Graphic Communication

Three years full-time or five years part-time.

The course provides you with all the necessary skills and knowledge to work within the creative industries or progress to a postgraduate programme of study. It is delivered through studio practice, specialist media workshops and a lively series of lectures and seminars designed to provide an informed understanding of contemporary graphic design practice. All students have individual workspaces and there are excellent facilities for digital media, printmaking, photography and time-based work. There are also opportunities for focused study in typography, illustration and photography.

The course is a balanced programme of staff-set competition briefs and student-set assignments. You are also offered the opportunity to work on live projects, attend design conferences in London and undertake work experience in the USA, as well as to participate in a variety of international cultural visits. All this is supported by a fascinating array of visiting speakers including representatives from Hyperkit, Graphic Thought Facility, Atelier Works and Roundel Design. The course is also a member of the industry body Design and Art Direction (D&AD) which provides a London-based degree show venue and assigns the course a professional mentor.

The course is divided into the following stages:

Stage one

The first stage of the course provides the opportunity for you to widen your creative skills and to develop concepts and an understanding of type, image and three-dimensional graphics. You are encouraged to develop tactile hands-on skills by exploring a wide range of media from printmaking and photography through to digital media. This creative questioning approach is supported by a programme of theoretical and professional studies.

Stage two

During the second stage the breadth of the work becomes more challenging and you progressively take on more ownership of your portfolio of work. This is provided by a programme of staff-led competition and live briefs set by external agencies. You have the opportunity to balance the main study graphic design briefs with more specialist work undertaken within either typography, illustration or photography based contexts. This studio-based work is supported by both theoretical and professional studies. At the end of stage two you will commence the research for a design dissertation.

Stage three

At this stage you will undertake a major self-set assignment, alongside a mix of other staff-set, industry and competition briefs. You will have a stronger ownership of your own work, and can negotiate the content of your portfolio. The design dissertation is competed with tutorial and workshop supervision. This stage ends with an exhibition as part of the School of The Arts Summer Show, where students are encouraged to participate in the design and planning of the event. 

• Dedicated studio spaces
• A fully-funded work placement in the USA
• Annual awards and travel scholarships
• International links, including educational and cultural visits
• Guest lectures from design professionals
• An in-house design consultancy

• Integrated Graphic Studies
• Visual Studies
• Main Study: Communication Design
• Either: Typographic Design, Illustration or Photography in a Design Context
• Visual and Material Culture 1 and 2
• Professional Studies 1 and 2
• Final major study
• Design dissertation

Reading lists are given on entry to the course

• A range of graphic design assignments
• Portfolio presentations
• Essays
• Dissertation
• Self-assessment and personal reflection are encouraged

• Large dedicated studio spaces
• Several Mac-based computer aided design suites
• Subsidised digital printing from A4 to A0 banner
• State-of-the-art printmaking facilities in one of the largest print studios in the country
• Professional photography studios with day and controlled lighting studios
• Video editing suites

• Tutor design project briefings
• Live design project briefings
• Competition design project briefings
• Group projects
• Workshops
• Tutor-led studio activities
• Personal tutorials
• Group seminars and critiques
• Client presentations
• Independent study
• Study trips

Graduates are employed as graphic designers, photographers, illustrators and web designers in studios throughout the UK with some entering the profession in Europe and the US. A number have established their own design companies, whilst others elect to do postgraduate study.

Students are encouraged to undertake work placements. Our links with external companies give rise to opportunities and live work can be undertaken through design projects and working within the in-house studio. Students can also apply for a fully-funded work placement at a Florida design agency.

In year two, students have the opportunity to study for a term at St. Etienne School of Art, France. There are also opportunities for all art and design students to apply to attend a summer school in Cyprus.

How will the course prepare me for working in the design industry?

When you leave you will have a portfolio of varied and creative design work, showing your capability to answer a wide range of visual problems. You will have developed your professional skills so you are able to work and communicate with clients and it is expected you will have the initiative to make things happen for yourself.

What is the difference between graphic design, advertising and illustration?

Generally advertising is taught by pairing two creatives up as a copywriter and an art director. They will be 'ideas people' who work in an agency and will devise campaigns and employ specialist photographers, illustrators, lettering artists, typographers, web designers etc. Graphic designers are also 'ideas people', but will mostly have the craft and technical skills to carry out their own ideas. They will either work in a design studio or be freelance and be employed by clients to work on different design work such as packaging, editorial, websites and promotional graphics. Illustrators work generally on a self-employed freelance basis with graphic designers and advertising art directors, as well as publishers and directly with clients. Their output is mostly image-based.