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Graphic Design (Full-time) (BA Hons)

Swansea
3 Years Full-time
120 UCAS Points

By providing a broad and thorough education in graphic design, this course will enable you to understand and contribute to our visual culture in professional, sustainable and meaningful ways. The course focuses on producing graduates who are both technically good designers and socially, and ethically aware. Driven by industry standards and supported by state-of-the-art technologies, we produce award-winning and highly employable graduates.

By preparing you to respond to new opportunities and the continually changing needs of society, and with industry, you will develop the qualities needed for resourcefulness, innovative thinking and personal responsibility as a graphic designer.

Links with business and industry are an essential ingredient of this degree and are maintained and developed through ‘live’ projects, work placements, visiting professionals and educational visits.

Our industry reputation of producing excellent graduates means high employment rates, with graduates working across many creative industries in design studios, publishing houses and freelance. Some examples: Apple, Saatchi & Saatchi, Fitch, Sky Creative, Sky Sports, British Science Museum, Google, Nike and Lego.

Course details

Start date:
Study modes:
  • On-campus
  • Full-time
Language:
  • English
  • Bilingual
Institution code:
T80
UCAS code:
W210
Course length:
3 Years Full-time
Entry requirements:
120 UCAS Points

Tuition Fees 2023/24 and 24/25
Home (Full-time): £9,000 per year
Overseas (Full-time): £13,500 per year

Why choose this course?

01
We have an outstanding employment record with Our Graphic Design students attaining some of the most exciting national and international careers on offer, year after year.
02
Links with business and industry are an essential ingredient of the programme and are maintained and developed through ‘live’ projects, work placements, visiting professionals and educational visits.
03
Opportunities to exhibit alongside the UK’s top graduates in New Designers, London and gain great exposure to industry employers. Our course continues to win awards at this showcase event.

What you will learn

The programme provides you with a broad education in Graphic Design and, with an inbuilt degree of flexibility, it enables you to pursue individual interests whether in the fields of corporate graphics and brand identity, publishing, general design for print, packaging or interactive screen-based design.

Driven by industry standards and supported by state-of-the-art technologies, we produce highly employable graduates. Links with business and industry are an essential ingredient of the programme and are maintained and developed through ‘live’ projects, work placements, visiting professionals and educational visits.

We are looking for applicants to the programme who are passionate about Graphic Design, who can talk enthusiastically about contemporary design issues.

We are looking for applicants with an open mind and an insatiable curiosity about the world we live in.

At the interview, we want to see a portfolio of work, which demonstrates commitment, a willingness to explore and experiment with a broad range of work. We are interested in everything, not just Graphic Design.

In year one, learning takes place through practical, studio-based projects. We consider typography as the cornerstone of Graphic Design practice; in the first year, you are introduced to typography in its broadest sense, drawing and designing letterforms, learning how type functions, and how text is manipulated as well as how to combine text and images.

We understand the importance of new technologies, and the design training is backed up by intensive workshops on computers, using industry-standard applications. We assume no prior knowledge of the application, and you are eased into various technologies through design assignments.

Valuable as they are, you cannot allow computers to define you as a designer, so Visual Studies modules are there to promote visual awareness and creative thinking.

Year two is about becoming a professional designer. We pride ourselves that students leave the programme job ready. These diverse practical modules are driven by industry standards, and students learn about producing design to professional standards in both print and digital media. We make no secret that year two is a step up both creatively and intellectually from year one.

The briefs are longer, more challenging and require a deeper depth of thinking. You are also expected to participate far more in the learning process, using your own investigations and interests to push the programme in the direction you want to take.

In the third year, you will spend the greater part of your time on practical work, building a strong and diverse portfolio. The projects are a combination of personal self-generated challenges and external commissioned ‘live’ briefs. Motion Graphics is also a popular and fun module for the final year. We also encourage participation in international and national design competitions. Your development is supported by regularly scheduled tutorials.

The Independent Project further supports your practice, and the year culminates in a group exhibition, which is your platform to introduce yourself to the wider world. By the time year three is completed, it is pleasing to hear how much students enjoy their research in their Independent Project. Remember that there is plenty of excellent support for our Art students for written and practice-based projects.

There are also opportunities to show your work at one of the major student graduate shows in London, from which our students consistently find employment opportunities.

Learning in the Digital Era

(20 credits)

Typography

(20 credits)

Visual Studies 1

(10 credits)

Ways of Thinking

(10 credits)

Contemporary Challenges: Making a Difference

(20 credits)

Design for Publication

(20 credits)

Visual Studies 2

(10 credits)

Ways of Perceiving

(10 credits)

Changemakers: Creativity and Value Creation

(20 credits)

Corporate Identity & Creative Branding

(20 credits)

Research in Context
Visual Enquiry 1

(10 credits)

Changemakers: Building your Personal Brand for Sustainable Employment

(20 credits)

Design for User Experience

(20 credits)

Research in Practice

(10 credits)

Visual Enquiry 2

(10 credits)

Advanced Creative Enquiry

(20 credits)

Independent Project

(40 credits)

Graduate Portfolio

(60 credits)

Course Page Disclaimer

  • We listen to student feedback and insights from industry and from professionals to ensure that course content is high-quality and up-to-date, and that it offers the best possible preparation for your future career or study goals. 

