Digital Design with a Year Abroad - BSc (Hons)

Course structure

Duration: 4 years full-time

Modules

The following modules are indicative of those offered on this programme. This listing is based on the current curriculum and may change year to year in response to new curriculum developments and innovation.

On most programmes, you study a combination of compulsory and optional modules. You may also be able to take ‘elective’ modules from other programmes so you can customise your programme and explore other subjects that interest you.

Stage 1

Compulsory modules currently include:

EL316 - Design Thinking (15 credits)

EL325 - Digital Content Creation (15 credits)

EL340 - 3D Fundamentals (15 credits) 

EL326 - Virtual Environment Design (15 credits)

CO328 - Human-Computer Interaction (15 credits) 

EL317 - Technical Rigging (15 credits)

EL542 - Tangible Media (15 credits)

EL313 - Introduction to Programming (15 credits)

Stage 2

Compulsory modules currently include:

EL532 - 3D Production (30 credits)

EL510 - Online Design (15 credits)

EL511 - Interactive Environments (15 credits)

EL509 - Virtual Reality (15 credits)

EL577 - Entrepreneurship and Professional Development (15 credits)

EL576 - Second Year Project (30 credits)

Year abroad

Your year abroad is taken between your second and final years. This gives you an excellent opportunity to develop multidisciplinary skills through experiencing a new culture, and to discover how your subject is taught in a different environment. You are taught in English and destinations include universities in the US, Singapore, Europe, Hong Kong and Australia.

Please note that progression thresholds apply. In particular, in order to be considered for the year abroad, students are required to achieve an overall mark at Stage 1 of at least 60%.

Compulsory modules currently include: 

EL793 - Year Abroad (120 credits)

Stage 3

Compulsory modules currently include:

EL611 - Final Year Project (45 credits)

EL610 - 3D Simulation (15 credits)

EL643 - Design Futures and Emerging Technology (15 credits) 

EL609 - Mixed Realities (15 credits)

You also undertake further optional module(s)

Fees

The 2021/22 annual tuition fees for this programme are:

• Home full-time £9250
• EU full-time £15400
• International full-time £20500

For details of when and how to pay fees and charges, please see our Student Finance Guide.

For students continuing on this programme, fees will increase year on year by no more than RPI + 3% in each academic year of study except where regulated.* 

Your fee status

The University will assess your fee status as part of the application process. If you are uncertain about your fee status you may wish to seek advice from UKCISA before applying.

Additional costs

General additional costs

Find out more about accommodation and living costs, plus general additional costs that you may pay when studying at Kent.

Funding

University funding

Kent offers generous financial support schemes to assist eligible undergraduate students during their studies. See our funding page for more details. 

Government funding

You may be eligible for government finance to help pay for the costs of studying. See the Government's student finance website.

Scholarships

General scholarships

Scholarships are available for excellence in academic performance, sport and music and are awarded on merit. For further information on the range of awards available and to make an application see our scholarships website.

The Kent Scholarship for Academic Excellence

At Kent we recognise, encourage and reward excellence. We have created the Kent Scholarship for Academic Excellence. 

The scholarship will be awarded to any applicant who achieves a minimum of AAA over three A levels, or the equivalent qualifications (including BTEC and IB) as specified on our scholarships pages. 

The scholarship is also extended to those who achieve AAB at A level (or specified equivalents) where one of the subjects is either mathematics or a modern foreign language. Please review the eligibility criteria.

Teaching and assessment

Most modules consist of a mix of lectures, seminars, practical work, computer sessions and private study. The workstations in our computer suites are equipped with current industry-standard software.

All modules contain design and project work, and are continuously assessed. The specialist project at Stage 3 is assessed by a written report, poster, a critique and, of course, the outcome of the project itself. Both Stage 2 and 3 marks count towards your degree result.

The industrial placement year is assessed by a written report, poster, and industrial assessment that together count as 10% of your overall degree result.

The year abroad is assessed on a pass or fail basis.

Our students have 24-hour access to our extensive air-conditioned computer suites and are able to take advantage of a dedicated production studio, with green-screen, VR suite and makerspace.

