Mode of Study

Full-time

Start Date

24th Aug 2026, 2 years

Location

City Campus

Applications from International Students Welcome

Overview

On this HND programme, you will immerse yourself in the world of visual communication and digital media design. You’ll develop essential design skills while building technical expertise in motion graphics, graphic design, animation, UX design, and digital content production. You will work on studio-based projects and respond to project briefs that challenge you to apply design thinking across a range of digital media formats. 

You’ll build a professional portfolio throughout the course and have the chance to engage with industry professionals through guest lectures, live projects, and competition work. By the end of the programme, you’ll be equipped with the creative and technical skills needed to progress into further study or launch your career in the creative industries.

Entry requirements

Minimum entry requirements

• Higher Graphic Communication or Art and Design at Grade C or above AND National 5 English at Grade C or above; OR 
• Level 6 National Qualification in a related subject; OR
• Other equivalent qualifications or experience.

Submission of Digital Portfolio

Submit a portfolio of art and design work that contains:

• 2 examples of finished art or design work.
• 2 examples of research for art or design work.
• 2 examples of development work for art or design work.

​This may be uploaded along with your application or linked to as part of an online portfolio of work.

Successful candidates will be invited for a course information session.

Additional selection requirements

• You'll be invited for a group information session where you can find out more about the course and tell us why you're interested in this subject area or we'll make an offer based on your application form.
• You'll be asked to provide examples of your design work. 

ESOL entry requirements

Applicants whose first language is not English should have minimum SQA ESOL National 5 or equivalent for NC/NQ courses and ESOL Higher or equivalent for HNC/D courses.

What you study

• Design fundamentals.
• New media design. 
• Motion Graphics, 2D/3D animation and Visual Effects.   
• User experience (UX) Design. 
• Digital Content Creation. 
• Digital Video / Audio production.
• Portfolio Preparation. 
• Branding. 

Typically, a digital designer creates, manages, and produces digital design solutions for a variety of uses such as websites, email templates, product graphics, television and film production, motion graphics, social media content, brand campaigns, and photography. 

After the course

Careers

After the HND, you can apply for jobs in, such as with design consultancies, advertising agencies, online publishing, web design, television and film production, motion graphics for screen, or in-house design studios.  You can also progress to further study.

Continuing Study

• BSc (Hons) Digital Design: Graphics at Glasgow Caledonian University.
• BA (Hons) Digital Media & Interaction Design at Napier University.
• Graphic Design BDes (Hons), Experience Design BDes (Hons) at Dundee University.
• Graphic Arts & Moving Image - BA (Hons) at the University of the West of Scotland.
• Students have also progressed to the University of Edinburgh, Glasgow School of Art, the University of Dundee, and other Universities in the UK.

Teaching

How the course is taught

Assessment methods

Additional Information

Materials