BA (Hons) Interaction Design Arts
Course summary
BA (Hons) Interaction Design Arts is a practice-led, dynamic and exploratory course examining the relationship between people and experiences through experimental technologies and processes.
The course explores the communicative potential of experience in an open media environment. You will work with narrative, moving image and filmmaking, alongside cutting edge technological processes in physical computing and coding, web-based work and digital arts.
Students lead their enquiries through playful processes with a core methodology of research, testing and prototyping that results in graduates able to apply their skills in almost any creative field.
The Joy of Sets workshop
A collaborative workshop between students on BA (Hons) Interaction Design Arts and Scene Everything design duo, Joseph Popper and Nick Mortimer.
The Rhône Touch
London College of Communication’s BA (Hons) Interaction Design Arts course worked with Rhône Wines to create The Rhône Touch, a pop-up interactive art exhibition, wine bar and restaurant for summer 2016.
Student voices: Alexandra Sokolova
BA (Hons) Interaction Design Arts student Alexandra talks us through their work in London College of Communication's Degree Shows 2017.
Student voices: Michel Erler
BA (Hons) Interaction Design Arts student Michel talks us through his work in the London College of Communication Degree Shows 2016.
Student voices: Tommaso Cesaro
BA (Hons) Interaction Design Arts student Tommaso talks us through their work in London College of Communication's Degree Shows 2017.
Industry Projects
Course stories
Course stories
Facilities
3D Workshop
View images and find out about the range of tools and technologies on offer.
The Digital Space
The Digital Space is an open-plan, creative hub with computers set up with specialist software.
Prototype and Code
A multi-purpose space with specialist hardware, that supports students in creative code and physical computing.
Course details
BA (Hons) Interaction Design Arts is a multidisciplinary design course, working with multiple mediums to craft purposeful communication and experience. Students are encouraged to actively play as they pursue projects through a core methodology of research, testing and iterative prototyping.
This is a practice-led course that explores the communicative potential of physical experience. Focusing on the relationships between people, designed objects and experiences, students will work with interaction, narrative and moving image, alongside processes such as design prototyping, film-making, coding and physical computing.
You will develop a personal perspective from which to answer complex design problems, embracing approaches such as critical design and exploring design for social change.
What can you expect?
Working within the philosophy of 'high-tech, low-tech and no-tech', students are encouraged to pursue projects that put people at the centre of their design and arts practice. As well as developing personal work, students have the opportunity to regularly collaborate with local communities on long-term human-centred projects.
Our specialist studios are constructed as a designer’s playground that will nurture and encourage creativity and learning, through the formation of a community of practice. There is also access to traditional media such as letterpress, printmaking and photography.
Drawing on a tradition of dynamism, exploration, prototyping and experimentation, students of BA (Hons) Interaction Design Arts are taught that the only boundaries are those set by the imagination and that creative ideas hold sway over technology. Students on the course understand that design impacts the world at large and that they have a responsibility for the wider issues of sustainability and social inclusiveness.
You will graduate from your studies able to approach industry with the confidence of being able to negotiate many specialisms across the full media spectrum. You'll leave with a wide range of technical, intellectual and design skills that will ensure that you're ready to work in this challenging and exciting area of contemporary design.
Course Structure
The academic year for this course is divided into 2 blocks.
The 1st block is of 15 weeks’ duration from early October to mid-February. In accordance with the University timetable, there will be a four week holiday in December.
The 2nd block is also of 15 weeks’ duration from mid-February to the end of June with a four week holiday for Easter.
Showcasing your work
All students are advised to set up a profile on portfolio.arts.ac.uk, UAL’s portfolio platform, which can be done at any point during your time at LCC and will last for up to 12 months after graduation.
This platform is often used to source student work for promotional use on the website, social media and for print and can be a great way of getting your work seen.
Course units
In common with all courses at the University of the Arts London, this course is credit rated. The course is 3 years, levels 4-6. Each year requires you to achieve 120 credit points. To be awarded the BA (Hons) Interaction Design Arts qualification, you need to accumulate a total of 360 credits.
Year One
Units summary:
- Introduction to Interaction Design Arts (20 credits) - Through academic reflection, writing and practical workshops, this unit will equip you with essential skills that will give you the confidence to navigate through the course and College and to help you begin to develop a personal approach to your work.
- Exploration and Play (40 credits) - Focuses on learning and discovery through practical activities and projects. It introduces core design principles and explores play as a method of research, experimentation and design.
