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Graphic Design

Entry requirements


A minimum of 2 A Levels required if studying only A Levels, but can be used in conjunction with other qualifications

In combination with other qualifications

Access to HE Diploma

M:45,P:15

60 Credits with 45 M Level Credits and 15 P Level Credits

HNC (BTEC)

P

HND (BTEC)

P

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme

29

OCR Cambridge Technical Diploma

D*D*

In combination with other qualifications

OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Diploma

DMM

In combination with other qualifications

In combination with other qualifications

In combination with other qualifications

In combination with other qualifications

Pearson BTEC Diploma (QCF)

D*D*

Or can be used in combination with other qualifications.

Pearson BTEC Extended Diploma (QCF)

DMM

In combination with other qualifications

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)

D*D*

Or can be used in combination with other qualifications.

In combination with other qualifications

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)

DMM

In combination with other qualifications

In combination with other qualifications

T Level

M

UCAS Tariff

112-128

From a minimum of 2 A Levels or equivalent qualifications such as BTEC Extended Diploma or OCR Extended Diploma. For detailed information on accepted qualifications, please view our Course Entry Statement (https://www.solent.ac.uk/how-to-apply/documents/course-entry-requirement-statement.pdf) Solent University is a proud champion of widening participation. For further information about our contextual offer, please visit our website (https://www.solent.ac.uk/how-to-apply/what-next/contextual-offers).

In combination with other qualifications

You may also need to…

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About this course


Course option

3years

Full-time | 2024

Subject

Graphic design

Are you hoping to work and study at the point where art meets communication? This challenging course explores a range of techniques including web design, UX design and motion graphics and delivers all the skills you’ll need to start a career as a graphic designer.

Graphic design at Solent University encourages you to explore a range of professional techniques and develop your own unique visual style. Throughout the course you will create visual products for a range of printed and digital mediums, and explore academic theories and visual culture in the context of contemporary graphic design.

Your professional development is supported by a wide range of high-end printing and design facilities. These include two Vandercook letterpresses, three screen print beds and three Intaglio/etching presses for calligraphy and etching work. Students also have access to photographic studios and darkrooms; a fully equipped workshop for metal and wood-working, and Apple Macs with the latest Adobe Creative Suite software.

The course’s teaching team come from a wide variety of professional backgrounds, and many are still active in the industry. The team’s close links with practising professionals have enabled past students to take part in a variety of work-based opportunities, live briefs and placements.

Graphic design students are also encouraged to submit their best work to design competitions, securing valuable exposure. Past students have found success at the Royal Society of Arts (RSA) Student Design Awards, the Design and Art Direction (D&AD) Awards, and the Young Creative Network (YCN) Awards.

Solent is a forward thinking creative university, and yet can trace its art school back to 1855. The course delivers a broad range of transferable skills applicable to an equally broad range of industry pathways.

**What does this course lead to?**
Recent graduates work in a variety of areas including graphic design, illustration, multimedia design, web/UX design and motion graphics – in organisations including;

Adjust Your Set
Imagine Publishing
David Newman Design
Tweaq Media
Gary Frost
Manchester City Football Club
House of Fisher
Esquire
Halldale Group
The Graphic Design House

**Who is this course for?**
This graphic design programme is ideally suited to students from a fine art, design or illustration background who want to improve their communication skills while developing a professional portfolio.

Modules

YEAR 1 - CORE MODULES
Orientation
Reading Visual Culture
Typography
Image Design
Graphic Design History
Page Architecture

YEAR 2 - CORE MODULES
Interactive Experience
Solution Process
Graphic Structure
Experiential Narrative
Independent Project
Commercial Practice

YEAR 3 - CORE MODULES
Professional Context
Visual Research & Proposal
Professional Practice
Final Major Project

YEAR 3 - OPTIONS (please note that not all options are guaranteed to run each academic year)
Identity
Interruption

Assessment methods

The course is assessed through a mix of project work, portfolios, essays and a final year project.

