My First Interview - Bath Spa Graphic Communication

Bath Spa interview
On the 16th of February I had my first Interview for a place on the Graphic Communication Degree course at Bath spa.
I was required to have a portfolio with a varied content. This included material that showed my ability within art and design as a whole, as well as more subject specific things like typography, photography and illustration.
The interview took place in a classroom with around 5 other candidates. We were each individually assigned a teacher to go through our portfolio with. During the session we had to go through each page and explain piece of work on it.
Once we had finished presenting our work the teacher would ask us a few questions. These included what was it about the course that made you apply? What mad Bath spa different to any other school? and many more. Once I answered the questions it was then my turn to ask some questions. Luckily I came prepared as one of the number one rules whilst having an interview is to ask questions as well as answer. My question was, what can your school and teachers offer me to ensue I achieve the best I can and enjoy m experience? I was also curious about whether they do placements or exchange programmes?
Overall, I felt this interview was a little bit too brief and rushed, However, towards the end of the interview I was offered a place on the course under the conditions hat I attain the required grade.

Leeds University

Graphic Communication Design

Why Leeds?

The University of Leeds is a top civic university in the heart of one of the UK’s most fashionable and student friendly cities.  Graphic design is well established at Leeds and many of our graduates are successful designers and business leaders in the UK and overseas.

This challenging course develops your creativity in graphic and communication design within an intellectually stimulating learning and research environment.  A framework of academic studies, delivered by experts from a range of design disciplines, gives a dynamic context to your specialist graphic and communication design studies.  You may also develop complementary skills and knowledge through a choice of optional subjects and/or elective subjects offered by the School or other university departments.  A wide range of ‘electives’ are available, in many different subjects, from across the University.

What are the entry requirements?

The course requires three ‘A’ levels to grades ABB or above (or the equivalent qualifications) for entry, including an art or design subject.

For a BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma student like myself I would need to attain a minimum of DDM. The course also requires me to have outstanding GCSE's (several A's).

Course Structure

In Year 1, you will undertake core studies in the historic, cultural and technological aspects of art and design. Alongside your academic work, you will develop a strategic approach to communications problem-solving, with a strong emphasis on visual research.

In Year 2, you will develop your academic understanding of the core subjects and an awareness of professional standards. You will focus your studio practice and specialise in either: graphic design, branding and advertising or animation/interactive media.

In Year 3, you will work towards a final exhibition of design work and produce a written investigation into a graphic and communication design subject of your choice.

Student Achievement

G&CD student are currently working on a number of live project set by design agencies across the globe. The first, set by M&S has resulted in 4 students being short listed for a one week work placement in London which will eventually lead to a full 12 month paid placement for one lucky student. Another lucky student who is currently working on a brief set by Exposure has secured a 12 month placement at their New York office. The great news continues with three final year student being offered placements at Elmwood after completing their live brief. Hopefully the good news will continue as we move into the months when D&AD winners are announced.

This is what some of our students have won:

• D&AD
• RSA
• Futurebrand
• Elmwood
• Prego
• YCN
• Consort Royal

This is where some of our graduates are:

• Saatchi + Saatchi | London
• FutureBrand | London
• Smoke & Mirrors | London
• Show Media | London
• Elle Magazine | London
• McCann – Erikson | London
• BBYO | London
• SSY | London
• Allgood | London
• Golden | Leeds
• Prego | Leeds
• Elmwood | Leeds
• An Agency Called England agency | Leeds
• Exposure | New York
• Spiekermann Partners | Germany
• Zitromat | Germany

Leeds University Open Day

On October the 11th 2014 I attended the Leeds university open day. The day started off with me registering myself, here I was given a guide telling me about the schedule of the day.

My first talk was the introduction which was hosted by the Students. They talked about the courses they are currently enrolled in and their lives as a student at Leeds. I really enjoyed listening to this as it was from a personal point of view and the students themselves. It also showed me that being at Leeds may possibly help an individual build their confidence to speak out in public. I learnt that the city of Leeds itself has a high concentration of students making up more than half of the population of Leeds. This is due to the number of universities and colleges that are actually in Leeds alone such as Leeds University, Leeds Beckett, Leeds college of Art etc. This has made room for a highly vibrant social scene within the city of Leeds, allowing individuals to have an amazing student life.

The Great Hall
This was where the introduction presentation was held

The introduction was then followed by a second talk which was about Student Accomodation. We were given information on the accomodation options we could choose from. At Leeds the students are given the option between living in either catered or self-catered dorms. There was also a key showing certain amenities which may or may not be available in each house. This included WiFi, gym, bike shed, bar, music room, common room, parking, en suite and so much more. They also gave us the price ranges of the accommodation ranging from £80-£200 per week.

