In your first year you'll study with our partner, ARU College. This module will provide you with the necessary skills to begin studying at level 4 in art, design and related courses. You'll be introduced to the core skills necessary to succeed in higher education, including researching and referencing appropriately, demonstrating appropriate ICT skills, and communicating effectively verbally and in writing. You will be introduced to practical art and design skills including developing skills of visual storytelling, image-making both in traditional and digital media, visual language and communication, formulating an independent creative response to a broad range of subject matter. You'll also be introduced to the fundamentals of design from a creative perspective, and to some of the key ideas/movements dominating art, design and culture, during the past few centuries. You will work extensively in groups and collaboratively, with students from art and design, architecture and engineering pathways. The module is made up of the following eight constituent elements: Interactive Learning Skills and Communication (ILSC); Information Communication Technology (ICT); Composition and Style; Creative Workshops 1; Approach to Design; Critical and Contextual Studies; Creative Workshops 2; Specialist Project.
This module is delivered through a series of lectures designed to develop your critical literacy in the history and theory of graphic design, and small group seminars in which we will explore the relationships between design practice and the ideas that inform and support it. You'll take part in theory and practical exercises that will give you a better understanding of graphic design "movements" and the implementation of theory related to them. You’ll also get some basic instruction in best practices for software such as InDesign and an understanding of practical issues related to printing. This will be important for the Live Briefs you take later in the year, which will include two, three-hour colour theory classes - practical sessions using pigment and paper. You’ll be introduced to a variety of key examples from graphic design history and the concepts and philosophies they represent, which you'll then explore through visual analysis and test through visual design processes. A series of weekly tasks will combine design activities with descriptive and analytical writing, to explore the ideologies and working methods that have informed the evolution of graphic design through the 20th century to the present. During the course of the lecture series we'll consider the emergence of ‘graphic design’ in the wider context of debates around its relationship to ideas of ‘art’ and ‘craft’, and the role of technology in the changing social relationships between design, production and consultancy. We’ll also critically examine the historiography of the graphic design ‘canon’, as a cultural construct dominated by Europe and the USA, in view of the changing perspectives of emerging design cultures and global design.
View the full module definitionThis module will introduce you to typography and the informed use of professional typographic software. You’ll acquire the technical vocabulary necessary for the description and analysis of typographic material, and a working knowledge of industry-standard typographic tools. A brief outline of type history will give you an introduction to the classification of typefaces, the terminology used in the description of types and the specification of typeset material, identifying the key decisions that affect appearance and legibility. You'll explore the expressive scope of type in relation both to issues of functionality and aesthetic convention, and undertake a series of short projects designed to explore and demonstrate your understanding of typographic decision-making and the application of type in a range of design contexts, and present them as a portfolio for assessment.
View the full module definitionThis module will introduce you to web design and the informed use of professional web design software. You’ll acquire the technical vocabulary necessary for the description and analysis of web material, and a working knowledge of industry-standard web design tools. You'll be introduced to introduces a variety of technologies, both code and non-code based., and undertake projects designed to explore and demonstrate your understanding of web design processes and media, presenting these in a portfolio for assessment at the end of the semester.
View the full module definitionIn this module, you’ll strengthen your ability to think like a designer and turn your ideas into practical, commercially relevant design work. You’ll build confidence in communicating with different audiences and understand what it means to work as a contemporary graphic designer. You’ll grow your practical knowledge of the design industry – learning the processes, tools, and decision-making skills needed to create effective, real-world design solutions. You’ll explore ethical and sustainable design principles, to understand the impact of your creative choices. You'll test, refine, and justify your concepts as you develop fully resolved design outcomes. You’ll explore rational and reductive design approaches, gaining an appreciation for consistency, clarity, and control in your work. You’ll examine how symbols and icons communicate meaning, and how audiences interpret your design decisions. You’ll also sharpen your communication skills by creating clear design specifications and presentations that meet the needs of clients and their customers. Through studio-based projects and hands-on exercises, you’ll experiment with design methods backed by ongoing research into historical and contemporary graphic design and typography, which builds richer context for your creative choices. Throughout the module, inclusive lectures, workshops, demonstrations, critiques, and small-group sessions will help you address challenges in your work and develop your ideas with confidence.
