FdA Web Design Course Information · In Depth
Why choose Wakefield College’s web design course?
We’re committed to providing high quality tuition at affordable prices. We’ll help you progress towards your career or educational goals by providing a level of individual support which universities struggle to match. 2011’s National Student’s Survey again confirmed that Wakefield College provides an outstanding learning environment for its students.
How do we provide high quality, individualised training at affordable prices?
Wakefield College is predominantly a Further Education institution — something that we think is a distinct advantage to your Higher Education.
We’re not under pressure to recruit lots of students, so you won’t be lost in a large group. In fact, you’ll be one of only a select dozen or so in each year. Neither are we under pressure to decrease the amount of tuition you receive. At Wakefield College, you’ll study for 14 hours a week in dedicated workshop facilities, with tutor guidance and support for the whole time. Not many universities can say that! Multiply that by our 30-week timetable [per year] and you’ll see how dedicated we are to your education. We have the opportunity to get to know you as a person and to respond to your individual needs.
All in all, we’re confident that we provide a more relevant, higher quality, Higher Education experience than most. And with eleven years experience — we know what we’re doing.
We’re now accepting applications for 2012 entry via UCAS.
Contact us if you require any further information.
How do we approach web design?
We’ve created a course that specifically addresses the need to ‘design’ — as well as build — websites. The web design industry values graduates who can use the software — and be creative with it too. The course combines creative modules in Design Methodology, Image Manipulation and Typography with technical modules in XHTML, CSS and other relevant mark-up/scripting languages. Work related learning also features extensively.
The creative and technical skills you learn are also repurposed for a print design module, further increasing your employability.
We work closely with professionals to ensure there’s a high degree of industrial relevance to the course, so that you’re ready to make an immediate impact in the web design/graphic design industries.
Who’s the course suitable for?
We recruit students from many different backgrounds: those who are studying — or have studied — on creative courses [for example Graphics or Art and Design]; or those from more technically oriented courses such as ICT or Computing. We welcome industry professionals wishing to gain a formal qualification, or adults wanting to re-skill so they can take up a new career.
How do we teach you?
The course is built around a series of practical assignments that encourage you to investigate the tasks and processes of website production. You develop the knowledge to undertake these assignments through a mixture of lecture, workshop, seminar and self-study activities.
As you gain experience, you’ll also undertake ‘live’ work for external clients in order to contextualise your theoretical studies.
Your progress through the assignments is monitored in a variety of ways: on a daily basis through workshop activities; weekly through seminar sessions; the assignments themselves are formally assessed at the end of each semester.
Over two years you will build a grade profile that determines your final level of achievement. Successful completion of the course will earn you 240 credit points.
Contact us if you require any further information.
What attendance is required?
We specifically timetable the course over two consecutive days to minimise the amount of traveling you've got to do, and to maximise your time whilst in College. This strategy also allows you a considerable amount of time to undertake self-study and to work part-time if necessary. 16 hours of self study is expected per week.
What are the entry requirements?
All our applicants should demonstrate an enthusiasm and curiosity about the potential of website design.
Further Education students:
You should typically have a minimum of 160 UCAS Tariff Points; a BTEC National Diploma with a ‘MPP’ profile; or two A Levels at grade ‘C’. An English qualification is essential; a Maths qualification is desirable. You will need strong IT and communication skills. You will be invited to attend an interview in order to assess your suitability for the course. A portfolio of your own creative and academic work is required.
Mature students:
Although there are no formal entry requirements, previous study at Level 3 would be an advantage. You will be invited to attend an interview in order to assess your suitability for the course. A portfolio of your own creative and academic work is almost always required. You will need to demonstrate strong IT, communication and literacy skills.
What are the progression and employment opportunities like?
A Foundation Degree lasts for two years, rather than the three of a full degree. We think that this gives you more choice in your higher education. You may feel ready for employment immediately after the course has finished — but in case you don’t — you’ve also got the safety net of a top-up degree. Our students regularly make successful transitions to both employment and university. More information on the career opportunities in web design can be found on the Skillset website.
Contact us if you require any further information.
