Start Date
Thu 4th September 2025
Attendance
Full-time
Duration
2 Years
Location
Poole Campus
*Advanced learner loan available
UAL Level 3 Extended Diploma: Creative Practice: Art, Design & Communication
Subject Area
Art and Design
Attendance
Full-time
Duration
2 Years
Location
Poole Campus
Course Overview
Please Note: The deadline for the academic year of 2024/25 has passed. The next intake of students will be in September 2025.
Our Art and Design department is a vibrant and exciting place for students to start their creative career. The UAL Level 3 Diploma in Creative Practice: Art, Design & Communication is a qualification for post-16 students looking to pursue a specialist career in the creative industries. This is a two-year course: in the first year, students will gain a broad knowledge and practice across all areas of art and design including, fine art, photography, graphics, fashion and textiles.
The second year further develops a student's knowledge of the creative industries, allowing them to explore and select a specialist practice focus, and develop skills and knowledge central to supporting and sustaining an individualised specialist creative career.
Along with live projects that give students the real-life experience of meeting a creative brief all students will have the opportunity to go on national and local trips Some of our recent trips have included Barcelona, London, The Tate Modern and The Victoria & Albert Museum (V&A).
We attract a wide range of students with different cultural backgrounds and needs adding to our all-inclusive and diverse learning environment.
We encourage our students to have a creative mindset through taking risks, problem-solving, critical thinking, ownership and collaboration resulting in our students producing work of a high standard and the confidence and motivation to move forward in their career.
This course combines all aspects of Art, Design and Communication including Fine Art, Photography, Graphics, Fashion and Textiles. At the end of the first year, you will achieve a UAL Diploma in Creative Practice: Art, Design and Communication with the option to enrol onto the Extended Diploma (Year 2) where you will specialise in your chosen pathway.
Subjects studied include:
• Illustration
• 3D Modelling and Ceramics
• Textile Surface Pattern Design
• Fashion Communication and Creative Marketing
• Textile Methods and Techniques, Embroidery, Stitch, Applique and Print
• Pattern Cutting and Cconstruction
• Camera Skills and Photo Theory
• Reading Images and Photoshop
• Studio Lighting
• Moving Image
• Adobe Tools (Illustrator, Photoshop and InDesign)
• Typography, composition, layout and technical requirements within Graphic Design
• Problem solving and visual communication within Graphic Design
• 2D, 3D and 4D solutions in Graphic Design
You will require a minimum of 4 GCSEs including English and Maths Grades 9-4 (formerly Grades A*-C), preferably including a creative subject.
We would also require a portfolio of current artwork. This could be examples of drawings, paintings, sculpture, photography, textiles, design etc...
Bournemouth and Poole College is an approved Centre for UAL Awarding Body, UAL Level 3 Diploma in Creative Practice: Art, Design & Communication.
A self-initiated work placement in a suitable position will take place.
Upon successful completion of the course, most students progress on to Higher Education (Degree or HND in their chosen area of study). On completing the course you will have gained the equivalent of 3 A-Levels along with a substantial portfolio of artwork that demonstrates your practical skills in a specialist subject area. This will assist you with interviews at university or if applying for work in the creative industries.
The qualification provides students with the necessary industry-relevant skills, knowledge and understanding to access appropriate entry-level roles, training programmes or apprenticeships in the creative sector, or apply for progression to related HE education courses.
This course is suited to students who have aspirations in the following careers:
Advertising- Architect – Artist - Arts Journalist - Art Director - CAD/CAM Designer - Cartoonist Copywriting - Content writing - Costume Designer - Creative Director – Curator - Digital Artist - Editor Engineering – Engraver – Entrepreneur - Event Manager - Exhibition Designer – Researcher - Fashion Designer - Film Maker - Footwear Designer - Furniture Designer - Gallery Staff - Game Designer -Graphic Designer - Industrial Designer - Interactive Designer - Interior Designer - Illustrator -Influencer - Jeweller - Landscape Architect – Librarian - Lighting Designer - Make‑Up Artist – Marketing – Merchandiser - Multimedia Designer - PR - Product Designer - Programming –Photographer - Project Manager - Props Manager – Publishing - Retail Designer - Service Designer -Set Designer - Software Engineering – Tailor – Teacher – Therapist - UX Designer – Videographer - Web Designer
You will be required to pay a £75 studio fee per year to cover resources used on the course as well as an educational trip.
You may wish to purchase excess specialist materials to support you on your chosen pathway.
The UAL Level 3 is equivalent to 3 A-Levels.
You will have access to Bournemouth and Poole College’s Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) which can be accessed from any computer with internet access (at home, libraries or in Bournemouth and Poole College) to submit assignments, coursework and download course materials and handouts etc.
The course is taught in the brand new million-pound North Light Centre for Art and Design. This new building has industry-standard Apple Mac suites, drawing and painting studios, specialist fashion and textiles studios and a photography studio. You will also have access to the Learning Resource Centre (LRC) at North Road, which holds an extensive selection of art, design and photography books and IT facilities. There is also a Study Advice Centre for additional support with your course as well as an active Student Union programme offering a number of social events.
Course Assessment:
The programme subject tutors will assess at several stages throughout the year usually in line with the end of each term, which will include practical and written assignments. These are continually assessed and graded internally and will give students regular feedback as to their progress on the course and abilities to reach targets set. In order to monitor your progress, there will be opportunities for consultations with parents/guardians to set relevant targets. The course work culminates in a Final Major Project in the Summer term of the 2nd year.
Awarding Body:
UAL
Curriculum Area:
Creative and Digital Industries - Art and Design