Art & Design | UAL Diploma in Art and Design | Level 2
Why this course?
Do you have creative flair and like to use your imagination? Based within the exciting and vibrant creative industries department, this course will give you the opportunity to build your skills in a wide variety of areas including drawing, painting, printmaking, 3D, textiles, fashion, graphics and illustration. With projects across all these different areas, you will discover your strengths and define your future path. If you are looking for a career in the creative industries but are unsure what area that will be, these are the courses for you. Including industry-based projects and work experience opportunities, enabling you to further develop the skills to progress to your future career with the energy and confidence to thrive.
- Northbrook College is renowned for its creative industries courses
- State-of-the-art studios and workshops
- Facilities for a wide range of art and design disciplines
- Industry-experienced teachers
Start dates
Start | |
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September 2023 | Apply |
Entry requirements
To start at this level you need at least three GCSEs at grade 3 (D/E) or above, including English and Maths, and a portfolio of your creative work.
Portfolio review with the course tutor.
Your portfolio of work must demonstrate your interest and enthusiasm for the subject area. You are required to bring sketch books, evidence of research and observational drawings, examples of developmental work as well as some final pieces. We are also interested in looking at work you have completed in your own time. There are a number of parental consultation evenings scheduled throughout the year which provide parents with the opportunity to gain feedback on your progress made at college.
If you do not have the above grades start on the Level 1 Diploma in Art & Design.
About this course
You will build your skills in a wide variety of areas including drawing, painting, printmaking, 3D, textiles, fashion, graphics and illustration. With projects across all these different areas, you will discover your strengths and define your future path. If you are looking for a career in the creative industries but are unsure what area that will be, these are the courses for you. Industry-based projects and work experience opportunities are part of each course curriculum, enabling you to further develop the skills to progress to a career in the creative industries with the energy and confidence to thrive.
- Drawing skills, graphics and illustration
- Cultural and historical studies
- Photography, printmaking, fashion and textiles
- Sculpture/3D design
Why Northbrook College?
Northbrook College's vibrant Creative Industries department has a broad range of staff who are all practising artists and designers involved in the region's buzzing art and design scene. Our staff are here help you realise your potential.
Our experienced teaching staff are passionate about their areas of expertise and are committed to helping you to attain your learning goals and meet your personal aims.
Northbrook College is renowned for its creative industries courses. You will work in state-of-the-art artists’ studios with access to our 3D workshop, darkroom, printmaking studio, Mac suites and pattern cutting room.
Without a doubt, one of the reasons we know you will love studying at Northbrook College is the renowned creative facilities and atmosphere at our West Durrington Campus. The campus is a dedicated arts space, with the art & design courses running alongside theatre arts and music courses. You will collaborate with like-minded, passionate students and benefit from the various creative projects that take place, such as theatre shows, music gigs and art exhibitions. The campus is regularly used by professional creatives, which further highlights the quality of our industry-standard facilities.
Facilities
Northbrook College is renowned for its Creative Industries courses, which take place within the fantastic facilities at our West Durrington Campus.
Our state-of-the-art studios and workshops are equipped for a wide range of art and design disciplines including painting and drawing, 3D design, textiles and fashion, graphics, printmaking, wood, metal, ceramics, plaster and photography.
Our IT suites have Macs and PCs and our extensive learning resources facilitate the research that will accompany your practical work.

After this course
Further study
This Level 2 course allows you to progress to the UAL Level 3 Diploma in Art & Design or to one of our Level 3 courses in Fashion & Textiles, Digital Media Arts, Graphic Design or Games Development. There are numerous options and your tutors will be on-hand to guide your decision.
On successful completion of a Level 3 course you can consider university, employment or apprenticeships.
Future careers
- Artist/educator
- Designer: fashion/textile/graphic/interior
- 3D designer: jewellery/ceramics/craft/product design
- Retail designer/curator
- Creative director/entrepreneur
Work experience
The completion of a work placement or work based experience can take a variety of forms: work experience with an external company; work related experience working on live projects such as commissioned work from an internal or external client e.g. the level 2 students working with Brighton Fringe on their children’s art competition where our students curated a show of primary school children’s work and then ran a drawing workshop with them and their parents.
Work experience or work related experience enables you to develop links with employers, and put all of your skills, knowledge and experience into practice. It provides excellent portfolio content where you can demonstrate how you have taken your learning and applied it in a real setting with real work for real clients – this will ensure you have a professional portfolio for application to jobs or further learning – this is most definitely the extra engagement employers and universities want to see.
Alongside contextualising skills and techniques and the language individual to the industry through the work experience or work based experience activities you will hone your employability skills in e.g. meeting and greeting clients, understanding what the client is after in terms of the commissioned work outcomes, suggesting ideas, taking feedback, delivering presentations, turning up on time, wearing the right clothing, delivering to deadlines, going on site, understanding health and safety and possibly producing risk assessments.
Work experience will be planned in blocks or as days during the year. Your tutors will help and support you to find work experience however you may wish to use your own contacts to secure your placement (this will need to be approved by the College in advance). During these work experience blocks you may be required to attend English and/or Maths slots for Functional skills or GCSE if you are re-taking.
Other ways we connect you with the sector thinking is through entry to external and internal competitions to sharpen your understanding of how to present your work for different settings. Lastly we encourage all of our students to take part in volunteering – this is great for your CV and to talk about at interviews. This demonstrates that you are generous in giving up your time to help and support others plus shows your willingness to give back something to your community.
Course fees
This course is free (you do not have to pay fees) if:
- You are a UK citizen, hold EU Settlement Status or have a visa which could qualify you for home status.
- AND you are under 19 on 31 August in the year you are studying.
Unemployed/Benefit Waiver
This course is also free if you meet the following criteria:
- You may not have to pay any fees if you will be aged 19 or over when you begin this course and:
- You are a UK citizen, hold EU Settlement Status or have a visa which could qualify you for home status.
AND
- You are in receipt of Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) or Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- OR you are receiving a means tested benefit, earning less than £617 per month (take home) if you are a sole claimant or £988 a month if you have a joint claim with your partner, and are completing the course to improve your employability
- OR if you are working and earn less than £20,319 per year (gross pay)
- You will need to provide evidence and sign a declaration when you enrol.
Subsidised fees
If the above does not apply to you, you may still be eligible for a subsidised fee. For more information, please speak to our Admissions team: admissions@gbmc.ac.uk | 01273 667704
Additional costs
You may be required to purchase some basic materials to support your learning such as a note pad and pen.
There may be some trips planned in the year which may incur incidental costs.
You may need to purchase resources and materials appropriate to the presentation of your work, especially for the final major project and final show.