Certificate of Higher Education: Preparation for Design, Media and Screen

Course units

We are committed to ensuring that your skills are set within an ethical framework, and we have worked to embed UAL’s Principles for Climate, Racial and Social Justice Principles into the curriculum and in everything we do. 

Block 1: Introduction and Specialist Studies 

Orientation to Study in Design, Media and Screen (20 credits)

This is a diagnostic unit that gives you the opportunity to consider which specialist pathway is most suited to your talents and potential. It provides a broad introduction to studio practice in a carousel of specialist workshops. 

This first unit will introduce you to all three Schools at London College of Communication: Design, Media or Screen. 

Contextual and Theoretical Studies (Part 1) (20 credits) 

The unit prepares you academically to enter the first year of undergraduate study and the theoretical study of design, media and screen.

The unit supports the development of skills in communication in a number of formats (both written and spoken), essential to study on a range of undergraduate courses at LCC.

Unit 3: Specialist Studies: Design, Media and Screen (20 credits)

Halfway through Block 1, you’ll choose from 3 specialist study areas which reflect the Schools at LCC: Design School, Media School and Screen School. 

• Specialist Studies Design will provide you with a range of creative, practical and theoretical approaches relevant to the design industry. 
• Specialist Studies Media will introduce a range of creative, practical and theoretical approaches within the Media School to develop a preparatory body of knowledge and skill. 
• Specialist Studies Screen will provide a range of creative, practical and theoretical approaches relevant to the screen industry, such as film, television, animation and games design. 

Block 2 – Progression and Contexts

Unit 4: Personal Progression Project (40 credits)

Building on knowledge gained in previous units, this unit supports a more independent learning approach, enabling you to produce a substantial body of work.  

The work will showcase your personal interests and area of intended progression in a studio exhibition and presentation which will be supported by a visual and written research report.

Unit 5: Contextual and Theoretical Studies (Part 2) (20 credits)

This unit prepares you for more specialist theoretical study of communication in the design, media and screen disciplines. 

Learning and teaching methods

• Lectures
• Seminars
• Workshops
• Guest speakers
• Interactive simulations
• Group and individual tutorials
• Portfolio-based project
• Critical essays
• Presentations through a range of media
• Professional Development Portfolio, including aspects of the Creative Attributes Framework
• Curated online journals

Selection criteria

The portfolio and details on your application (including the academic reference and your personal statement) will be used by the course admissions tutors to assess your suitability 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 sketchbooks): 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.