Tuition fees

Select where you currently live to see what you'll pay:

Channel Islands
£9,250
per year
England
£9,250
per year
EU
£16,125
per year
International
£16,125
per year
Northern Ireland
£9,250
per year
Republic of Ireland
£9,250
per year
Scotland
£9,250
per year
Wales
£9,250
per year

Extra funding

Solent University offers a number of bursaries, grants and scholarships. For more information, please visit https://www.solent.ac.uk/finance/grants-bursaries-scholarships/bursaries

The Uni


Course location:

Solent University (Southampton)

Department:

Department of Art and Music

Read full university profile

What students say


We've crunched the numbers to see if overall student satisfaction here is high, medium or low compared to students studying this subject(s) at other universities.

72%
Graphic design

How do students rate their degree experience?

The stats below relate to the general subject area/s at this university, not this specific course. We show this where there isn’t enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Design studies

Teaching and learning

83%
Staff make the subject interesting
85%
Staff are good at explaining things
84%
Ideas and concepts are explored in-depth
81%
Opportunities to apply what I've learned

Assessment and feedback

Feedback on work has been timely
Feedback on work has been helpful
Staff are contactable when needed
Good advice available when making study choices

Resources and organisation

88%
Library resources
88%
IT resources
87%
Course specific equipment and facilities
64%
Course is well organised and has run smoothly

Student voice

Staff value students' opinions
Feel part of a community on my course

Who studies this subject and how do they get on?

77%
UK students
23%
International students
50%
Male students
50%
Female students
72%
2:1 or above
10%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

B
C
B

After graduation


The stats in this section relate to the general subject area/s at this university – not this specific course. We show this where there isn't enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Design studies

What are graduates doing after six months?

This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.

£18,000
med
Average annual salary
94%
med
Employed or in further education
75%
high
Employed in a role where degree was essential or beneficial

Top job areas of graduates

27%
Design occupations
10%
Sales, marketing and related associate professionals
8%
Sales assistants and retail cashiers

What about your long term prospects?

Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.

Design studies

The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.

£16k

£16k

£20k

£20k

£23k

£23k

Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.

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This is what the university has told Ucas about the criteria they expect applicants to satisfy; some may be compulsory, others may be preferable.

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This is what the university has told Ucas about the course. Use it to get a quick idea about what makes it unique compared to similar courses, elsewhere.

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Course location and department:

This is what the university has told Ucas about the course. Use it to get a quick idea about what makes it unique compared to similar courses, elsewhere.

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Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF):

We've received this information from the Department for Education, via Ucas. This is how the university as a whole has been rated for its quality of teaching: gold silver or bronze. Note, not all universities have taken part in the TEF.

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This information comes from the National Student Survey, an annual student survey of final-year students. You can use this to see how satisfied students studying this subject area at this university, are (not the individual course).

This is the percentage of final-year students at this university who were "definitely" or "mostly" satisfied with their course. We've analysed this figure against other universities so you can see whether this is high, medium or low.

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This information is from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), for undergraduate students only.

You can use this to get an idea of who you might share a lecture with and how they progressed in this subject, here. It's also worth comparing typical A-level subjects and grades students achieved with the current course entry requirements; similarities or differences here could indicate how flexible (or not) a university might be.

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Post-six month graduation stats:

This is from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey, based on responses from graduates who studied the same subject area here.

It offers a snapshot of what grads went on to do six months later, what they were earning on average, and whether they felt their degree helped them obtain a 'graduate role'. We calculate a mean rating to indicate if this is high, medium or low compared to other universities.

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Graduate field commentary:

The Higher Education Careers Services Unit have provided some further context for all graduates in this subject area, including details that numbers alone might not show

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The Longitudinal Educational Outcomes dataset combines HRMC earnings data with student records from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.

While there are lots of factors at play when it comes to your future earnings, use this as a rough timeline of what graduates in this subject area were earning on average one, three and five years later. Can you see a steady increase in salary, or did grads need some experience under their belt before seeing a nice bump up in their pay packet?

Have a question about this info? Learn more here