View the full module definitionIn this module, you’ll build the fundamental digital graphic design skills to tackle complex design problems and briefs. You'll learn key industry software and discover how creative, analytical, and iterative design processes help you produce strong, professional outcomes You’ll develop your skills through hands-on practical exercises while exploring key moments in graphic design history, including influential movements, designers, and typographic developments. giving you richer insight and inspiration for your own work. Through both research and practical experimentation, you’ll reinterpret historical techniques and test creative ideas to deepen your contextual understanding. Studio-based projects will help you apply your skills to real design challenges, introducing key principles such as legibility, scale, continuity, dynamics, impact, functionality, design restraint, and audience engagement. You’ll explore how cultural, social, and technological changes influence design, helping you understand the bigger picture of how graphic and typographic communication evolves. You’ll learn through lectures, workshops, demonstrations, tutorials, and critique sessions enabling you to present, analyse, and refine your work and develop the ability to explain and justify your design choices clearly and confidently.
View the full module definitionIn the module Design Practice 1, you will engage in a small series of design projects, to hone your creative, intellectual and technical skills in the area of typography, layout and editorial design, packaging, signage, information design and aspects of brand articulation. In these projects you will apply visual languages coherently across multiple media, such as print, environmental graphics, and screen-based media. You'll work on a small series of project briefs, and respond with a variety of design solutions throughout the trimester. You will be supported through presentations, tutorials, and crits. You will carry out, visualise and present design research, and generate and critically interrogate ideas and concepts. You will explore target audience analysis, and how to critically evaluate existing design solutions which may inspire you towards possible design solutions. You will learn to switch between research insights and idea developments (ideation), and to coordinate and document the design development process.. Through the design process you will engage with the exploration and production of, communication design elements in the context of traditional and interactive media. You will tackle increasingly complex visual communication challenges and generate systematic responses. You will use primary and secondary research to generate awareness for phenomena such as user / customer experiences, social and service systems, as well as commercial and cultural initiatives. You will explore principles of user experience design, which involves user journey concepts including, but not limited to interactive media. Projects are likely to comprise event brand design, exhibition design, collaterals, websites, mobile apps, and information systems. They may fall into the context of awareness building, social innovation and contain service design elements. This will allow you to heighten your awareness for the social and cultural responsibilities of graphic designers, and for how your work can benefit people. At the end of the module, you will have a small portfolio of works revealing an increasing level of proficiency. In the module you will explore a range of specialist practice areas, which may guide your decision making later-on in your personal and professional development. Seminars, group critiques and studio discourse are used to analyse and evaluate each stage of the creative design development process, to review your interim achievements, and to assess your progress made. In addition to your final outcomes, you will produce a process book for each project, in which you will document all your research findings, ideas and concepts, and you will review these critically through text annotations.
In this module you will build on your knowledge from Design Practice 1, and expand your capabilities, so that you can tackle design challenges of greater complexity, and respond to them in an increasingly professional manner. You will again tackle a small series of design project briefs. In addition to traditional, and interactive means of communication, you will incorporate motion graphics as a means of communication. Your development and deployment of visual languages will be of increasingly professional standard. You will carry out market research and brand analysis, and develop and implement brand strategies, culminating in brand communication solutions that stand out. You will analyse existing, and draft new brand guidelines, and apply them across a range of communication channels comprising print, web, as well as social media. Projects may involve awareness campaigns, social design issues, experiential aspects as well as the design of service systems. This module challenges you to carry out in-depth research including audience surveys and stakeholder analysis. You will also expand your repertoire of visual languages and deepen your understanding of the social relevance of visual communication practices. You’ll engage in at least one live project, i.e. a project that involves an external party such as a design agency or a client. This will allow you to validate your expertise and capabilities in light of contemporary professional standards. The module tracks the design and production process, starting with research and ideas generation, leading on to concept development, design solution development and presentation. You document your design development processes professionally and convincingly, and communicate with professionals verbally and in writing. At the end of the module, you will have a growing portfolio of works revealing an increasing level of proficiency. You’ll explore a range of specialist practice areas, which will prepare you for the possibility of an internship over the summer period. Throughout the trimester, seminars, group critiques and studio discourse are used to analyse and evaluate each stage of the creative design development process, to review your interim achievements, and to assess your progress made. In addition to your final outcomes, you will produce a process book for each project, in which you will document all your research findings, ideas and concepts, and you will review these critically through text annotations.
