Graphic Design BA (Hons)

About the course

Graphic Design at DMU will encourage you to explore and establish your skills through projects in graphic communication, with an emphasis on creativity, visualisation, graphic literacy and problem solving.

Negotiated projects, competitions and industry projects (such as the Young Creatives Network) alongside specialist options help develop your personal creative, academic and practical skills and achieve your potential.

You will work on a series of major personal projects to build your portfolio and professional skills. You will also undertake live design briefs from industry and participate in national and international competitions such as the International Society of Typographic Designers. You will get a unique opportunity to experience what it takes to be a successful graphic designer and graduate with a portfolio demonstrating your capabilities and talents.

Teaching staff are practising designers with a range of experience. They have close industry links allowing you to spend time working with professional clients, such as the Design Society. You will also have the opportunity to gain ownership of significant parts of the course on the Gurus and Grasshoppers mentoring scheme, where final year students mentor new students.

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Key facts

UCAS course code: W219

Duration: Three years full-time, six years part-time

Institution code: D26

Entry and admission criteria

Entry requirements for 2014

A good portfolio and normally:

• Art and Design Foundation or
• 260 UCAS Points from at least two A Levels or equivalent, including a grade C or above in Art and Design
• Five GCSEs at grade C or above, including Maths and English
• BTEC requirements: Distinction Merit Merit (DMM) at National Diploma Level.
• Additional qualifications can contribute towards the points score such as a third A Level or AS Levels
• International Baccalaureate: 28+ points.

If you are unsure about the amount of UCAS points your qualifications may attract you can use our UCAS Tariff Chart|.

We welcome applications from mature students with non-standard qualifications and recognise all other equivalent and international qualifications.

If English is not your first language, an IELTS score of 6.0 or equivalent when you start the course is essential. English language tuition| is available at DMU both before and during the course if required.

Teaching and assessment

The course has a vibrant studio culture. Teaching takes place through workshops, seminars, team and individual tutorials, and interactive lectures from leading practitioners and experts.

You can choose from a wide range of specialist topics in professional graphic design (advertising, interactive media, editorial typography, packaging, photography, sustainable design, creative book making, and TV graphics) and develop personal critical skills through a series of critiques and presentations of work to tutors, peers and industry experts.

Assessment is continuous, with feedback provided as your work develops. You will typically have 15 timetabled taught hours and undertake approximately 25 hours of independent study each week.

Course modules

Year one

• Graphic Studies: Context and Communication
• Image-Making for Graphic Design
• Media and Communication Technology for Graphic Design I

Year two

• Integrated Graphic Studies
• Applied Graphic Studies
• Media and Communication Technology for Graphic Design II

Year three

• Major Negotiated Pathway Projects
• Creative Competition Projects
• Applied Professional Practice Studies
  

Work experience and placements

You are encouraged to seek work placements in graphic design during the summer, and there is an option to undertake a longer work placement lasting up to a year. You will also work on a live project brief set by real clients and have the opportunity to enter national and international competitions, such as the Young Creatives Network and The International Society of Typographic Designers.

Graduate careers

Our graduates have gone on to work for Net A Porter, Warner Music, Bauer Media, Morse Studio, Mammal, Commercial Art, 19 Grams, Groovebulb, Six, New English, Tudor Rose and Bulb Studio. They work throughout the graphic communication sector as staff designers, consultants or freelancers, in areas such as information, advertising, promotional design, and interactive and multimedia design.

Fees and funding

UK/EU Full-time £9,000 Placement year £650 Part-time (Where available) 4 year course £5,925 per year 6 year course £3,950 per year Per module £988 per 15 credits International
Full-time £11,250 Placement year £750

For more information please take a look at our Fees and Funding| section.

Scholarships

Scholarships and bursaries are available to home undergraduate students studying on a full time basis. To see if you are eligible, take a look at the Fees and Funding| section of the website.

Facilities

We have excellent specialist facilities, including Mac-equipped computer suites, open access multi-purpose studios with excellent natural light, digital imaging equipment, dedicated drawing and visualisation studios and large photography and printmaking workshops.