Graphic Communication Design (Top-Up) BA (Hons)
Program start date | Application deadline |
2025-09-01 | - |
Program Overview
Graphic Communication Design (Top-Up) BA (Hons)
Key Facts
- UCAS Code: W212
- Level: Undergraduate UG BA (Hons)
- Duration: Full Time: 1 year, Part Time: 2 years
- Starting: September
- UK Fees 25/26 >: Full Time: £9,535, Part Time: £1,585 per 20 credits
- International Fees 25/26 >: Full Time: £17,000
- Location >: Waterside
Overview
Our Graphic Communication Design (Top-Up) BA (Hons) builds upon your prior knowledge and skills to explore the communication of ideas and messages to diverse and ever-evolving audiences through a dynamic range of media that highlights the potential of what design can achieve.
The Top-Up programme will develop your critical understanding of communication, expand your understanding of how the Creative Industries work, and advance your creativity and professionalism. The Graphic Communication Design (Top-Up) is focused on identifying your individual interests, launching you on your career path and honing your commercial design skills.
Highlights
- On the Graphic Communication Design BA (Top-Up) course, you will have access to specialist resources, regular guest lecturers and industry contacts.
- The opportunity to work with live commercial briefs, social impact initiatives and international competitions.
- Several of our Graphic Communication Design students have either been shortlisted or have gone on to win international design competitions, such as Penguin Cover Design Award andDesign and Art Direction – New Blood Awards (D&AD).
- Along with exhibiting your work in your final year Degree Show, we have had students participate in D&AD’s ‘New Blood’ and the ‘New Designers’ industry graduate degree showcases in London.
- Dedicated GCD design studio with access to Macbooks, creative software, cameras and lighting kits, sound and print facilities.
- High-quality teaching from experienced practising designers and educators.
- Work based learning through live commercial projects with a real focus on your future career, with employability modules in all years of the course.
- Participate in social design projects.
- Technical support and specialist workshop demonstrations
- Success with national and international competitions.
- Regular input from industry professionals.
- Study trips and cultural visits.
- Guaranteed paid internship with the Northampton Employment Promise.
Entry Requirements
- Standard entry requirements apply. Applicants are expected to have studied a Graphic or related Art and Design subject at Foundation Degree/HND or equivalent.
- Other Entry Requirements: We welcome international applications and applications from students with a range of non-traditional educational or professional qualifications.
- Applicants are requested to send a digital portfolio of their own work in Art and Design and attend a 30 minute online interview with a member of Graphic Communication Design team.
- Receiving an offer may also be subject to qualifications and standard entry requirements.
Student Successes
- Congratulations to our final year students for winning prestigious prizes at the 2023 D &AD New Blood Awards and the 2023 New Designer Awards!
- Final Year students Carrie Slinn, Cara king and Ellie Lines won the prestigious Yellow Pencil at this year’s D&AD New Blood awards ceremony. The group were awarded the highest winning prize for the eBay brief with their ‘Stackd’ stock market styled app solution.
- Final Year student Tab Dudley won the top prize at the ‘New Designers’ exhibition. Tab’s 220 page graphic art self-help book won the highest accolade at this year’s event!
Course Content
- Course Details: Our Graphic Communication Design (Top-Up) BA (Hons) provides you with the vital skills and knowledge needed to further your understanding of visual communication, working in the creative industries, or potentially progressing onto master’s study. Having already developed the skills and qualifications for years 1 and 2 on your previous course, in year 3 with us you’ll be able to focus on expanding your conceptual and technical skills.
- We explore Graphic Communication Design through commercial, cultural, social, and environmental issues via a mix of practical work, live industry projects, critical study and design competition briefs. You’ll be taught in various ways including small and large group teaching, workshops and individual tutorials, lectures, group presentations and seminars, and we do this through a combination of face to face and online teaching, exploring digital media and software alongside craft skills such as print making, 3D and photography.
- We look at 4 areas on the Graphic Communication Design Top-Up course, these are –
- Commercial – here we develop your technical skills and practice the principals of graphic design and apply these to commercial projects and briefs – this includes understanding how audiences think and respond and how we approach and manage the design process to create effective solutions.
