Course description
BA (Hons) Visual Communications
Our BA (Hons) Visual Communications degree encourages you to explore the most creative and original ways to communicate a message to any given audience. It provides an opportunity for you to experiment with multiple creative disciplines and topics, so that you gain a more comprehensive understanding of meaning, purpose, interpretation and design.
You’ll learn how to communicate your ideas effectively across various media and practices, equipping you with new thought processes and reasoning behind your methods. This will help you produce an interdisciplinary portfolio of artwork that can span a range of areas including graphic design, illustration, web, moving image, comics, infographics, packaging and beyond.
Throughout your course of study, your specialist tutor will support you and your work, enabling you to work both independently, ready for the world of visual creativity. So if you’re looking to create meaningful communications for a client base or for yourself, our BA (Hons) Visual Communications degree is for you.
Do you work at this organisation and want to update this page?
Is there out-of-date information about your organisation or courses published here? Fill out this form to get in touch with us.
Upcoming start dates
Suitability - Who should attend?
Visual Communications is an open access degree; this means that there are no formal qualifications or experience required to join the course. All you need is a passion for the arts, and willingness to learn.
All OCA courses require students to be IT literate, have a good internet connection, and have a good standard of English equivalent to CEFR B2.
For more information about admission requirements, please visit the institute website.
Outcome / Qualification etc.
Final Award Title and Type: BA (Hons) Visual Communications
Upon successful completion of the course students are able to:
- Demonstrate a critical and contextual understanding of contemporary practice andown practice within it.
- Demonstrate use of research and enquiry in the development of own creative practice.
- Select appropriate ways to effectively communicate ideas.
- Show a detailed critical and contextual understanding of own creative practice in relationship to wider graphic design contexts
Training Course Content
Core Units
When starting the degree at Level 1, you can choose to study either the Graphic Design 1: Core Concepts unit, and/or Illustration 1: Key Steps in Illustration unit.
Graphic Design 1: Core Concepts provides an introduction to the use of basic visual language, and the application of practices and processes of graphic design. The unit offers you the opportunity to develop practical competencies, explore your creative potential, and appreciate how to communicate effectively.
Illustration 1: Key Steps in Illustration introduces you to the practice of illustration through the creative use of drawing and image-making in developing ideas, content and visual outcomes.
The choice of which unit to start with at Level 1 is yours. Depending on your developing interests in the area of Visual Communications, you can choose to study a second unit as well before selecting an elective unit, or you can go on to choose two elective units (see below).
Once you have completed the first level of study, you’ll progress onto Level 2, where your choice of two elective units will be, in part, determined by the choices you make at Level 1 (see below).
At the final level of study, Level 3 (HE6), there is a shared structure of core course units that provide a framework for you to contextualise your practice, develop a specialist understanding of visual communications, synthesise critical ideas and visual work through a body of written and visual research (Visual Communications 3: Visual Research), and undertake a self-directed major project (Visual Communications 3: Advanced Practice) culminating in an exhibition and/or publication (Visual Communications 3: Sustaining your Practice).
Optional Units
You can choose from a range of disciplines including book design, graphic fiction, illustration, drawing, photography, printmaking and visual studies:
- Book Design 1: Creative Book Design
- Visual Communication 1: Graphic Fiction
- Illustration 1: Illustration Sketchbooks
- Drawing 1: Drawing skills
- Photography 1: Expressing your Vision
- Printmaking 1: Introduction to Printmaking
- Visual Studies 1: Understanding Visual Culture
Your choice of two elective units at Level 2 will be, in part, determined by the choices you make at Level 1. The available units and prerequisites are as follows:
- Graphic Design 2: Working with a Client (prerequisite Graphic Design 1)
- Illustration 2: Responding to a Brief (prerequisite Illustration 1)
- Drawing 2: Investigating drawing (prerequisite Drawing 1)
- Printmaking 2: Developing your Style (prerequisite Printmaking 1)
Should your choice of unit/s at Level 1 not have a specifically named unit at Level 2, then your choice of unit for progression will be Visual Skills 2: Visual Exploration. This unit will encourage you to undertake self-initiated projects that enable you to develop the skills and innovation needed to provide technically compelling content.
Course delivery details
As a flexible degree, you can complete the programme in 4–9 years, with a maximum of three years to complete each level of the course.
Expenses
UK 2020/21 Fees
- Foundations: £900 per course
- Level 1 (HE4): £4,050 for the level
- Level 2 (HE5): £3,340 for the level
- Level 3 (HE6): £3,340 for the level
Outside of the UK 2020/21 Fees
- Foundations: £1,050 per course
- Level 1 (HE4): £4,500 for the level
- Level 2 (HE5): £3,690 for the level
- Level 3 (HE6): £3,690 for the level
Continuing Studies
Upon completing the BA (Hons) Visual Communications degree, you’ll be set with skills to help you navigate the workplace. You could use your practice as a professional illustrator, digital designer, artist, brand or content specialist, the possibilities are endless. Prospects can help you with a variety of options of where your degree could take you.