BA (Hons) Graphic Design

• 96 UCAS points. We accept a full range of qualifications that carry UCAS points, including A-levels, BTECs and T levels. Please see our guide to the UCAS Tariff for examples of how to achieve these points. For most courses, we are also able to consider non-tariffable qualifications.
• Any subjects are acceptable at Level 3. Relevant creative and art and design-related subjects are preferred.
• You should also have five GCSEs at grade C or above or grade 4 to 9 (or equivalent), including English and Mathematics.
• You'll be required to attend an interview and provide a portfolio of appropriate work.
• The quality of the portfolio/interview is the primary basis on which applicants are selected; therefore special consideration will be given to applicants without the above qualifications who have a strong portfolio.
• If English isn’t your first language, you’ll also need IELTS 6.0 with no less than 5.5 in any band (or equivalent). We also accept a range of other English language qualifications – please visit our English Language Requirements web page for more details.

Where changes are made to material information contained in this course description or a decision is taken to suspend a course between the offer of admissions and enrolment, we will inform applicants at the earliest possible opportunity and will outline the various options available to the applicant.

A graphic design graduate will develop a good mix of subject-specific and technical skills that include communication, creativity, project management, the ability to manage time and meet deadlines, concept development, presenting ideas, networking and liaising with clients and the ability to work independently. You'll also use a range of software packages, and learn to create images that convey a product or message.

Graphic design provides a stimulating working environment, a wide variety of clientele and an ever-changing portfolio of briefs and projects. An experienced graphic designer may never encounter two projects that are exactly the same.

What can I do with this qualification?

In the private sector, there are opportunities to work with design consultancies and studios, branding specialists and publishers. Advertising and PR agencies are another possibility, where you would be creating positive images of organisations, individuals and products, and delivering imaginative solutions that generate sales or an increase in business interest.

In the public sector, employers include museums, local authorities, schools, colleges and hospitals. Some graduates set up their own studios and work as exhibiting artists or work as part of a studio collective.

Some graphic designers might also work as logo designers, advertisement designers, web designers, photograph editors, book layout artists, magazine layout artists, illustrators, art directors and printmakers.

Alternative career options

Graduates can use the qualification as a stepping-stone into a range of other careers. For some of these roles, relevant experience and/or postgraduate study may be required. They include:

• Exhibition design
• Multimedia specialist
• Photography
• Marketing
• Commercial and industrial design
• Teaching
• Games development
• Visual effects
• Moving image and animation

Home students starting this course in the first year will be required to pay a Home fee of £6,000 for the academic year 2024/25.

Important note regarding tuition fees for the 2020-2021 academic year: EU nationals who meet residency requirements (have settled or pre-settled status) may be eligible for 'Home' fee status. If you do not meet these residency requirements, overseas fees will apply. Irish citizens living in the UK or Ireland will be eligible for 'Home' fee status under the Common Travel Area arrangement. Please read the student finance for EU students web page on www.gov.uk for information.

The fees for a student's course of study will be set for the normal duration of that course subject only to inflationary increases – measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) recorded in March each year to take effect for subsequent start dates.

For 2020-2021 entry, the maximum government approved undergraduate tuition fee for UK students is £9,250 per year. The University is able to charge this fee subject to an approved Access and Participation Plan for 2020-2021 and its current rating in the Teaching Excellence Framework.

Bursaries

Click here for more information about the scholarships and bursaries available to University of Bolton students.

We use a blended approach to teaching and learning – you'll have face-to-face sessions and take part in online learning. You can expect a mix of seminars, lectures and tutorials, practical workshop demonstrations, our visiting speaker programme, critiques, study visits, self-directed study, IT sessions, library and guided study. The University’s e-learning portal Moodle will support your online learning. We'll also encourage you to use the internet for research and to set up digital portfolios.

Module-based design briefs help to give you an insight into the professional environment. These involve simulated design briefs, client-led live briefs and competition briefs. Group tutorials and critiques, one-to-one tutor feedback, and regular feedback from clients and collaborators combine to support your learning. You'll also be able to seek further advice and feedback at the published drop-in sessions, via email and online discussions, and at scheduled tutorials.

Formal assessment is by coursework. This may involve you presenting your portfolio of artwork along with a supporting sketchbook of developmental ideas and a written research journal. It can also take the form of assignments, projects and written work.

Modules

The modules listed below may be a mixture of compulsory and optional. You may not have the opportunity to study all the modules shown as part of the course.

• Design Principles
• Thinking with Type
• Visual Thinking
• Contextual Studies in Graphic Design
• Introduction to Studio Practice in Graphic Design
• Studio Practice in Graphic Design for Print
• Studio Practice in Graphic Design for Screen
• Copywriting and Art Direction for Advertising
• Theory and Context in Graphic Design
• Advanced Studio Practice in Graphic Design
• Theory into Practice
• Preparing for Professional Practice in Graphic Design
• Major Project

Assessment methods

Learning activities

Disclaimer

The university will use all reasonable endeavours to deliver your course as described in its published material and the programme specification for the academic year in which you begin your course. The university considers changes to courses very carefully and the university will minimise any changes. Please be aware that our courses are subject to review on an ongoing basis and changes may be necessary due to legitimate staffing, financial, regulatory and academic reasons. The content of course modules and mode of associated assessments may be updated on an annual basis. This is to ensure that all modules are up-to-date and responsive to employment and sector needs. The published course material and the programme specification contain indicative ‘optional modules’ that may be subject to change due to circumstances outside of our control. For this reason, we cannot guarantee to run any specific optional module.