Contact hours

For a student studying full time, each academic year of the programme will comprise 1200 learning hours which include both direct contact hours and private study hours.  The precise breakdown of hours will be subject dependent and will vary according to modules.  Please refer to the individual module details under Course Structure.

Methods of assessment will vary according to subject specialism and individual modules.  Please refer to the individual module details under Course Structure.

Programme aims

The course aims to:

• provide a multidisciplinary education for students who seek professional careers in the field of digital design
• produce graduates who have an informed, critical and creative approach to understanding digital design and its applications in contemporary society
• prepare students to meet the challenges of a broad and rapidly changing field while providing them with a wide choice of careers
• provide proper academic guidance and welfare support for all students
• create an atmosphere of co-operation and partnership between staff and students, and offer the students an environment where they can develop their potential
• Develop skills in appreciating learning in an international culture by allowing the opportunity to study at an overseas university in the year abroad.
  
• Provide students with experience and knowledge in the culture of another country.

Learning outcomes

Knowledge and understanding

You gain knowledge and understanding of:

• the audio, visual and verbal conventions through which sounds, images and words take meaning
• fundamental concepts of IT and software engineering
• the creative processes involved in visual design
• the contextual, historical and conceptual dimensions of the discipline
• audio and video technology
• the multimedia authoring process
• fundamentals of 3D modelling and animation
• key production processes and professional practices relevant to the design industry
• the legal, ethical and regulatory frameworks which affect the development of multimedia applications
• the role of technology in terms of mixed media production, access and use
• The cultures and societies where the year abroad is spent.

Intellectual skills

You develop the following intellectual skills:

• examining multimedia applications critically with appropriate reference to their social and cultural contexts and diversity of contemporary society
• awareness that technologies are rapidly changing and that you should expect to update your knowledge throughout your working life
• awareness of the objectives, constraints and conditions of a commercial environment, including financial and time constraints
• designing and developing software-based on an analysis of system requirements
• researching and integrating information and data from a variety of sources for essays, projects and multimedia applications
• analysis of a problem and development of a solution based on technical, aesthetic and economic factors
• consideration and evaluation of your own work in a reflexive manner with reference to academic and professional issues
• analysis, interpretation and exercising critical judgement in the understanding and evaluation of multimedia applications
• Ability to integrate into a different educational, cultural and social environment.

Subject-specific skills

You develop the following subject-specific skills:

• ability to use scripting and programming languages in the implementation of interactive applications
• ability to demonstrate creative and technical skills in design
• ability to develop specific proficiencies in utilising a range of multimedia design tools including 3D modelling, video editing, image manipulating and multimedia authoring
• ability to integrate text, graphics and time-based elements to produce effective design solutions
• ability to initiate, develop and realise distinctive and creative applications which demonstrate the effective manipulation of digital assets
• ability to utilise a range of research skills, for example, research into potential audiences and markets, as a production tool
• ability to prepare technical reports and presentations
• ability to apply management techniques to the planning, resource allocations and execution of a design project
• The way design practitioners are taught and trained in a different cultural setting. 

Transferable skills

You develop the following transferable skills:

• ability to generate, analyse, present and interpret data
• use of information and communications technology
• personal and interpersonal skills, teamworking
• ability to communicate effectively to a variety of audiences and/or using a variety of methods
• ability for working in flexible, creative and independent ways and for critical thinking, reasoning and reflection 
• ability to organise and manage time and resources within an individual project and a group project.

Careers

Graduate destinations

Digital Design prepares you for careers in areas such as: 

• 3D production and animation
• digital marketing
• user experience design
• web design and development.

Help finding a job

Employers are always keen to employ graduates with knowledge of the work environment and some students receive job offers from their placement company.

The University also has an award-winning Careers and Employability Service which can give you advice on how to:

• apply for jobs
• write a good CV
• perform well in interviews.

Career-enhancing skills

Studying on this degree not only equips you with an in-depth understanding of some of the most exciting technologies of the 21st century, it also helps you to develop useful workplace skills such as:

• planning and organisation
• leadership
• effective communication. 

You can gain extra skills by signing up for one of our Kent Extra activities, such as learning a language or volunteering.