MA Graphic Design

An honours degree at 2:2 level or equivalent in areas such as Graphic Design, Visual Communication, Illustration, Photography, Fashion, Textiles, Animation, Film or Fine Art. We also accept applicants with no undergraduate degree but a clear demonstration of subject related skills and knowledge whether self-taught or gained through industry experience.

Digital portfolio.  Submit a digital portfolio of your graphic design practice. This may include previous project work and your current work-in-progress. It can take the form of a link to your blog or website and/or be presented as an interactive PDF. This will help the admissions team assess your suitability for MA study online

If your first language is not English, you'll need to take one of the following tests to verify your proficiency:

• IELTS - minimum overall score of IELTS 6.5 with at least 6.0 in Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening
• TOEFL iBT (online test) - minimum of 88 overall and at least 21 in all 4 components
• LanguageCert (online test) - a High Pass from the ESOL B2 Communicator test in reading, writing, speaking and listening (2 parts)

We also accept a range of equivalent recognised English language qualifications. Candidates without a degree or formal qualification are still encouraged to apply.

You will need to complete four 30-credit modules and one 60-credit project (180 credits in total). All modules on the course are compulsory and must be passed in order to complete the award.

Module one Contemporary Practice (30 credits)  

• In this module, you are introduced to the development of graphic design today and the variety of contexts in which it is made and understood.
• As with the central ethos of the course, you seek to examine local and global perspectives of the subject and the emergent skills required to address problems and deliver messages for both regional and global audiences.  
• Fundamentally, it is concerned with design and designing and the academic and research skills to enable effective and fully engaged participation in the course. It seeks to establish the fundamental essence of being a graphic designer today and the ability to use curiosity, risk, play and care in the delivery of a message.  

Module two History and Futures (30 credits)  

• In this module, you’re introduced to how graphic design interprets narrative, to distil, reform or remodel stories for a new purpose.  
• You will apply a more in-depth critical and contextual understanding to your practice. You will connect theory and practice (praxis), and examine key themes and issues facing the subject and those who collaborate within it today.
• This module also begins to question the role that design and the designer have to play in society and the creative community and networks it is part of.  

Module three Studio and Entrepreneurship (30 credits)  

• Having already studied emergent fields of practice within the first module, you now examine some of the building blocks of studio practice from a business perspective.  
• You learn how to manage the day to day aspects of a studio’s life, but also reflect on innovative ways of working at distance and collaborating with other partners around the world.  
• You reflect on the subject through specific design studio case studies, structure and strategies for project work and intellectual property guidance required to develop a creative service or product today.  
• You will develop an actual artefact or entrepreneurial idea that will be personally or culturally inspired, but rooted firmly in a graphic design field.  

Module four Application and Interactions (30 credits)  

• In this module, you apply your own practice and knowledge to specific graphic design projects. The briefs allow a scoping of interests but also to question the role and ethics of working as a designer today; how ideas can be applied and how respective audiences can be understood and reached.  
• Throughout this module, you will engage with skills development pertinent to your areas of interest.  
• The module also examines the relationship between personal and highly strategic briefs. This is achieved by examining self-initiated projects, competitions and industry-set briefs; the latter being collated from annual opportunities from design studios or client set opportunities.
• These client set briefs (as with the design studio) will be drawn from global organisations that enable you to respond to challenges beyond your normal experience and share learning and differing international perspectives.  

Final Major Project (MA only) 60 credits)

• Your final MA project is built on learning from previous modules and allows you to position yourself and your work for next steps following graduation.
• Project work therefore can develop from a number of perspectives; being research or theory led (for further research study at PhD level) or personally or professionally orientated (for independent or studio practice).

• May 2021 - £10,900 
• September 2021 - £11,300