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Design - Visual Communication - Grangegorman

Higher Education CAO
TU973

The work of the Design – Visual Communication graduate is all about breathing life into images, text and concepts, turning them on their head and communicating them in a fresh way to a wide audience. This four-year programme will suit you if you wish to become a graphic designer, illustrator, typographer or digital media designer.

Award Name Degree - Honours Bachelor (Level 8 NFQ)
NFQ Classification Major
Awarding Body Technological University Dublin
NFQ Level Level 8 NFQ
Award Name NFQ Classification Awarding Body NFQ Level
Degree - Honours Bachelor (Level 8 NFQ) Major Technological University Dublin Level 8 NFQ
Location:
Grangegorman
Attendance Options:
Daytime, Full time
Qualification Letters:
BA (Hons)
Apply to:
CAO
Restricted Entry:
Yes
CAO Points Round 1
Year Points
2023 695
2022 527
2021 700
2020 717

Duration

4 Years

Specific Subjects or course requirements

Irish Leaving Certificate

Minimum No of Subjects: 6
Higher: 2 H5's

Applicants will be advised of and must submit a portfolio in March

For further information go to:
https://www.tudublin.ie/study/undergraduate/courses/design-visual-communication-tu973/?keywords=tu973

* Restricted Programme = You must apply to CAO by 1st February at 5pm if you wish to apply for a restricted programme.

Leaving Certificate General Entry Requirements

Minimum Entry Requirements

Entry/Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible for consideration for a course an applicant must possess the minimum entry requirements for that course. Entry requirements are outlined above.

CAO offers are determined on the basis of examination score except in the case of courses which involve suitability tests, interviews and other assessment procedures. All suitability tests/interviews/auditions/portfolio reviews etc will generally be carried out during the period March - May each year.

Where a specific grade is required in a subject (H4, O3 etc) an applicant must achieve that grade or better in order to be eligible for consideration (H = Higher Level; O = Ordinary Level). Where a requirement is 2 or 3 honours, grade H5 or better on Higher Level
Leaving Certificate papers is needed to meet such a requirement.

In the case of both Higher and Ordinary Level Leaving Certificate results, grades lower than H7 (Higher) or 06 (Ordinary) are not acceptable for eligibility purposes or for points calculation.

For the purpose of meeting minimum entry requirements, results from any number of sittings of the Irish Leaving Certificate Examination may be combined.

An applicant’s examination score will be calculated by adding together the points scored in the best six subjects in a single sitting of the Irish Leaving Certificate Examination.

Matriculation Examinations will not be accepted either for the purpose of meeting minimum entry requirements or for calculating examination scores.

Demand usually exceeds the number of places available and therefore examination results better than the minimum entry requirement are likely to be required.

When a number of applicants have the same points score, a random number is attached to the score for each course preference. This will then determine the position of each applicant on the waiting lists for offers.

Bonus Points Maths (Irish Leaving Certificate)
25 bonus points will continue to be awarded for Higher Level Mathematics for H6 grades and above. Bonus points are only counted where that subject is scored as one of the applicant’s best six subjects for points purposes.

Foundation Level Mathematics
We accept Foundation Level Mathematics for the purposes of entry requirements the case of any course where Higher or Ordinary Level Mathematics is not a requirement. Please check above to ensure you are aware of the individual math requirement.

Points are awarded as follows:
F1 = 20 points
F2 = 12 points

Foundation Level Irish
For the most part the University will not consider Foundation Level Irish for the purposes of entry requirements or for points, however a grade F3 in Foundation level Irish is acceptable for meeting the minimum entry requirements for some Higher Certificate courses. Students with an F3 in Foundation level Irish must have passed five other subjects with a minimum grade of O6 including Math, students should check on individual course pages to determine if their foundation Irish grade is sufficient.

