Undergraduate
BA (Hons) Design for Art Direction
Why choose this course at London College of Communication
- You'll be taught by a team of practitioners who bring a diverse range of experiences to the course from working with magazines, fashion and lifestyle brands, production companies, artists and institutions.
- Briefs, workshops, lectures and seminars support and invite you to develop your creative network and find opportunities for meaningful collaborations, important for progression into industry or continuing education.
- Pitching and presenting regularly enables you to confidently communicate your proposals, visual strategies and solutions to collaborators, clients and audiences.
- Your experiences, identities and research interests will inform your view of the creative industries and the wider world. You'll develop your critical analysis skills through studio seminars, crits and the Design School wide Contextual and Theoretical Studies Programme.
Open Days
The next online Open Day for this course will be announced soon.
A recording of our latest online Open Day for this course is now available. Watch online now.
Student work
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, Work by Aylie Yamagishi -
, Nada Debeaumont, The Individual Versus Collective Action, BA (Hons) Design for Art Direction, London College of Communication, UAL. -
, Jamie Li, BA (Hons) Design for Art Design, London College of Communication, UAL. -
, Georgia Duna, BA (Hons) Design for Art Direction, London College of Communication, UAL.
Course films
Course Leader, Tara Langford gives a brief overview about studing on BA (Hons) Design for Art Direction.
Kumbirai talks through his final year project – an interactive piece that advocates caring for others.
Shannyce tells us about her work and how it looks at making museum artefacts more interactive.
Pixie talks us through her work for the 2018 Degree Shows.
Graduating student Jam talks us through his final year project.
Course stories
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BA (Hons) Design for Art Direction student curates Barbican screening
We chat to Emma Bouraba about Rayhana Obermeyer’s ‘I Still Hide to Smoke’ and the highlights of her time so far at London College of Communication.
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Spotlight On: BA (Hons) Design for Art Direction – LCC Degree Shows 2019
Explore projects from graduating students from London College of Communication's BA (Hons) Design for Art Direction course, exhibiting as part of LCC Degree Shows 2019.
Facilities
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Student in Creative Technology Lab, 2020. London College of Communication, UAL. Photograph: Tim Boddy
3D Workshop
View images and find out about the range of tools and technologies on offer.
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Image © Vladimir Molico
Lens-Based and Audio-Visual
Find out about the workspaces and studios that support Lens-Based and Audio-Visual practice.
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Image © Lewis Bush
Printmaking
This workshop offers a wide-range of expertise in everything from etching to lithography.
Course overview
BA (Hons) Design for Art Direction is a unique course that explores the practical, conceptual and communications skills related to design and art direction.
The course is about practice, but it also prioritises critical and reflective approaches to visual culture and broader social, economic, political and environmental contexts.
You will learn a range of skills associated with being an art director and working in the creative industries. Projects and activities are designed to help you develop a creative vision, a visual language and strong contextual awareness that engages your intended audience.
The course takes a multi-disciplinary approach to art direction, giving you the opportunity to develop your understanding and application of graphic design, moving image, photography, exhibition and set design.
What you can expect?
Throughout the course you will gain expertise in the practical aspects of visual communication, narrative construction and collaboration. Many projects will offer you the freedom to explore self-directed themes and we will support you to propose, visualise and realise sophisticated visual projects.
Additionally, the course will open up possibilities to collaborate with students within and outside of the course, pulling together teams of designers, photographers, filmmakers, illustrators or other media specialists to fully realise your ambitions and develop your practice in art direction and creative direction.
London College of Communication is home to excellent and extensive facilities from analogue to digital, that will help you to gain a wide range of skills relevant to your subject and profession.
Work experience and opportunities
There are opportunities to work on live briefs and competition briefs at different times during your studies. Students are encouraged to take a critical approach to commercial briefs in order to think through the relationship between context and innovation.
We are not always focused on winning, instead we are always aiming to deliver the most unexpected, compelling and relevant work. Guest speakers are regularly invited to come in and give industry insight to students.
Most project briefs ask that students research and understand the real word context for their work and present a strategy to support their work beyond the course.
Highlights
- 2019 Third Year student Faye Wang won first prize for the Comité Colbert competition: Dreaming 2074, selected by an international jury. The prize was presented by the Director of Van Cleef and Arpels at the Cumulus Conference in Finland.
- 2019 Graduates Diana Ganea have been Simon Sixou selected by Adrian Shaughnessy for SIA and Today Art Museum’s exhibition Here </>There in Beijing, China
- 2019 Kumbirai Makumbe selected for BBZ Art Show 2019.
Course structure
The academic year for this course is divided into 2 blocks.
The 1st block is of 15 weeks’ duration from late September 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.
Mode of study
BA (Hons) Design for Art Direction runs for 93 weeks in full time mode. It is divided into 3 stages over 3 academic years. Each stage lasts 33 weeks.