The residential options were:

Catered

- Charles Morris Hall

- Devonshire Hall

- Ellerslie Global Residence

- Lyddon Hall

Self Catered

- Broadcasting Tower

- clv Leeds

- Devonshire Hall

- Henry Price Residences

- Leodis Residences

- Lupton Residences

- Montague Burton Residences

- Oxley Residences

- The Tannery

- Central Village

- Concept Place

- Grayson Heights

- James Baillie Park

- Liberty Dock

- Mary Morris House

- North Hill Court

- Sentinel Towers

- St Mark's Residences

- Smaller Residences

Next, I went to go and see the school of design which was were the Graphic Communication and Design course is held. I started off with a tour of the department and was able to see the facilities they own. For me despite the beautiful architecture of the building I felt the graphic communication and design department lacked a rich amount of facilities. I was also unimpressed by the set up and overall look of the rooms as they were quite old and in need of an update. 

Outside the Clothworkers building

Room to think room

After the department tour I attended the the Graphic Communication and Design Course talk. This was held by the two heads of department who started off by giving us a brief introduction to the school, the course and themselves. They explained the structure of the course and the topics we would be covering. The course covers a broad range of things such as typography, idea and concept generation, the history of design, advertising, illustration, animation and many more.
Although, the spokesperson mentioned that the course is also very theory based as well as practical. She also seemed to emphasise on the importance of academia within the course. I felt that she didn't equally express the importance of creativity. This was an issue for me as I feel creativity is equally as important, if not just as important as academia for a course such as graphic design. It is of understanding to me that the course requires problem solving skills, theory or even research, however imagination, innovation and creative output are also key factors a designer should attain.
In addition, I felt a sense of belittlement towards individuals who may not be as academically gifted and also students studying a BTEC. She mentioned that they value A level students more than BTEC students and that if a BTEC student was to apply to the course their GCSE grades would have to be outstanding. This seemed odd to me as most art and design courses value the BTEC or even a Foundation more than A levels.
On the other hand, something I really liked about the course was that students are given the opportunity to take a year out in industry in the UK or abroad. This seems wonderful as I believe that exposure to the industry opens doors to potential employment prospects, and gives the individual a taste of what working life is like.
The talk ended with a Q&A session. However, it was cut short and rushed as the teachers were in too much of a rush to answer all of them.

I left the talk feeling pretty disappointed as i had high expectations. This really gave me something to think about as to what I would and would not need from the course I apply to.
Since I was left feeling very unsure about Leeds I then decided to hear the students perspective on the course. I spoke to a girl who was in her 1st year and a 3rd year student. The feedback I got from the both of them was very positive as they mentioned their love for the course and the city itself. We had a long discussion about what the school offers and life as a Leeds student. Actually talking to the students who are experiencing the course first hand gave me a brighter outlook on the course and the school.

Overall, I would sum up my experience of attending the open day as eye opening as it made me realise what I do and don't want from my time at university. It also showed me that talking to the students is an essential part of attending an open day, as they are the ones experiencing the course first hand.

Finding the Top Universities for Art and Design course

I decided to browse the internet in hope of finding the top universities in the UK for Art and Design. Here is what I found:

I started off by searching top universities for Art and Design and found an array of links to website which would give me this information

I followed by clicking of the first link and come across this website called the complete university guide.

The site showed me a table ranking the universities. This was based on Entry standards, student satisfaction, research assessment, graduate prospects all adding up to a total score out of 100. What I like about the website is that you can click on each university and find out about it. 

Your are given information to do withe the history of the school, location, entry standards, reviews, student mix etc.

Which Universities caught my eye?

Lancaster - 3

Newcastle - 4

Reading - 6

Heriot-Watt - 9

Leeds - 10

Goldsmiths - 12

Oxford Brookes - 14

Falmouth - 16

These particular Universities caught my eye because I plan to go to university outside of London and live away from home. These were the top universities out of London. 

What Course Do I Need To Do At University In Order To Become A Creative In An Advertising Company?

As I was looking at University courses relevant to creative advertising and Graphic Design, Creative Advertising and Advertising and Marketing stood out to me. However, through a lot of research I found that Advertising and Marketing isn't the course I am looking for as it is more focused on the business and finance side of advertising rather than the creative side.
Consequently, I then started to research which courses would be relevant or helpful for someone who aspired to work as a creative within an Advertising or Branding firm. Here is what I found:

My research showed me that I don't necessarily need to do an advertising course to be an Art Director. The courses my research recommended were things like Graphic design, Fine Art, Visual communication etc. However, Graphic is said to be an essential for an aspiring Creative as you will learn about idea generation and problem-solving as well as the practical side of it. 