- Contextual and Theoretical Studies 1 (20 credits) - Through academic writing, lectures and seminars, this unit introduces you to histories, theories and debates in relation to information and interface design and visual and material culture.
- High Tech, Low Tech, No Tech (40 credits) - Introduces you to design through materials, prototypes and diegetics. This media-agnostic unit invites you to consider technologically and materially appropriate design solutions to studio projects.
Year Two
Units summary:
- Desire Lines and Affordance (40 credits) - This unit is intensive and designed to introduce you to subject specific processes and techniques involved in interaction and design. It deals with design in the lived environment; how people and users interact with the world around them and encourages you to reach beyond the studio for research and inspiration.
- Contextual and Theoretical Studies 2 (20 credits) - Through academic writing, lectures and seminars in this unit, you will have the opportunity to further contextualise various aspects of art and design theory in its broadest sense, by focusing on specific options.
- Professional Practices (20 credits) - This unit seeks to extend your knowledge of the creative, cultural and design industries, providing you with opportunities to work on live project as you continue to develop your design practice in mixed-discipline and collaborative teams.
- Expanded Cinema and Physical Computing (40 credits) - This unit is designed to further aid and develop the work and concepts introduced in the previous unit. The unit encourages you to experiment and push new media and technologies to their limits. The unit is also highly spatial and technical, looking at programming, sensors and computing in a real-world context.
Diploma in Professional Studies
The Diploma in Professional Studies (DPS) is an optional year-long learning opportunity, allowing you to undertake a variety of internships and professional experiences for a whole academic year in Year 3, as part of a four-year degree. It is a managed year of professional experience largely undertaken in the design profession in a variety of national and international locations.
Successful candidates are selected on a competitive basis from academic performance and studentship, successful completion of the DPS bridging studies and by portfolio and proposal.
Please view the Diploma in Professional Studies Programme Specification (PDF - 164KB) for more details.
Year Three
Units summary:
Route A:
- Major Studio Project (60 credits) - The Major Studio Project is undertaken by all third year students and generally consists of three individual briefs, which you chose. It is the culmination of the course and provides you with the opportunity to utilise all of your practical, critical and analytical skills in the realisation of projects related to the development of your individual portfolio.
- Minor Studio Project (20 credits) - The Minor Studio Project is self-initiated; emphasising research and the identification of appropriate intellectual and practical methodologies to support your outcomes.
- Contextual and Theoretical Studies 3 (40 credits) - This unit is the culmination of the Contextual and Theoretical Studies component of the course. It provides you with the opportunity to utilise all your knowledge and analytical skills related to visual theory, in the realisation of a self-determined extended piece of writing of 8,000-10,000 words.
or Route B:
- Major Studio Project (60 credits) - The Major Studio Project is undertaken by all third year students and generally consists of three individual briefs, which you chose. It is the culmination of the course and provides you with the opportunity to utilise all your practical, critical and analytical skills in the realisation of projects related to the development of your individual portfolio.
- Minor Studio Project (20 credits) x2 - The Minor Studio Project is self-initiated; emphasising research and the identification of appropriate intellectual and practical methodologies to support your outcomes. One Minor Studio Project is undertaken by all third year students. If you decide to do the Route B (CTS 3 unit of 5000 words instead of 10000), you will do two of these Minor Studio Projects.
- Contextual and Theoretical Studies 3 (20 credits) - This unit is the culmination of the Contextual and Theoretical Studies component of the course, and provides you with the opportunity to utilise all your knowledge and analytical skills related to visual theory in the realisation of a self-determined extended piece of writing of 4,000-5,000 words.
Learning and teaching methods
- Lectures/large group learning
- Workshop & seminar learning
- Academic tutorials
- Self directed learning
- Outside speakers and visits
- Assessed assignments
Assessment methods
- Portfolio of work
- Prepared writing
- Crits and presentations
Changes to courses
Information provided by the University is accurate at the time of first publication. Courses, however, remain subject to change. Changes may be necessary to improve the quality of educational services, in order to meet the latest requirements of a commissioning or accrediting body, in order to bring course content in line with best practice activities across the Higher Education sector, in response to student feedback, and/or due to a lack of student demand for certain units or options.
Events may arise outside of the reasonable control of the University which lead to changes to courses. Such events may include industrial action, civil disorder, severe weather, and changes in applicable laws and/or safety requirements.
If you have accepted a place on a course, we shall notify you of any changes as soon as reasonably practicable.
Webpage updates
We will update this webpage from time to time with new information as it becomes available. In the meantime, if you have any questions, use this register your interest form.
