Advanced Higher Art and Design (design)

SCQF Framework

SCQF Level: 7

SCQF Credit Points: 32

Skills Framework

Delivering Centre

Vale of Leven Academy

Purpose and Aims

  • The course provides a broad, investigative and practical experience of design. Creativity is the key focus. Candidates research design contexts related to their design brief. They learn about design practice by investigating how designers respond creatively to design problems. They explore how designers integrate visual stimuli and other information from a variety of sources. Candidates apply their understanding of design practice while responding to a design brief to communicate their thoughts and ideas.

Entry to this course is at the discretion of the centre.

Candidates should have achieved the Higher Art and Design course or equivalent qualifications and/or experience prior to starting this course. The Higher Photography course and the National Progression Award (NPA) in Digital Media at SCQF level 6 may provide appropriate experience.


Progression

This Course or its Units may provide progression to:

♦ other qualifications in art and design

♦ further study, employment and/or training

Career Options

Further Information

sqa web link

BBC Bitesize

Course Content

The course combines investigative and practical learning with knowledge and understanding of design practice. Candidates develop a range of design techniques and creative skills. Candidates select a design brief for their portfolio. They follow a design process to develop design ideas and resolve and realise solutions which are influenced by their investigation into design practice. They produce a contextual analysis of a selected design work by discussing related contexts and analysing their impact on the features of the design work. Candidates reflect on and evaluate their creative decisions and design work.

Course Assessment Structure

  • Course assessment is based on the information in this course specification. The course assessment meets the purposes and aims of the course by addressing:
  • breadth — drawing on knowledge and skills from across the course challenge — requiring greater depth or extension of knowledge and/or skills
  • application — requiring application of knowledge and/or skills in practical or theoretical contexts as appropriate This enables candidates to:
  • draw on, extend and apply a range of skills and knowledge from across the course to produce:
  • practical design work
  • the contextual analysis of a selected design work
  • an evaluation of the design process and design work

Portfolio 100 marks

The portfolio has a total mark allocation of 100 marks. This is 100% of the overall marks for the course assessment. The portfolio assesses candidates’ ability to apply design skills and integrate them with their knowledge and understanding of design practice. Throughout the portfolio, candidates have the opportunity to demonstrate skills, knowledge and understanding by:

  • selecting a design brief
  • producing a practical design work, including
  • investigative research  development of ideas
  • resolution and realisation of design work
  • applying an understanding of design practice in their design work by using materials, techniques and/or technology to experiment with design elements
  • producing a contextual analysis by selecting a design work relevant to their practical design work and discussing the impact of related contexts through analysing the features of the design work
  • reflecting on their design process and design work
  • Marks are allocated as follows:

Section 1 — practical expressive artwork 64 marks

Section 2 — contextual analysis 30 marks

Section 3 — evaluation 6 marks