BA (Hons) Graphic Design
Course Overview
Every day we read adverts, engage with websites and spend money based on choices influenced by messages delivered through graphic design. Graphic designers produce content for digital and traditional media. They creatively combine photography, illustration and typography to communicate messages for clients from big brands to small businesses.This industry has seen massive changes in working methods, practices and media over the last ten years. However, the creative thought process that designers employ remains the same. Built on a series of diverse and challenging practical assignments underpinned by appropriate theory, the BA (Hons) Graphic Design degree at the 新加坡六合彩开奖直播 aims to give you the skills to understand the creative process from start to finish.
The course is designed to help you understand the creative and technical possibilities of contemporary graphics image-making coupled with great typography and driven by original thinking. We'll encourage you to explore the theoretical and historical elements that influence design and think critically about your own work and that of others.
We'll also focus on helping you to develop career-relevant skills. Creativity, technical knowledge, problem-solving, team working, independence, time management and communications skills are all essential for success as a professional graphic designer.
Highlights
- Our Art and Design courses are placed fourth in the UK and top in the North West of England for teaching quality by the Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2021.
- Our Art courses have also been placed in the top ten in the UK for student-to-staff ratio for the third year running by the Guardian University Guide 2021, so you'll have access to individual tutor support and small group teaching.
- You'll have the opportunity to work on client-led briefs and be encouraged to engage in additional live briefs during your spare time so that you can gain industry-relevant professional experience to enhance your CV.
- You'll be encouraged to apply for placements, internships, awards, competitions, masterclasses and other external development opportunities, such as the D&AD (Design and Art Directors) folder clinics 鈥� the 鈥極scars鈥� of graphic arts.
- We'll offer you the opportunity to present your work to the public and impress potential employers during Bolton School of the Arts鈥� Creative Showcase in your final year.
Key Features
- Our 拢10 million purpose-built facilities include extensive computer suites featuring the latest design and graphics software, professional standard traditional and digital photographic studios, and fully equipped fine art workshops and studios.
- You can learn to use the latest design software while being encouraged to generate ideas and problem solve using traditional media and techniques.
- You'll have the opportunity to use traditional graphic design media, including wood block printing, screen printing and lino cutting.
- You'll have access to a rich visiting speaker programme, providing insight into industry experts鈥� professional practice and up-to-the-minute developments in the sector.
- Our specialist tutors and technical support staff have professional experience and industry connections.
- We offer opportunities for you to participate in foreign study trips, as well as visit current exhibitions and events at galleries and arts centres around the UK. We also encourage you to attend design-related professional development lectures and conferences.
Entry Requirements
- 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鈥檛 your first language, you鈥檒l 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 鈥� 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.
Career Opportunities
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 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
Fees & Funding
Home/EU Fees
Home students starting this course in the first year will be required to pay a Home fee of 拢6,000 for the academic year 2024/25.
International Fees
No fee information is currently available, please contact the 新加坡六合彩开奖直播鈥檚 Academic Fees team by emailing AcademicFees@bolton.ac.uk for more information.
Bursaries
Important note regarding tuition fees for the 2024-25 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 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.
How to apply
Home Applicants
Please contact Admissions by telephone on 01204 903903 or email enquiries@bolton.ac.uk
Admissions
新加坡六合彩开奖直播
Deane Road
Bolton, BL3 5AB
United Kingdom
Tel: 01204 903903
Email: enquiries@bolton.ac.uk
International Applicants
International applications are not possible for this course
As an international student you are not allowed to study this course because of the restrictions on your visa.
We offer a wide range of full-time courses in lots of different subjects, many of our courses start in September and January. If you would like to see what courses are available please visit our Course Search.
Partner Organisation Applicants
Please contact Admissions by telephone on 01204 903903 or email enquiries@bolton.ac.uk
Admissions
新加坡六合彩开奖直播
Deane Road
Bolton, BL3 5AB
United Kingdom
Tel: 01204 903903
Email: enquiries@bolton.ac.uk
Teaching & Assessment
We use a blended approach to teaching and learning 鈥� 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鈥檚 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
| Level | Assessment method |
|---|---|
| Level 1 | Coursework 100% |
| Level 2 | Coursework 100% |
| Level 3 | Coursework 100% |
Learning Activities
| Level | Activity |
|---|---|
| Level 1 | Guided independent study 58% Scheduled learning and teaching activities 42% |
| Level 2 | Guided independent study 53% Scheduled learning and teaching activities 47% |
| Level 3 | Guided independent study 60% Scheduled learning and teaching activities 40% |
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 鈥榦ptional modules鈥� 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.
