of 80 or above for entry to degree courses; however we would prefer one of the above qualifications. TOEFL is a test of American English and is not classified as a Secure English Language Test (SELT) for Tier 4 Visa applicants.
IELTS, Pearson and TOEFL scores must be less than two years old at the start of the course to be valid.
