Graphic and Digital Design (Top-Up) BA (Hons)
Level 6 Entry | 1 Year, Full-Time

This module integrates theoretical principles with practice-led experience to develop an advanced and contemporary understanding of graphic design. Building from core graphic design theory, you will explore a range of specialist subjects that can include data visualisation, designing for accessibility and sustainability, motion graphics, generative AI, and the use of typography to create custom typefaces and experimental layouts. The module develops your skills and knowledge across both established and emerging approaches to graphic design, equipping you to apply specialist expertise to real-world challenges while engaging critically and responsibly with sustainable and ethical design practice.

This module explores the core elements of interactive developments in graphic design that employ digital design platforms and are based on user interaction (UI) and user experience (UX). These approaches demonstrate the ways these digital approaches are working alongside traditional modes of visual communication or are extending them into digital spaces in new ways. You will learn how graphic design is evolving from static design into UX, explore the differences and similarities between graphic design, UI, and UX, user-centred design, understanding user needs, digital graphic design (hierarchy, typography, colour), designing for differing platforms (screen sizes, for example), and assessing digital usability.

This module explores maturing design platforms, and emergent technologies that are impacting modern design, and promise to be at the heart of design evolution and influence in the future. This module gives you an understanding of the technologies that are transforming graphic and digital design, and so the module provides you with a future-focused design mindset. In terms of content, the module explores the development, current iterations, and potential future trajectories of the Internet-of-Things (IoT), the Artificial Intelligence of Things (AIoT), digital twins, UX/XR haptics in design, machine learning, and generative AI. The module provides an initial context in terms of the impact of technology in graphic and wider design and considers the future industry trends that technology-driven design is initiating and is likely to develop. For your assessment, you can explore protype development ideas in areas such as an AI-generated product or graphic design/brand campaign, a smart home environment or smart (wearable) product, or the design/imagining of an AI graphic design creative ‘co-pilot,’ and many other ideas that you wish to develop.

The module will provide research-rich understanding of emerging design technologies on society, users, and the design process and ensures that you have a state-of-the-art understanding of graphic and digital design pathways. The module will also examine the sustainable and ethical impacts emerging design technologies offer but also consider the energy impacts of technologies such as artificial intelligence. In terms of understanding and practice, the module will enable you to critically examine specific platforms and to creatively (and critically) use AI as a design and research tool. By the end of the module, you will have a detailed and expansive understanding of everchanging design platforms, but also how designers play a critical and innovative role in shaping these technological changes.

This module provides an opportunity for you to address a design issue or theme of your own choice through by research or by developing and creating a design artefact or prototype. The module enables you to develop an interest you have formulated throughout your studies or to use this module to begin a new area of investigation to produce a new idea for a focused research study or a design-based project that engages with a subject relevant to advanced graphic design, UX, or emergent design technologies and the services, products, environments and user engagements they are creating. Issues such as sustainability, inclusivity, and working with diverse user communities can also be critically explored.

You will produce practice-based design project (in graphics, UX, VR, or AI) that is supported with research
design document that underpins the central aims and subject of the project and that is research/literature informed as well as evaluative of the idea iteration, project content, aims, and design/technological form.

You will be assessed by the submission of a Design-Based Research Project or a practice-based design project that is supported by design material.

This module has twin aims, firstly supporting your transition into UK higher education by developing your academic skills in the context of your business, management and finance studies. The second aim is to equip you with the necessary knowledge and transferable skills to maximise your future employability and career development. As a student on level 6 top up programme you may have limited experience of higher education in the UK, hence this module begins by supporting you as a final year undergraduate student to understand, enhance and demonstrate advanced academic skills. The first part of the module will therefore help you strengthen and enhance your academic writing skills, progress your critical thinking ability and enable you to understand research and how to use academic journal articles. The second part of the module will focus upon your employability and leadership attributes, exploring key aspects of your knowledge, skills, personality, values and abilities to enable you to make well-informed career choices.

The topics covered on this module will include:
• Academic writing skills;
• Understanding learning styles;
• Working in teams;
• Enhancing critical thinking and writing skills;
• Understanding research and the effective use of journal articles;
• Developing a literature review;
• Understanding Employability and leadership attributes;
• Evaluate the global graduate labour market;
• Design career personal development plan.

This module aims to develop and empower you as a student to become a critical and reflective thinker with respect to both your academic development and to your future career planning.