Digital Arts
Newcastle College's digital arts courses prepare our students for a creative career right here in the North East. Through strong industry links and practical learning, we prepare our students for careers in photography, animation, graphic design, film and TV. We offer courses at all levels, whether you're just leaving school, want to return to education or want to embark on a degree.
Our digital arts facilities are undergoing investment to make sure they're cutting-edge and industry-leading. From state-of-the-art television and photography studios to our interactive Powerwall - the first of its kind within the UK’s education sector. We also work with local employers and artists to support student learning, making sure everyone has access to work experience, guest speakers and industry expertise to support a successful career.
Next Event
Take a closer look at our courses
Digital Arts at Newcastle College
What can I do with a qualification in Digital Arts?
Daily tasks:
- Directs the arranging of conferences, exhibitions, seminars, etc. to promote the image of a product, service or organisation.
- Stays abreast of changes in media, readership or viewing figures and advertising rates.
- Reviews and revises campaign strategy in light of sales figures, surveys, etc. and takes appropriate corrective measures if necessary.
- Conceives advertising campaign to impart the desired product image in an effective and economical way.
- Defines target group and implements strategy through appropriate media planning work.
- Liaises with client to discuss product/service to be marketed and develops the most appropriate strategy to deliver the objectives.
Powered by EMSI
Daily tasks:
- Activates the 'live' website.
- Tests website interaction and performance prior to going 'live'.
- Writes and publishes content for the website.
- Establishes methods to ensure appropriate website security and recovery.
- Designs and develops web interfaces for relational database systems.
- Develops the website and applications.
- Designs web pages including graphics, animation and functionality to maximise visual effectiveness and facilitate appropriate access.
- Presents design options to the client.
- Liaises with internal/external client in order to define the requirements for the website.
Powered by EMSI
Daily tasks:
- Produces or oversees creation of the final product.
- Liaises with other parts of the production team to ensure graphic design fits with other elements, processes and timescales.
- Prepares specification and instructions for realisation of the project.
- Prepares sketches, scale drawings, models, colour schemes and other mock-ups to show clients and discusses any required alterations.
- Undertakes research into project, considers previous related projects and compares costs of using different processes.
- Liaises with client to clarify aims of project brief, discusses media, software and technology to be used, establishes timetable for project and defines budgetary constraints.
Powered by EMSI
Daily tasks:
- Produces works on commission basis for clients.
- Markets and sells finished work directly to customers.
- Liaises with writers and publishers to produce book illustrations.
- Uses artistic skills to restore damaged artworks.
- Approaches managers of galleries and exhibitions in order to get finished work displayed.
- Builds up composition into finished work by carving, sculpting, etching, painting, engraving, drawing, etc..
- Prepares sketches, scale drawings or colour schemes.
- Selects appropriate materials, medium and method.
- Onceives and develops ideas and ways of working for artistic composition.
Powered by EMSI
Daily tasks:
- Carries out service tasks such as cleaning and insulation testing according to schedule.
- Re-assembles equipment, tests for correct functioning and makes any necessary further adjustments.
- Dismantles equipment and repairs or replaces faulty components or wiring.
- Uses electronic testing equipment to diagnose faults and check voltages and resistance.
- Examines equipment and observes reception to determine nature of defect.
Powered by EMSI
Daily tasks:
- Operates sound mixing and dubbing equipment to obtain desired mix, level and balance of sound.
- Manages health and safety issues.
- Operates equipment to record, edit and play back films and television programmes.
- Checks operation and positioning of projectors, vision and sound recording equipment, and mixing and dubbing equipment.
- Controls transmission, broadcasting and satellite systems for television and radio programmes, identifies and solves related technical problems.
- Takes, records and manipulates digital images and digital video footage.
- Photographs subject or follows action by moving camera.
- Operates scanning equipment to transfer image to computer and manipulates image to achieve the desired effect.
- Inserts lenses and adjusts aperture and speed settings as necessary.
- Arranges subject, lighting, camera equipment and any microphones.
Powered by EMSI
What can I do with a qualification in Digital Arts?
Advertising and public relations directors
Daily tasks:
- Directs the arranging of conferences, exhibitions, seminars, etc. to promote the image of a product, service or organisation.
- Stays abreast of changes in media, readership or viewing figures and advertising rates.
- Reviews and revises campaign strategy in light of sales figures, surveys, etc. and takes appropriate corrective measures if necessary.
