Graphic Design and Illustration
Liverpool John Moores University
UCAS Code: W210 | Bachelor of Arts (with Honours) - BA (Hons)
Liverpool John Moores University
UCAS Code: W210 | Bachelor of Arts (with Honours) - BA (Hons)
Entry requirements
A level
Minimum number of A Levels required: 2 Maximum AS Level points accepted: 20 Subject specific requirements: Art/Design Is general studies acceptable? Yes
Access to Higher Education Diploma acceptability: Acceptable on its own and combined with other qualifications Further information: At least 15 Distinctions and 30 Merits, or any other combination that equates to 112 UCAS Tariff points in an Art/Design subject
GCSE/National 4/National 5
Prior to starting the programme applicants must have obtained GCSE Grade 4 or C or above in English Language and Mathematics/Numeracy or an approved alternative qualification below: Key Skills Level 2 in English/Maths NVQ Level 2 Functional skills in Maths and English Writing and or Reading Skills for Life Level 2 in Numeracy/English Higher Diploma in Maths/English Northern Ireland Essential Skills Level 2 in Communication or Application of Number Welsh GCSE in Maths Wales Essential Skills Level 2 in Communication or Application of Number
International Baccalaureate: Acceptable on its own and combined with other qualifications Additional information: 112 UCAS Tariff points from IB Composite parts, or in combination with other Level 3 qualifications which must include an Art/Design subject
Acceptable on its own and combined with other qualifications Grades / subjects required: 112 UCAS Tariff points, to include Art/Design subject at higher level
Acceptable on its own and combined with other qualifications.
OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Diploma
DMM in an Art or Design subject
Pearson BTEC Extended Diploma (QCF)
DMM in an Art or Design subject
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
DMM in an Art or Design subject
112 UCAS Tariff points in an Art or Design subject. Acceptable on its own or combined with other qualifications.
UCAS Tariff
You may also need to…
Attend an interview
Present a portfolio
About this course
**Why study Graphic Design and Illustration at Liverpool John Moores University?**
- LJMU ranked 10th in the UK for Graphic Design (The Guardian University Guide 2025)
- 94% of students said they felt well supported by teaching staff in the 2023 National Student Survey
- Students can access study abroad opportunities and prizes for overseas travel
- Diverse range of graphic arts covered including graphic design, illustration, printmaking, photography, animation, motion graphics and interactive design
- You will have opportunities to work with and be taught by renowned graphic designers, illustrators and professionals from the creative industries
- Opportunities to participate in 'live' projects, work collaboratively or in teams, and attend freelance and networking events
- Students benefit from free access to industry-standard Adobe Creative Cloud Suite including Illustrator, Photoshop and Indesign
- Enjoy spacious, well-equipped, dedicated studio space in RIBA award-winning John Lennon Art and Design Building
**About your course**
The BA (Hons) Graphic Design at Liverpool John Moores University has a well established reputation for developing innovative designers and illustrators, highly sought after by employers in this exciting but competitive sector.
Graphic Design and Illustration has been a central component in the Liverpool School of Art and Design for over 40 years. Our established and distinctive approach offers you the chance to explore a broad range of skills and knowledge whist supporting you to develop into independent and creative thinkers with the capacity to make an impact in and beyond the creative industries.
We are a friendly, inclusive, and supportive community of illustrators, designers, researchers, and troublemakers with studio culture at the heart of our approach. Across all years our modules are inclusive and accessible. We encourage traditional approaches to flourish side-by-side with emerging technologies, nurturing play and experimentation, and embedding research into practice in the belief that design & creativity can be used to make positive changes in the world around us. Coursework is primarily organised around practical studio projects with supporting contextual studies and professional development modules.
The first year of the programme develops fundamental skills in visual communication and graphic arts. In the second year you can choose to specialise in developing skills in either Graphic Design or Illustration. In the third year you work closely one-to-one with your tutor to define a suite of projects that can support you in achieving your goals after graduation. Our close links with the local and national creative industries results in collaborations, 'live' projects and internship opportunities, all of which are essential preparation for your future career.
Our course has a strong reputation, and you are following in the footsteps of graduates who have become creative forces both nationally and internationally. They include:
- Paul Pensom, who is current Art Editor at Creative Review
- Jimmy Turrell, Graphic artist and Video Director represented by Heart Agency and an international client base including Nike, MTV, Conde Nast, Pentagram and Dazed & Confused
- Joe Stottard, Lead Designer at Adidas in Germany
- James Gilmore, designer at Design Studio, responsible for the recent rebranding of The Premier League and Airbnb
- Malik Thomas-Smeda who was commissioned by the National Football Museum in Manchester
- Al Murphy, freelance illustrator with an international client base including MTV, Guardian and TimeOut NY
- Richard Turley, Global Creative Director at Wieden + Kennedy, New York
Additional opportunities available outside of the studio include study trips at each level.
Modules
Please visit the Liverpool John Moores University website for detailed module information.
Assessment methods
Assessment varies depending on the modules you choose, but will usually include a combination of exams and coursework.
Constructive feedback is vital in helping you to identify your strengths as well as the areas where you may need to put in more work. It is provided verbally during reviews and critiques of practical projects interim reviews.
At the end of each module, you will receive written feedback with an indication of your marks within three weeks of submitting work, although this may take longer if the marks go through an external moderation and approval process.
Tuition fees
Select where you currently live to see what you'll pay:
Extra funding
Please see our Bursaries and Scholarships page for more information: https://www.ljmu.ac.uk/discover/fees-and-funding/bursaries-and-scholarships
The Uni
Mount Pleasant Campus
School of Art and Design
What students say
We've crunched the numbers to see if the overall teaching satisfaction score 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.
£17k
£19k
£23k
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 information comes from the National Student Survey, an annual student survey of final-year students. You can use this to see how satisfied students studying this subject area at this university, are (not the individual course).
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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