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BA (Hons) - Graphic Design

Harness your passion and produce exciting designs across a range of traditional and digital media.

You'll graduate as a professional graphic designer ready to unleash your creativity on the world and work for national and international design and advertising consultancies, multi-media agencies, TV companies and publishing houses.

Our graduates have gone on to work for well-known names such as Time Out, MTV, Conde Naste, IPC, Future Publishing, Mammoth, Wallpaper and the BBC.

Graphic Design cover image

Course Overview

This course will give you hands-on experience, providing the expertise, experience, confidence and creative skills you need to land your first professional job in this exciting industry.

We realise that, as a graduate, what makes you stand out from the crowd is your personality, passion, and the quality of the work in your portfolio, which is why your course will provide you with a wide variety of projects, including many ‘live briefs’, to help you discover what suits you best, allowing you to focus on developing your specialities. You will receive extensive feedback, support, and advice throughout your studies and have access to our state-of-the-art facilities and equipment.

We’re very proud of what our students achieve. Why not read their stories and see what happens on our course through our social channels or by visiting our 2021 Unmasked Student Showcase?

On this course you will...

  • Learn from graphic design, magazine design, illustration and typography experts and use industry-standard software, equipment and facilities.
  • Do real graphic design work. 80% of your studies will be practical, so you won't be just learning theory.
  • Build a robust portfolio of work for exhibits and display your talent to potential employers.
  • Benefit from practical demonstrations, visits, and feedback from professional designers.
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WHAT OUR GRADUATES Say

  • Throughout all the industries I have worked in, my degree gave me the confidence to tackle everything head-on.
    Vincent Walden, BA (Hons) Graphic Design

    Vincent Walden, BA (Hons) Graphic Design

    Vincent is the founder of Studio Walden, an eco-friendly and sustainable Graphic Design studio in Cumbria.

    Read Vincent's Story
  • I was really taken by the fact that our course has a blog, which keeps updating with Studio Live and student work, and shows the inner workings of the course. It really looked so interesting compared to the other universities, it really showed that creative engagement with real life.
    Chloe Farsi, BA (Hons) Graphic Design (with integrated foundation year)

    Chloe Farsi, BA (Hons) Graphic Design (with integrated foundation year)

    Chloe joined the University of Cumbria in 2013 and now returns as a volunteer at our annual Art Degree Show.

    Read Chloe's Story

Course Structure

What you will learn

The BA (Hons) Graphic Design aims to help you successfully transition from being a design student to a professional designer. Our graduates work for national and international design and advertising consultancies, multi-media agencies, TV companies, publishing houses, magazines and many now run their own design studios.

Year one

In Level 4 you’ll gain fundamental knowledge and practical experience of visual communication, the building blocks of visual language, and professional attitudes and practices. When you join us you become part of a creative community and from the outset, you will be encouraged to share your ideas, experiences and work through discussion with tutors and fellow students.

A distinctive feature of the graphic design course is that, initially, you will work closely with Level 4 illustrators exploring the fundamental principles of visual communication as many of the core principles and considerations are shared between the two disciplines, for instance; colour theory and application, traditional and digital media, development processes, presentation skills, etc.

  • Introducing Visual Communication
  • Cultural Contexts
  • Multi-Dimensional Graphic Design
  • Collaborative Practice
Year two

Second year is focused on applying the knowledge and skills you’ve gained to a series of design challenges. Testing and refining your design and personal management skills in a number of scenarios will give you confidence in your ability to tackle unfamiliar challenges. As your confidence grows through experience you’ll begin to develop personal strands of interest or specialism.

Your tutors bring a wide range of design experience to the course with particular expertise and interests in typography, editorial/publishing, corporate identity and branding work. There is an emphasis on knowledge, passion, and enjoyment, showing you how they can be utilised to make memorable, meaningful designs.

  • The Designer's Toolkit
  • Type & Typography
  • Graphic Design Projects
  • The Critical Designer
Year three

As you enter your final year, flexibility increases where all of the skills, knowledge and confidence you have developed so far are brought together to produce a portfolio of design work that showcases your talents.

By this time you’ll be preparing for progression – life after you finish your degree - seeking work or preparing for Masters or Postgraduate study. Much of your professional practice will be focused on that exciting step.

  • Advanced Design Projects
  • Independent Research Paper
  • Graphic Design Showcase

Experience Cumbria

Graphic design is worth £3.4 billion statistic
A computer screen showing colourful designs.
A wall covered in designs as a mood board.
Two students create designs with pencil and paint.
A lecturer teaches a class in front of a colourful wall.
A student at a computer smiles at the camera.
  • Image from the campus
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  • Location

    Carlisle - Brampton Road Campus

    Located just outside the city, right on top of Hadrian's Wall, the Brampton Road campus is full of history, buzzing with excitement, creativity, and a sense of endless possibility. The home of creators, entertainers, rule breakers, and change-markers.

    Find out more

Find out more about studying with us

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