Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Illustration with Foundation Year

at Wrexham Glyndwr University - Wrexham Campus United Kingdom

This degree in Illustration will help you develop both your illustrative style and flair for creative image-making. The course covers the practical, professional and artistic sides of working as an illustrator with an individual artistic voice. The programme will equip you for a successful career in the creative industries.

You will

• learn how to create compelling images, work to professional standards and understand how your work fits into the industry
• be introduced to a broad range of creative skills, from the generation of ideas to their technical production through printmaking, bookbinding, 3D materials, life drawing, traditional and digital media, with an emphasis on drawing and the development of a unique personal style
• be introduced to professional creative processes and encouraged to expand your abilities through workshops and practical projects
• learn how to interpret a brief, identify and solve problems, develop creative individuality and produce a professional portfolio
• gain personal, professional and entrepreneurial skills including working as a freelance artist: from marketing and self-promotion to contracts, invoices and working with clients
• be encouraged to work on live briefs and competitions

Key Course Features

• You will be part of a vibrant and creative community of commercial artists including children’s book artists, illustrators, animators, game artists and designers.
• You will be taught by a teaching team with a broad range of experience working professionally in the illustration and creative industries.
• We encourage our students to self-publish and learn how to produce high-quality production prototypes to pitch to the publishing industry through the use of our in-house Bindery.
• Our students have won illustration prizes and awards such as the Oxford University Press Illustration competition, the Macmillan Children’s Book competition, the Caldecott Society and D&AD awards and been nominated for prestigious Eisner and Silver Reuben Awards.

The cost of mental ill health to the Welsh economy is estimated to be £7.2billion each year (Mental Health Foundation, 2016). It is recognised that mental ill health can arise from a combination of factors at any point across the lifespan and that people living with mental health issues may require support from a range of services such as housing, social enterprise and community organisations in conjunction with statutory health and social care services. There is therefore a need for suitably knowledgeable practitioners to fulfil a range of emerging roles which will help to reduce the stigma, disadvantage and inequality experienced by people living with mental health issues and to work within communities to promote good mental health and wellbeing.

With a prevention and recovery-focused orientation, this dynamic programme combines theory with work based learning to ensure that our graduates are perfectly placed to access a variety of careers in this ever-developing sector. There are a range of assessments across the programme which ensure that each graduate has a full CV – students on the programme will develop anti stigma campaigns, produce health promotion leaflets and give presentations, reflecting the real life skills needed by future employers. Students will also develop their self-awareness and emotional literacy, alongside reflective and interpersonal skills – all of which are key to becoming an effective and competent practitioner.

The course is taught on two full days per week but students are expected to engage in both directed and independent study outside of these hours. Students will be assigned a personal tutor on enrolment who will support them throughout their time on the programme. The department operates an open door policy, meaning that students do not have to make an appointment in order to be able to access their personal tutor but are welcome to pop in. We also offer an established peer mentor system, so students can access support from fellow learners.

This course is also available to study as a three year degree (without a foundation year) BSc (Hons) Mental Health & Wellbeing

Key Course Features

• Includes a foundation year to prepare you for further years of study
• The programme team work with local employers to ensure that the theory taught is relevant to current practice in the sector
• Delivered by academics from a range of backgrounds, which means that you will be part of a diverse community of practice
• Established peer mentor scheme, so you can obtain support from students already undertaking the programme
• Innovative and flexible teaching methods are embedded throughout, including interactive lectures, tutorials, case studies, workshops, online activities and learning resources.
• Work based experience which you can tailor to your own area/s of interest in years two and three of the programme
• Opportunities to take part in additional relevant events and volunteering within the wider University, giving you a full portfolio of experience on graduation

This is an exciting course, specially designed for those wanting to work positively with children, young people, marginalised groups and communities. *It has been ranked first in Wales for learning community in the National Student Survey 2019 (WGU analysis of National Survey of Students 2019).

Successful completion of the Foundation Year will also lead to an Agored Cymru Level 2 & Level 3 Youth Work accreditation.

