Art & Design: Three-dimensional design (A Level)

Is this the right course for me?

Three-dimensional design is about looking, learning, thinking and communicating ideas. It inspires creative thinkers, problem solvers and people who enjoy making things.

This workshop-based course will teach traditional skills but they will also combine this with the creative use of alternative media.

Three-dimensional design is the ideal opportunity to explore ideas and develop skills and is a great first step for those who wish to follow a course in art and design at university. However, its balance of practical, academic and analytical skills are widely transferable and students intending to study courses unrelated to art and design find that it complements their other subject choices. A course in three-dimensional design will enable you to select appropriate materials and learn how they fit together, develop an understanding of scale and experiment with texture and surface finish.

Qualification structure/details of assessment

During Year 12 students will develop a portfolio of skills. The emphasis of this year will be on the development of understanding and skills using an appropriate range of materials, processes and techniques. Students should also present at least one extended collection of work or project, based on an idea, concept, theme or issue. This should demonstrate the student’s ability to sustain work from an initial starting point to a realisation.

Towards the end of Year 12 students begin Component 1—here you will develop work for a personal investigation into an idea, issue, concept or theme supported by written material. This will count for 60% of your total A-level marks. Component 2 starts in Term two of Year 13 and is an externally set assignment by AQA for which you will be expected to undertake initial research, investigation, experimentation and refinement working toward a 15-hour period of supervised time in which you will produce a final piece under exam conditions. The externally set assignment counts for 40% of your total A-level marks.

How will this course support my future plans?

If you choose to study a three-dimensional design related degree at university it will give you all sorts of exciting career opportunities, including:

• Architect
• Jewellery designer
• Ceramicist
• Landscape architect
• Design consultant 
• Model maker
• Exhibition designer
• Product designer
• Environmental designer 
• Furniture designer
• Toy designer
• Interior designer
• Set designer

The practical skills taught as part of this course are also highly valued by employers and apprenticeship providers.