Quick facts
| Qualification type |
Level 3 Extended Diploma |
| Duration | 2 years |
| Study times |
You will be expected to be in college for a minimum of 3 days per week, from 9:15 to 4:00. Your timetable will be confirmed at induction. |
| Entry requirements |
4 x GCSEs at Grade 4 or above. At least one of these should be Maths or English. Entry is via an interview where your commitment, enthusiasm and motivation should shine through. |
| Campus |
Leonardo House, West Suffolk College sixth form campus, Bury St Edmunds |
| Work placements | Work related experience |
Is it for me?
If you are looking for a fast and fulfilling course to lead you to becoming a graphic designer or digital artist, this course is the one for you.
Working alongside other young designers will inspire you to experiment and develop your skills, as well as make friends and connections that will last a lifetime. You will learn a broad range of skills - hands-on and digital - often combining the two to develop highly innovative outcomes.
Assignments are focused to teach specialist skills and drive creativity. Becoming fluent with composition, typography, image management, creative flair, product spec requirements and professional standards is the core aim.
As the course develops, you will become increasingly specialised and independent. You will build you own online business profile and map your journey into becoming a successful member of the UK and global creative industries.
What you'll learn
Creative and Technical skills:
- 2D illustration design skills
- Typography and layout
- Promotion / advertising
- Printmaking processes
- Animation / motion graphics
- Digital: various software; including Adobe CC (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign. You will be issued with a free Adobe CC licence for independent home working)
- Idea generation
- Exploration and experimentation of media and processes
- Industry requirements
- Independent development of studio work into own unique outcomes
- Contextual studies into graphic design historical and modern and wider world inspirations
Professional Skills:
- Working on 'live' assignments
- Meeting deadlines
- Working with focus and independence
- Communication
- Presentation of outcomes
- Online professional social media profile
Work experience placements
Work related experience is encouraged as part of this course, this practical experience is invaluable for your creative journey and future career prospects. By actively engaging in hands-on work, you will have the opportunity to apply the knowledge and skills you acquire in the classroom to real-life situations.
Assessment
This course is assessed by deadline-driven coursework with no exams. All coursework is assessed at Pass, Merit, Distinction levels against the qualification unit criteria. We are proud to be a University of the Arts London (UAL) accredited college, the largest creative awarding body in Europe.
Further study
- Art and Design Foundation Diploma Level 3
- BA(Hons) Video Games Design
- BA(Hons) Art Practice
- BA(Hons) Graphic Communication
Example careers
- Graphic Designer
- Illustrator
- 3-D Animator
- Web Designer
- Creative Director
- Photographer
- Videographer
- UX Designer
- Art Director
- Artist
- VFX Supervisor
- Architect
- Interior Designer
- Art Teacher
- Product Designer
- Art Therapist
Days & times
Starting September 2025