Graphic Design (with integrated foundation year)
University of Cumbria
UCAS Code: W215 | Bachelor of Arts (with Honours) - BA (Hons)
University of Cumbria
UCAS Code: W215 | Bachelor of Arts (with Honours) - BA (Hons)
Entry requirements
A level
Access to HE Diploma
60 credits, 45 must be graded at Level 3
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
Scottish Higher
T Level
UCAS Tariff
Potential to succeed can be measured in a number of ways including academic qualifications and skills obtained outside academic study such as work experience. You can find out more about the tariff and qualification options from the UCAS tariff table. Please check selection criteria for any additional entry requirements.
You may also need to…
Attend an interview
Present a portfolio
About this course
Have alternative qualifications or don't quite meet our entry criteria? No problem.
If you’re looking for a graphic design foundation course that will develop your skills and confidence in a supportive, dynamic environment, look no further.
Your introductory year will give you the technical expertise and knowledge to progress to our highly respected undergraduate degree in graphic design.
**Course Overview**
To break into the competitive but rewarding graphic design industry, you’ll need an exciting portfolio, excellent subject knowledge, the skills to use the latest professional equipment and technology – and your own unique flair in creatively solving communication problems.
So, if you’re looking for a graphic design foundation course that enables you to learn graphic design from industry experts and develop the skills and confidence needed to kick-start your graphic design career, look no further. Your introductory year will give you the technical expertise and knowledge to progress to our highly respected BA (Hons) Graphic Design course.
Following your foundation year, our hands-on course is designed to take you to your creative limits and graduate with the confidence, experience and skills that are so sought after by employers in this highly selective but exciting industry.
**On this course you will...**
- Develop an appreciation of the key theories and contexts that influence graphic design today.
- Develop a portfolio of graphic design work that demonstrates your understanding, visual skills and critical judgement.
- Work on industry-led briefs enabling you to develop autonomy, creativity and professionalism.
- Develop a range of industry-standard skills: idea generation, design development, typography, layout, 3D graphics, motion graphics, digital artwork, presentation skills, etc.
- Undertake group projects which simulate the workflow of a professional studio.
Modules
Foundation year - Compulsory modules:
Visual Literacy,
Technical Processes,
Applied Visual Practice,
Design Cultures.
Year one - Compulsory Modules:
Design Fundamentals,
Design in Context 1,
Communicating Ideas,
Thinking through Image-Making.
Year two - Compulsory modules:
Principles of Graphic Design,
Principles of Multimedia,
Exploration of Graphic Design,
Design in Context 2.
Year three - Compulsory modules:
Graphic Design Application,
Professional Context,
Graphic Design Practice,
Professional Practice.
Assessment methods
The range of learning teaching and assessment methods used enables different aspects of your learning to be developed and tested. As well as testing what you know and can do at the end of a module (Summative Assessment) you’ll get regular advice and guidance while your work is in progress (Formative Feedback) through one-to-one, peer-to-peer and group tutorials where you will have the opportunity to discuss and develop strategies to develop your work. This enables you to develop and refine the work as it is being produced with the structured guidance required to achieve the best possible results.
Tuition fees
Select where you currently live to see what you'll pay:
The Uni
Carlisle - Brampton Road
Institute of the Arts
What students say
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Design studies
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After graduation
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Design studies
What are graduates doing after six months?
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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.
£15k
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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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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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