BA (Hons) Visual Communication

Year One — You’ll be introduced to the core principals of design and communication within graphic design, photography and film, printmaking and illustration. Through practical briefs you will be introduced to a range of communication processes including persuasion, narrative, documentary and reportage, where your own interests will inform the content of your work. You may have the opportunity to collaborate with other students, work with businesses and communities in the city and exhibit your work.

Year Two — You will develop your creative practice and apply your skills to real life-projects (whether self-directed, client-based or competitions). During the year you will start to investigate the professional world that relates to your emerging practice and develop a portfolio of work to help secure work experience.

Year Three — You will consolidate the focus of your creative practice, developing your professional and entrepreneurial skills through engagement with visiting professionals, external events, and exhibitions that culminates in the realisation of a graduate folio which reflects your individual philosophy and career aspirations as a creative thinker and visual communicator.

Work experience covers a broad range of activities and students are encouraged to undertake work placements during their time at university. As well as guidance from the course team our Careers, Employability and Enterprise team offer support that enhances employability skills and underpins engagement with industry.

Students have a strong track record in winning design awards. Recent successes include:

• 12 Creative Conscience Awards 2014-2020
• YCN Awards 2018
• Wool Gather Art Prize
• 2.8 Days Later Film Award

Click here to view the course specification

Undergraduate degree courses at Leeds Arts University are delivered and supported through a range of teaching and learning strategies. Courses are made up of modules, these are elements of study that are taught and assessed separately. Each module carries a clearly identified credit value, the accumulation of which will allow you to progress to the next level of the course. 100 hours of learning are expected for every ten credits of the course. Each level (year) of the course is made up of 120 credits and therefore requires 1200 hours of learning. This equates to 40 hours of study per week throughout the academic year.

For every 100 hours of study, approximately 25 hours are delivered as taught or staff-led sessions and the remaining hours are a combination of other types of supported learning and independent study.

For further information visit Undergraduate teaching & learning at Leeds Arts University.

Our alumni work in a huge variety of fields. Graduate employers include: Aardman Animations, BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Topshop, VICE Magazine (New York), Wallpaper Magazine, Saatchi & Saatchi, Tate Modern, Design Museum, the White Company, We Are Fallon, Liberal Democratic Party, Marks & Spencers, Ilkley Literature Festival, David Oldham Photography, Bloomsbury Publishing, Sonar Festival, LBi London, Glastonbury Festival, I-am Associates, ASDA Marketing, Dubit Ltd, Red Star 3D, East Africa Playgrounds, Omobono, Kontra Oslo, Rapha Racing Ltd, Opera North, Left Bank Leeds, TNR Communications, OMD UK, 10 Associates, Haaretz, and New Era Cap. Graduates may also continue to postgraduate study.

We’re looking for students with the best potential to succeed - irrespective of their background. That’s why we welcome a wide range of qualifications and experience.

Click here to view our entry requirements

Tuition Fees

Our current fees are listed here.

Other Costs

Further costs of study are related largely to the costs of materials and depend very much on how individual students choose to respond to University briefs. At the start of the first year you will be provided with a starter kit of equipment and materials that will help you during the first few months of the course. You will be provided with basic materials to help you complete set briefs. As you progress through the course, you will incur additional costs depending on the level and complexity of the work you are making and the materials you use.

The costs below are the result of asking our students to state how much they spend during the year and creating an average, as such they are indicative only.

Computers & Digital Equipment

Our course is offered using a blended learning model which means you will need to access some course materials and video conference using a computer or mobile device (eg laptop, tablet or smartphone). If you are intending to buy a computer for your studies we suggest that you wait until you get here. You will quickly find out what you need and what you don’t need. The Course Team will be able to offer you advice on what to buy and where to purchase it from based on your creative needs and budget. If you do not have access to a mobile device, are unable to afford one and are in receipt of a full maintenance grant you may be eligible for further support from our hardship fund, more information can be found here.

Educational Visits & Offsite Activities

Due to current travel restrictions and the uncertainties caused by the pandemic no residential trips are planned for the autumn 2020 term. This situation will be assessed and reviewed as the course progresses so that opportunities for educational visits further afield can be explored. Costs for such trips are in addition to other costs but attendance is not mandatory.

We provide support for undergraduate students dependent upon their financial circumstances. Visit Undergraduate Financial Support for further information.

Click here to view our Terms & Conditions

Click here to view the Key Information for this course

We are delighted to welcome undergraduate visiting and exchange students from Europe and around the world who would like to spend a semester or a full academic year taking credits from our exciting range of courses. You will be fully integrated into the academic and social life of the University during a period of full-time supervised study and your credits transferred back to your home institution.

You can join us through programmes such as Erasmus+, individual university partnerships or as an independent applicant. Please see here for more information and how to apply.

Leeds Arts University students interested in spending some time overseas can find information on the international opportunities available during your course here.

Questions? Contact international@leeds-art.ac.uk

Please apply direct to the University for our BA (Hons) Visual Communication course using the links below.

If you need any assistance completing the form please contact the Admissions team at admissions@leeds-art.ac.uk.