Graphic Design BA (Hons)

Program Overview

Graphic Design BA (Hons)

Course Overview

During your time on our course, you’ll become a professional graphic designer learning from award-winning industry-experienced lecturers. We will support you in gaining work experience with local, national, and global design agencies, as well as giving you the opportunity to work alongside professional designers and live clients.

Our teaching staff are all industry-experienced graphic designers – we are able to impart our real-world knowledge, ensuring that you are taught to the standard that our industry will look for in a graduate. We’ll encourage you to express yourself through distinctive, creative, commercially astute, and ambitious ideas, working on projects individually and collaboratively in a professional studio environment.

From branding, packaging, typography, print, digital, AI, strategy, and moving image, this degree covers a diverse range of design areas. This gives each of our students the opportunity to find the area of design they want to pursue, and individually tailor their projects to complete a portfolio that will stand out to industry.

Entry Requirements

• Typical Offers: 96 – 120 UCAS tariff points, CCC – BBB at A levels, MMM – DDM at BTEC, or a Merit in your T-Level.
• Foundation or Extended Diploma: We welcome applicants with a pass in a relevant Foundation or Extended Diploma (Level 3 or 4).
• Additional requirements: English Language or Literature and Maths Grade 4/C in GCSE (or equivalent) are normally required.
• Don't meet the entry requirements? This course is available with an additional integrated foundation year. This four-year option has lower entry requirements – see below – than the other study type/s available.
• Typical offers: 48 UCAS tariff points, EE at A levels or a PP in a BTEC Diploma.
• Mature students: We welcome applications from mature students (aged 21 and over) and do not necessarily require the same academic qualifications as school leaving applicants, although some entry requirements may still apply for Professionally Accredited Courses. We accept Access to Higher Education Diplomas and make offers on an individual basis.
• International students: Please read the entry requirements for your country – and contact our admissions team if you have questions.

Course Modules

• Level 4 (Undergraduate year 1)
  • Communication and Visual Culture 1 (AD4003)
  • Communication and Visual Culture 2 (AD4004)
  • Lateral Thinking (AD4411)
  • Design Skills (AD4412)
  • Cultural Context (AD4414)
  • Design Strategy (AD4415)
• Level 5 (Undergraduate year 2)
  • Professional Practice (AD5000)
  • Contemporary Issues in Design (AD5003)
  • Major Practice and Research Project Planning (AD5004)
  • Creative Practice (AD5401)
  • The Creative Entrepreneur (AD5402)
  • The Creative Industries (AD5403)
• Level 6 (Undergraduate final year)
  • Dissertation: Major Research Project (AD6000)
  • Creative Awards (AD6002)
  • Self Initiated Design / Portfolio (AD6401)
  • Self Promotion (AD6403)

Fees and Costs

• Start date | Location | UCAS code | Fee (UK) | Fee (international)
  • Sep 2025 | Park, Cheltenham | W210 | £9,535 | £17,425
  • Sep 2026 | Park, Cheltenham | W210 | TBC | TBC

Careers

Our Graphic Design course offers extensive opportunities for creative and innovative learning, preparing graduates for a wide range of roles within the design industry. Our graduates have gone on to work in a range of graphic design roles such as graphic designers, digital designers, UX designers, freelance designers, account managers, and design strategists.

Placements

You’ll gain essential industry experience through work placements and live briefs. Students have recently worked with Channel 5, 1HQ London, Jones Knowles Ritchie, Bulletproof, and Taxi Design winning awards with their work and moving into successful design careers.

Research Areas

• Design Matters: We have proudly launched Design Matters, a new home for design conversations, hosted at Park Campus, where we will be exploring important subjects within design as a creative community.
• Explore national and international design exhibitions: You’ll gain inspiration from leading-edge exhibitions such as D&AD New Blood and the London Design Festival. You’ll also have the opportunity to explore global centres for creative commerce including Berlin.
• Learn from experts: We support our students to move from good to great through excellence in teaching and exposure to everything the industry has to offer. You will graduate fully-equipped to move into a role in the creative industries.
• Meet top designers at Cheltenham Design Festival: Strong links with the internationally-renowned Cheltenham Design Festival mean our students receive complimentary tickets. Prestigious figures from the world of design share their insights and creative inspiration.

Program Outline

Extracted Information for Graphic Design BA (Hons) at University of Gloucestershire

Degree Overview:

Objectives:

• Develop professional graphic designers with industry-level skills and knowledge.
• Provide work experience opportunities with local and national design agencies.
• Offer collaboration with professional designers and live clients.
• Equip graduates to compete in the creative industries.

Description:

• The Graphic Design BA (Hons) program places a strong emphasis on practical and professional training.
• Students experiment with various creative approaches and strategic design strategies.
• The program utilizes dedicated design studios equipped with Macs, Adobe Creative Cloud, and print rooms.
• Students collaborate with Graphic Design students from all year levels, fostering a strong design community.
• The program emphasizes individual expression through distinctive, creative, and commercially-astute design ideas.
• Projects are completed individually and collaboratively in a professional studio environment.
• The program covers a wide range of design areas, including branding, packaging, typography, print, digital, and moving image.
• Students have the opportunity to tailor their projects to find their desired area of focus and build a strong portfolio.
• The program has a strong track record of graduate success, with 40% of students securing graduate employment before completing the course in 2022.

Outline:

• The program is a full-time, 3-year undergraduate degree.
• It is offered at the University of Gloucestershire's Park campus in Cheltenham.
• The UCAS code for the program is W210.
• The program offers a variety of modules, including:
• Communication and Visual Culture 1 and 2
• Lateral Thinking
• Design Skills
• Cultural Context
• Design Strategy
• Professional Practice
• Contemporary Issues in Design
• Major Practice and Research Project Planning
• Creative Practice
• The Creative Entrepreneur
• The Creative Industries
• Dissertation: Major Research Project
• Creative Awards
• Self Initiated Design / Portfolio
• Self Promotion
• The program schedule can be found on the University of Gloucestershire website.
• Module descriptions are available on the program webpage.

Assessment:

• Assessments vary depending on the individual modules.
• Assessment methods may include individual and group projects, essays, presentations, and portfolios.
• Specific assessment criteria are outlined for each module.

Teaching:

• The program is taught by industry-experienced Graphic Design lecturers.
• The program utilizes a practical and professional approach to teaching.
• Students have access to dedicated design studios and state-of-the-art facilities.
• The program encourages collaboration and individual expression.
• Students have the opportunity to work with professional designers and live clients.

Careers:

• Graduates are prepared for a wide range of careers in the design industry.
• Potential career paths include Graphic Designer, Digital Designer, UX Designer, Freelance Designer, Account Manager, and Design Strategist.
• The program provides students with the skills and knowledge to succeed in the competitive creative industries.
• Graduates are well-equipped to start their own businesses or pursue further studies.

Other:

• The program offers an integrated foundation year option for students who do not meet the standard entry requirements.
• The program has won numerous awards, including first place at the Penguin Cover Design Awards and JKR Global Student Design Award.
• Students have the opportunity to participate in national and international design competitions.
• The program has strong links with the Cheltenham Design Festival, providing students with access to industry experts and networking opportunities.
• The program encourages students to explore national and international design exhibitions.
• The program offers optional placement opportunities in the UK and abroad.
• The program has a 91% teaching satisfaction rating in the National Student Survey 2023.

Additional Notes:

• This extraction is based on the information provided in the context.
• Some sections may be incomplete if the information was not available in the context.
• For more information, please refer to the University of Gloucestershire website.