The National College
Visual Communication
BDes in Visual Communication
BA in History of Art and Design and Visual Communication
"How visual language interacts with popular culture, technology and media will always be what makes graphic design such an interesting and ever-evolving discipline." (Matt Owens, Volumeone, New York).
Visual communication design is a conceptually-based, problem-solving practice which embraces many sub-disciplines, combining word and image in an unlimited variety of media to communicate an immeasurable array of messages that are both cultural and industrial in nature. The key elements of visual communication are typography, illustration, photography and the moving image.
Course Description
After successfully completing First Year (Core), selected students can specialise in the Department of Visual Communication.
In Year 2 the student develops versatility in a number of graphic design disciplines. The emphasis is on problem solving, producing graduates who are innovators, not imitators.
In Year 3, the emphasis shifts from skill acquisition to the development of original solutions to set problems and their communication graphically.
A number of modules are undertaken in the first term of Year 4 and the results of these, and other projects formulated by the students themselves, are assessed at the end of the final term by internal and external examiners. The objective for the final year is to develop and assess the student's ability to deal with complex design briefs requiring a high level of competence in research, analysis, organisation, communication and design.
Twenty per cent of the course is devoted to studies in Visual Culture and, in the final year, the preparation of a thesis.
Career Prospects
Visual Communication graduates are employed by design consultants, book and magazine publishers, multimedia and web design companies, advertising and publicity agents and as in-house designers for large corporations, and state and semi-state bodies. Opportunities for graduates also exist in the fields of television and film design, exhibition and display.
The knowledge and skills gained through study of this subject are highly transferrable, so graduates of the programme may find themselves working collaboratively with experts in a wide variety of fields or may go on to specialise in a related discipline at postgraduate level. It should also be noted that many graduates of Visual Communication at NCAD have gone on to set up their own very successful design companies.
Click here for Entry Requirements and Application Procedures
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