Digital Design Level 3


  • Start Date: 01/09/2026
  • Course is for: School Leaver
  • Course Length: 1 Year
  • Funding Support Funding Support:
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If you have boundless imagination and the desire to explore industry standard digital tools to invent and create exciting visuals, then this course is ideal for you.

Digital Arts offers opportunities to manipulate pixels as well as traditional media to design characters, props and environments for your comics, games and film ideas.

Putting you in good stead to develop a career in the burgeoning digital sector in the North East – one of the fastest growing industries in the country.

Working with experts in the field in our state of the art digital lab, you will hone your craft to be able to design, model, animate, light and render.

You will have access to Adobe Design suite subscription for college and personal use throughout your time with us.

Entertainment Design at Gateshead College offers three pathways:

  • Illustration – develop skills in digital painting for concept art and editorial illustrations.
  • Sequential Art – focuses on developing skills in Book illustration, comics and storyboards.
  • Animation – develop skills in 2D/3D animation, storyboarding, modeling, lighting and rendering for 2D/3D.

The Teaching Team

As a team we are highly motivated and positive and believe that an open mind and a can do attitude is the best way for you to get the most out of your learning.

We work closely with our students and often learn from each other to embrace creativity, share new ideas and celebrate at the end of year with an exhibition of the fantastic work produced.

Throughout this qualification you will build skills, competencies and confidence in the creative process, understanding how to reflect on your practice and unlock your creative potential.

We’ll give you regular feedback, designed to help you be the best you can, be it in practical work, concept development and design or how you creatively problem solve.

You are graded at the end of each year. In year one this is the final major project, a body of work that shows your strengths and personal interests and is based around where you excel.

Reflecting your research, contextual design, presentation and, of course, your practical skills.

Top-up onto the extended diploma in year two and you will advance your skill set and professional qualities building towards the extended final major project, showcasing how far you have come.

Assessed on your professional portfolio of work, you will be ready to progress to university or the other exciting next steps in your creative career.

Live projects are an exciting and important part of the course.

You’ll work on live commissions or receive work placements with external companies.

Our network of employer partnership includes:

  • BALTIC Centre of Contemporary Art
  • Northern Gas Network
  • North East Dyslexia
  • Newcastle Crown Court
  • Kurodragon
  • Surreal and Wild in Art.

This is an amazing opportunity to show you can work to a live brief with your own style of work; perfect to add to your CV.

“We were amazed at the work the students produced.” Newcastle Crown Court

“It was great working with the college on this project to commemorate these iconic structures, which have been a familiar sight in Redheugh for more than a century.” Northern Gas Networks

This course is free to those aged under 19 years old.

Most people aged 19 years and over can qualify for free course fees and there are grants and bursaries you can apply for to help cover the costs of coming to college, depending on your circumstances.

For one to one advice, contact our friendly team who will assess your individual circumstances and give you the right information. You can contact them on 0191 490 2246, [email protected] or via Live Chat. Or pop along to one of our Enrolment Events.

 

Whatever support you need, we’re here for you and will make sure you get the most out of your time at college.

We have expert teams in place to look after every single one of our students.

Our specialist teams can help with:

  • Learning difficulties
  • Physical and sensory disabilities
  • Dyslexia, dyspraxia, neurodiversity or other specific learning difficulties
  • Mental health and well being
  • Exam access arrangements
  • Money, finance and bursary advice
  • Careers advice, job and university applications

See here for more information, pop into one of our enrolment events, call us on 0191 490 4627.

WHAT CAN I DO WITH A QUALIFICATION IN DIGITAL DESIGN LEVEL 3?

  • Web Design Professionals
  • Photographers, Audio-visual and Broadcasting Equipment Operators
  • Graphic and Multimedia Designers

Knowledge

Computers and Electronics: Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

Clerical: Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.

English Language: Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

Customer and Personal Service: Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

Administration and Management: Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modelling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

Median Salary
£37,592

Average Qualifications
Honours, Bachelor's degree

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Knowledge

Computers and Electronics: Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

Telecommunications: Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.

Customer and Personal Service: Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

Communications and Media: Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.

Fine Arts: Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.

Median Salary
£29,033

Average Qualifications
Level 3 NVQ; A Levels

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Knowledge

Design: Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.

Fine Arts: Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.

Communications and Media: Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.

Computers and Electronics: Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

Sales and Marketing: Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.

Median Salary
£25,946

Average Qualifications
Honours, Bachelor's degree

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Pathways

Information and Communication Technology
People in these occupations manage and analyze technical information and communication systems, provide user support, and plan, build, and test applications and systems.
Art, Performance and Design
People in these occupations create art and fine craftwork, produce and perform plays and motion pictures, and design graphics and other products.
Media, Publishing and Information Services
People in these occupations produce, publish, and release media and provide library, archive, curation, and information services.

Pathways

Information and Communication Technology
People in these occupations manage and analyze technical information and communication systems, provide user support, and plan, build, and test applications and systems.
Art, Performance and Design
People in these occupations create art and fine craftwork, produce and perform plays and motion pictures, and design graphics and other products.
Media, Publishing and Information Services
People in these occupations produce, publish, and release media and provide library, archive, curation, and information services.

Pathways

Information and Communication Technology
People in these occupations manage and analyze technical information and communication systems, provide user support, and plan, build, and test applications and systems.
Art, Performance and Design
People in these occupations create art and fine craftwork, produce and perform plays and motion pictures, and design graphics and other products.
Media, Publishing and Information Services
People in these occupations produce, publish, and release media and provide library, archive, curation, and information services.

Skills

Reading Comprehension
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Active Learning
Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Writing
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Active Listening
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Monitoring
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Learning Strategies
Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
Speaking
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Mathematics
Using mathematics to solve problems.
Science
Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.

Skills

Active Learning
Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Monitoring
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Active Listening
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Reading Comprehension
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Speaking
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Learning Strategies
Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
Writing
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Mathematics
Using mathematics to solve problems.
Science
Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.

Skills

Active Listening
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Speaking
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Reading Comprehension
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Writing
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Active Learning
Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Monitoring
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Learning Strategies
Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
Mathematics
Using mathematics to solve problems.
Science
Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
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School Leaver Course Guide 2026/2027

View or download our course guide for 16-18 year olds.

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