The School of Communication Design

Graphic Design BA (Hons)

UCAS Code - W214
Location - Falmouth Campus
Length - 3 years Full-time

They have 100% student satisfaction rate in the 2013 National Student Survey and their award-winning graduates and staff prove they deliver a learning experience that's one of the most respected springboards to graduate and career success in the country.

Graphic Design at Falmouth is about great ideas and building the skills to make and deliver them. We help you develop as an individual so you can see the world with fresh eyes and have the confidence to realise your aspirations. You'll leave Falmouth equipped to inspire change, ready for a global industry with ever-evolving boundaries and with a passion for design rooted in innovation.

How is the course taught

Weekly group tutorials, seminars and regular individual tutorials will provide the platform for feedback; presenting work in progress, developing your confidence in discussing your work and contextualising the role of design within society.

Year 1

In the first year you are supported by our course team to establish the core building blocks and skills of your practice as a graphic designer. You'll learn how to go about designing and how to tell a story visually, with workshops, assignments, peer critiques and work-in-progress reviews to build your confidence and capabilities. Alongside this, lectures and seminars from our own staff and expert visiting speakers boost your understanding of graphic language and communication.

Importantly you'll begin not only to understand the subject in more depth, but also gain ability in individual and collaborative working practice. This supports your development as a designer and also gives you the study skills you need to take full advantage of your learning experience with us.

Year 2

The central part of our course introduces you to the professional world in greater depth through skills and project-orientated tasks, to help prepare you for your final year before graduation. You'll begin to grow more deeply as a designer, building individual reflection on professional ambitions.

You'll visit studios in London or Amsterdam, attend designer-led workshops and visit agencies such as Pentagram, GBH, Fitch, Mother and Trapped in Suburbia, and have the chance to gain direct industry experience with placements in leading design organisations.

Year 3

By the end of your course you'll have explored the many opportunities for subject study, developed independence in terms of character and portfolio, and be ready to launch your career.

This is facilitated through intense project work, directed by tutor support and key industry-facing events. These provide you with an important platform to showcase your work and include exhibiting at the D&AD New Blood exhibition and our own exclusive event at the Royal Society of Arts. These events and our extensive networks of leading design professionals also help you to target studios or postgraduate study to support future ambition.

Finally, you'll complete your dissertation and work with course staff to ready yourself for employment, with professional practice workshops, CV development and interview techniques.

Facilities

The design studios and workshops include:

• Large, open-plan, dedicated design studios
• Woodblock type and basic printmaking facilities
• Central IT facility providing both Mac and PC platforms, industry-standard software and printing facilities
• Extensive library facilities including thousands of books, DVDs and periodicals

Staff

The staff have worked at many of the UK’s leading design practices and for clients, type foundries and companies all over the world, with awards and professional recognition to their names. This is seen as an important component of the course, so students learn from highly engaged staff who are passionate about graphic design and the future of the industry and their subject.

Whilst they all continue their professional practice, they are also engaged with research and outreach projects that help feed knowledge that can be shared in the studio. Some of these include regional community projects with organisations like the Design Council, European Erasmus exchange projects in Germany and international teaching exchanges in Sri Lanka.

Experience you'll get

• Work placement opportunities and top industry guest speakers
• Live project opportunities and external briefs set by designers
• Professional practice workshops
• Industry visits and showcase student events

Study trips

Each year Falmout offer study trips to design agencies for our second year students. Students choose from London or Amsterdam. Some of the regular hosts include:

• The Brand Union, London
• BBH Advertising, London
• Saatchi X, London
• Fitch, London
• NB Studio, London
• The Chase, London
• NBC Universal, London
• Coley Porter Bell, London
• Lewis Moberly, London
• AKQA, London
• Hat-trick Design, London
• 300 Million, London
• The Partners, London
• Design Bridge, London
• Thomas Matthews, London
• Unreal, London
• Purpose, London
• Form, London
• Airside, London
• Pearl Fisher, London
• Brandopus, London
• Pentagram, London
• Lava, Amsterdam
• Trapped in Suburbia, Amsterdam
• Underware, Amsterdam
• Lust, Amsterdam
• Dolly Rogers, Amsterdam
• Silo, Amsterdam
• Sid Lee, Amsterdam
• De Designpolitie, Amsterdam
• FOAM, Amsterdam
• Design Bridge, Amsterdam
• KesselsKrammer, Amsterdam

Careers

• Work as part of a design consultancy
• Set up your own consultancy or work freelance
• Careers in multidisciplinary design consultancies or as specialists within the areas of packaging design, branding, advertising, television graphics, interactivity, exhibition design, magazine and book design, and animation

Graduate destinations

• Graphic designer: Pentagram, The Chase
• Brand designer: Lewis Moberly, Someone
• Packaging designer: Turner Duckworth, Design Bridge, B&B
• Digital designer: the Sunday Times
• Art director: Arnold KLP, Bartle Bogle Hegarty