Staff
Joel Karamath
Course Leader, BA (Hons) Interaction Design Arts
Eva Verhoeven
Programme Director, Interaction Design and Visual Communication
Mark Ingham
Design School Learning and Teaching Innovation Lead
Ian Horton
Reader in Graphic Communication
How to apply
Opportunities for all
We are committed to making university education an achievable option for a wider range of people and to supporting all of our students in achieving their potential both during and after their courses.
We welcome applications from people with disabilities. If you have a disability (e.g. mobility difficulties, sensory impairments, medical or mental health conditions or Asperger’s syndrome) we strongly encourage you to contact us on disability@arts.ac.uk or +44 (0)20 7514 6156 so that we can plan the right support for you. All enquiries are treated confidentially. To find out more, visit our Disability & Dyslexia webpages.
Entry requirements
Home/EU/International
The course team welcomes applicants from a broad range of backgrounds from all over the world. The course attracts students who apply direct from A-level (or equivalent) or from Foundation Diploma in Art and Design, or other art or design courses, as well as mature students who may have previously worked in industry.
The standard minimum entry requirements for this course are:
64 UCAS tariff points gained at GCE Advanced (A) Level or equivalent. (A-level subjects studied may include: English; History; Media; Business; Art and Design, or other subjects within Social Sciences). Ideally your A-levels will be achieved at grade C or above.
Or
One subject at A-level achieved at grade C or above PLUS Foundation Diploma in Art & Design (Level 3/4).
Alternatively, you will be considered if you have achieved a minimum of 64 UCAS tariff points from one of the following qualifications:
- BTEC Extended Diploma
- UAL Extended Diploma in Art and Design
- Access to HE Diploma
- International Baccalaureate Diploma
- Equivalent EU or Non-EU qualifications
Additionally, you will have achieved passes at grade C/grade 4 or above in at least three GCSE subjects.
English Language requirements (International/EU)
IELTS level 6.0 or above, with at least 5.5 in reading, writing, listening and speaking. Please check our main English language requirements page.
All classes are conducted in English. If English is not your first language you will be asked to provide evidence of your English language ability when you enrol.
APEL - Accreditation of Prior (Experiential) Learning
Applicants who do not meet these course entry requirements may still be considered in exceptional cases. The course team will consider each application that demonstrates additional strengths and alternative evidence. This might, for example, be demonstrated by:
- Related academic or work experience
- The quality of the personal statement
- A strong academic or other professional reference
- A combination of these factors.
Each application will be considered on its own merit but we cannot guarantee an offer in each case.
Selection criteria
The portfolio, along with the details on your UCAS application (including the academic reference and your personal statement) will be assessed against the following criteria:
- Visual language: quality of structure, use of line, shape - 2D or 3D, form, scale, space, light, colour, texture and time.
- Ideas generation: quality of ideas and thought process, expression of design thinking.
- Research and its application (including images from sketch books): evidence of investigation and use of appropriate resources.
- Materials, media exploration and experimentation; experimentation and testing of materials to achieve outcomes.
- Contextual awareness and its influence on the portfolio; understanding and application of subject knowledge and context.
How we assess your application
Your application form is reviewed when you apply to the University. If you have achieved or expect to achieve the standard entry requirements we will invite you to submit a full portfolio. We make our offers based on the strength of the whole application, and therefore don’t routinely invite applicants to interview. To find out more, view our Undergraduate Application Process page.
Personal statement advice
This is an important part of your application and should demonstrate to the team that you are interested in interaction design arts, and that you have thought carefully about why you want to study on this course.
You can demonstrate this through your previous work experience or study, personal experience and your ambitions for personal development as a student at LCC.
You should ensure it is written clearly, and free of any spelling mistakes. It is your chance to impress the team by demonstrating your appreciation of what the course can offer you and how you feel it will help you in the future.
State what you personally would bring to the course, and explain what motivates you to learn, explore and experiment.
Portfolio advice
Your portfolio of work is the most important part of your application, and you must clearly evidence development work as well as work from completed projects.
You are required to present a portfolio with a maximum of 20 images that you consider would help support your application.
Making your application
Apply for this course though Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS):
- University code: U65
- Course code: W280
London College of Communication courses are listed under University of the Arts London.
Application deadline
We recommend you apply by 15th January for equal consideration. However this course will consider applications after that date, subject to places being available.
Making a Deferred Application (for entry in 2020/21)
Home/EU applicants are permitted to make a deferred application. International applicants are not permitted to make a deferred application.