Through this course, you can gain a professional youth work qualification endorsed by Education Training Standards Wales with over a third of your time in placement activities.  Successful completion of the course will allow you to register with the Education Workforce Council in Wales as a Youth Worker. There is also the option to study a faith-based route in the first year and exit with a Certificate in Higher Education Youth and Community Work (faith-based), or to top up the full degree and JNC Qualification*.

As well as placement opportunities in Wales and the UK, there are also opportunities for a part-funded placement through the Erasmus programme with a university in Europe.
The youth and community department at Wrexham Glyndwr University is regarded as the “home of youth work in Wales”, having offered education and training to the youth and community sector for more than 43 years. As such the department has excellent links with employers across North Wales, North West England, and the Midlands, and it works in partnership with organisations across the statutory, voluntary and third sector.
Please be aware it may be necessary to work outside of normal working hours, e.g. during evenings or over weekends, whilst on placement due to the nature of this profession.

You can also choose to study this course as a three-year degree (without a foundation year) BA (Hons) Youth and Community Work (JNC)

Key Career Features

• Includes a foundation year to prepare you for further years of study.
• A degree programme with professional endorsement, and course content aligned with National Occupational and Professional Standards in the sector.
• Opportunities for continuing professional development through additional training opportunities and professional networking on a course with strong links with employers and local training providers.
• Learn and gain experience with 800 hours of supervised fieldwork practice, with a placement in each year of study. This can be in a variety of settings either in the UK or internationally.
• Start the academic year with a learning experience with a partner project to see youth work skills in action.
• Develop skills in teamwork, positive communication, working with groups and individuals, reflective practice and leading others.
• Develop knowledge and core skills for youth work practice and informal education that are transferable to work with children, young people and adults in a range of different settings.
• *1st in Wales for learning community in the National Student Survey 2019 (WGU analysis of National Survey of Students 2019).

The BA (Hons) Childhood, Welfare and Education (level 6 top-up) is an exciting opportunity to take your understanding and practice of Childhood Studies and Education to the next level. The programme

• Is offered to you as a fully supported e-learning programme
• Encourages independent study
• Deepens academic knowledge and understanding
• Can be studied over one or two years depending on your own work and family commitments.

Key Course Features

• Study in the comfort of your own home, with the flexibility to fit study around your work and life commitments.
• Join an engaging course which values communication and support. We use chat forums, e-mail, Skype, telephone and Moodle messages to keep in contact with students and our tutors are hands-on and readily accessible.
• We offer Saturday study days for students to get together and work with tutors face to face (optional).
• We have an experienced, friendly and supportive team who fully understand the challenges of balancing study with family and work commitments.
• We welcome students from outside the UK, with course materials and assignments written to enable students to bring their own context and experiences to the course.

Policing in England and Wales is a complex activity characterised by the need to carefully consider how law, values, social policy and organisational priorities should be interpreted and applied. As police forces in England and Wales aim to adapt to meet the demands of the 21st century, discover an in-depth degree developed in partnership with North Wales Police.

This course will

• combine scenario-based learning based upon simulated policing encounters, together with lectures and seminars taught by experienced academic staff and retired experienced police officers
• offers opportunities for students to develop their academic knowledge and skills in policing

Students will

• develop knowledge of the broader criminal justice system
• demonstrate advanced skills in dealing effectively and sensitively with members of the public
• on completion of the course, have the necessary legal and policing knowledge and key transferable skills to meet the operational requirements of the police service
• study in a subject area rated 1st in Wales for overall satisfaction National Student Survey 2020
• take part in our annual real-time training exercise:

Key Course Features

• Equips students with the knowledge and understanding, skills and tools that are highly relevant to employment as a Police Constable and in other policing roles
• Taught by research-active academics and practitioners with a background in Police and Policing
• Students will build strong and sustainable networks and links with public service and third sector organisations involved in policing for both professional and personal development and advancement
• Interactive blended approach to teaching
• Develops knowledge relating to the professional performance of the police constable role, permitting learners who are subsequently recruited to the police service to pursue a career as a police constable or police staff.
• Course is in a subject area rated 1st in Wales for overall satisfaction National Student Survey 2020

Mental ill health is estimated to cost the Welsh economy £7.2billion each year. It can arise from a combination of factors and people living with mental health issues may require support from a range of services such as housing, social enterprise and community organisations as well as statutory health and social care services.