- Professional and Critical – here we expose you to the wider creative industries, the various roles and skills needed to work as a professional designer and how the business of design works. Additionally, we explore the development of visual culture and how it’s affected us and our world, and how we and others see and understand the world around us. Along with this, you develop your research abilities and your analytical and reflective writing skills.
- Experimental – here we encourage your individual responses to themes and issues that are not commercially focused – we challenge you to use your visual skills be used to convey complex and thought-provoking messages, and we develop your ability to see differently, think differently and explore different mediums and formats.
- Changemaker – here we focus on Graphic Communication Design’s role as a force for positive change through projects that explore social, ethical and environmental concerns. You are encouraged to develop empathetic and mindful approaches using your creative skills for progress and transformation.
Stage 1
- Preparing for industry (20 Credits)
- Module code: 2DD3012
- Status: Compulsory
- The purpose of this module is for students to confidently define their post-graduation trajectory. Students will develop and apply interpersonal skills and industry knowledge to a range of work models from the evolving creative industries. This module concludes with a detailed presentation outlining the students' professional intentions.
- Professional Portfolio (40 Credits)
- Module code: 2DD3013
- Status: Compulsory
- This module enables students to establish a professional graduate portfolio through a series of industry-related briefs covering a range of contemporary design practices. Impactful ideas targeted at defined audiences are central to this module, with students encouraged to take risks and explore new and emerging ways of working and communicating.
- Major Project (60 Credits)
- Module code: 2DD4007
- Status: Compulsory
- The purpose of this module is to develop a progressive and impactful body of practice and writing, based on thorough critical research into an area of personal interest within contemporary visual culture. Outcomes will form a significant part of the graduate's portfolio, showcasing specialisms within contemporary graphic communication design.
Fees and Funding
- 2025/26 Tuition Fees
- UK – Full Time: £9,535
- UK – Part Time: £1,585 per 20 credit module
- International – Full Time: £17,000
- Materials, Events and Visits: Materials for workshops, entry to competitions associated with your graphic communication design programme of study, and those visits that are necessary for your course are all made available at no additional charge.
- We recommend that you budget for additional printing costs (approximately £30 per year for laser and large format printing) and any specialist design materials that you may require (£50 or more depending on materials) per year.
- There are optional trips, both within the UK and overseas: UK visits and Trips will cost approximately £50 per year. Overseas trips or visits will cost approximately £350 per trip
- The 3rd year Degree Show held in the summer additionally requires contributions [or your own fund-raising activities] to support the funding of a catalogue and marketing materials costing approximately £20 each, along with further contributions to exhibit at the off-site Graduate Design shows in London, approximately £25 each.
Staff
- Senior Lecturer - Graphics & Illustration - James Smith
- Head of Art & Design - Alexis Taylor
Careers and Employability
- A Graphic Communication Design degree can open up your career options. You will not be limited to one specific type of role, but rather be able to pursue numerous career paths.
- Our Graphic Communication Design graduates use their design skills to work in:
- Branding
- Advertising
- Illustration & Animation
- Editorial and Publishing
- Digital moving image
- Interactive, online, social media and app design
- UI/UX Design
- Packaging design
- Photography
- Information design
- Social Design
- Throughout your time on the graphic communication design top up course, as well as post-study, we offer ongoing support to ensure you receive the guidance and information needed to succeed in your chosen field of work.
Facilities and Special Features
- Large specialist studio spaces with dedicated access to Mac-books, digital cameras, lighting kits and sound recording equipment. Additionally we have access to a vast collection of magazines and books in studio.
- Additional iMac design suite
- Subsidised digital printing
- Printmaking facilities and professional photography studios with controlled lighting studios
- Video editing suites
- Free Adobe Creative Cloud software account for your duration on the course
Related Courses
- Illustration (Top-Up) BA (Hons): This top-up course will help you to enhance your existing illustration and design skills including drawing,...
