Level 2 Diploma in Art and Design Skills (Photography and Digital Media)

Course Code

Digital Media

Course Type

Course Duration

1 year

Location

Central Campus

Start Date

1 September, 2025
Sandwell College photography student

This Level 2 Diploma in Art and Design Skills (Photography & Digital Media) course is suitable for school leavers wanting to learn and develop the necessary skills and techniques needed to pursue a career in photography, animation, games design, graphic design or marketing.  On completion of the Level 2, learners can progress on to further specialise in a Level 3 Photography, Level 3 Digital Media course, or Level 3 Film & Media qualification.

You will need:

  • A full Level 1 qualification

or

  • 4 x GCSEs at Grade 3 and above.

 

You should bring a portfolio of your work to your interview or submit it to the course tutor by email.

In this Level 2 Diploma in Art and Design Skills (Photography & Digital Media) course you will learn the fundamentals of photography as an art form, developing practical skills and techniques to use photographic equipment to capture images.

You’ll:

  • Master the art of capturing stunning images using pro-level cameras, studio lighting, and even dark room techniques

  • Develop your editing skills using industry-standard software like Photoshop

  • Learn how to turn your ideas into striking digital artwork

  • Work on exciting creative briefs to build a strong, professional portfolio

Modules:

  • Unit A1: Skills Development

Learners will explore key fundamentals of photography and design practice, learning how skills are integrated to create work. They will learn about creative investigation, communicating ideas, practical skills and productive approaches to working.

 

  • Unit A2: Creative Project

Learners will carry out the development of a full creative project, using creative practices including investigation, ideas communication, practical skills and development using working skills.

 

  • Unit B1: Personal Progression

Learners will explore a range of opportunities within the creative sector, establish personal aims for progression, and further develop the skills needed to progress towards their aims.

 

  • Unit C1: Responding to a Creative Brief

Learners will apply the skills they have developed throughout the programme to produce a proposal and practical response to a creative brief that demonstrates their ability to manage a creative project, from inception to communication of outcomes.

Facilities:

Students on this course benefit from state-of-the-art facilities including:

  • Fully equipped photography studio
  • Darkroom, complete with black and white processing and printing facilities
  • A range of film and digital cameras and accessories
  • Professional lighting equipment
  • Apple Mac suite for image management and manipulation
  • Industry-standard design applications in the Adobe Creative Suite, eg. Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator
  • Valuable guidance and support from highly experienced and knowledgeable teaching staff with real industry knowledge

Employers:

We’re proud to work with several employers so our students can leave with real-world experience. Some of the employers we work with include:

  • Sandwell Council
  • Powered by CAN
  • Multistory
  • Create Britain
  • ERIC Creative Careers

 

Students have a range of enrichment opportunities on our course including:

  • Lacock Abbey known as the birthplace of Photography and the Will Henry Fox Talbot Museum
  • Liverpool Albert Docks for the Open eye Gallery and Tate collections
  • National Photographer of the Year Exhibition visits (London & Birmingham)
  • Icon Gallery trip to visit Birmingham City University
  • Participation in the annual Festival of Arts

 

When you’re not studying, there’s a wide range of enrichment activities to get involved in – perfect for making new friends, building confidence, and gaining experiences that will boost your CV or university application.

Through the Student Union and college committees, you can take part in everything from sports teams, enterprise and volunteering projects to fundraising campaigns and even the prestigious Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.

There’s something for everyone – from joining a debating society, to attending inclusive cultural events and festivals, or enjoying one of our regular film nights and theatre trips.

Assessment is 100% coursework based. This includes a combination of sketchbook work and digital portfolios, documenting your practical processes, research, development of skills and reflective evaluations for each project.

A project brief will be provided for you to work with for each unit.  You will research and develop your ideas, experiment with a range of techniques, produce your final work in response to your given brief and then evaluate the effectiveness of your work.

On completion of this Level 2 Diploma in Art and Design Skills (Photography & Digital Media) course, you could progress to further specialise your practice in a range of fields, including our Level 3 Photography, Level 3 Digital Media or Level 3 Film & Media qualifications.

Course Details

Qualification

Exam Board

Study Mode

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