Overview
Graphic designers communicate a wide range of messages utilizing a diverse range of skills and media. This degree course has a strong professional and vocational approach, delivered in a supportive environment where students are set challenging projects to help develop creative individuality. At the same time the course integrates and encourages direct professional links through visits, workshops, collaborations, graduate scholarships and other opportunities while equipping students with the broad technical skills required by the industry.
Lectures and demonstrations set the scene for practical activities and multi-disciplinary project work undertaken both individually or in groups. Seminars and discussions are underpinned by individual tutorials, regular visits and presentations by professional practitioners and external agencies.
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Click here to look at the Graphic Design course folio
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Click here to look at course facilities
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Click here for further information on the Graphic Design course
Content and Modules
The first year focuses on providing students with digital and traditional skills and orienting them within the subject of graphic design. The second year gives more scope for research and discovery while enhancing professional competence. The third year brings these experiences together to provide a body of knowledge and a portfolio of work that will take students into future employment or further study.
The course is delivered as a series of related modules that cover the technical, creative and contextual aspects of graphic design and enhance students' personal development and career ambitions. Throughout there is a strong emphasis on teaching transferable skills to equip the student with the broadest base from which to graduate. There are five single and one double modules taught in the first and second years, with three double modules making up the final year with considerable freedom to tune individual studies to follow special interests and abilities within the subject.
Further course information
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Click here to look at the Graphic Design course folio
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Click here to look at course facilities
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Click here for further information on the Graphic Design course
Further Information
Work placements
Students are encouraged to investigate and liaise with all areas of the graphic design industry either through the curriculum or individually. This helps to contextualize their study and develop their career aspirations. The course has excellent industry links both locally and nationally to help students gain work placements and scholarships could be offered to appropriate graduates by, for example, TCM London.
Assessment
There are a variety of assessment methods including coursework, academic tutorials, evaluation reports, reflective journals, seminar presentations and critical reviews.
Professional and industry links
The course has excellent industry links both locally, nationally and internationally with individuals and groups who interact with students as visiting lecturers, provide opportunities for studio visits, and help students gain work placements and internships. Course Patrons include typographer and designer Jonathan
Barnbrook, motion designer Daryl Goodrich and illustrator and Visiting Senior Fellow Brian Grimwood. Our graduates work within design studios as freelance illustrators or establish their own design businesses, while others develop careers in teaching or decide to study at Masters level. Employers of our recent
graduates include Random House Publishing, the National Theatre, the British Museum and the Cartoon Network.
Course Patrons
The course is proud to have the following as patrons:
Jonathan Barnbrook is a typographer and designer best known for his work with David Bowie, Damien Hirst and Adbusters magazine. His 'Friendly Fire' exhibition at the Design Museum and book, 'The Barnbrook Bible', were both met with critical acclaim.
Daryl Goodrich is an ex-student of the course. He won a Royal Television Society award in 2005 and made both the official London 2012 Olympic bid film and the launch film for Eurostar's historic move to St Pancras Station.
Brian Grimwood is founder of The Central Illustration Agency and has been credited by Print Magazine as having changed the face of British Illustration.
Turner Classic Movies (TCM), provide a unique work placement scheme with the course.
Claire Parker is an ex-student of the course and after graduating won an internship at TCM and now works as a graphic designer for the National Theatre.
After the course
Graduates have gone on to a wide range of careers in graphic design and related areas involving media and communications, as well as further postgraduate level study at UCS. Excellent scholarships are awarded by TCM London.
Student testimonial
After graduating I immediately jumped straight into the design industry after
winning the TCM Adam Easdon Internship Award. After impressing the team
over this period, I was offered a nine month freelance contract working across
print, web & motion platforms. The course at UCS was highly beneficial to me
in a number of ways. One of the most important things I took away was being
able to develop creative concepts and not to let technology dictate my designs.
As well as teaching design, the course helped us as students enormously in
developing the attributes needed for ‘real world’ work.
Sean Scannell, BA (Hons) Graphic Design Graduate
Further course information
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Click here to look at the Graphic Design course folio
-
Click here to look at course facilities
-
Click here for further information on the Graphic Design course