    For this reason, there might be modifications to the content of your course over time, to keep up to date with changes in the subject area or in the sector. If a module is no longer running, we’ll make sure to keep you informed, and work with you to choose a different suitable module.

testimonial

Staff

Our People

You will be taught and supported by a wide range of professional staff and teams here to help you get the university experience you are looking for. Our teaching staff were ranked 2nd in Wales for assessments and feedback (NSS 2023) meaning the comments you get back from your work will help you learn. Our commitment to your learning has seen our students us as Top 10 in the UK for Lecturers and Teaching Quality. Find out more about our academic staff who teach across our courses. 

Accommodation

A student uses an Apple Mac with a widescreen monitor.

Graphic Design Facilities

The Graphic Design programme is well supplied with the latest Apple computers and professional software, which are regularly renewed and updated. We are fortunate to have a fantastic working space for our students with a specific studio for our third years.

example of student bedroom

Swansea Accommodation

Swansea has a huge student population, and the variety of accommodation available will leave you feeling spoilt for choice. Various purpose-built student accommodation providers provide accommodation in Swansea, and the accommodation team can guide you through your options. It will offer ongoing support throughout your time as a UWTSD student.

Further information

  • We are interested in creative people that demonstrate a strong commitment to art and/or design, and therefore we welcome applications from individuals from a wide range of backgrounds. To assess student suitability for their chosen course, we arrange interviews for all applicants at which your skills, achievements and life experience will be considered, as well as your portfolio of work.

    Our standard offer for a degree course is 120 UCAS tariff points. We expect applicants to have a grade C or above in English Language (or Welsh) at GCSE level, together with passes in another four subjects. Plus, we accept a range of Level 3 qualifications, including:

    • Foundation Diploma in Art and Design, plus one GCE A-Level in a relevant academic subject
    • Three GCE A-Levels or equivalent
    • UAL L3 Extended Diploma in Art and Design.
    • UAL L3 Applied General Diploma and Extended Diploma in Art and Design.
    • UAL L3 Diploma and Extended Diploma in Creative Practice: Art, Design and Communication.
    • UAL L3 Extended Diploma in Creative Media Production and Technology.
    • BTEC Extended Diploma in a relevant subject
    • International Baccalaureate score of 32
    • Other relevant qualifications can be considered on an individual basis

    Qualifications are important. However, our offers are not solely based on academic results. If you don’t have the required UCAS points, please contact the courses admissions tutor or email artanddesign@uwtsd.ac.uk. We can consider applicants based on individual merit, exceptional work, and/or practical experience.

  • Assessment is carried out through coursework. There are no exams on this course. Students are formatively assessed throughout a module with summative assessment taking place at the end of a module. A variety of teaching and learning methods are used throughout the course which includes amongst others:

    Informal tutorials, formal tutorials, group critiques, one-to-one meetings, exhibitions and presentations. All these assessments are supported by staff, and students are guided through each learning process.

  • Our students have access to a diverse range of equipment and resources, which in most cases are sufficient to complete their programme of study. We provide the basic materials necessary for students to develop their practical work within our extensive workshop and studio facilities.

    However, art and design students will likely incur additional costs to extend their investigation of their personal practice. For example, purchasing their own specialised materials and equipment, joining optional study trips, and printing.

    Students are expected to bring their own personal art and design equipment when they commence the course.  We can advise on the correct equipment needed for your studies and signpost appropriate suppliers if you wish to purchase essential items before or during your studies.

    A basic art and design kit will cost approximately £100, but you may well already have much of the equipment required, so check with us first.  Although we have extensive dedicated digital design studios (PC and MAC) for you to undertake your coursework, you may wish to bring your own digital devices. Again, please check with us first before making a purchase.

  • You may be eligible for funding to help support your study.  To find out about scholarships, bursaries and other funding opportunities that are available please visit our Scholarships and Bursaries section.

  • Study Abroad

    Students can also take up the opportunity to study for a semester in Europe, the USA or Canada.

  • One of the wonderful aspects of Graphic Design is the fact that the skills are transferable to other professions. Design can offer many opportunities.

    Here is a list of what our students are now doing:

    • Graphic Designers
    • Art Directors
    • Motion Graphic Designers
    • Print Managers
    • Festival Designers
    • Football League Designers
    • Travel Design
    • Hotel Design
    • Web Designers
    • User Interface Design
    • Toy Design
    • Even a Design Tailor!

    Companies where students are working:

    • Apple
    • Saatchi and Saatchi
    • Fitch
    • Sky Creative
    • Sky Sports
    • British Science Museum
    • Google
    • Nike
    • Lego
    • Conran Design
    • Tigerprint
    • Oxford University Press
    • Manchester United Football
    • Aston Villa Football
    • Barclays Bank
    • Waters
    • SapentNitro
    • Stag and Hare Design
    • Blue Stag Studio
    • Engima Design Solutions
    • Dirty Little Serfis
    • W12 Studios
    • Dr Organic
    • Icon
    • Swansea City Football
    • Ontrac Agency

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