Graphic & Digital Design

The role of the graphic designer is a hugely exciting and varied one, working across a variety of media and utilizing different communication tools to convey a message or an idea. The new four-year BA (Hons) in Graphic Design was developed to equip design students with the necessary skills to work in this fast-paced world. Of particular note is the work placement, which you will undertake in the second year of the degree. The program itself comprises a series of core modules in the studio and professional practice and critical theory. The theme of the first year is Fundamentals and this is shared across the core areas of Design Methods, Visual Research and Exploration, Professional Practice, and Visual Culture and Contextual Studies. The theme of year two is developmental design, which engages closely with content and the interdependencies of form and content. The Graphic Design Visual Word module sees a design focus centered on typography and the integration of typography and image. Visual Culture and Contextual Studies reinforces this notion by examining the cultivation of ideas in art and design in the 20th century and its influence on contemporary graphic design. Professional Practice in Corporate Identity further examines these formal relationships and structures corporate visual communications through case studies and project work. In the second semester, you will undertake a placement for one day each week for a period of ten weeks and a block of three weeks commencing in May. The first-hand industry experience will give you valuable insight into the workings and requirements of the industry and inform your learning in year three. The theme of the third year is Live Focus whereby a contextual understanding of design as an outwardly focused activity is practiced. This is underpinned by Visual Culture and Contextual Studies.