BA Digital Design

digital-design-flipped

Undergraduate Available in Clearing

BA Digital Design

Learn the theories, techniques and tools to excel in the design industry – from experts who've led projects across Europe.

Key information

Study mode

Full-time

Course length

3 years

Entry requirements

N/A

See requirements

UCAS code

W212

Choose an option

Start date

Course overview

Take a hands-on approach to digital design, learning from industry experts. Study graphic design, 2D and 3D design, animation and film-making.

Gain the skills to apply your knowledge to real-world design challenges. You'll also develop an industry-standard multimedia portfolio.

This course aims to produce highly employable graduates who are ready to create at the cutting edge of digital design. Those graduates go on to successful careers in game design, graphic design and digital publishing, among other areas.

Apply now through clearing

01482 466100 Apply online

6 reasons to study Digital Design at Hull

  1. 100% graduate employability rating*
  2. The latest tech, like our Virtuix Omni VR platform
  3. Access to VIPER, our super-computer
  4. Top digital creation and cinema display facilities
  5. Choose to spend a CV-boosting year in industry 
  6. Strong links to regional media organisations

What you'll study

The course consists of 120 credits per year. Most modules are 20 credits, meaning you’ll study six modules each year. Some longer modules, such as a dissertation, are worth more (e.g. 40 credits). In these cases, you’ll study fewer modules - but the number of credits will always add up to 120.

First year modules

  • Compulsory

    Principles of Visual Design

    You will explore the principles of designing for the visual medium using software, tools and traditional methods. You'll develop your understanding of layout, typography and colour palettes as well as engaging with design research.

    Design Play Create

    Explore the broad landscape of design including architecture, photography and fine-art and apply what you discover to different digital design challenges. You will also experiment with different ways in which to generate creative ideas.

    Introduction to Animation

    You will be introduced to a range of different traditional animation techniques. You'll also combine your knowledge of raster and vector design to create your own motion graphics. The final project will include a sophisticated animation designed to be core part of your professional portfolio.

    UI and UX Design

    You will learn the skills and techniques required for designing user interfaces (UIs) for large and small screen devices. In addition, you'll explore user experience (UX) design, a method that takes a holistic approach to design challenges and engages with users emotions.

    The Craft of Filmmaking

    Gain insight into the practical and collaborative elements of filmmaking. This module will introduce you to direction, cinematography, production management, editing and audio, with opportunities for practical application and critical reflection.

    3D Asset Design

    Gain a grounding in the fundamentals of 3D Design. Learn the basics of modelling, textures, 3D painting and rendering, and design your own 3D animation and portfolio.

Second year modules

  • Compulsory

    3D Character Design

    Engage with 3D organic digital sculpting to develop skills to produce an effective well designed 3D character. Learn the craft of good topology, character anatomy considerations, and 3D print techniques to produce your own effective design. Through a combination of research, study and practical projects, you'll widen your awareness of professional design theory, principles and practice.

    Creative Business: Pitch and Design

    Develop your understanding of the tools and techniques used when generating a business idea within the pre-production stages of development, and create a pitch deck for a product of your own design.

    Visual Design

    You will build upon visual design 1 developing graphic solutions for a wide range of platforms. In addition, you will continue to explore design research with a view to developing more advanced solutions.

    3D Character Animation

    Apply principles of animation to bring life to your 3D characters. Learn and apply different workflows and explore advanced features of 3D animation.

    Professional Practice: Production and Development

    Develop and demonstrate your project management skills.

    Rapid Prototype Design

    You will focus on the integration of personal, creative and intuitive design practice into the design of live based interactive systems. You will have the opportunity to develop a prototyping kit (asset library of sounds, scripts, images, sprites, and assets than can be reused in subsequent prototypes) to demonstrate your understanding of what makes a successful prototype.

Placement year modules

Your placement is your opportunity to get some real-world work experience under your belt.

Just like in the real world, you’ll be responsible for finding and applying for opportunities, with the added benefit of help and support from university services such as the Careers and Employability service based in Student Central.

