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 University of Bolton 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 – the ‘Oscars’ 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’ Creative Showcase in your final year.
Key Features
- Our £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’ 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’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.
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 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
Fees & Funding
Home/EU Fees
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.
International Fees
No fee information is currently available, please contact the University of Bolton’s 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 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.
How to apply
Home Applicants
You may apply directly to the University using the University's online application form. Please select your chosen start date from the list below:
You should have to hand:
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Details of the educational establishments you attended and dates
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Your certificates for the qualifications you are using to gain entry to the course – you will need to enter the completion date and upload copies
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Details of any employment history including name, address, dates and role
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Personal statement – this can be either input into the relevant field or uploaded separately
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Details including e-mail addresses of two referees, at least one of which should be someone who can provide an academic reference
Please make sure any documents you wish to upload in support of your application are in pdf or jpeg format. Personal statements may be word documents.
Please ensure your data is correct at each stage of the application before you proceed to the next page. If you use the back button at any time during the application, you should check the validity of the data you have already input.
If you experience difficulties during the application process, contact the Admissions Team on 01204 903394 or admissions-team@bolton.ac.uk
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Apply online: University of Bolton BA (Hons) Graphic Design - 23 September 2024
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
University of Bolton Group Partners
Bolton College
University Collegiate School
Alliance Learning
University of Bolton
For valued members of the University of Bolton Group and progressing students, we try to make our application process as simple and as fast as possible.
By selecting the link for your chosen course from the list shown below, you will be taken directly to our online application form. Please read the user guidance before completing this, and ensure you upload all supporting documents such as certificates and your personal statement when you apply.
When you are asked to add a contact email address, please ensure you add your college/university email account address as well as your personal address. If you do not add your college address as your contact address, we will be unable to identify you as a partner and offer you the benefits of being part of our group.
If you are ready to apply directly, please select your chosen start date from the list below.
Before applying, please read the entry requirements section of this page.
If your course runs at multiple locations or has various start dates, please be sure to select the correct application link from the list below.
Before beginning your application, you should have the following information to hand:
Details of the educational establishments you attended and dates
Your certificates for the qualifications you are using to gain entry to the course – you will need to enter the completion date and upload copies
Details of any employment history, including name, address, dates and role
Personal statement – this can be either input into the relevant field or uploaded separately
Details including email addresses of two referees, at least one of which should be someone who can provide an academic reference
Please make sure any documents you wish to upload in support of your application are in pdf or jpeg format. Personal statements may be word documents.
Please ensure your data is correct at each stage of the application before you proceed to the next page. If you use the back button at any time during the application, you should check the validity of the data you have already inputted.
If you experience difficulties during the application process, contact the Undergraduate Admissions Team on 01204 903394 or admissions-team@bolton.ac.uk
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Apply online: University of Bolton BA (Hons) Graphic Design - 23 September 2024
We look forward to receiving your application and you continuing your academic journey with us!
Teaching & Assessment
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
| 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 ‘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.
