Course description
The creative industries infiltrate our world through endless routes of specialised creativity including graphics, architecture, painting, printmaking, fashion, animation, concept art and sculpture to name but a few.
The Level 3 course taught in our purpose-built spacious studios will give you the opportunity to explore and experiment with a wide range of materials, techniques, and processes before specialising in an area you want to excel at.
You will learn essential skills, communicating your ideas through art and design, working on set briefs and have the exciting opportunity of working on live briefs for local businesses. We will guide you through the course and to a career in the creative industries.
This course is the UAL Level 3 Diploma and Extended Diploma in Creative Practice: Art, Design and Communication.
The qualification is accredited by the highly regarded UAL Awarding Body.
Upcoming start dates
Suitability - Who should attend?
Minimum of four or more GCSEs grade 4 or above (A*–C), preferably including English language and usually maths, or a national award in art and design, a first diploma in art and design at merit or above, plus GCSE grade 4 (C) or above.
All students have their literacy and numeracy needs supported within the course.
You will need to show us a portfolio of art, design, or craft work. This can include artwork from school and/or outside of school, drawings, paintings, 3D work (photos are acceptable), digital work, etc.
Outcome / Qualification etc.
In the process of completing this qualification, you will develop a portfolio of work to enable you to progress into university, entry-level roles, training programmes, employment, or self-employment.
Specialist areas include:
- Architecture
- Interior Design
- Graphic Communication
- Illustration
- Animation
- Advertising/Marketing
- Fashion/Textile Design
- Three-Dimensional Design
- Photography/Lens Based Media
- Media
- Curation and Exhibition Management
- Fine Art
Training Course Content
The UAL Level 3 Diploma and Extended Diploma in Creative Practice: Art, Design and Communication gives you an in-depth introduction to the creative industries, along with a broad foundation of related knowledge, skills, and attributes associated to the creative process. This will lead to selecting a specialist area to develop into a creative career.
The objectives of this qualification are to enable you to:
- Develop the knowledge, skills and attributes associated with the creative process and creative practice.
- Gain confidence, knowledge and understanding of 2D, 3D and 4D materials, methods, techniques, and processes.
- Gain confidence, knowledge and understanding of a specialist practice and the materials and processes associated to it.
- Generate ideas, solve problems, and produce creative outcomes that explore and communicate clear and individualised intentions and purpose.
- Effectively use a reflective practice to take responsibility for their own learning, development, decision making and progression.
- Take responsibility for the research, planning, time and actions required to access vocational and educational progression opportunities.
- Professionally present themselves and their work.
- Gather a thorough and in-depth knowledge of the creative industries and their aspirational career path within it
Course delivery details
You will also develop transferrable skills, making you a versatile and employable individual, whilst also learning the importance and application of ethical and sustainable design principles, as well as developing a rich contextual knowledge and understanding of your specialist vocational area and individualised visual language.
The full, two-year qualification contains the following units:
First Year
Unit 1: The Creative Process
In this unit, you will develop an in-depth understanding of the creative process as a creative tool used and adapted by professionals across a full spectrum of creative practices. You will explore the stages of the creative process through a practical learning journey where you will apply your knowledge of the creative process to generate ideas for creative pursuit.
Unit 2: Developing Creative Practice
This unit requires you to gain knowledge of a range of 2D, 3D and 4D creative practices and explore and use materials, methods, techniques and processes in a safe and professional manner. You will then apply this learning to your own developing creative practice to enable you to refine your vocational ambitions.
Unit 3: Responding to a set brief
This synoptic unit requires you to draw on learning acquired during Units 1 and 2 in the resolution of a creative problem outlined by a set brief. You will learn how to manage and fulfil the expectations of an exciting and industry relevant project brief. You will be required to propose, plan, experiment, explore, develop, produce and present an original solution in response to the brief.
Second Year
Unit 4: Researching a Specialist Industry Practice
In this unit you are required to dive into the creative industries, identifying the sectors and specific roles that ignite your vocational ambitions. You are required to explore how the creative process is adapted and used by existing practitioners within your chosen field, cementing your learning through the application of specialist practice theory to practical activities. This unit offers you the chance to clarify and define your creative career intentions and focus your future development and progression routes.
Unit 5: Specialist Technical Skills Development
This unit allows you the opportunity to fully interrogate the materials, processes, safety measures and technical skills associated with a specialist practice. You are expected to use these skills to investigate and identify creative solutions to problems and produce specialist outcomes that reference personal and contextual influences. You will also gain a developed understanding of ethical design principles: these are principles that are essential for progression into your chosen specialist industry.
Unit 6: Specialist Creative Outcome
This synoptic unit requires you to draw on learning from across the entire qualification to propose, plan and fully realise a self-directed, individualised, specialist practice project. You will be required to identify and propose a thematic enquiry, evidencing a clear grounding in a selected specialist practice and knowledge of a specified audience or consumer. You will apply the materials, methods, techniques and processes associated to your specialist practice and develop industry relevant outcomes that support progression towards a career in the creative industries.
UAL Awarding Body believes in transformative education. They design and award creative qualifications that empower and inspire educators to help students reach their potential.
UAL Awarding Body is regulated by Ofqual, Qualifications Wales and CCEA Regulation and currently offers qualifications in Art and Design, Fashion Business and Retail, Creative Media Production and Technology, Music Performance and Production and Performing and Production Arts. They are also the UK's leading provider of the Foundation Diploma in Art and Design. Their qualifications have high retention and achievement rates because they are flexible, responsive and relevant to industry needs, and facilitate student progression.
Activate Learning
Activate Learning is a forward-thinking education group that aims for far-reaching, progressive change and impact through learning. We work with learners as individuals, helping them make the choice of course and career pathway that’s right for them. Our mission is to provide work-ready talent for business, and...