Graphic Design (with integrated foundation year)
Entry requirements
A level
Access to HE Diploma
60 credits, 45 must be graded at Level 3
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
Scottish Higher
T Level
UCAS Tariff
Potential to succeed can be measured in a number of ways including academic qualifications and skills obtained outside academic study such as work experience. You can find out more about the tariff and qualification options from the UCAS tariff table. Please check selection criteria for any additional entry requirements.
You may also need to…
Attend an interview
Present a portfolio
About this course
Have alternative qualifications or don't quite meet our entry criteria? No problem.
If you’re looking for a graphic design foundation course that will develop your skills and confidence in a supportive, dynamic environment, look no further.
Your introductory year will give you the technical expertise and knowledge to progress to our highly respected undergraduate degree in graphic design.
**Course Overview**
To break into the competitive but rewarding graphic design industry, you’ll need an exciting portfolio, excellent subject knowledge, the skills to use the latest professional equipment and technology – and your own unique flair in creatively solving communication problems.
So, if you’re looking for a graphic design foundation course that enables you to learn graphic design from industry experts and develop the skills and confidence needed to kick-start your graphic design career, look no further. Your introductory year will give you the technical expertise and knowledge to progress to our highly respected BA (Hons) Graphic Design course.
Following your foundation year, our hands-on course is designed to take you to your creative limits and graduate with the confidence, experience and skills that are so sought after by employers in this highly selective but exciting industry.
**On this course you will...**
- Develop an appreciation of the key theories and contexts that influence graphic design today.
- Develop a portfolio of graphic design work that demonstrates your understanding, visual skills and critical judgement.
- Work on industry-led briefs enabling you to develop autonomy, creativity and professionalism.
- Develop a range of industry-standard skills: idea generation, design development, typography, layout, 3D graphics, motion graphics, digital artwork, presentation skills, etc.
- Undertake group projects which simulate the workflow of a professional studio.
**What you will learn**
You will work closely with illustrators exploring the fundamental principles of visual communication and many of the core principles and considerations are shared between the two disciplines,
As well as visual communication skills, you will also develop the personal management, interpersonal and team working skills that will help you to deal with the challenges of the exciting, fast-changing industry that you’re a part of during and after life as a student. From Semester 2 onwards your learning will become ever more specialised and industry-focused. This enables you to develop specialist skills and understanding in such diverse areas as typography, editorial and book design, branding and identity, packaging, motion graphics, exhibition design, etc.
**Year One**
- Making Images
- Making Objects
- Visual Enquiry
- Environment
- Portfolio and Progression
**Year Two**
- Introducing Visual Communication
- Cultural Contexts
- Multi-Dimensional Graphic Design
- Collaborative Practice
**Year Three**
- The Designer's Toolkit
- Type & Typography
- Graphic Design Projects
- The Critical Designer
**Year Four**
- Advanced Design Projects
- Independent Research Paper
- Graphic Design Showcase
Modules
Foundation year - Compulsory modules:
Visual Literacy,
Technical Processes,
Applied Visual Practice,
Design Cultures.
Year one - Compulsory Modules:
Design Fundamentals,
Design in Context 1,
Communicating Ideas,
Thinking through Image-Making.
Year two - Compulsory modules:
Principles of Graphic Design,
Principles of Multimedia,
Exploration of Graphic Design,
Design in Context 2.
Year three - Compulsory modules:
Graphic Design Application,
Professional Context,
Graphic Design Practice,
Professional Practice.
Tuition fees
Select where you currently live to see what you'll pay:
The Uni
Carlisle - Brampton Road
Institute of the Arts
What students say
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Design studies
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Who studies this subject and how do they get on?
Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)
After graduation
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Design studies
What are graduates doing after six months?
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Top job areas of graduates
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.
£13k
£16k
£19k
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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