Course units
In 2019 UAL declared a Climate Emergency and pledged to ‘make sustainability a required part of the student learning experience’. In response to the climate and ecological crisis the Design School set in place an ambitious Sustainability Action Plan to fully embed responsible practices within the curriculum and in everything we do.
As part of this initiative we have updated our course handbooks against a set of social and environmental sustainability principles to ensure that learning outcomes reflect the urgent need to equip students with the understanding, skills and values to foster a more sustainable planet. Our aim is to change the way students think and to empower them to work towards a sustainable future.
In common with all courses at the University of the Arts London, this course is credit rated. Years 1 and 2 must be passed to enter into Year 3. Your degree is attained through full completion of the third year.
Year 1
Introduction to Design for Art Direction (20 credits)
This unit introduces the research methods and processes involved in study at higher education. Thinking through the potential that theory offers the study and practice of art direction through a number of perspectives that you can choose between, for example: cultural studies, queer theory, film theory, decolonising theory and practice, feminist histories,
Design Principles (40 credits)
In this unit you will work through the core practices of image production, narrative construction and graphic design. The unit is made up of smaller projects that refine visual skills and develop your visual language across a number of formats.
Media Exploration (20 credits)
Invites you to produce a moving image work that draws on narrative construction, art direction, production design, photography, filming, editing and sound design.
Locating Practice (20 credits)
Gives you the freedom to determine an area of specialism by proposing a self-directed project either in collaboration with others or individually.
A series of pitches helps you to refine your idea, project manage outcomes and produce a live outcome or a proposal to get funding or find a creative team.
Contextual and Theoretical Studies 1 (20 credits)
Year 2
Design Production (40 credits)
A collaborative project that requires you to address societal concerns using design. These concerns change year on year and usually address an urgent real world problem. In the past, projects have focused on climate crisis, sustainability and rebranding the European union.
Professional Practice (20 credits)
Art Direction (40 credits)
This unit builds on the Locating Practice unit in year 1 and the development of your research interests over the subsequent year. Usually self-directed, the project asks you to reflect on your area(s) of specialism and propose a project to develop your portfolio and develop working relationships both in and outside of the college.
Contextual and Theoretical Studies 2 (20 credits)
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.
Year 3
There are two pathway options in term one and two of Year 3. One route involves an 8,000 – 10,000 word piece of written work (Route A), or the other route combines a 4,000 – 5,000 word piece of written work plus a Self-Initiated Project (Route B).
Industry Practice: Routes A and B (20 credits)
By researching and familiarising yourselves with the sectors, practices, behaviours and needs of ‘industry’, you can start to contextualise your practice. These processes can be useful, celebrated or challenged and the unit will help you to take a position in relation to it and produce a piece of work in response to it.
Self-Initiated Project: Route B (20 credits)
The project can draw on your specialist research area, perhaps taken from the thesis. You will be guided through the unit in a series of individual tutorials and workshops to produce meaningful work for your portfolio.
Contextual and Theoretical Studies 3: Route A (40 credits)
Contextual and Theoretical Studies 3: Route B (20 credits)
Major Project Studio: Routes A and B (60 credits)
This a substantial self-directed project where you will produce and answer your own creative brief in dialogue with tutors and peers, demonstrate strategic thinking, excellent research skills and explore the potential of your creative practice.
Learning and teaching methods
- Lectures
- Large group learning
- Workshop and seminar learning
- Academic tutorials
- Self-directed learning
- Outside speakers and visits
- Collaborative work
- Assessed assignments
Assessment methods
- Practical project work and computer based activities
- Prepared writing
- Responses to case studies
- Oral presentation
- Personal presentations of prepared work
- Workshop based activities
- Written research projects
- A portfolio of work
- Collaborative and group work
Staff
Acting Course Leader
Justyna Kabala
Lecturers
Adam Gibbons
Visiting tutors and speakers include:
- Ivana Bobic
- Margherita Brooke Huntley
- Matthew Fone (RiffRaff)
- Erik Hartin
- Toni Hollowood
- Olu Odukoya
- Moa Pårup
- Tuur Van Balen
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 entry requirements for this course are as follows:
80 UCAS tariff points, which can be made up of one or a combination of the following accepted full level 3 qualifications:
- A Levels at grade C or above (preferred subjects include: English; History; Media; Business; Art and Design, or other subjects within Social Sciences).
- Pass at Foundation Diploma in Art & Design (Level 3 or 4).
- Merit, Merit, Pass at BTEC Extended Diploma (preferred subjects: Art and Design, IT & Computing).
- Merit at UAL Extended Diploma.
- Access to Higher Education Diploma (preferred subject: Digital and Creative Media, Computing, Marketing, Humanities and Social Sciences).
- OR equivalent EU/International qualifications, such as International Baccalaureate Diploma at 24 points minimum
And 3 GCSE passes at grade 4 or above (grade A*-C).
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.
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 for more information.
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.
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.
