Free Level 3 Art and Design Course in Manchester. Classes run full-time at The Manchester College City Campus, five days a week during the day. The course runs for one year and covers all areas of visual arts, from illustration and photography to ceramics, printmaking, fashion, and 3D product design. You'll work on live briefs set by industry professionals, experiment with materials and processes, and build toward a final project shown at an end-of-year exhibition. Manchester's creative scene is part of the learning, with partnerships at venues including Manchester Art Gallery and The Whitworth. A strong level 3 art and design qualification for anyone ready to develop their creative practice.
Who this course is for
Do you have a passion for photography? Would you like to learn more about photography techniques and the photographic industry? If you could see yourself working for Vogue on fashion styling projects, photographing designer goods in far off places for high-end advertising campaigns, or capturing hard-to-reach wild animals for National Geographic magazine, this Level 3 Diploma & Extended Diploma is the course for you. You’ll cover an incredible range of genres on our dynamic photography course, including portrait, fashion, landscape, documentary, still life and experimental image making. You’ll learn the differences between location and studio photography, and how to effectively organise photo shoots. From start to finish, you’ll develop creative concepts and research plans, before taking the photos and then focusing on editing and specialist darkroom and advanced digital techniques in processing & printing. A big part of the course will be getting out into the real world, and you’ll spend a large amount of time taking part in live briefs, helping you to develop experience in working environments. You’ll also have the chance to get involved with the ‘Greater Mancunians’ project, photographing the people who have culturally shaped the city. As with nearly all of our creative qualifications, this Diploma and Extended Diploma is awarded by University of the Arts London Awarding Body - the only specialist creative arts awarding body in the UK.
What you will learn
You'll explore a wide range of visual arts disciplines, including painting, illustration, photography, printmaking, ceramics, jewellery, film, and fashion and textiles.
You'll work on live briefs set by industry experts across specialist creative areas.
You'll experiment with materials and processes to develop your own ideas and concepts.
You'll build a body of work toward a final project and take part in a public end-of-year exhibition.
You'll engage with Manchester's creative sector through partnerships with galleries and cultural organisations.
You'll develop skills in problem solving, collaboration, and independent creative thinking.
How you will learn
You'll learn through studio-based practice, live project briefs, and hands-on experimentation with materials across multiple disciplines. Assessment is through a portfolio of work and a final major project, which is exhibited publicly at the end of the year. You'll attend full-time during the day at The Manchester College City Campus.
What you will need to bring
The centre will provide most materials. The Manchester College City Campus will confirm anything else you need before you start.
Where next
Jobs you could do
Graphic designer: create visual content for brands and media
Illustrator: produce artwork for publishing, advertising, and digital media
Photographer: work in commercial, editorial, or fine art photography
Textile designer: design patterns and fabrics for fashion or interiors
Printmaker or studio artist: produce and sell original artwork
Visual arts technician: support studios, galleries, or educational settings
Creative arts assistant: work in community arts or cultural organisations
What you could study next
Foundation Diploma in Art and Design (Level 4): the standard entry route into art and design degree programmes at UK universities.
BA (Hons) in Fine Art, Graphic Design, Illustration, Photography, or a related subject: a three-year degree that deepens specialist practice and opens professional creative careers.
Higher National Diploma (HND) in Art and Design: a two-year higher education qualification available at many colleges, with degree top-up options.