Leaving Certificate Vocational Progamme LCVP

The University recognises the Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme (LCVP) for admission purposes and results in the Link Modules element of the programme will be considered as follows:

Distinction 66 points
Merit 46 points
Pass 28 points

The Link Modules can be used as one of the six subjects for overall points calculation and may also be considered as a subject for the purposes of minimum entry requirements, dependent on the programme for which you are applying.

Leaving Certificate Applied Programme LCAP

The Leaving Cert Applied Programme will not meet minimum entry requirements and will not be awarded points.

QQI FET Applicants General Information

We welcome applications from students presenting QQI (formerly known as FET/FETAC) Level 5/6 awards. Over 500 first-year places are available, for QQI FET Applicants, on our Higher Certificate, Ordinary Degree and most Honours Degree courses.

How to Apply
You must apply through the Central Applications Office (CAO).
In order to apply, you must have obtained a full major award. A Component Certificate (minor award) is not sufficient.
The best 8 modules of your award are used for ranking purposes.
In addition to the QQI minimum entry requirements, QQI quotas and QQI points apply. The max QQI points awarded is 390.
If you’ve accumulated your major award over more than one academic year, you’ll need to apply to the QQI for a major award.
If you present full QQI Level 5/6 awards, you won’t be required to meet minimum entry requirements based on Leaving Certificate results. The QQI Level 5/6 award is accepted in its own right.

QQI FET General Information Link

QQI FET Entry Requirements

Careers / Further progression

What are my career opportunities?
Graduates work in design consultancies, advertising agencies, publishing, media groups and in private practice.
Graphic Designer
Production Designer (theatre, television, film)
Junior Designer
Freelance Graphic Designer
Marketing Administrator
Desktop Publisher
Illustrator and Designer
Animator
Medical Illustrator
Printmaker
UX Designer

Progression
On graduation, you may proceed to postgraduate studies leading to the award of MSc, MPhil or PhD at research institutes and universities worldwide.

Course Web Page

Further information

Whatever your reason for coming back to education – to update your skills, gain a new qualification, achieve a personal goal or ambition, etc. TU Dublin welcomes applications from all mature students aged 23+.

It may be daunting but you’re not alone. TU Dublin has a range of supports in place to help you decide what course to take, get through the application process and get settled into college life.

For further information go to https://www.tudublin.ie/study/undergraduate/cao/entry-routes/mature-applicants/

EU Applicants
We welcome EU Applicants with high-school qualifications from a European Union or European Free Trade Association country.

A Level GCSE Applicants
We welcome students who have completed their GCSE or A Level exams.

TU Dublin Access Routes
We aim to ensure that students of all backgrounds and nationalities can find a pathway to higher education that suits their circumstances at different stages of their lives and careers. Please take some time to look at the various Access entry routes outlined below and feel free to contact us for further information. We are more than happy to give you advice on which entry route might be suitable for your individual needs and to support you in making your application.

For more information on these entry routes go to https://www.tudublin.ie/study/undergraduate/cao/entry-routes/

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Entry 2024 - Restricted Course

Early online application (discounted): Fee €30 Closing Date: 20 January 2024 at 5pm

Normal online application: Fee €45 Closing Date: 1 February 2024 at 5pm

Be sure to complete any action well in advance of closing dates. You should avoid submitting an application close to a closing date. No extensions to closing dates will be allowed and all fees are non-refundable.

Restricted Courses
Applying for a restricted course – you must have applied to CAO by 1 February 2024 at 5pm if you wish to apply for a restricted course. The restricted course must be included on your course choices list by that date, or added to your application using the facility to amend course choices (for a fee of €10) before 1 March at 5pm.

Restricted courses normally require additional assessment procedures, for example, the submission of a portfolio, an oral assessment or interview, or a written assessment. Restricted courses are identified in the handbook by the words “(Restricted - see page 3)" on the same line as the restricted course’s title. Please make sure to acquaint yourself with the additional requirements, if any, of the restricted course(s) that you have applied for and go to page 24 of the 2024 CAO Handbook for more information about interviews and assessments.