Students on placement have a dedicated Academic Support Tutor. Your tutor will talk you through potential placement opportunities, help with applications and support you during the year.

Placements can be with multinational organisations employing large teams of design staff (such as Sky or the BBC), through to small to medium enterprises around the UK and beyond. We also work closely with the Centre for Digital Innovation, a £15-million investment in Hull's digital industry. Placements may be possible in this organisation, providing you with opportunities to gain valuable relevant experience in the local area.

Final year modules

  • Compulsory

    Major Project (Digital Media)

    You will be encouraged to conduct your own research into an area of interest relating to your studies. As part of this process you will develop a dissertation and significant practical piece of design work to support your research.

    VFX and Post Production

    Discover exciting and innovative ways of enriching your game designs and non-playable sequences, also known as cutscenes. You'll be introduced to key approaches to advanced game design through a combination of different professional software and principles of traditional cinematography.

    Digital Storytelling

    Develop your understanding of the importance of narrative within differing forms of media. You will then explore your own use of narrative techniques producing materials for immersive and interactive experiences.

    The Designer Self

    Analyse strategies, models and processes used in organisations within the creative industries. You will then demonstrate organisational skills in assembling, editing and curating a large body of work.

    Immersive Design

    The use of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) is growing siginificantly. You will learn and apply theory with respect to immersive design, development and management and take part in your own virtual environment using our immersive design lab.

All modules are subject to availability and this list may change at any time.

How you'll study

Throughout your degree, you’re expected to study for 1,200 hours per year. That’s based on 200 hours per 20 credit module. And it includes scheduled hours, time spent on placement and independent study. How this time’s divided among each of these varies each year and depends on the course and modules you study.

Overall workload

216 hours

Scheduled study Scheduled hours typically include lectures, seminars, tutorials, workshops, and supervised laboratory and studio sessions.

984 hours

Independent study Independent study is the time outside your scheduled timetable, where you’ll be expected to study independently.

Indicative assessment proportions

17%
83%
  • Practical

    Practical is an assessment of your skills and competencies. This could include presentations, school experience, work experience or laboratory work.

  • Coursework

    Coursework typically includes essays, written assignments, dissertations, research projects or producing a portfolio of your work.

Overall workload

228 hours

Scheduled study Scheduled hours typically include lectures, seminars, tutorials, workshops, and supervised laboratory and studio sessions.

972 hours

Independent study Independent study is the time outside your scheduled timetable, where you’ll be expected to study independently.

Indicative assessment proportions

17%
4%
79%
  • Examination

    Written assessment typically includes exams and multiple choice tests.

  • Practical

    Practical is an assessment of your skills and competencies. This could include presentations, school experience, work experience or laboratory work.

  • Coursework

    Coursework typically includes essays, written assignments, dissertations, research projects or producing a portfolio of your work.

Overall workload

180 hours

Scheduled study Scheduled hours typically include lectures, seminars, tutorials, workshops, and supervised laboratory and studio sessions.

816 hours

Independent study Independent study is the time outside your scheduled timetable, where you’ll be expected to study independently.

204 hours

Work placement Placement hours typically include time spent on a work placement, studying abroad, or field trips.

Indicative assessment proportions

7%
16%
77%
  • Examination

    Written assessment typically includes exams and multiple choice tests.

  • Practical

    Practical is an assessment of your skills and competencies. This could include presentations, school experience, work experience or laboratory work.

  • Coursework

    Coursework typically includes essays, written assignments, dissertations, research projects or producing a portfolio of your work.

Overall workload

156 hours

Scheduled study Scheduled hours typically include lectures, seminars, tutorials, workshops, and supervised laboratory and studio sessions.

1044 hours

Independent study Independent study is the time outside your scheduled timetable, where you’ll be expected to study independently.

Indicative assessment proportions

10%
11%
79%
  • Examination

    Written assessment typically includes exams and multiple choice tests.

  • Practical

    Practical is an assessment of your skills and competencies. This could include presentations, school experience, work experience or laboratory work.

  • Coursework

    Coursework typically includes essays, written assignments, dissertations, research projects or producing a portfolio of your work.