This module focuses on the practical, contextual, and theoretical development of diverse design concepts in graphic design, including layout design, infographics, icon design, user interface (UI), user experience (UX), legible typography, and other essential digital design elements. By engaging in this module, you'll be equipped to meet industry standards and explore branding opportunities through a structured, scaffolding learning approach. This module emphasises creativity and conceptual thinking, which are essential areas for generating original ideas, solving complex design problems, and creating compelling visuals. Through lectures, workshops, tutorials and studio sessions, you'll explore the theory and practice of the design thinking process, guiding the overall appearance and interconnectedness of graphic elements to create a smooth message flow that maximises performance. You'll also develop and enhance your presentation and communication skills: areas that are vital for sharing ideas with clients, peers, and stakeholders. You'll be introduced to typography, understanding how it influences readability and the overall impact of visual designs. This knowledge will support the design of diagrams, charts, maps, symbol systems, foundational skills for data visualisation, and wayfinding solutions. These skills will then be applied in various contexts, including print design and UI/UX design, where you'll learn to deploy information effectively across multiple communication channels. Throughout the module, you'll cultivate critical thinking and self-evaluation skills, encouraging reflection on your work and continuous improvement through feedback. Your learning journey will progress through a series of interactive workshops, short presentations, guide-through demonstrations, feedback critiques, and supervised design practice. Throughout the module, you'll document your development process in a detailed process book. This will serve as a reflective tool for evaluating your design strategies, showcasing your growth, and preparing you for the demands of professional practice in design.
View the full module definitionThe focus of this module is supporting the contextual and theoretical development of visual communication designs through different concepts, particularly motion graphics. This module will enable you to create data-driven and visually compelling graphic motions and interactive design projects. The learning process will allow you to follow up in different design stages (defining, re-evaluating, and expanding) to gain independent and adequate knowledge. This module will enable you to create animated maps, diagrams, information graphics, and time-based typographic information. You'll explore using systematic shifts in colour, contrast, and sound to let typographic information emerge from / evolve into abstract or illustrative graphic patterns. You'll storyboard visual time-based narratives and develop an understanding of the aesthetics of motion and how you can combine sound and image to enhance visual communication processes through carefully judged rhythmic transitions. Through the skills you develop, you can communicate information and promotional messages in the context of branding, editorial design, film and television, and social media communications. You'll explore how traditional visualisation methods such as photography, video, modelling, stop-motion, print, and letterpress can be combined with digital processes, including digital animation and interactive content. This module will provide a continuous learning process where you can employ conceptual and technical skills to transfer and visualise different design concepts and ideas. You'll work on several projects investigating technical and conceptual aspects. Various learning techniques will help you to navigate your learning journey. Seminars, workshops, group works, and other learning methods will be employed to ensure you develop graphical skills and your communication and learning skills.
In this module you'll develop an understanding of different career paths in the creative industries. You'll explore different professional environments, business models and patterns of career progression relevant to creative practitioners. You'll explore contemporary developments in the creative industries and examine the role of the creative professional in fast-changing business environments. Through lectures, workshops, and seminars, you'll learn about self-employment and entrepreneurship, and you'll investigate the practical considerations involved in setting up a studio, brand or agency, and the significance of small-scale enterprises within the creative sector. Individual and group tutorials will address your personal career aspirations and help you to reflect on your individual qualities as a professional. You'll also identify which sectors of industry and which types of working environments may best suit your qualities and skills. You'll prepare for future work opportunities, a Placement Year, or progress directly into Level 6. By the end of this module, you'll have developed your professional aspirations, considered the career route you might take after graduating, and understand the steps to take to launch your career.
View the full module definitionRuskin Modules are a great opportunity to explore challenges and ideas outside your area of study. Working with students from a range of courses, you'll be supported to create meaningful connections across disciplines, and apply new knowledge to tackle complex problems and key challenges. Ruskin Modules are designed to grow your confidence, realise your potential and help you prepare for the world of work.