Exception: If a restricted course shares the exact same assessment procedures with a course you had applied for by 1 February 2024, you may be permitted to introduce it on a Change of Mind. You should consult with the relevant HEI before introducing such a course.

Mature Applicants
Mature applicants – most HEIs will require mature applicants, who wish to be assessed on mature grounds, to have applied to CAO by 1st February 2024 at 5pm, and include course choices by that date or add them using the facility to amend course choices (for a fee of €10) before 1 March at 5pm. (This restriction does not apply if the applicant wishes to be considered on the basis of school leaving qualifications only.) For more information about applying to CAO on the basis of mature years go to www.cao.ie/mature

Supplementary Admission Routes
Applying for DARE and/or HEAR – to be considered for DARE and/or HEAR, applicants must have registered on the CAO system by 1 February 2024 at 5pm. To apply to DARE, you must answer YES to Question 1 ('Do you wish to be considered for DARE?) on Section A of the fully completed Supplementary Information Form (SIF) by 5pm on 1 March 2024.

To apply to HEAR, you must indicate on your CAO application that you wish to apply for HEAR and fully and correctly complete all elements of the online HEAR form by 5pm on 1 March 2024.

Supporting documents for DARE and/or HEAR applicants must be sent to CAO offices before 15 March 2024 at 5pm

Is Creative Arts, Design & Media for you?
Creative Arts, Design and Media all play roles in holding up a mirror to society – enhancing, challenging and reimagining. Study in any of these areas will involve learning to make work with different technologies, techniques and materials, but you will also learn about the history of your discipline, how the industry works and how to build your career doing what you love.

What is Design - Visual Communication?
The work of the Design – Visual Communication graduate is all about breathing life into images, text and concepts, turning them on their head and communicating them in a fresh way to a wide audience.

This four-year programme will suit you if you wish to become a graphic designer, illustrator, typographer or digital media designer.

Through examining how image and text work together, you’ll learn how to design and visually communicate through print and digital media. The programme is mainly based in a studio where you’ll work on a wide variety of projects that explore typography, image-making (illustration and photography) and digital media.

Supporting the practice-based studio work, critical theory will introduce you to design practice and key issues in the history and theory of design.

Modules include Visual Exploration & Design Process, What is Design?, Drawing, Design Applications, Design and Contemporary Society, Design for Print Media, Design for Digital Media, Image-Making, Design & Career Management, Modernism in Design, and Visual Communication. You can also take a number of optional modules from Fine Art and Interior & Furniture Design.

In Years 3 and 4, several live projects are run with industry, cultural, not-for-profit organisations and community partners.

Summer internships are encouraged and supported.

Study Abroad Opportunities
We have a comprehensive Erasmus programme connecting with over 15 European schools of design.

Year 1
Studio Practice:
Visual Exploration & Design Process
What is Design? (Professional Practice)
Drawing
Design Applications

Critical Theory:
Introduction to Design
Design and Contemporary Society

Year 2
Studio Practice:
Design for Print Media
Design for Digital Media
Image-Making
Design & Career Management (Professional Practice)
Drawing
Design Applications

Critical Theory:
Modernism in Design

Students can also take a number of optional modules from Fine Art and Interior & Furniture Design.

Year 3
Studio Practice:
Design for Print Media
Design for Digital Media
Image-making
Professional Practice

Critical Theory:
After Modernism
Thesis Preparation

Students can also take a number of optional modules from Fine Art and Interior and Furniture Design.

Year 4
Studio Practice:
Visual Communication
Professional Practice

Critical Theory:
Thesis

Contact Us
School of Art and Design
creativearts@tudublin.ie
+35312206164

Location:
Grangegorman
Attendance Options:
Daytime, Full time
Qualification Letters:
BA (Hons)
Apply to:
CAO
Restricted Entry:
Yes
CAO Points Round 1
Year Points
2023 695
2022 527
2021 700
2020 717