Making your application
Personal statement advice
This is an important part of your application and should demonstrate to the team that you are interested in art direction 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.
Apply for this course though Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS), where you'll need to provide the following information:
- University code: U65
- Course code: W990
London College of Communication courses are listed under University of the Arts London.
Application deadline
We recommend you apply by 29 January 2021 for equal consideration. However this course will consider applications after that date, subject to places being available.
Deferring your place
This course allows offer holders to defer. If you have an offer of a place, but you would like to defer starting for a year, please contact our Admissions Service as soon as possible via your UAL Portal. Make sure you check our Admissions Policy before requesting a deferral.
If you are an EU offer holder, it is important to consider that, from 2021-22, you may be charged International fees, which are higher. Read our Coronavirus guidance for prospective students for details.
Transfers
If you are currently studying somewhere else on a course in an equivalent subject area and would like to transfer to this course, you can transfer to:
- Year 2, if you’ve completed 120 credits in Year 1
- Year 3, if you’ve completely 240 credits in Years 1 and 2
Apply via UCAS and choose Year 2 or 3 for your POE (Point of Entry)
Please check our Student Transfer Policy for more important information and be ready to provide us with your current course handbook and Year 1/Year 2 unit transcripts.
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 one of our official 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: W990
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, and for further advice for international applicants, please visit the UAL International Application page.
Application deadline
We recommend you apply by 29 January 2021 for equal consideration. However this course will consider applications after that date, subject to places being available.
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.
Deferring your place
This course allows offer holders to defer. If you have an offer of a place, but you would like to defer starting for a year, please contact our Admissions Service as soon as possible via your UAL Portal. Make sure you check our Admissions Policy before requesting a deferral.
Transfers
If you are currently studying somewhere else on a course in an equivalent subject area and would like to transfer to this course, you can transfer to:
- Year 2, if you’ve completed 120 credits in Year 1
- Year 3, if you’ve completely 240 credits in Years 1 and 2
Apply via UCAS and choose Year 2 or 3 for your POE (Point of Entry)
Please check our Student Transfer Policy for more important information and be ready to provide us with your current course handbook and Year 1/Year 2 unit transcripts.
If you are an International applicant and studying outside the UK, please complete your Direct application and then contact us via your UAL Portal to ask to be considered for Year 2/Year 3.
Please be ready to provide an official document (translated into English) from your current university, explaining the learning outcomes of the units you have completed.
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) Design for Art Direction 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.
If you have achieved or expect to achieve the standard entry requirements we will consider you for a place on the course.
We make our offers based on the strength of the whole application, and therefore don’t routinely invite applicants to interview.
International applicants may be invited to an online interview. Interview details will be sent via the UAL Portal.
Please add @arts.ac.uk to your contacts to ensure that you do not miss any important updates re: your application to UAL.
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.
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 attend one of our online Offer Holder events. This is your opportunity to meet the academic team and fellow offer holders, find out more about the course, and get a taste of what it will be like to study here.
Requesting feedback
This course receives a high number of applications, and we can’t provide feedback to everyone who is unsuccessful. We can only provide feedback after you’ve had an interview.
If you would like to request feedback – please email lcc.ukeu@arts.ac.uk if you are a Home or EU applicant, or lcc.international@arts.ac.uk if International. We are only able to provide feedback to you directly, or to someone you have told us in writing can receive it on your behalf
Successful applicants will be guided through the rest of our admissions stages and towards enrolment on the course.
Fees and funding
Home fee
£9,250 per year
This fee is correct for 2021/22 entry and is subject to change for 2022/23 entry. Tuition fees may increase in future years for new and continuing students.
Home fees are currently charged to UK resident nationals. However, the rules are complex. Find out more about our tuition fees.
From 2021/22 entry, most EU students will be charged the International tuition fee rate, depending on your individual circumstances. If you started your course in October 2020 or earlier, you’ll continue to pay Home (UK) fees for the duration of your course. Read more advice for EU students.
International fee
£22,920 per year
This fee is correct for 2021/22 entry and is subject to change for 2022/23 entry. Tuition fees for international students may increase by up to 5% in each future year of your course.
Students from countries outside of the UK are currently charged international fees. The rules are complex so read more about our tuition fees.
From 2021/22 entry, most EU students will be charged the International tuition fee rate, depending on your individual circumstances. If you started your course in October 2020 or earlier, you’ll continue to pay Home (UK) fees for the duration of your course. Read more advice for EU students.
Careers and alumni
Careers include:
- Designer
- Producer
- Creative
- Art Director
- Motion Graphic Designer
- Arts and Culture Adviser
- Visual Merchandising Manager
- Communications Writer
- Social Media Planner
- Head of Design
- Editorial Designer
- Production Co-ordinator
As part of Diploma in Professional Studies, students have worked with the Art Direction team at Adidas in Germany, as an intern with Hugo and Marie Agency and as an assistant at Nova Dando.
