Graphic Design
University of Portsmouth
UCAS Code: W210 | Bachelor of Arts (with Honours) - BA (Hons)
Entry requirements
A level
112-120 points to include a minimum of 2 A levels.
112-122 Tariff points from the Access to HE Diploma.
Cambridge Pre-U score of 46-50.
GCSE/National 4/National 5
3 GCSEs at grade C or above to include English/3 GCSEs at grade 4 or above to include English.
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme
25 points from the IB Diploma, to include 3 Higher Level subjects
Leaving Certificate - Higher Level (Ireland) (first awarded in 2017)
H3,H3,H3,H3,H4-H3,H3,H3,H3,H3
Acceptable when combined with other qualifications.
Acceptable when combined with other qualifications.
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
112-120 Tariff points.
Acceptable when combined with other qualifications.
T Level
UCAS Tariff
112-120 points to include a minimum of 2 A levels, or equivalent.
112-120 points from the Advanced Welsh Baccalaureate including 1 A level, plus the Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate.
You may also need to…
Present a portfolio
About this course
This course has alternative study modes. Contact the university to find out how the information below might vary.
**This is a Connected Degree**
Portsmouth is the only University in the UK with the flexibility to choose when to do an optional paid placement or self-employed year. Either take a placement in your third year, or finish your studies first and complete a placement in your fourth year. You can decide if and when to take a placement after you've started your course.
**Overview**
On 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 Associate qualification
- Connect with companies and communities by taking part in events like SKY Creative Day
- 90% Graduates in work or further study (HESA Graduate Outcomes Survey conducted in 2019)
**Careers and 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.
Modules
** Year 1 core modules [all worth 20 credits each]:** Information Design; Introduction to Graphic Design; Introduction to Visual Culture (Graphic Design); Research-Informed Design Thinking; Typography and Layout; User Experience Design - Motion Graphics | ** Year 2 core modules [all worth 20 credits each]: ** Editorial Design; Ethical Design; Professional Practice - Identity and Branding; User Experience Design | ** Year 2 optional modules: ** Art, Design and Performance Study Abroad - Full Year (120 credits); Art, Design and Performance Study Abroad - Half Year (60 credits); Art, Design and Performance Study Exchange (60 credits); CCI Placement Plus - Full Year (40 credits); CCI Self Employed Placement (40 credits); CCI Work Placement (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: Visons of the Body (20 credits) | ** Year 3 core modules [all worth 20 credits each]:** Major Project in Graphic Design - Research and Development; Major Project in Graphic Design - Resolution and Presentation; Professional Practice - Design Briefs and Competitions; Professional Practice - Design Studio Practice; Professional Practice - Promotion and Employability | ** Year 3 optional modules [all worth 20 credits]: ** Visual Culture: Dissertation; Visual Culture: Research Project
Assessment methods
Not a fan of exams? Don't worry – there aren't any on this course. Instead, you can let your designs do the talking.
You’ll be assessed through:
- project presentations
- research and developmental work
- design portfolios
- written essays or reports
You’ll be able to test your skills and knowledge informally before you do assessments that count towards your final mark.
You can get feedback on all practice and formal assessments so you can improve in the future.
The way you’re assessed may depend on the modules you select. As a guide, students on this course last year were typically assessed as follows:
- Year 1 students: 100% by coursework
- Year 2 students: 100% by coursework
- Year 3 students: 100% by coursework
Tuition fees
Select where you currently live to see what you'll pay:
The Uni
University of Portsmouth
Faculty of Creative and Cultural Industries
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.
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
Assessment and feedback
Resources and organisation
Student voice
Who studies this subject and how do they get on?
Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)
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.
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.
£16k
£21k
£22k
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 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?
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