School of Design - Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design
BDes / BDes (Hons) Graphic Design
BDes / BDes (Hons) Graphic Design Overview
Our undergraduate curriculum nurtures and encourages innovative, in-depth thinking to develop an intellectual, social and cultural awareness and to promote interpersonal and transferable skills. It is this strong conceptual 'thinking' - endorsed by professional bodies and employers alike - which underpins the success of our graduates.
Problem-based learning forms the ethos of the educational experience. This is facilitated through a series of design challenges, outlined in tutor-set briefs; professionally-set external briefs; and designer/client liaison through live project work. The learning programme is supported by lectures, tutorials, workshops and industrial visits.
The cross-disciplinary skills and expertise of the professional, practising staff, both full-time and part-time, cultivates an holistic design philosophy. This is reinforced through a student placement scheme with an established network of design consultancies throughout the UK, which provides valuable work experience.
In each year of the course, staff engage with students in small tutorial groups and on a one-to-one basis, to encourage an 'individual' response to set briefs. The studio-based programme promotes research, experimentation, analysis, evaluation, and self-criticism - all of which assist in arriving at the best possible solutions to design challenges.
As progress is made through the course, greater emphasis is placed on student-centred learning and personal development of creativity, intellectual rigour and technical ability.
The programme of study enables you to acquire the necessary skills to support future successful practice within the design industry. Our graduates are employed in a wide range of design-related disciplines, for example, design for print, digital based media, television and motion graphics.
Students enter at Level 2 of the Graphic Design (or Textile Design or
Jewellery & Metal Design respectively) programme having first
successfully completed the 1st Year General Course or equivalent
Foundation Course.
Level 2
- Tutor-set briefs
- Typography
- Design for print and screen
- Computer-aided design
- Drawing
- Design History
Level 3
- Tutor-set briefs
- Typography
- Design for print and screen
- Live project work
- National competitions
- Design History
- Business Studies
- Work Placement
- Cultural experience/foreign trip
Level 4
- Self-directed programme of study
- Professionally-endorsed national competitions
- Dissertation
- National Graduate Expo (London)