Work placements

The course works hard to provide work placement opportunities for our students. Here is a selection of  typical work placement design contacts:

• Mytton Williams
• Biles Inc
• Nixon Design
• ASHA
• Smith & Milton
• B&B
• The Partners
• Springetts
• Open Agency
• Bisqit
• Lush Design
• Thomas Matthews
• Brand Union
• Oakwood
• Unreal
• Fitch
• Music
• The Chase
• Lewis Moberly
• Turner Duckworth
• Design Bridge
• Bow & Arrow
• Sparks

Entry Requirements

A typical offer is between 260 and 300 UCAS points, mainly from the A2 level or equivalent Level 3 qualifications or relevant experience.

Due to the creative nature of the University’s courses, applicants will be considered on individual merit and you should contact the admissions team if you are predicted UCAS points outside of this range.

If English is not your first language, you will also be required to have an IELTS score of 6.0 points, or an equivalent English language test, completed within the last two years.

All applicants will be invited to an interview and to present a portfolio of creative work at interview.

The School of Communication Design

Creative Design BA (Hons)

UCAS Code - N561

Location - Falmouth Campus

Length - 3 years full-time

This is one of the first complete Creative Advertising undergraduate degrees in Europe. The syllabus is best suited to individuals driven by ideas, who relish the challenge of embracing new media. Creative Advertising at Falmouth is designed for aspiring creative directors, art directors, copywriters and brand strategists.

This is a full-time practice-based course. It's focused on creative and strategic communication skills, and underpinned with a theoretical understanding of the industry and its contexts. You'll work on live projects (in groups and individually) and participate in study visits.

Year 1

Divided into six modules with an early site visit to select London agencies, the first year introduces you to key concepts and practices in advertising. Apart from creating ads you'll be analysing the way advertising works, learning how to come up with ideas and the craft of copywriting, considering consumer behaviours including relationships with brands, and becoming confident in explaining your ideas. The syllabus is delivered via lectures, seminars, workshops and smaller tutorials.

Year 2

This is the time when you begin to build your all-important final portfolio, showcasing fully integrated campaigns. Over six modules you'll work on real agency briefs, invent new product and brand concepts, and look at the strategy behind advertising campaigns and the use of Google and social media in the context of advertising.

The second term is your chance to gain valuable work experience through an internship during the April holiday. Supported by your tutors and the University's work placement team, you can apply the skills you've acquired in the workplace. It's an opportunity that has been pivotal in differentiating our graduates when they enter the world of work.

Year 3                                                                                                                                                                    The final year is the culmination of all your work. It's your opportunity to combine all the skills you've acquired and present them to industry. Divided into four modules, you'll produce a dissertation project and create a final advertising portfolio to professional standards. There's even a special Advertising Management module to help equip you for when you work in an advertising agency.

All third years have the chance to show their work at the D&AD New Blood exhibition in London, the gold-standard venue which provides the platform to showcase your material, network with creative directors and cement the industry links established throughout your time at Falmouth.

Facilities

• Digital labs, lecture theatres and seminar rooms

• Libraries housing a collection of 140,000 books, 17,000 DVD and video titles, exhaustive electronic and journal resources, and an extensive slide collection

Experience you'll get

• Live projects with local and national organisations

• London study visits to spend time in leading London agencies

• Input from key industry figures

• Member of the D&AD

• Member of YCN

• Opportunity to show your work at the D&AD New Blood exhibition upon graduation

• Work placement module in year two

The Media Centre and Library are at your disposal. Specific facilities include:

Staff

All staff on Creative Advertising at Falmouth are either former creative directors or current practitioners. They bring with them industry partnerships with, amongst others: Droga 5, Ogilvy, M&C Saatchi, Poke, VCCP, AMV BBDO and JWT.

Careers

• Work in an advertising agency as a creative, account executive or strategic planner

• Career as a marketing professional

• Work as a freelance consultant

Portfolio career including teaching and postgraduate 

Graduate Destinations

• Art director and copywriter: Table 19
• Copywriter: AMV BBDO
• Art director: Ogilvy & Mather
• Art director: Arcade Advertising, Singapore

Entry Requirements

A typical offer is between 260 and 300 UCAS points, mainly from the A2 level or equivalent Level 3 qualifications or relevant experience.

Due to the creative nature of the University’s courses, applicants will be considered on individual merit and you should contact the admissions team if you are predicted UCAS points outside of this range.

If English is not your first language, you will also be required to have an IELTS score of 6.0 points, or an equivalent English language test, completed within the last two years.

All applicants will be invited to an interview. Applicants will be asked to bring an example of an advertising campaign of their choice and to participate in a creative group brainstorming session at interview.