Undergraduate

BA Graphic Design

Our Graphic Design programme is specifically structured to parallel professional advancement within the graphic design industry.

Key information

Study mode

Full-time

Course length

3 years

Typical offer

112 points

A Level grades: BBC

UCAS code

W210

Choose an option

Standard course option

Start date

Sept 2023

Course overview

Learn about visual design, creative thinking, typography, the use of colour and composition and design history – and how to apply this knowledge through 2D and 3D design, web applications, animation and other evolving media.

With a focus on your technical skills, you will develop vital knowledge in leadership and professional practice – working as professionals do in a studio environment, while continually refining your own individual portfolio of work.

You’ll have exclusive access to our media labs, home to the latest digital media software and hardware used in the industry today.

In the Graphic Design, Art Direction and Creative Direction modules, you will learn how to create visual solutions for specific audiences for specific purposes. This is the very heart of graphic design — to first understand an audience, then present effective messages using text and imagery suitable for that audience.

Taught by lecturers with a diverse range of industry experience – including digital media and graphic design, advertising, game design and web development – you will concentrate on constructing conceptual graphic design solutions that stimulate desired responses. Only then are your ideas practically applied using hardware and software. The ability to first conceptualise (and also implement) graphic design solutions are valuable skills, and this degree programme is designed to give our graduates an advantage over those with only technical abilities.

Creativity lives and breathes at the University of Hull. Always has done, always will. It’s central to what universities do. But at Hull, we’re building something that goes far beyond our four walls.

More to explore

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Six reasons to study Graphic Design at Hull

Ranked 1st for graduate prospects and 2nd for overall student satisfaction*
Exclusive access to the industry standard software and hardware in our media labs
Experienced lecturers with industry know-how
Focus on creative problem-solving, conceptual design and career advancement
Gain real-world design experience
Develop a wide variety of vital technical skills

What you'll study

The course consists of 120 credits per year. Most modules are 20 credits, meaning you’ll study six modules each year. Some longer modules, such as a dissertation, are worth more (e.g. 40 credits). In these cases, you’ll study fewer modules - but the number of credits will always add up to 120.

First year Second year Final year

First year modules

You will learn industry entry level tools and techniques, while gaining confidence in the basics of visual design- typography, colour, composition and concept development. You will meet your new colleagues on the course, and begin to feel at ease within the supportive studio environment. In the second semester of your first year, you will move beyond the basic principles of visual design, and practice them through 2D and 3D applications. Through a process of continuous, constructive feedback, you will create the beginnings of what will eventually become a professional portfolio of work.

Compulsory

Practical Skills for Graphic Design: Adobe 2D

This 20-credit practical skills module will introduce you to basic graphic design software packages. Weekly lectures and workshops will teach you how to solve visual design exercises using both vector and bitmap art. Graphic Design students will apply these skills in the concurrently running 2D Visual Design module.

Graphic Design Essentials: 2D Visual Design

As in all of your 40-credit modules, this intense design class aims to parallel industry practice. Assignments will include the basic exploration of conceptual design, typography, colour theory, visual composition and photo editing—all presented within the context of design history.

Practical Skills for Graphic Design: Adobe Web

This module will provide you with the critical skills required to learn basic web software packages, and you will be encouraged to learn associated packages as well. You will develop a commitment to the process of ongoing skills development essential for long-term career goals.

Graphic Design Essentials: UI & UX Design

This module introduces you to User Interface (UI) and User Experience (UX) design theory, and provides a gateway to the constantly evolving world of graphic design for the web. Assignments will focus on design process, design theory, scenarios, testing, evaluation, contemporary trends and future innovations.

Second year modules

In the second year of your programme, you will learn to conceive and implement larger projects using professional art direction skills. You will realise that your intuitive design decisions are actually supported by established design theory. In the first half of your second year, your work will begin to gain a greater depth through the ongoing study of design history throughout the first and second year. You will continue to learn additional software skills. In the second half of your second year, you will continue to refine the process of documenting and explaining your research and design decision-making. This knowledge will assist you when you experience the professional practice of leading others in comprehensive, wide-ranging design projects including multi-faceted web applications, animation or other evolving digital media.

Compulsory

Practical Skills for Art Direction: Web Technologies

This exercised-based skills module will teach you to develop responsive web design layouts. You will develop initial design ideas into industry standard graphic design solutions, including a wide range of media content and interactive elements.

Art Direction: Advanced Web Design

This design module teaches you to convey ideas using the latest web technologies. Multiple assignments focus on advanced web and app design, and new ideas are introduced in each session. You will solve creative web design problems, including multi-channel, social media and interactive approaches.

Practical Skills for Art Direction: The Moving Image

This software instruction module focuses on 2D animation, basic 3D modelling and animation, and video editing skills. The module will introduce you to the world of moving images and provides a working knowledge of these specialist design areas.

Art Direction: Advanced Visual Design

This advanced visual design module will prepare you to progress within the graphic design industry. Through the introduction and application of sophisticated visual design theories, you will learn how to conceptually design, organise and implement larger projects using images that move.

Final year modules

Your final year of study is the crowning achievement of your University career. After being exposed to a variety of graphic design disciplines in the first two years, you will now have decided upon an area of specialism. You will explore this specialism to great depth in your final year as you gain the creative direction skills necessary to propose, plan and implement a major project. As your major project comes to completion, so will the final refinement of your professional portfolio. You will now have attained a clear idea of the kind of job that you hope to get, and a portfolio that demonstrates what you can do, and how well you can do it.

