What are the six AQA Art and Design titles (7201 to 7206), and what areas of study and media does each one cover?
The titles and areas of study: the six endorsed AQA Art and Design titles (Art Craft and Design 7201, Fine Art 7202, Graphic Communication 7203, Textile Design 7204, Three-dimensional Design 7205, Photography 7206) and the disciplines and areas of study each covers, all sharing the same four assessment objectives.
The six endorsed AQA A-Level Art and Design titles and their codes: Art Craft and Design (7201), Fine Art (7202), Graphic Communication (7203), Textile Design (7204), Three-dimensional Design (7205) and Photography (7206), the areas of study each covers, and how they all share the same four assessment objectives and two components.
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What this dot point is asking
AQA A-Level Art and Design is not a single course but a family of six endorsed titles that share one set of rules. This dot point is about what those titles are, the codes that identify them, and the disciplines and areas of study each one covers, so you can see where your own work fits and choose the right title. The key idea is that the title sets only the disciplinary scope; the four assessment objectives, the two components and the marking are identical across all six.
One qualification, six titles
Every title is the same qualification with the same demands. What changes from one title to the next is the range of disciplines and areas of study the work is expected to draw on. Whichever title you enter, your portfolio is built from the same creative process (AO1 to AO4) across two components, internally marked and externally moderated.
The six titles and their areas of study
- Art, Craft and Design (7201) is the broad title. It expects work across two or more of the endorsed areas, using both 2D and 3D media, traditional and new. A candidate might combine drawing, printmaking and three-dimensional work in a single investigation. It suits students whose ideas need breadth and several media.
- Fine Art (7202) covers areas of study such as drawing and painting, sculpture, ceramics, installation, printmaking, mixed media and moving image. It is the title for students who want to build depth in expressive, idea-led making.
- Graphic Communication (7203) covers areas such as illustration, advertising, branding and identity, packaging, typography, communication graphics, design for print, and digital, web, multimedia and moving-image work. It is for visual communication that carries a message to an audience.
- Textile Design (7204) covers areas such as printed and dyed textiles, constructed textiles, stitched and embellished textiles, fashion textiles, surface pattern, costume and interior or furnishing textiles. It is for fibre, fabric and surface.
- Three-dimensional Design (7205) covers areas such as product design, interior design, environmental and architectural design, sculpture, ceramics, jewellery and body adornment, and associated model-making and prototyping. It is for form in real space.
- Photography (7206) covers areas such as portraiture, landscape, still life, documentary, photojournalism, experimental imagery, digital imaging, photographic installation and moving image and film. It is for lens- and light-based media.
How the titles relate to the rest of the course
On ExamExplained we teach the subject under the visual-arts slug and focus on the transferable skills (the creative process, critical and contextual studies, core media, the Personal Investigation and the Externally Set Assignment) that apply across every title. The titles tell you which disciplines your own portfolio should draw on; the rest of the course is identical whichever one you enter.
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of AQA exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
AQA 7201 specification6 marksName the six endorsed titles of AQA A-Level Art and Design and their specification codes, and state what all six have in common. (Specification at a glance, recall.)Show worked answer →
A recall task. Award marks for the correct titles and codes, and for the shared structure.
The six endorsed titles are: Art, Craft and Design (7201), Fine Art (7202), Graphic Communication (7203), Textile Design (7204), Three-dimensional Design (7205) and Photography (7206).
What they share: all six use the same four assessment objectives (AO1 to AO4, equally weighted at 25 percent), the same two-component structure (Personal Investigation 60 percent and Externally Set Assignment 40 percent), and the same marking model (internally marked, externally moderated). They differ only in the disciplines and areas of study they cover.
A strong answer notes that Art, Craft and Design (7201) is the broad title that lets a student work across two or more areas, while the other five are discipline-specific.
AQA 7201 specification9 marksExplain how the broad title Art, Craft and Design (7201) differs from a discipline-specific title such as Fine Art (7202), and why a student might choose one over the other. (Subject content.)Show worked answer →
An explanation task rewarding understanding of the title structure and a reasoned choice.
Difference. Art, Craft and Design (7201) is the broad, combined title: it expects work that draws on two or more of the endorsed areas, across both 2D and 3D media, so a candidate can mix, for example, painting, printmaking and three-dimensional work in one investigation. A discipline-specific title such as Fine Art (7202) focuses the whole portfolio within one discipline and its areas of study (drawing, painting, sculpture, printmaking, mixed media, moving image and so on), so the work is deeper in one field rather than broader across several.
Why choose one. A student whose ideas genuinely need several media and who wants breadth chooses 7201; a student who wants to specialise and build depth in one discipline chooses the matching specific title. The four assessment objectives and the two components are identical either way, so the choice is about the breadth of the practical work, not the demands of the qualification.
A strong answer stresses that the title only sets the disciplinary scope; the objectives, weightings and marking are the same across all six, so the title should fit the candidate's ideas and strengths, not be seen as easier or harder.
Related dot points
- Developing drawing and painting skills, including observation, mark-making, tone, colour and composition, as core media for recording and realising ideas.
A focused guide to drawing and painting for AQA A-Level Art and Design: building observation, mark-making, tone, colour and composition skills as core media for recording and realising ideas.
- Exploring printmaking processes such as monoprint, relief, intaglio and screenprint to experiment with repetition, layering and surface in your investigation.
A focused guide to printmaking for AQA A-Level Art and Design: exploring monoprint, relief, intaglio and screenprint to experiment with repetition, layering and surface as you develop and realise ideas.
- Using photography as a tool for primary research and as a creative medium, controlling composition, light and editing to record and develop ideas.
A focused guide to photography for AQA A-Level Art and Design: using it as a primary research tool and a creative medium, controlling composition, light and editing to record and develop ideas.
- Working in three dimensions and mixed media, combining materials and processes such as construction, modelling, assemblage and collage to extend ideas beyond the flat surface.
A focused guide to three-dimensional and mixed media for AQA A-Level Art and Design: combining materials and processes such as construction, modelling, assemblage and collage to extend ideas beyond the flat surface.
- Choosing a theme and shaping a focused personal question for the Personal Investigation (Component 1) that can sustain sustained, original development across both assessment elements.
A focused guide to choosing a theme and question for the AQA A-Level Art and Design Personal Investigation: how to pick a starting point that is personal, rich and open enough to sustain a whole project.