Program Overview

Digital Design (Degree Apprenticeship) BA

Course Overview

The BA Digital Design apprenticeship programme is a new way of learning through an employer, apprentice, and university partnership. Learning is achieved in the workplace and is completed while employed in industry. The apprenticeship brings benefits and opportunities to both employer and apprentice.

Course Highlights

• No fees for students
• On-the-job learning
• Showcase your skills
• State-of-the-art facilities
• Top educator

About Your Course

Apprentices will develop knowledge, skills, and behaviors including:

• Creative processes and key perspectives, approaches, and schools of thought and how to apply them
• Working to/with briefs and managing client relationships
• Digital design tools and methods, and understanding their strengths and weaknesses and application
• User-centered and accessible design, user research & UX
• Fundamentals of branding
• Visualization of data
• 3D Data capture and processing
• 3D Models for use in creative sectors and wider economy

Modules

Year 1

• Learning & Studying at Work
• Creative Digital Design Principles
• Content Production
• Conceptualisation and Strategic Thinking
• Creative Project Management
• Professional Development Portfolio 1

Year 2

• Pitching and Iterating
• Brief and Audience
• Strategy and Business Metrics
• Campaign Planning: Design and Delivery
• Brand Management
• Professional Development Portfolio 2

Year 3

• Data Stories
• Project Management and Innovation
• Professional Development Portfolio 3
• Final Negotiated Creative Digital Design Project

Teaching and Learning

This is a professional programme and the apprentice will be taught via a work-integrated blended learning approach which will comprise the following:

• Work-integrated learning will consist of on-the-job development and application of knowledge, skills, and professional behaviors
• Module workshops will be taught by professionals and specialist staff introducing new relevant academic and professional content
• Specialist workshops will be delivered face-to-face and/or online
• Online learning includes structured individual and/or group online learning activities and tasks that involve facilitated tutor and peer group feedback to support learning development

Assessment

All assessment for all modules will be based on coursework alone and will be graded accordingly. The apprentice will be required to submit a range of evidence of work-integrated learning in for assessment that authentically reflects aspects of practice as a Creative Digital Design Professional.

End-point Assessment

As an integrated Degree Apprenticeship, there is no requirement for a separate End-point Assessment (EPA) to complete the apprenticeship. The requirements for EPA are built into the final stage modules of the bachelor’s degree programme.

The integrated EPA will comprise of the following two components:

1. A Final Work-Based Project
2. A Panel Interview

Fees and Entry Requirements

Fees

• There is no cost to do a higher or degree apprenticeship for the apprentice/learner
• Fees are paid by the apprentice employer, drawn from the apprenticeship levy or via co-investment arrangements
• Employers in England can directly access their levy through the Digital Apprenticeships Service
• If an employer is a non-levy paying employer, then they will share the cost of training and assessing their apprentices with government – this is called ‘co-investment’

Entry Requirements

• Apprentices must be in full-time employment
• Apprenticeship programmes are not available for international students
• Apprentices would need to be working in England for a minimum of 3 years prior to starting an apprenticeship
• Apprentices should have English, Maths at Level 2 (GCSE C/4 or equivalent)
• Apprentices without level 2 English and Maths 2 (GCSE or equivalent) will need to achieve this level prior to taking the End-Point Assessment
• UCAS tariff of 112 points
• Relevant or prior experiential learning (RPL) will be assessed at the start of the programme, and if evidenced may convert relevant university-level knowledge, skills, and behaviors into credits that can be put towards a qualification

Careers

The programme is specifically designed to prepare apprentices to be fully competent to undertake the role of Creative Digital Design Professional on completion of both the bachelor’s degree qualification and the apprenticeship.

For example: Application Designer, Creative Artworker, Creative Design Manager, Creative Designer, Creative Director, Digital Designer, Graphic Designer, Interaction Designer, and Web Designer.