BA (Hons) Graphic Design
Southsea, United Kingdom
DURATION
3 up to 4 Years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
Request application deadline
EARLIEST START DATE
Request earliest startdate
TUITION FEES
GBP 9,250 / per year *
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* for UK/Channel Islands and Isle of Man students/EU residents | £16,200/year: international students
Key Summary
Scholarships
Explore scholarship opportunities to help fund your studies
Introduction
With this BA (Hons) Graphic Design degree, you’ll develop your own visual identity, with a distinct typography emphasis and professional connections gained from our industry-active, research-led teaching staff. With opportunities to specialise in your area of interest and win awards from prestigious graphic design bodies, you’ll build an inspiring design profile that no employer can resist.
Graphic design is a cornerstone of many industries, so you'll have lots of career options after graduation. If you want to start in web design, advertising, branding, and other media, or advance to a Master's: now is your time to explore.
Course highlights
- Hone vital design techniques – including screen printing, letterpress, laser cutting and dye sublimation printing – using our specialist facilities
- Get your talent recognised by entering international competitions by renowned organisations You Can Now (YCN), Design and Art Direction (D&AD), and the Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufacture and Commerce (RSA)
- Elevate your professional profile by becoming a member of the esteemed International Society of Typographic Designers (iSTD)
- Impress future employers by showcasing your work at our annual Graduate Show
- Experience the graphic design profession by taking a one-year placement – either with a company or by setting up your own
- Show your Adobe expertise to industry peers by gaining an Adobe Certified Professional (ACP) qualification
- Connect with companies and communities by taking part in events like SKY Creative Day
Gallery
Admissions
Scholarships and Funding
Curriculum
Modules
Year 1
Core modules
- Information Design – 20 credits
- Introduction to Graphic Design – 20 credits
- Introduction to Visual Culture (Graphic Design) – 20 credits
- Research-Informed Design Thinking – 20 credits
- Typography and Layout – 20 credits
- Screen Design – Motion Graphics – 20 credits
Year 2
Core modules
- Editorial Design – 20 credits
- Ethical Design – 20 credits
- Professional Practice – Identity and Branding – 20 credits
- User Experience Design – 20 credits
Optional modules
- CCI Placement Plus - Full Year - 40 credits
- CCI Self-Employed Placement – Full Year – 40 credits
- CCI Work Placement – Full Year – 40 credits
- Engaged Citizenship Through Interdisciplinary Practice – 20 credits
- Professional Experience – 20 credits
- Professional Practice – Live Design Briefs – 20 credits
- Student Enterprise – 20 credits
- Visual Culture: Cult, Taste and Collecting – 20 credits
- Visual Culture: Performing Identity – 20 credits
- Visual Culture: Technology and the Image – 20 credits
- Visual Culture: Visions of the Body – 20 credits
Year 3
Core modules
- Major Project in Graphic Design – Research and Development – 20 credits
- Major Project in Graphic Design – Resolution and Presentation – 20 credits
- Professional Practice – Design Briefs and Competitions – 20 credits
- Professional Practice – Design Studio Practice – 20 credits
- Professional Practice – Promotion and Employability – 20 credits
Optional modules
- Visual Culture: Dissertation – 20 credits
- Visual Culture: Practice Research – 20 credits
Placement year (optional)
After your second year, you can do an optional work placement year to get valuable longer-term work experience in many areas of graphic design. Previous students have landed roles including graphic designer and UX (user experience) designer.
Placement destinations
Previous placement students have worked at companies and organisations such as:
- Waitrose & Partners
- TopCashBack
- MMT Digital
- Waterline Media
If you fancy going independent, you can start up and run your own graphic design company for a year as an alternative to a work-based placement.
Whatever your choice, Creative Careers is here to help.
Career Opportunities
With the skills and knowledge, you gain from this course, you can work across a variety of creative industries. In 15 months after graduating, 90% of Graphic Design graduates have already started work or are pursuing further studies (HESA Graduate Outcomes Survey 2019), so you'll be in excellent company.
Areas you could work in include magazine design publishing, branding and design, advertising, web design, and TV and film. You could also set up your own business, work as a freelancer, or go on to postgraduate study.
Graduate destinations
Companies and studios our graduates have worked at include:
- Why Not Associates
- Aardman Digital
- The Light Surgeons
- Fitch
- 4IV
- Rubrik
- FHM Magazine
Graduate startups
Some businesses our graduates have started up include:
- Territory Studio
- Bright Agency
- Debut Art
- Strong Island
- MWM Creative
- Lethal Creative Studio
- iLoveDust
Ongoing careers support
Get experience while you study, with support to find part-time jobs, volunteering opportunities, and work experience.
Towards the end of your degree and for up to five years after graduation, you’ll receive one-to-one support from our Graduate Recruitment Consultancy to help you find your perfect role.
Creative Careers
Our in-faculty Creative Careers team has extensive recruitment experience and knows the creative sector well, making it easier for students to find placements within the creative industries.
They can guide you through every step of the application process, including:
- Searching for the ideal job through their database of vacancies
- Giving tips on how to write an interesting CV that will catch employers' attention, no matter the role
- Organising mock interviews, so you can hone your technique and familiarise yourself with the recruitment environment
- Writing your startup business proposal – if you're going down the self-employment route
The team will continue to give you support throughout your placement year.