Core

Professional Portfolio Design (Graphic Design)

Portfolio development is an ongoing process throughout your degree programme. Each time that you submit an assignment, it becomes part of your evolving portfolio of work. This module will show you how to refine, edit and present this information for review by potential employers.
Compulsory

Major Project (Graphic Design)

The Major Project module allows you to focus on a particular area of graphic design specialism and develop it throughout your entire final year. By choosing a topic that reflects your career goals, you can show potential employers what you want to do and how well you can do it.

Emerging Technologies

The Emerging Technologies module will allow you to explore new design trends that have developed while you have been studying for your degree. You will work with students from other School of Arts degree programmes to develop original applications of these ideas and technologies.

All modules are subject to availability and this list may change at any time.

How you'll study

Throughout your degree, you’re expected to study for 1,200 hours per year. That’s based on 200 hours per 20 credit module. And it includes scheduled hours and independent study. How this time’s divided among each of these varies each year and depends on the course and modules you study.

First year Second year Final year

Overall workload

If you’re enrolled on a full-time programme of study, you’ll be expected to complete about 40 hours of academic work each week.

How you’ll learn

Indicative assessment proportions

40%

60%

Practical

Practical is an assessment of your skills and competencies. This could include presentations, school experience, work experience or laboratory work.
Coursework

Coursework typically includes essays, written assignments, dissertations, research projects or producing a portfolio of your work.

Overall workload

If you’re enrolled on a full-time programme of study, you’ll be expected to complete about 40 hours of academic work each week.

How you’ll learn

Indicative assessment proportions

40%

60%

Practical

Practical is an assessment of your skills and competencies. This could include presentations, school experience, work experience or laboratory work.
Coursework

Coursework typically includes essays, written assignments, dissertations, research projects or producing a portfolio of your work.

Overall workload

If you’re enrolled on a full-time programme of study, you’ll be expected to complete about 40 hours of academic work each week.

How you’ll learn

Indicative assessment proportions

100%

Coursework

Coursework typically includes essays, written assignments, dissertations, research projects or producing a portfolio of your work.

Develop an individual portfolio

You'll work towards a major project in your final year, developing a professional portfolio to showcase your capabilities and specialisms.

Developing your creative and career skills

The industry expertise of your lecturers will challenge and support you in building your knowledge and experience in a range of technical and practical areas.

Media Labs

You’ll have exclusive access to our media labs. Home to the latest digital media software and hardware used in the industry today.

Explore our Facilities

Entry requirements

UK Residents International students

Typical offer

A level grades BBC
BTEC grades DMM
Points required 112

Work out your estimated points

Points can be from any qualifications on the UCAS tariff, but must include at least 80 points from

A levels
BTEC Subsidiary Diploma, Diploma or Extended Diploma
OCR Cambridge Technical Introductory Diploma, Diploma or Extended Diploma
CACHE Diploma or Extended Diploma
Irish Leaving Certificate
Scottish Highers
Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced Diploma
or a combination of appropriate Level 3 qualifications

Alternative qualifications

IB Diploma: 28 points.
Access to HE Diploma: pass with minimum of 45 credits at merit.

Worried you don’t quite meet our entry requirements?

We consider experience and qualifications from the UK and worldwide which may not exactly match the combinations above.

But it’s not just about the grades – we’ll look at your whole application. We want to know what makes you tick, and about your previous experience, so make sure that you complete your personal statement.

If you have any questions, our admissions team will be happy to help.

If you require a student visa to study or if your first language is not English you will be required to provide acceptable evidence of your English language proficiency level.

This course requires academic IELTS 6.0 overall, with no less than 5.5 in each skill. See other English language proficiency qualifications accepted by this University.

If your English currently does not reach the University's required standard for this programme, you may be interested in one of our English language courses.

Visit your country page to find out more about our entry requirements.

Our lecturers

Dr Christopher Newell

Helen Mitchell

Jason Hayhurst

Robert Consoli

Stuart Lilford

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Take a tour of the facilities

Take a 360-degree look at our campus, where you'll gain a thorough grounding in Graphic Design.

Explore the virtual tour

Fees and funding

Student Fees Additional costs

£9,250 per year*

EU/International

£15,400 per year

*The amount you pay may increase each year, in line with inflation - but capped to the Retail Price Index (RPI).

UK students can take out a tuition fee loan to cover the cost of their course and a maintenance loan of up to £9,706 to cover living costs.

Substantial discounts are available for International students.

More information on fees can be found in the Money section of our website.

Your tuition fees will cover most costs associated with your programme (including registration, tuition, supervision, assessment and examination).

There are some extra costs that you might have to pay, or choose to pay, depending on your programme of study and the decisions you make. The list below has some examples, and any extra costs will vary.

Books (you’ll have access to books from your module reading lists in the library, but you may want to buy your own copies)
Optional field trips
Study abroad (including travel costs, accommodation, visas, immunisation)
Placement costs (including travel costs and accommodation)
Student visas (international students)
Laptop (you’ll have access to laptops and PC’s on campus, but you may want to buy your own)
Printing and photocopying
Professional-body membership
Graduation (gown hire and photography)

Remember, you’ll still need to take into account your living costs. This could include accommodation, travel and food – to name just a few.

Your future prospects

Graphic Designer
2D/ 3D Digital Designer
Web Content Developer
Art Director
Creative Director

You'll be equipped to enter a variety of graphic design-related positions. Depending on your chosen specialism, you may get a job in a graphic design studio or in a starting role within an advertising agency. You will be able to captalise upon your knowledge of 2D and 3D design, web-related design or animation to begin your chosen career path. You may enter the related fields of information design or web content developer, or you might combine your specialisms in search of a hybrid position.

Ready to apply?

You can apply for this course through UCAS. As well as providing your academic qualifications, you’ll be able to showcase your skills, qualities and passion for the subject.

APPLY NOW VIA UCAS HOW TO APPLY

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