Music Film and Screen Digital Design Ashvita Sudhakar UNI-1198
Ashvita Sudhakar Film and Digital Media

Why I chose Digital Media at Hull

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Placement year

Spend a year in industry getting real world experience with organisations from small design studios to the likes of Sky and the BBC.

game-entertainment-design-usp-1

Foundation year

A foundation year is available to boost your confidence and skills if you don't quite meet our academic entry requirements.

Entry Requirements

Don't meet our requirements?

We offer a Foundation Year to boost your skills and knowledge – it’s a great way to make your way into higher education.

Switch to the foundation year

During Clearing we look at all of your qualifications and experience, not just your academic grades – you’re more than just letters on a page!

Some courses still do have requirements such as previous study in your subject area, or specific GCSE grades. Others have additional requirements such as an interview or a satisfactory DBS check.

Please call us now on 01482 462236 to find out if we have a course that’s suitable for you.

Don't meet our requirements?

We offer a Foundation Year to boost your skills and knowledge – it’s a great way to make your way into higher education.

Switch to the foundation year

If you require a Tier 4 student visa to study or if your first language is not English you will be required to provide acceptable evidence of your English language proficiency level.

This course requires academic IELTS 6.0 overall, with no less than 5.5 in each skill. See other English language proficiency qualifications accepted by this University.

If your English currently does not reach the University's required standard for this programme, you may be interested in one of our English language courses.

Visit your country page to find out more about our entry requirements.

Our teaching staff

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Take a tour of the facilities

Take a 360-degree look around one of the computer labs where you'll gain cutting edge digital design skills.

Explore the virtual tour

Fees & funding

Home / EU

£9,250 per year*

International

£14,000 per year

*The amount you pay may increase each year, in line with inflation - but capped to the Retail Price Index (RPI).

UK and EU students can take out a tuition fee loan to cover the cost of their course, and UK students can take out a maintenance loan of up to £8,700 to cover living costs.

Substantial discounts are available for International students.  

More information on fees can be found in the Money section of the website.

Your tuition fees will cover most costs associated with your programme (including registration, tuition, supervision, assessment and examination).

There are some extra costs that you might have to pay, or choose to pay, depending on your programme of study and the decisions you make. The list below has some examples, and any extra costs will vary.

  • Books (you’ll have access to books from your module reading lists in the library, but you may want to buy your own copies
  • Optional field trips
  • Study abroad (including travel costs, accommodation, visas, immunisation)
  • Placement costs (including travel costs and accommodation)
  • Student visas (international students)
  • Laptop (you’ll have access to laptops and PC’s on campus, but you may want to buy your own)
  • Printing and photocopying
  • Professional-body membership
  • Graduation (gown hire and photography)

Remember, you’ll still need to take into account your living costs. This could include accommodation, travel and food – to name just a few. 

Attainment
Scholarship

If you achieve

112 UCAS tariff points

from three A levels or equivalent, you could receive a reward of

£1,200

Find out more

An affordable city for students

From bills, to meals, to pints – you’ll find that your money goes a lot further in Hull.

Your future prospects

  • Graphic designer
  • Web designer
  • Multimedia designer
  • Information designer
  • Video designer
  • Art director

You'll be equipped to enter a range of digital design-related positions - everything from traditional graphic design, through interactive design for web platforms, to working in advertising.

Our connections with the region’s digital media industry give you opportunities to get invaluable work experience while studying. And the optional year in industry provides priceless real-world exposure.

Open Day at University of Hull

Ready to apply?

You can apply for this course through UCAS. As well as providing your academic qualifications, you’ll be able to showcase your skills, qualities and passion for the subject.

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This. Is. Hull.

A place where we stand up to kings, do deals with the world and take a wrecking ball to the slave trade. A place where culture stands out and the phone boxes are a different colour. A place where we're free-thinking, independent and proud of it.

*Percentage of students in work or further study within six months of graduating: UK domicile full-time first degree leavers; Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education survey for the academic year 2016/17, published by HESA 2018