Program Outline
The Top-Up programme will develop your critical understanding of communication, expand your understanding of how the Creative Industries work, and advance your creativity and professionalism. The Graphic Communication Design (Top-Up) is focused on identifying your individual interests, launching you on your career path and honing your commercial design skills. Students experiment with a range of traditional processes and evolving technologies to challenge the conventions of image-making and meaning. Having already developed the skills and qualifications for years 1 and 2 on your previous course, in year 3 with us you’ll be able to focus on expanding your conceptual and technical skills. We explore Graphic Communication Design through commercial, cultural, social, and environmental issues via a mix of practical work, live industry projects, critical study and design competition briefs. You’ll be taught in various ways including small and large group teaching, workshops and individual tutorials, lectures, group presentations and seminars, and we do this through a combination of face to face and online teaching, exploring digital media and software alongside craft skills such as print making, 3D and photography. We look at 4 areas on the Graphic Communication Design Top-Up course, these are –
- Professional and Critical: Expose you to the wider creative industries, the various roles and skills needed to work as a professional designer and how the business of design works. Along with this, you develop your research abilities and your analytical and reflective writing skills.
- Changemaker: Focus on Graphic Communication Design’s role as a force for positive change through projects that explore social, ethical and environmental concerns. You are encouraged to develop empathetic and mindful approaches using your creative skills for progress and transformation. We do this through considered, well researched and tested design solutions and use targeted technologies and channels to reach out and make a difference – the successful communication of a message is determined by its effective design; this is how we influence, create an emotion, and have impact.
Modules:
- Preparing for industry (20 Credits)
- Module code: 2DD3012
- Status: Compulsory
- Description: The purpose of this module is for students to confidently define their post-graduation trajectory. Students will develop and apply interpersonal skills and industry knowledge to a range of work models from the evolving creative industries.
- Professional Portfolio (40 Credits)
- Module code: 2DD3013
- Status: Compulsory
- Description: This module enables students to establish a professional graduate portfolio through a series of industry-related briefs covering a range of contemporary design practices.
- Major Project (60 Credits)
- Module code: 2DD4007
- Status: Compulsory
- Description: The purpose of this module is to develop a progressive and impactful body of practice and writing, based on thorough critical research into an area of personal interest within contemporary visual culture. Outcomes will form a significant part of the graduate's portfolio, showcasing specialisms within contemporary graphic communication design.
Schedule:
Your taught study will be a combination of lectures, seminars, workshops and technical demonstrations, usually for 15 hours per week, depending on your level of study. In addition, we recommend that you spend around 10 hours per week in self-directed study time. Outside of taught time, you will have access to technical facilities and studies.
Assessment:
You will be assessed through a range of graphic communication design assignments, design competitions and live projects [producing individual work as well as working in groups] including design work submitted through portfolio presentations [these can be printed, online, digita or physical], oral presentations and pitches, written work and self-assessments.
Teaching:
You will be taught by your core team of Senior Lecturers, Lecturers and Associate Lecturers – and you have contact with them week in, week out. It is these lecturers that deliver the majority of your taught experience, set project briefs, assess your work and lead study visits.
Careers:
A Graphic Communication Design degree can open up your career options. You will not be limited to one specific type of role, but rather be able to pursue numerous career paths. Our Graphic Communication Design graduates use their design skills to work in:
- Branding
- Advertising
- Illustration & Animation
- Editorial and Publishing
- Digital moving image
- Interactive, online, social media and app design
- UI/UX Design
- Packaging design
- Photography
- Social Design
Other:
- On the Graphic Communication Design BA (Top-Up) course, you will have access to specialist resources, regular guest lecturers and industry contacts.
- The opportunity to work with live commercial briefs, social impact initiatives and international competitions.
- Several of our Graphic Communication Design students have either been shortlisted or have gone on to win international design competitions, such as Penguin Cover Design Award and Design and Art Direction – New Blood Awards (D&AD).
- Along with exhibiting your work in your final year Degree Show, we have had students participate in D&AD’s ‘New Blood’ and the ‘New Designers’ industry graduate degree showcases in London.
- Dedicated GCD design studio with access to Macbooks, creative software, cameras and lighting kits, sound and print facilities.
- High-quality teaching from experienced practising designers and educators.
- Work based learning through live commercial projects with a real focus on your future career, with employability modules in all years of the course.
