Hey, I was just wondering if anyone knows whether or not Nottingham Trent's graphics course is well respected in the graphic design industry? I've firmed it as my first choice for uni next year but recently been having some doubts about it! Any info would be really appreciated =) Thanks!
Nottingham Trent University - Graphic Design Degree Help!
- Thread starter Kai16
- Start date
linziloop
Member
"Back in the day" when I was deciding where to do my degree, it was my one of my choices, because it was meant to be good. I didn't go, I even got offered an interview for St Martins college in London, went to Carlisle instead (much to the dismay of my tutor who believed you should be in London to do well, what poppycock), really glad I did got to Carlisle, it was a great course in a beautiful location. Not sure if the graphic design industry is really that bothered about where you do your degree to be honest, it's all about the quality of your portfolio at the end of it. I'm sure I'll be corrected if people think this isn't the case though!
cnunn
New Member
I went to Nottingham Trent, and i'll be honest, I really wish I hadn't. Yes, it is one of the most respected art and design institutions in the country, but the quality of teaching is much to be desired. On average, in the third year, I only received 1 hour of tutor contact a week, I certainly wouldn't have paid the tuition fees to go here if I knew this before hand, it's mostly self teaching, learning software on your own, relying on the people around you for feedback (which isn't bad, i'd just like some tutor input... afterall, thats what i'm paying for). The tutors have 'favourites', if you're not one of them, you're left out in the cold. I graduated with the confidence of a door mouse, because i'm always thinking back to what my tutors always said to me - They either slated my work without any hint of constructive criticism (I clearly recall one piece of feedback I got, just saying "Frustrated"), or they said it was good and I was on the right path, until they completely changed their mind when it came to grading my work - where I barely scraped a 2:2. I honestly feel like i've been screwed over and wish I went to a different university.
People may have had other, more positive experiences, but this is the sad truth about my time at ntu.
People may have had other, more positive experiences, but this is the sad truth about my time at ntu.
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Hi, sorry just saw this reply!
Ahh man, that doesn't sound too good! =/ I have seen positive reviews and stuff about the course but I guess everyone has their own experiences. Thank you for replying though! Its good for me to get a negative review so I get a better overall idea of what its like! I've already firmed NTU but i'll see how it goes for the first year I guess and then see. In the first year, was there a lot of contact time?
And also, this is a bit random but does NTU have a letterpress? No one i've asked seems to know =s
cnunn
New Member
I mainly had troubles in my third year, I enjoyed my first and second years alot, so they might have changed their ways when that time comes around.
In the first year, you get loads of contact time, its basically in the studio full time, and also you get Phil teaching you, and Phil is awesome as you will find out i'm sure. Alot of people complained about first year, as it's alot of experimentation and mini projects rather than full on design briefs (my friend currently in third year compares it to doing fine art). But I saw this as a positive thing, as then you can decide what you enjoy and what you don't. But I will say this, you don't get taught any programmes, you have to take that among yourself, so if you've got a spare few days over the summer, have a play if you don't know them already
No Trent doesn't have a letterpress, if they have, i've never seen one. Saying that there might be one in the screen printing room..
I mainly had troubles in my third year, I enjoyed my first and second years alot, so they might have changed their ways when that time comes around.
In the first year, you get loads of contact time, its basically in the studio full time, and also you get Phil teaching you, and Phil is awesome as you will find out i'm sure. Alot of people complained about first year, as it's alot of experimentation and mini projects rather than full on design briefs (my friend currently in third year compares it to doing fine art). But I saw this as a positive thing, as then you can decide what you enjoy and what you don't. But I will say this, you don't get taught any programmes, you have to take that among yourself, so if you've got a spare few days over the summer, have a play if you don't know them already
No Trent doesn't have a letterpress, if they have, i've never seen one. Saying that there might be one in the screen printing room..
Sorry for the really late reply! Ahh ok thats cool, I might have been interviewed by Phil actually =s not sure...
Yeah I like the sound of that! I would prefer to experiment with everything first before specialising =) i've also heard that you can specialise in the 2nd and 3rd years but you can still create work within other aspects of graphic design?
And haha, ok xD i'll have to explore when I get there!
Really? I thought they came up quite a lot! =s Wasn't originally intending to go that far away though and I only put it down as an extra choice because a lot of people seemed to have put it down from sites like TSR and stuff. I didn't realise they didn't do the design show thing though...thanks for your reply though! =) Where else did you apply?
daytona
Member
hmm i applied for london college of communication, kingston, goldsmiths, falmouth and ravensbourne.
I thing lcc kingston and falmouth have awesome reps.
In all honesty though from my foundation course at LCC, it seems like uni is what you make of it. you can sit back and just take it in and it probably wont feel like good value for money, i wana get stuck into everything and try and keep my head in industry by doing freelance work while at uni.
so i don't think it matters too much so long as you're happy.
sorry if these posts aren't too useful i'm feeling pretty ill aha >.<
I thing lcc kingston and falmouth have awesome reps.