- Conceives advertising campaign to impart the desired product image in an effective and economical way.
- Defines target group and implements strategy through appropriate media planning work.
- Liaises with client to discuss product/service to be marketed and develops the most appropriate strategy to deliver the objectives.
Powered by EMSI
Web design and development professionals
Daily tasks:
- Activates the 'live' website.
- Tests website interaction and performance prior to going 'live'.
- Writes and publishes content for the website.
- Establishes methods to ensure appropriate website security and recovery.
- Designs and develops web interfaces for relational database systems.
- Develops the website and applications.
- Designs web pages including graphics, animation and functionality to maximise visual effectiveness and facilitate appropriate access.
- Presents design options to the client.
- Liaises with internal/external client in order to define the requirements for the website.
Powered by EMSI
Graphic designers
Daily tasks:
- Produces or oversees creation of the final product.
- Liaises with other parts of the production team to ensure graphic design fits with other elements, processes and timescales.
- Prepares specification and instructions for realisation of the project.
- Prepares sketches, scale drawings, models, colour schemes and other mock-ups to show clients and discusses any required alterations.
- Undertakes research into project, considers previous related projects and compares costs of using different processes.
- Liaises with client to clarify aims of project brief, discusses media, software and technology to be used, establishes timetable for project and defines budgetary constraints.
Powered by EMSI
Artists
Daily tasks:
- Produces works on commission basis for clients.
- Markets and sells finished work directly to customers.
- Liaises with writers and publishers to produce book illustrations.
- Uses artistic skills to restore damaged artworks.
- Approaches managers of galleries and exhibitions in order to get finished work displayed.
- Builds up composition into finished work by carving, sculpting, etching, painting, engraving, drawing, etc..
- Prepares sketches, scale drawings or colour schemes.
- Selects appropriate materials, medium and method.
- Onceives and develops ideas and ways of working for artistic composition.
Powered by EMSI
TV, video and audio engineers
Daily tasks:
- Carries out service tasks such as cleaning and insulation testing according to schedule.
- Re-assembles equipment, tests for correct functioning and makes any necessary further adjustments.
- Dismantles equipment and repairs or replaces faulty components or wiring.
- Uses electronic testing equipment to diagnose faults and check voltages and resistance.
- Examines equipment and observes reception to determine nature of defect.
Powered by EMSI
Photographers, Audio-visual and Broadcasting Equipment Operators
Daily tasks:
- Operates sound mixing and dubbing equipment to obtain desired mix, level and balance of sound.
- Manages health and safety issues.
- Operates equipment to record, edit and play back films and television programmes.
- Checks operation and positioning of projectors, vision and sound recording equipment, and mixing and dubbing equipment.
- Controls transmission, broadcasting and satellite systems for television and radio programmes, identifies and solves related technical problems.
- Takes, records and manipulates digital images and digital video footage.
- Photographs subject or follows action by moving camera.
- Operates scanning equipment to transfer image to computer and manipulates image to achieve the desired effect.
- Inserts lenses and adjusts aperture and speed settings as necessary.
- Arranges subject, lighting, camera equipment and any microphones.
Powered by EMSI
Meet our students and tutors
Paul Smyth
Lecturer - Digital Arts"I run my own 3D animation company and I'm one of the lecturers on the BA (Hons) Animation course. I try to not only bring in industry skills but also push experimentation with new technologies to further our students' skills."
Karl Turner
Creative Digital Design Professional Apprenticeship"It wasn't a single event that got me to this point of studying for an apprenticeship at 51. It was more gradual. People around me were doing management apprenticeships but I just didn’t feel like that was a direction I needed – or wanted – to develop in. And then I found this apprenticeship in Creative Digital Design."
Alessio Pesci
Level 6 Creative Digital Design Professional Degree Apprentice"The tutors were really supportive and I think the whole class would agree with that. We felt really welcomed and really calm, and I feel that support was always there throughout. I’d 100% recommend an apprenticeship with Newcastle College University Centre."
Get In Touch
Upcoming events
GENERATION NORTH EAST: Building Tomorrow’s AI Workforce Today
Rye Hill Campus
22nd-23rd January 2026
February Open Event
Rye Hill Campus
Wednesday 4th February 2026
5:00pm - 7:00pm
Employers,
do you want to...
Unlock the potential of your workforce?
Understand more about apprenticeships?
Find out about events and bespoke training solutions?