In this module, you'll prepare for professional practice and employment through self-initiated projects and portfolio development. Projects may include publication and print design, 3D promotional and packaging material, architectural or environmental graphics, information design, or digital applications. You'll consider innovative design strategies and outcomes that will push your own practice. You'll develop your own design briefs in response to set criteria, tackling challenging design problems and demonstrating an informed awareness of contemporary design within today’s information-driven culture. You'll engage with industry throughout which will help you transition confidently into the professional world with a strong portfolio and clear career strategy. Through lectures, presentations, studio discussions and seminars, you'll explore creative innovation, design solutions, graphic communication and audience engagement and build confidence in effective work presentation and self-promotion in preparation for entering the design industry. As part of your Final Major Project, you'll engage with a dedicated professional development strand. These sessions are designed to develop and build up your graduate skills and employability. They will focus on portfolio development, specialist talks by professionals, and support from Anglia Ruskin Enterprise Academy (AREA) and our Placement and Employability teams.
View the full module definitionGaining work experience enhances employability, and work based learning offers you the chance to key gain industry knowledge, skills, contacts and networking opportunities. This module will give you the opportunity to explore a working environment in the industry that you have identified as relevant to your future career. The module will encourage self-managed learning, and serves to enhance your employability by developing communication, personal organisation, team-working, and networking skills and providing opportunities to apply those skills to real-world experiences thereby increasing self-reliance and confidence. The experience can be used as a basis for directing and focusing your career plans and can influence your final year projects. Lectures, group tutorials and seminars will explore skills analysis and reflective writing. You are required to identify, negotiate and agree with an employer (or employers) the terms of the placement or freelance work in association with a module tutor, to ensure that the module learning outcomes can be achieved. You will be given guidance and will be required to submit a placement/freelance registration form and risk assessments for approval by the module tutor. The work may be carried out in a variety of settings depending upon your requirements, areas of interest and availability of opportunities. The minimum period will be a minimum of 100 hours, and you can undertake more than one placement/freelance work for the module. You will also create a workplace diary that logs activity and supports an analysis of the learning achieved during your experience alongside evidence to support your application process. You are also asked to create a reflective report on your work experience. The report will include market and background information on the employer, market sector analysis, an outline your role(s) on the placement(s); academic and vocational analysis; transferable/employability and specialist skills analysis, knowledge and experience analysis; a final evaluation (impact on your final year and career aspirations); and will include copies of the submitted registration and risk assessments and other supporting appendices. Alongside contributing to module sessions and briefings, additional module support will be provided by the Anglia Ruskin University Employability Services through drop-in support and CV Surgery sessions and the Anglia Ruskin Enterprise Academy (AREA). You will also have access to a range of online employability information via the Careers and Employability Portal and AREA network.
View the full module definitionThe Research Project is intended to foster your independent study with the individual guidance of a supervisor. For this module, you will devise your own clearly defined project through independent research, with the support of supervisions, lectures, workshops, and field tips. Your project may reflect on, analyse, expand upon, or enhance, your own studio work and interests. Your project will be agreed upon in consultation with academic staff and your supervisor, to ensure suitability and sufficient academic rigour. Your Research Project is an extended piece of work which is intended to strengthen and build upon the work undertaken in your previous years of study. Your project will demonstrate a contribution to knowledge of your field, and show you are able to undertake prolonged and in-depth research that investigates, critically analyses and evaluates your area of study. Throughout the Trimester, you will develop an individual research topic with the support of your supervisor. You are encouraged to take a creative, critical approach to your subject, and there is support for a wide range of topics and approaches. Your project should build upon the links between theory and practice, and engage with critical issues that are relevant to your chosen topic. Throughout the module, you will draw on a range of sources appropriate to your research, that might include: primary and secondary sources; art and design work; archives; databases; visual and material culture; critical literature; multimedia output; your own studio practice; and industry-specific publication. There may be overlaps with your studio-based practice. However, the practice-based work included in the Research Project must academically contribute to the final Research Project in terms of the theoretical and methodological framework contextualising it. At the end of the year, you will have the opportunity to present your work as part of the CSA graduate showcase.
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