- Participate in social design projects.
- Technical support and specialist workshop demonstrations
- Success with national and international competitions.
- Regular input from industry professionals.
- Study trips and cultural visits.
- Guaranteed paid internship with the Northampton Employment Promise.
- HP Laptop and software included with this course, see Eligibility criteria and Terms and Conditions
- We suggest looking up the following titles for some inspiration:
- Books:
- Graphic design: a user’s manual – Adrian Shaughnessy
- The A-Z of visual ideas: how to solve any creative brief – John Ingledew
- Design History, A Students’ Handbook – Hazel Conway
- Know your onions: graphic design – Drew De Soto
- The art of looking sideways – Alan Fletcher
- On Creativity – John Hegarty
- Graphic Design: A New History – Stephen Eskilson
- Magazines:
- Creative Review
- Eye: the international review of graphic design
- Juxtapose
- Baseline: international typographics journal
- Aesthetica
- Computer Arts Magazine
- Adbusters
- Web:
- Its Nice That (web)
- Computer Arts magazine / CreativeBloq
- Design inspiration – Design Inspiration In recent years we have had Adrian Shaughnessy, Ken Garland, Alan Moore, Jonathan Barnbrook and Malcolm Garrett to name but a few, along with practical workshops and Industry led portfolios reviews.
- Large specialist studio spaces with dedicated access to Mac-books, digital cameras, lighting kits and sound recording equipment. Additionally we have access to a vast collection of magazines and books in studio.
- Additional iMac design suite
- Subsidised digital printing
- Printmaking facilities and professional photography studios with controlled lighting studios
- Video editing suites
- Our onsite printmaking workshop can enhance the creative practices of students on a variety of courses
- Fees quoted relate to study in the Academic Year 24/25 only and may be subject to inflationary increases in future years.
- UK – Full Time: £9,250
- UK – Part Time: £1,540 per 20 credit module
- International – Full Time: £16,500
University of Northampton
Overview:
University of Northampton is a public university located in Northampton, England. It offers a wide range of undergraduate and postgraduate programs, as well as continuing professional development courses. The university is known for its focus on social impact and its commitment to creating a better society through its students, research, and engagement with the wider world.
Services Offered:
The university provides a variety of services to its students, including:
Accommodation:
On-campus halls of residence are available for students.Employment Promise:
The university offers an employment promise to help students find work after graduation.Student Perks:
Students receive various perks, including laptops, trips, and internships.Support:
The university provides comprehensive support services to students, including academic, wellbeing, and accessibility support.Student Life and Campus Experience:
Students at University of Northampton can expect a vibrant and engaging campus experience. The university has a modern campus with a full range of integrated learning environments, including a 24/7 library and learning zone. Students can participate in a variety of clubs and societies, and there are numerous events and activities throughout the year.
Key Reasons to Study There:
Social Impact Focus:
The university is committed to making a positive impact on society through its research and engagement.Modern Campus:
The university has a new, modern campus with state-of-the-art facilities.Employment Promise:
The university's employment promise helps students find work after graduation.Student Support:
The university provides comprehensive support services to students.Academic Programs:
The university offers a wide range of academic programs, including:
Undergraduate:
Programs in various fields, including business, sport, nursing, law, psychology, computing, and design.Master's:
Programs in various fields, including business, education, health, and social work.Continuing Professional Development (CPD):
Courses designed to enhance professional skills and knowledge.Other:
The university has a strong focus on research and has several research institutes and centers. It also has a strong commitment to equality and inclusion and provides a welcoming and inclusive environment for all students.
- Applicants are expected to have studied a Graphic or related Art and Design subject at Foundation Degree/HND or equivalent.
- International applications and applications from students with a range of non-traditional educational or professional qualifications are welcome.
- Applicants are requested to send a digital portfolio of their own work in Art and Design and attend a 30 minute online interview with a member of Graphic Communication Design team.
Language Proficiency Requirements:
- All International and EU students applying for a course must meet the following minimum English language requirements:
- IELTS 6.0 (or equivalent) with a minimum of 5.5 in all bands for study at undergraduate level.