Graphic Design, BA (Hons), University of Portsmouth

the United Kingdom

Study options for this course

The award	How you will study	Study duration	Course start	Domestic course fees	International course fees
BA (Hons)	Full-time, Sandwich	3 - 4 years	September	-	-

About Graphic Design, BA (Hons) - at University of Portsmouth

Overview

On this BA (Hons) Graphic Design degree, you’ll develop your own visual style, with an emphasis on developing your confidence applying digital and traditional design skills. We have an exceptional list of professional connections gained from our industry-active, research-led teaching staff.

With opportunities to specialise in your area of interest and win awards from prestigious graphic design bodies, you’ll build an inspiring design profile that no employer can resist.

Graphic design is a cornerstone of many industries, so you'll have lots of career options after graduation. If you want to start in web design, advertising, branding, and other media, or advance to a Master's: now is your time to explore.

Course highlights

Show your Adobe expertise to industry peers by gaining an Adobe Certified Professional (ACP) qualification
Hone vital design techniques – including screen printing, letterpress, laser cutting and dye sublimation printing – using our specialist facilities
Get your talent recognised by entering international competitions by renowned organisation Design and Art Direction (D&AD), the Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufacture and Commerce (RSA), and the South West Digital Design Awards (SWDDA)
Elevate your professional profile by becoming a member of the esteemed International Society of Typographic Designers (iSTD)
Impress future employers by showcasing your work at our annual Graduate Show
Experience the graphic design profession by taking a one-year placement – either with a company or by setting up your own
Connect with companies and communities by taking part in events like the Dyson Challenge Week
Opt to do a foundation year with ICP to get uni-ready ahead of this course, then take up a guaranteed place on this full Bachelor's degree when you successfully finish your foundation year

Careers and opportunities

With the skills and knowledge you gain from this course, you can work across a variety of creative industries. In 15 months after graduating, 90% of Graphic Design graduates have already started work or are pursuing further studies (HESA Graduate Outcomes Survey 2019), so you'll be in excellent company.

Areas you could work in include magazine design publishing, branding and design, advertising, web design, and TV and film. You could also set up your own business, work as a freelancer, or go on to postgraduate study.

Graduate destinations

Companies and studios our graduates have worked at include:

Why Not Associates
Aardman Digital
The Light Surgeons
Fitch
4IV
Rubrik
FHM Magazine

Graduate startups

Some businesses our graduates have started up include:

Territory Studio
Bright Agency
Debut Art
Strong Island
MWM Creative
Lethal Creative Studio
iLoveDust

Placement year (optional)

After your second or third year, you can do an optional work placement year to get valuable longer-term work experience in many areas of graphic design. Previous students have landed roles including graphic designer and UX (user experience) designer.

Placement destinations

Previous placement students have worked at companies and organisations such as:

Waitrose & Partners
TopCashBack
MMT Digital
Waterline Media

If you fancy going independent, you can start up and run your own graphic design company for a year as an alternative to a work-based placement.

Whatever your choice, Creative Careers is here to help.

Supporting your creative career

Our dedicated Careers and Employability team have extensive recruitment experience across a multitude of areas including the creative sector.

They can provide you with supporting and advice, including:

Searching for the ideal job through their database of vacancies
Giving tips on how to write an interesting CV that will catch employers' attention, no matter the role
Organising mock interviews, so you can hone your technique and familiarise yourself with the recruitment environment
Writing your startup business proposal – if you're going down the self-employment route
Researching placement opportunities and applying for creative opportunities

Notes about fees for this course

https://www.port.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/undergraduate-fees-and-student-finance

Entry requirements

104-120 points to include a minimum of 2 A levels, or equivalent, to include a relevant subject. Applicants without a relevant subject will be asked to provide a portfolio to support their application.

English language proficiency at a minimum of IELTS band 6.0 with no component score below 5.5.