We spoke to Tim Bones from the Interactive Design Institute about the course he teaches. Tim told us about some of the exciting work his past students have created, and how it has helped them to go on to some exciting career opportunities.
What one aspect of the course you teach do you personally look forward to each year, and why?
As Programme Leader of Graphic Design & Illustration, I simply look forward to seeing the incredible range of work that our students produce at the end of every module. Because the design briefs are changed quite regularly the results are rarely predictable and every year we see a batch of exciting and innovative solutions to specific design challenges. Also pleasing for me to see, is how a student can progress and develop throughout each level. I often see stunning, professional level work being produced before the course is complete. This never fails to amaze me. Work representing a range of our courses can be seen here, and student work along with our news can be viewed on our Facebook page.
Tell us a bit about the faculty or staff in the department, and where they come from.
Our tutors come from a broad spectrum of graphic design backgrounds and have a breadth of expertise. Most are engaged practitioners who currently work in industry. Most are freelance illustrators and/or graphic designers. When it comes to delivering Higher Education courses our staff have a range of experiences, as most work or have worked in number of universities and art & design colleges. Some of our tutors are active academics and researchers, with some having or working towards PhDs.
What are the benefits of studying this course at this particular university?
An obvious benefit of studying with IDI is flexibility. As an IDI student you'll have access to your online learning materials 24 hours a day, and this means that you can study at a time and a place that's convenient for you.
The IDI Graphic Design & Illustration course provides you with the means to help you build a portfolio that best represents you as a practicing creative and the enable you to pursue the career direction that you wish to take within either graphic design, illustration or other associated career paths.
One of our greatest strengths is that unlike many big universities, you'll have ongoing one-to-one access to our tutors throughout your studies, and this is something that we actively encourage you to do in order to help you develop as a student practitioner. With IDI you'll always have access to support and expert guidance throughout each stage of your course.
Why is it an exciting time (socially, historically or culturally) for prospective students to move into your field?
Graphic Design and Illustration are disciplines that never stand still. Technology and trends are in a constant state of change and this alone makes for a challenging and exciting career option.
Can you give a few examples of the roles and positions which graduates have gone onto? As well as those you might expect, are there any unusual directions which graduates have gone in, or unorthodox ways they have applied their qualification?
I’m proud to say that at our last graduation event in November 2012, every graduate attending had either secured a job or was going on to further study at Masters level. Of our recent graduates a number are working as graphic designers, either for large companies or on a freelance basis. One recent graduate’s work features regularly in Advanced Photoshop Magazine; she also creates Photoshop tutorials for the publication. Another recent graduate is now a Graphic Design Lecturer in a college in Saudi Arabia, one works as a Graphic Designer for film and TV in Canada, one is now Creative Director at an advertising agency- specialising in branding and website design, and another is an “experience designer” in the automotive industry. I think this goes to show that we equip our students with a broad range of transferable skills that equip them for a wide range of roles within the graphic design and illustration industry.
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