Diploma in Creative and Media

The Industry
Britain has a strong track record of creative output. Over the past decade, our creative industries have grown at twice the rate of the economy as a whole. And it’s continuing to grow, as demand for creative content and creative talent increases.

Ideas are the heart of creativity. It’s the ideas that drive all the different industries, like advertising, film, interactive media, music and the performing arts.

Britain’s writers, artists, choreographers, directors, composers and comedians light up countless lives.
If you want to be part of this exciting world you need to have not only the ideas and the talent, but also the skills and knowledge to turn ideas into reality.

Essential skills and experience
The Diploma in Creative and Media allows you to learn valuable skills in different situations. You’ll learn about the key themes in creativity and how to think and work creatively. This includes seeing a project through from start to finish, identifying an audience and their needs and learning about the business side of the creative and media industries.

With a Diploma you can progress into further and higher education, training or future employment within or outside the creative and media industries.

What will I learn?
All levels of the Diploma in Creative and Media include the following four areas:

Creativity in context: The things that can influence the creative process, such as society, culture, the environment or the work of other people.

Thinking and working creatively: Ways of exploring, experimenting with and developing ideas, skills and techniques.

Principles, processes and practice: The skills, techniques and processes to turn your ideas into reality.

Creative businesses and enterprise: An understanding of real situations and the skills that you need to succeed in the industry.

How is the Diploma made up?

Principal learning (subject learning you have to do)

The above four areas will introduce you to the main things you need to know about the sector and the creative process.

These disciplines include 2D and 3D visual art, graphic design, product design, fashion, textiles, drama, advertising, dance, music, film and many more.

You will apply this in a number of practical activities and small projects, which will usually combine two or more disciplines, depending on what you are interested in.

You might, for example, want to record a music track, and produce the artwork and video to promote it. This could combine music, dance, film, 2D art and graphic design. At the same time, you will be learning how to develop your ideas and market them commercially.

Additional and specialist learning (choices you can make)

Specialist Learning
At each level, you can develop your particular creative and media interests further by taking specialist courses relating to your particular interests and career ambitions. You could, for example, learn about dark-room printing if you are interested in photography or sound technology if you like music.

Additional Learning
Or you might choose a GCSE or A level in subjects like English or history, which would help you get onto a university course.

You can also broaden your course by taking an additional subject that reflects your other interests and career ambitions – like a language, or a science or humanities subject.

Functional skills in English, Maths and ICT
Like all Diploma students, you’ll develop a good standard of English, maths and ICT. These subjects are essential to succeed in any business or learning environment.

Personal, learning and thinking skills
All Diploma students will develop personal, learning and thinking skills, such as team-working, creative thinking and self-management. These are vital skills in both life and work, and will be useful to you in the future, no matter which path you take. They are an integral part of the creative process and support the four areas of creativity.

Work experience
Your Diploma will give you the opportunity to do at least 10 days’ work experience. This is a great way to use the skills you have learnt in the classroom, and experience what work is like from the inside.

Student projects
During your Diploma, you’ll complete a main student project to demonstrate the skills and knowledge that you have learnt. This could be a written piece of work, like a report or an investigation, or it could be a practical piece of work, like an installation, a website or a play.

What a Diploma will lead to
A Diploma in Creative and Media will give you the skills you need for university, training or work, and is a first step towards a future career in the sector.

It could lead you to a university degree in any number of subjects including animation, textiles, dance, film, or equally languages, philosophy, politics or architecture.

Alternatively, it could help you head towards a career as a creative or media professional, by leading to vocational training, such as Apprenticeships or NVQs. This could help you to become anything from a dancer to a sound technician.

However, the Diploma in Creative and Media doesn’t mean you have to opt for a career in this sector. Because a Diploma teaches a mix of subjects, it will give you the skills that will be welcomed by colleges, universities and employers, no matter what you choose to do.

“The Diploma is a very welcome introduction designed to achieve the priorities we share of raising the aspirations of young people, and building on both their academic and vocational talents.”

Leni Oglesby, Senior Deputy Vice Chancellor, University of Teesside

Want to find out more?
To find out more about the Diploma in Creative and Media, speak to your teacher or careers adviser. You can also find more information about Diplomas on these websites:

www.direct.gov.uk/diplomas
www.connexions-direct.com
www.skillset.org/diplomacm