That’s why it’s vital there are knowledgeable practitioners to fill roles which will help to reduce the stigma, disadvantage and inequality experienced by people living with mental health issues and to work within communities to promote good mental health and wellbeing.

This course:

• Is orientated towards prevention and recovery
• Combines theory with work based learning to ensure that our graduates are perfectly placed to access a variety of careers in this ever-developing sector
• Is in a subject area rated 90.4% for satisfaction with teaching and 97.4% for satisfaction with learning opportunities (WGU analysis of unpublished National Student Survey data 2020)

Students will:

• Work on assignments that reflect the real life skills needed by future employers
• Develop their self-awareness, emotional literacy, reflective and interpersonal skills – all of which are key to becoming an effective and competent practitioner
• Be assigned a personal tutor on enrolment who will support them throughout their time on the programme
• Benefit from the department’s open door policy and established peer mentor system

This course is also available to study with a foundation year BSc (Hons) Mental Health & Wellbeing (four years including foundation year)

Key Course Features

• The programme team work with local employers to ensure that the theory taught is relevant to current practice in the sector.
• Delivered by academics from a range of backgrounds, which means that you will be part of a diverse community of practice.
• Established peer mentor scheme, so you can obtain support from students already undertaking the programme.
• Innovative and flexible teaching methods are embedded throughout, including interactive lectures, tutorials, case studies, workshops, online activities and learning resources.
• Work based experience which you can tailor to your own area/s of interest in years two and three of the programme.
• Opportunities to take part in additional relevant events and volunteering within the wider University, giving you a full portfolio of experience on graduation.

You will gain experience and develop knowledge of a broad range of graphic design and multimedia techniques throughout the course enabling you to successfully fulfil roles within this fast expanding industry.

Areas covered will include advertising, typography, editorial, packaging, branding, web design, installation design, mobile communications and motion graphics. As the course advances there will be opportunities to work on ‘live briefs’ through our industry contacts enabling you to develop your problem solving skills fto fulfill a client. 

You can also choose to study this course as a three year programme (without a foundation year) BA (Hons) Graphic Design or  or as a four year integrated Masters MDes Graphic Design

Key Course Features

• Includes a foundation year to prepare you for further years of study
• Experience a wide variety of learning opportunities throughout your study.
• Opportunities to visit design exhibitions and museums, attend conferences such as Offset in Dublin and visit design companies throughout the UK.
• Opportunity to enter your work for national and international design competitions, like the D&AD, YCN, The Roses and ISTD.
• State of the art facilities in our new Centre for the Creative Industries
• Small, friendly community of students and lecturers at our own campus in Regent Street
• Teaching staff who are knowledgeable practitioners and research-active in the Creative Industries.

If you are fascinated with behaviour and wonder why people do what they do, then our psychology course – which is accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS) – will be ideal for your questioning mind.

As a psychology student at Wrexham Glyndwr University you will have access to a diverse range of facilities including our psychometric lab, flight simulator, high-tech sports performance lab, experimental cubicles and simulation lab.

On this hands-on, practical degree, you’ll discover the fascinating science behind how people think, act, react and interact.

Throughout the course you will gain a greater understanding of social interaction, individual development and the way in which the brain interprets information that we deal with on a daily basis.

The scientific nature of psychology is emphasised throughout the course with specific modules relating to social psychology, developmental psychology, individual differences, cognitive psychology, and psychobiology. You will develop your statistical and research skills through regular laboratory based practicals and in the final part of the course you will complete a substantial final project on a topic of your choice.

Students can take part in our annual real-time training exercise.

