GRAPHIC DESIGN BA(HONS)

Postgraduate programme

GRAPHIC DESIGN BA(HONS)

Offered by UNIVERSITY OF BRIGHTON

ON-CAMPUS: BRIGHTON Direct university enquiry No obligation

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Programme overview

Why choose this programme?

This is an innovative course with a reputation for producing ambitious and bold designers who communicate, inform, entertain and challenge the status quo.

Exploration, experimentation and finding your creative voice is paramount on our Graphic Design degree course. You’ll be working in a dynamic school of art and media, with opportunities for collaboration which foster an understanding of visual communication intellectually and practically.

You will learn with a course team who are professional practising designers, based in a creative and progressive city.
Top reasons to choose this course

- Study all aspects of design â€" including typography and language, type design, editorial design, publishing, narrative and storytelling, information and visualisation, symbolism and imagery, navigation and wayfinding, visual identity, moving image, writing and performance.
- Excellent career progression â€" our students go on to diverse roles across the creative industries, whether making a difference in agencies or establishing their own brands.
- Success of our graduates â€" our alumni are at organisations including The Royal Opera House, A Small Axe, Anyways Creative, The Tate and many more high-profile institutions.
- Establish professional connections â€" throughout the course you can regularly connect with industry practitioners.
- Optional placement year â€" gives you the chance to make industry connections and gain valuable experience.
- International exchanges â€" there are exchange opportunities with Nagoya University of the Arts in Japan Lasalle College of the Arts in Singapore SRH University of Applied Sciences in Berlin, Germany Minneapolis College of Art and Design (MCAD) in the United States and ABK Stuttgart in Germany.
- Engaging audiences with your work â€" we’ll teach you how to promote and share your work.
- Collaborative working â€" just like in industry, you will connect with students from the visual communication programme in the Global Challenges modules, developing contacts for when you graduate.
- Major graduate show â€" at the end of the degree you will exhibit a body of work in the public graduate show, a large-scale exhibition.
What kind of roles can I do with a graphics degree?

Our graduates work across a range of disciplines within the contemporary creative industries in roles such as:

- Branding Specialist
- Graphic Designer
- Brand Strategist
- Brand Consultant
- Book Designer
- Motion Graphic Designer
- UX/UI Designer
- Packaging Designer
- Art Director
- Social Media Strategist
- Experience Designer.

Modality

ON-CAMPUS: BRIGHTON

UCAS entry grades

BBB

UCAS Tariff points

120 points

Tuition fee

£9,790

Entry requirements

Entry requirements

A-levels or BTEC
Entry requirements are in the range of A-level BBBâ€"BCC (120â€"104 UCAS Tariff points), or BTEC Extended Diploma DDMâ€"MMM. Our conditional offers typically fall within this range. We are looking for highly motivated and creative students. We will consider you on an individual basis. Your portfolio is the most important and mandatory part of your application. If your predicted or actual grades fall below the range below but you can evidence your thinking, ideas and abilities through a high-quality portfolio we will still consider your application.

Art foundation diploma
Pass. A foundation diploma is not a requirement for entry â€" it is just one of a range of qualifications that is accepted for admission to this course.

International Baccalaureate
30 points, with three subjects at Higher level.

Access to HE diploma
Pass with 60 credits overall. Art and design courses preferred. At least 45 credits at level 3, and 30 credits must be at merit or above.

Foundation degree/HND/degree
May enable you to start the course in year 2 or later depending on the qualification you hold and the level of your creative and practical experience.

Studied before or got relevant experience?
If you have suitable qualifications, credits from a previous university course or relevant professional experience these could count towards your course at Brighton and you could start the course in year 2 or 3.

English language requirements
If English is not your first language, IELTS 6.0 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in each element. Find out about the other English qualifications that we accept.

Dates and duration

Full-time 3 years
With placement year 4 years

Career opportunities

Where this programme can take you


What kind of roles can I do with a graphics degree?

Our graduates work across a range of disciplines within the contemporary creative industries in roles such as:

- Branding Specialist
- Graphic Designer
- Brand Strategist
- Brand Consultant
- Book Designer
- Motion Graphic Designer
- UX/UI Designer
- Packaging Designer
- Art Director
- Social Media Strategist
- Experience Designer.

SYLLABUS

Year 1

Year 1 introduces you to the key concepts of visual communication in graphic design. Through a series of studio-based projects and workshops in computing, letterpress, photography and book arts, you will begin to develop your own visual language.
Modules

- Introduction to Graphic Design
- Cultural Contexts in Graphic Design
- Graphic Design: Media and Messages
- Contemporary Contexts in Graphic Design

Year 2

Year 2 develops your knowledge of the more advanced concepts of communication with a focus on self-initiated, collaborative, experimental and independent ways of working.

You will begin to explore the creative industries via a personal and professional development programme. In years 2 and 3 you will attend professional practice lectures by guest speakers working within the industry.
Modules

- Graphic Design: Modes of Communication
- Global Challenges â€" Visual Communication
- Graphic Design: Audiences and Contexts
- Ethical and Personal Responsibilities in Graphic Design

Placement year

Gain valuable experience and earn money during an optional placement year following year 2. You’ll return to the final year of your degree with added confidence, additional real-world experience and valuable contacts.

A placement year gives you the chance to work with established professionals in design studios, galleries, film sets, music labels, creative agencies, newsrooms and many other environments. You’ll be able to get an insight into creative workflows and come away with a portfolio filled with real-world projects that will stand out in a competitive job market.

It can also help you discover your creative direction and passion for a particular area of work, helping you grow artistically as well as professionally.

Our dedicated Placements and Employability team will support you in getting a placement that suits your interests and career goals by helping you with your CV and cover letter writing, applications, online testing and more. Plus, they’ll provide support and guidance when you’re on placement and make sure that everything is going well.

Final year

In year 3 you build upon the creative and analytical abilities you have developed. Teaching encourages greater personal development as you move towards a more self-directed programme of study. You will work on a series of briefs leading towards a longer independent graphic design research project.
Modules

- Independent Graphic Design Practice
- Critical Graphic Design Research Project
- Graphic Design: Major Project
- Graphic Design: Professional Practice