In all honesty though from my foundation course at LCC, it seems like uni is what you make of it. you can sit back and just take it in and it probably wont feel like good value for money, i wana get stuck into everything and try and keep my head in industry by doing freelance work while at uni.
so i don't think it matters too much so long as you're happy.
sorry if these posts aren't too useful i'm feeling pretty ill aha >.<
Oh ok cool =) I realllly wanted to go to Falmouth, loved it xD I couldn't live that far away though, it takes me like 6 hours to get there!
You must be good to get in to LCC! I almost passed out from happiness when I saw their letterpress room xD I didn't really like the atmosphere of the place though and I don't think i'd be the right kind of person for the uni either xD Did you just finish your foundation there?
Lol yeah same! I really just want to do my best at uni and if its not what I expected, i'll still keep going with it =) If its terrible, then I might transfer to a foundation though xD
No your posts are really useful! Its good to talk to someone else going to study graphics this year too =) But aww hope you feel better soon!
daytona
Member
Really? I HATED Falmouth so much! they had like no facilities and the guy who interviewed me was a prick!
aha yeah LCC letterpress. that was my favourite department, I spent a lot of time there and I'm gutted kingston doesn't have one. in all honesty i turned down an offer from lcc to go to kingston and i'm regretting it a bit now. but hey it is what it is. yeah i just finished my foundation in May. i liked to moan a lot about it while i was there but really when you come away from it i realised how much i learned!
it really does turn you into a different person.
where else have you applied for uni?
aha yeah LCC letterpress. that was my favourite department, I spent a lot of time there and I'm gutted kingston doesn't have one. in all honesty i turned down an offer from lcc to go to kingston and i'm regretting it a bit now. but hey it is what it is. yeah i just finished my foundation in May. i liked to moan a lot about it while i was there but really when you come away from it i realised how much i learned!
it really does turn you into a different person.
where else have you applied for uni?
Haha omg! We must be completely the opposite xD I didn't apply but I was on holiday there last summer so just went to look around and I think it was the graphics leader who showed me around. I thought he was alright =p I liked how they seem to let you experiment a lot on the course. But yeah i'm not going anyway xD
Lol nice! I've been trying to find out if Nottingham Trent has one but no one seems to know xD Ah i'm sure Kingston will be good though =) And its not as expensive as London.
Haha yeah a lot of people have been saying that! I would've just done a foundation this year if the fees hadn't been going up...Btw do you know Adam Bloomfield then? He went to my school and did his foundation at LCC too.
I applied for a few foundations and then Nottingham Trent, Winchester School of Art, Middlesex and Hertfordshire.
DeanChillmaid
New Member
Are there any more former or current Nottingham Trent Students who can give some info on the course
This Uni is one that im going to an open day and looked quite promissing
Thanks
This Uni is one that im going to an open day and looked quite promissing
Thanks
laughing cow
New Member
I have just stumbled across this whilst googling, i too have just graduated from Trent.... i have no idea who cnunn is but i have to agree with every word he/she has said here!! seriously...i could have written that!! the best thing you can do is become a favourite...then you will have no trouble...
good luck!
ARRIVALS
Well-Known Member
I graduated from Bath Spa University last year. And I'd highly recommend their FdA Graphic Design course, and 3rd year top-up.
I originally applied to Falmouth, Plymouth, Camberwell, and Bath Spa. I got offers from all 4. Like someone else said above, Falmouth's reputation is good, but the people are so up themselves, and the facilities (at least when I was there) were awful. Camberwell accepted me, on the provision that by the time I started, my parents were earning more than when I was interviewed (I know - snobby bastards).
Bath's course blew me away. Not only was there at least 4 hours of tutor/student contact a day, each student had their own desk space, weekly tutorial as well as brand new facilities.
Not only that, instead of a regular 3 year degree where really, not a lot happens after, the 3rd year of the course at Bath Spa was solely focused on life in the industry after. At the beginning of the 3rd year, I actually began my own business with 2 friends on the same course - whilst studying. This gave us 1 year's industry experience before we'd even graduated. We had business modules, freelancing modules, networking modules, as well as guest speakers, the lot. We were running our studio whilst writing our dissertations too. I don't know of many other uni's that offer this sort of thing.
Whilst some uni's have good reputations, there is no way I'd be where I am if I had started at Falmouth or Camberwell.
I originally applied to Falmouth, Plymouth, Camberwell, and Bath Spa. I got offers from all 4. Like someone else said above, Falmouth's reputation is good, but the people are so up themselves, and the facilities (at least when I was there) were awful. Camberwell accepted me, on the provision that by the time I started, my parents were earning more than when I was interviewed (I know - snobby bastards).
Bath's course blew me away. Not only was there at least 4 hours of tutor/student contact a day, each student had their own desk space, weekly tutorial as well as brand new facilities.
Not only that, instead of a regular 3 year degree where really, not a lot happens after, the 3rd year of the course at Bath Spa was solely focused on life in the industry after. At the beginning of the 3rd year, I actually began my own business with 2 friends on the same course - whilst studying. This gave us 1 year's industry experience before we'd even graduated. We had business modules, freelancing modules, networking modules, as well as guest speakers, the lot. We were running our studio whilst writing our dissertations too. I don't know of many other uni's that offer this sort of thing.
Whilst some uni's have good reputations, there is no way I'd be where I am if I had started at Falmouth or Camberwell.