UAL Level 3 Diploma in Creative Practice (Online)

When & Where

4 November 2025 - 26 June 2026 ( 594 hours, 27 weeks )
Online

Quick Facts

Availability Yes (course free to 16-18 year olds)
Course Code C25CRDA05A
Suitable For This course is free for 16-18s

What you will learn

This intense, online, 8-month course provides you with the opportunities to explore the rich and diverse world of the creative industries. A new, unique and exclusive fast-track course which allows you to establish where you may wish to specialise in higher education or industry. Learners are encouraged to reflect on their practice to develop a range of critical and visual communication skills. The Creative Practice course allows students to be observant, flexible, practical, and critical and to develop valuable industry relevant skills such as managing your own time and communicating ideas effectively. You will learn a range of 2d and 3d techniques and processes, digital & traditional art and design skills. You will also be supported to engage in online work experience opportunities which are relevant to your creative practice. The course will equip you to build a portfolio of work for progression to further study or work opportunities.On successful completion of the course, you will achieve the first stage of the following qualification: Extended Diploma in Creative Practice: Art, Design and Communication [UAL] needs to change to Diploma

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

Understand a specialist industry practice within the creative industries
Use research to influence activities within a specialist industry practice
Propose a self-initiated creative investigation within a specialist industry practice
Understand creative intention and purpose within a specialist industry practice
Understand how visual language is used to communicate ideas and concepts within a specialist industry practice
Use reflective practice to inform and direct activities within a specialist industry practice

On successful completion of the course, you will achieve the following qualification: Diploma in Creative Practice: Art, Design and Communication [UAL]

Class format and activities

This is an online pathway to allow students to be able to access a flexible education model. If you are not able to physically attend college, due to barriers such as caring responsibilities, childcare, financial, distance, work commitments etc. then this course offers you an alternative. This is a fast-track course, students will be expected to engage in their studies for an average of 22hrs per week. There are up to 6hrs per week directed, timetabled study including 1-1 tutorials where you can contact your lecturer for advice, however the majority of hours are flexible to allow you to shape your own timetable of study. Industry relevant briefs will be delivered that will allow you to explore your personal voice supported by individual tutorials with lecturers. Set projects that will develop your skills and independent thinking that is required to progress to degree courses, apprenticeships or appropriate entry level roles within art & design industry. Assessment Methods: You will be assessed through a total of 3 units over 8 months. At the end of the academic year, you will produce a final major project with a grade of Pass, Merit or Distinction. All assessment is through the work you produce, research, sketchbooks and practical work. Assessment will be supportive with deadlines towards the end of each term in which individual feedback will be given to support your next steps. UAL Level 3 Units delivered:Unit 01: The Creative ProcessUnit 02: Developing Creative PracticeUnit 03: Responding to a set Brief

Entry requirements

- You will need four GCSEs at grade 4 or above including English or Maths - A successful interview which will include showing examples of your current creative work

What you need to know before you enrol

This is an exciting course that will encourage you to experiment with a range of different specialist areas, techniques and ideas. You will need to be able to manage your time and workload, be self-motivated and be able to work from home. You will have an experimental approach and be open to trying new and interesting ways to develop your practice. In order for this course to be publicly funded you must have an English postcode as your permeant address. Self-funding options are also available.

What you need

In this diverse course there will be various equipment & material needs as we progress through the course that will be individualised for need, you will need to maintain a sketchbook and/or blog of your work. There will be additional costs such as material and software requirements. You will need access to a computer with sufficient performance to run Adobe Photoshop and Microsoft Office packages. If you do not currently have adobe software, you can use your college 365 login details to login an adobe cloud?account. System requirements will depend on the app you want to use. you can find the system requirement details here for Photoshop, Lightroom, Illustrator and Adobe Premier: https://helpx.adobe.com/creative-cloud/system-requirements.html#individual-apps

What you can do next

On successfully achieving the L3 Diploma in Creative Practice: Art, Design & Communication you can progress onto Morley L3 Extended Diploma in Creative Practice, L4 Foundation or Higher Education courses or higher study at other organisations (18+ only), as well as Apprenticeships or entry level roles in the creative industries. This qualification is the equivalent to 1.5 A Levels.