Creative Practice (Top-up) Bachelor of Arts (with Honours) - BA (Hons)

Validated by Sheffield Hallam University, this is an exciting course that prepares you for employment or postgraduate study within a wide, creative field. Studying alongside students from a range of disciplines you will have the opportunity to develop a final major project which will help to define you as a creative practitioner. You will, with staff and professional support, draw upon thinking which underpins credible and robust academic and professional practices. You may study on placements or internships and have opportunities to market your emerging talent in the professional and academic communities.

The BA (Hons) Top-Up in Photography, Media and Graphic Design offers a dynamic opportunity to refine your creative identity and develop the professional, technical, and theoretical skills needed to succeed in today’s competitive creative industries. This one-year course enables students from a Foundation Degree or equivalent Level 5 qualification to achieve a full Honours degree.

You’ll specialise in one of three creative pathways — Photography, Media, or Graphic Design — while engaging with a shared curriculum designed to strengthen your critical understanding, creative practice, and professional development. The programme combines conceptual thinking with practical application, preparing you for a successful career in the creative sector or for postgraduate study.

Pathways:

* Graphic Design

* Media

* Photography

Key Units:

Critical Studies 

This module encourages you to explore the theoretical and cultural frameworks that underpin contemporary creative practice. You’ll critically engage with key debates, movements, and methodologies within photography, media, and design, developing a deeper understanding of how social, political, and technological contexts shape visual communication. Through essays, presentations, and research projects, you’ll strengthen your ability to analyse creative work and articulate informed, original perspectives on your chosen field.

* Creative Practice

Creative Practice allows you to experiment, innovate, and refine your artistic and technical skills within your chosen pathway. You will produce a series of exploratory projects that push your creative boundaries, exploring advanced techniques, media, and processes relevant to your specialism. This module supports the development of your personal style and visual language, encouraging conceptual depth and professional-level outcomes that demonstrate your readiness for industry or further study.

* Professional Development

This module focuses on preparing you for your future career. You’ll develop a professional portfolio, website, or showreel to showcase your creative identity, as well as learn how to position yourself in the creative marketplace. Topics include self-promotion, networking, freelance practice, intellectual property, and working with clients. You’ll also explore potential career pathways, from independent practice to agency work, entrepreneurship, and postgraduate opportunities.

* Planning for Major Project

In this preparatory module, you’ll define the focus, scope, and aims of your final Major Project. You’ll undertake in-depth research, concept development, and project planning to ensure your creative direction is both conceptually sound and achievable. The process includes proposal writing, research documentation, and experimentation, culminating in a detailed plan that demonstrates critical awareness and professional-level project management.

* Major Project

The Major Project represents the culmination of your learning and creative development throughout the course. This self-directed project enables you to apply your technical skills, conceptual understanding, and professional insights to produce a substantial body of work within your chosen pathway. You will respond to a brief demonstrating your ability to produce design, media, or photographic outcomes that meet real-world expectations.