Entry to Year 2 or Year 3
If you have successfully completed year 1 of a degree course at another institution and wish to continue your studies at LCC, you can identify the point of entry as year 2 on your application, and consideration will be given by the course admissions tutor.
LCC will consider applications for entry at Year 3 in exceptional cases only.
Referral to alternative UAL courses
The University operates a cross-referral system, where applicants can be considered for and offered a place on an alternative course, if the admissions tutor feels they are more suited to that course. If you wish to opt out of the cross-referral process you can do so at the application form stage.
Erasmus
For further information on Erasmus and UAL exchange schemes, please visit the Erasmus and Non-Erasmus Exchanges section on the UAL website.
International applicants can apply through either of the following routes:
- Through overseas representatives in your country.
- Through UCAS.
- Through a direct application.
If you are applying through UCAS you will need the following information:
- University code: U65
- Course code: W280
London College of Communication courses are listed under University of the Arts London.
Further information on applying via UCAS is provided on the University Applying through UCAS page.
For full details on the application process, visit the Undergraduate application page.
Application deadline
We recommend you apply by 15th January for equal consideration. However this course will consider applications after that date, subject to places being available.
Making a Deferred Application (for entry in 2020/21)
Home/EU applicants are permitted to make a deferred application. International applicants are not permitted to make a deferred application.
Entry to Year 2 or Year 3
If you have successfully completed year 1 of a degree course at another institution and wish to continue your studies at LCC, you can identify the point of entry as year 2 on your application, and consideration will be given by the course admissions tutor.
LCC will consider applications for entry at Year 3 in exceptional cases only.
Referral to alternative UAL courses
The University operates a cross-referral system, where applicants can be considered for and offered a place on an alternative course, if the admissions tutor feels they are more suited to that course. If you wish to opt out of the cross-referral process you can do so at the application form stage.
Study abroad applicants
International undergraduate students can apply to join BA (Hons) Interaction Design Arts for a period of up to three terms as a Study Abroad student.
Visit the Study Abroad page for details of how to apply.
After you apply
Communicating with you
After you have successfully submitted your application, you will receive an email confirming we have successfully received your application and providing you with your login details for the UAL Portal. We will request any additional information from you, including inviting you to upload documents through the portal. You should check your UAL Portal regularly for any important updates and requests.
International applicants may be invited to interview in person at LCC, or via Skype if overseas or unable to attend. Details of this interview will be sent via the UAL Portal.
Immigration history check
International applicants, whether applying online via UCAS or through a UAL representative or by direct application, you will need to complete an immigration history check to establish whether you are eligible to study at UAL. If you do not complete the check, we will not be able to proceed with your application.
What happens next?
We will advise you of your application outcome through UCAS Track. If you are an International applicant and have applied directly or through an agent, we will notify you through the UAL Portal.
We invite all offer holders to come to London College of Communication to attend one of our Offer Holder events. Offer holders will have the chance to meet the team, find out more about the course, and see our diverse and vibrant student community in action.
Successful applicants will be guided through the rest of our admissions stages and towards enrolment on the course.
Deferring your place
If you are offered a place for 2019/20 but wish to defer to 2020/21, information on how to do this and who to contact can be found in your offer letter.
International applicants will have to pay a deposit in order to defer. In all cases, deferred places will be held for one year.
Fees & Funding
Home / EU Fee
£9,250 (2019/20).
Tuition fees for undergraduate degree courses have been set at £9,250 per year for full-time study. This applies from the 2019/20 academic year, subject to changes in the law.
Tuition fees may increase in future years for new and continuing students, in line with an inflationary amount determined by government. Please visit our Undergraduate tuition fees page for more information.
International Fee
£19,930 (2019/20).
Additional costs
In addition to tuition fees you are very likely to incur additional costs such as travel expenses and the cost of materials. Please read the information on our additional costs page.
Accommodation
Find out about the accommodation options available and how much they will cost.
Scholarships and Awards
There are a number of scholarships and awards available to students on this course. Use our search tool to find out more information.
Careers and alumni
Careers include:
- Interaction Designer
- Exhibition Designer
- Design Researcher
- Futures Foresight Researcher
- Service Designer
- Products R&D
- Digital Designer
- Interactive Designer
- Graphic Designer
- Producer
- Project Manager
- Creative (General)
- Art Director
- Communications Writer
- Social / Media Planner
- Head of Design / Creative Director
- Creative Technologist