You can also choose to study this course as a three year degree (without a foundation year) BSc Psychology

Key Course Features

• Includes foundation year to prepare you for further years of study.
• Small and friendly department with a research-active academic team.
• Fully supportive of student research interests.
• Accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS) – students will also have the opportunity to attend and present at the BPS conference at level 6.
• Facilities used on the course include a psychometric lab, teaching laboratories with modern computing facilities, a high tech sports performance lab, experimental cubicles and a simulation lab.
• Practical sessions in each module to give hands-on experience of the applicability of theory and/or develop students research skills. We believe that as psychology is about real life, formal lectures should be enhanced by experiential learning. All set lectures in the morning are supplemented by a practical exercise in the afternoon. These practicals relate directly to the theory studied in the morning session and use the excellent and varied resources available at the university.  

From sharp force trauma to spectra, from bones to bugs... Wrexham Glyndwr University will prepare you for an exciting career in science.

This degree has been designed to provide a detailed knowledge of numerous scientific disciplines and how they can be applied to investigate a wide range of crimes. The programme has been tailored to train students to become competent and skilled scientists, able to conduct the analysis of materials, interpret complex results, and present their evidence as expert witnesses.

Students will

• Be trained in a wide variety of fields, including crime scene investigation, biology and chemistry
• Use our dedicated laboratories, crime scene house, and taphonomic facility (body farm) to test and hone your scientific skills
• Benefit from our long-term collaborations with partners including North Wales Police, companies specialising in areas such as search dog training and the analysis of human remains, as well as analytical companies that provide students with opportunities to perform frontier research and publish papers
• Take part in our annual real-time training exercise:

You can also choose to study this course with a foundation year BSc (Hons) Forensic Science (four years including foundation year)

Key Course Features

• Highly specialised facilities including a  dedicated crime scene investigation house, located right on the campus, and the first, and only, licensed body farm in Wales for taphonomic study and research
• Highly experienced, research and case active staff delivering hands-on practical session with modern laboratory equipment
• Opportunities to attend a number of course-related trips and events including conferences in forensic science and eligibility for Student Membership of The Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences (additional costs apply)
• Inclusive and supportive teaching with tutorial support available through the medium of Welsh
• Established partnerships with a number of industries in the areas of forensic, chemical, analytical and materials science including collaboration with North Wales Police on research projects in forensic investigation
• *The subject area is top in Wales for overall satisfaction and 2nd in the UK for satisfaction with teaching (WGU analysis of unpublished NSS 2020 data).
• Top 20 in the UK for student satisfaction, Complete University Guide 2020.

Develop your material and design skills through Ceramics, wood, Metal, plastics, Jewellery and Silversmithing. This Applied Art course focuses on the high quality craft skills needed to be a professional maker.

The BA(Hons) Applied Art programmes enable students to understand the importance of high quality making, of originality and how to generate personal responses to materials and processes.

We encourage creativity, innovation and entrepreneurial skills to produce graduates who can combine their conceptual and technical skills in Applied Art with the professional skills needed to be a successful maker.

Designers who can respond creatively to applied art and design problems remain in high demand. We place a strong emphasis on the language of design through exploration and expression of ideas and use of materials processes and practices.

Our courses promote excellent communication skills and professional aspects of practice and encourage innovative and interdisciplinary use of media and materials. There is also a strong emphasis on developing interpersonal skills through collaborative projects and teamwork.

Key Course Features

• Includes a foundation year to prepare you for further years of study.
• Excellent gallery and commercial links, with the focus on craft skills to enable you to become exceptional makers.
• Focus is placed on developing your business skills in areas such as pricing, publicity and marketing; we are consistently praised by external examiners for how well prepared our students are for professional life.
• You will be taught by a dedicated team of research-active practitioners who exhibit their own work both nationally and internationally.
• Work on live projects, exhibitions, competitions and commissions for public and private clients; this will give you confidence for your future career, for example, when approaching galleries and retail outlets with your work.
• * the course is rated 94.4% for learning opportunities (WGU analysis of unpublished NSS data 2020)

You can also choose to study this course as a three-year programme without the foundation year BA (Hons) Applied Arts