BA (Hons) Graphic Design with Advertising with foundation year
Course Overview
Every day, we read adverts, engage with websites and spend money based on choices influenced by marketing messages delivered through graphic design and advertising. We digest information on health, wellbeing, sustainability and thousands of other topics because graphic designers and advertising professionals produce content for digital and traditional media. By studying for your BA (Hons) Graphic Design with Advertising with foundation year course at the University of Bolton, you can develop essential knowledge and understanding of graphic design and advertising principles and practices, ready to start your career in this exciting profession.Our expert team will guide you as you learn to creatively combine ideation, photography, illustration, typography, and copywriting to communicate messages for clients ranging from big brands to small businesses and political parties to health providers. You'll learn how to grab your audience's attention and inform and persuade them of new information or trends.
The foundation year allows you to discover and strengthen research, design, practical and communication skills that are essential for success as you study Graphic Design and Advertising. You'll explore an array of core techniques relating to the creative arts industries, including drawing, painting, sculpting, and finishing techniques, investigating both traditional and digital technologies. The foundation year also aims to build your confidence in academic skills such as literature searching, academic referencing and written and oral communication techniques.
Following the foundation level, your studies will focus on graphic design and advertising. The course is designed to help you understand the creative and technical possibilities of contemporary graphic 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 develop career-relevant skills. Creativity, technical knowledge, problem-solving, teamwork, independence, time management, and communication skills are all essential for success as a professional graphic designer or advertising professional.
This industry has seen massive changes in working methods, practices and media in recent years. However, the creative thought process that designers employ remains the same. Designers use words and images to communicate messages and meanings. These new developments continually add to the creative possibilities and excitement of a career in this sector, so we'll support you in developing the lifelong learning skills you'll need to adapt and thrive. You'll learn to take ownership of your professional development, maximising your potential for success and enjoyment of the creative process, all while experiencing life at our supportive, student-focused, multicultural campus.
Highlights
- You'll have the opportunity to work on real-world client-led briefs. We'll also encourage you to engage in additional live briefs during your spare time so that you can gain industry-relevant professional experience to enhance your CV.
- We'll encourage you to apply for placements, internships, awards, competitions, masterclasses and other external development opportunities, such as the D&AD (Design and Art Directors) Creative Conscience, 2+2, School of Thought and the Manchester Publicity Awards.
- You'll have the opportunity to work with industry clientele from the charitable and commercial sectors. These collaborators will offer feedback and encouragement on your creative practice and may potentially use your work publicly.
- We'll offer you the opportunity to present your work to the public and impress potential employers during the 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 opportunities to use traditional graphic design media, including woodblock printing, screen printing and lino cutting.
- You'll have access to a rich visiting speaker programme, which will provide insight into industry experts' professional practices 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 and 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.
- By choosing to study with us, you'll have the chance to enjoy Bolton's many shops, bars, restaurants and leisure facilities. Manchester, one of the UK's most multicultural and lively cities, is less than 20 minutes away by train. Not forgetting, the North West of England is renowned for its beautiful countryside, coastline and heritage. This makes Bolton an ideal base from which to explore some of the best cultural and outdoor activities the UK offers.
Entry Requirements
- 48 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. Creative subjects are strongly preferred.
- You should also have five GCSEs at grade C or above or grade 4 to 9 (or equivalent), including English.
- You'll be required to attend an interview and provide a portfolio of appropriate work. Your portfolio should demonstrate your skills in a range of relevant creative media and styles.
- 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. Relevant work or voluntary experience will also be considered. In these cases, we may ask applicants to undertake additional assessments to determine their suitability for the course.
- If English isn’t your first language, you’ll also need IELTS 6.0 with no less than 5.5 in reading and writing (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
As a graphic design graduate with sound skills in advertising, you’ll possess a good mix of subject-specific and technical skills that include ideation, communication, creativity, project management, art direction, concept development, presenting ideas, networking and liaising with clients, and the abilities to work independently, manage your time and meet deadlines. You’ll also be able to use a range of software packages to create images that convey a product or message.
Graphic design and advertising offers a stimulating and sought after working environment. You'll be able to work with a wide variety of clientele and an ever-changing portfolio of briefs and projects. An experienced graphic designer and adverting professional 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 freelance designers and art directors.
Some graphic designers and advertising professionals might also work as logo designers, advertisement designers, web designers, photograph editors, book layout artists, magazine layout artists, illustrators, art directors and printmakers.
A broad range of postgraduate opportunities are available to graduates of this degree, including the possibility of professionally-accredited qualifications in areas such as marketing and teaching.
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:
- Account executive
- Advertising specialist
- Art director
- Commercial and industrial design
- Copywriter
- Exhibition design
- Graphic designer
- Marketing
- Moving image designer
- Multimedia specialist
- Teaching
Fees & Funding
Home/EU 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.
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 2025-26 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
If you wish to apply for multiple institutions or multiple courses at Bolton for September entry, then apply through UCAS
You can apply for up to 5 courses through UCAS (at the same or different institutions) for a fee of £27. Alternatively, if you only wish to apply for a single course at a single institution then a reduced applicant's fee of £22.50 is applicable.
The online application form and guidance notes are available on the UCAS website.
You will need the following information to complete your UCAS application form:
Institution Code Name: BOLTN
Institution Code Number: B44
Tel: 0870 1122211
Web: www.ucas.com
If you wish to apply for a single course offered by the University of Bolton for any intake, you can apply directly
If you have carefully considered your course and institution choices and decided that this course is the best option for you, you may apply directly to the University using our online application form shown below.
A direct application to Bolton provides the following features:
Free of charge to apply
Secure, simple and streamlined
Contact us directly for any admissions queries
Regular updates on your application directly from the University
Invites to offer holder events and taster sessions where you can meet your future tutors and get a flavour of university life
NOTE: You cannot apply both through UCAS and directly to Bolton. Submitting an application to any university through UCAS during the same academic year will void any direct application you make to Bolton.
For courses starting in September, please be aware that we are required to share your information with UCAS if we accept you on this course. We will create a simplified UCAS acceptance record on your behalf and return this to UCAS. By submitting your application directly to the University of Bolton, you agree to these terms.
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 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 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 with Advertising with Foundation - 22 September 2025
International Applicants
Thank you for your interest
In order to determine your suitability for this course as an international student and also to confirm you meet any initial eligibility criteria, we need you to answer a few short questions.
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.
If you have carefully considered your course and institution choices and decided that this course is the best option for you, you may apply free of charge to the University. By selecting the appropriate link 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.
NOTE: You cannot apply both through UCAS and directly to Bolton. Submitting an application to any university through UCAS during the same academic year will void any direct application you make to Bolton.
For courses starting in September, please be aware that we are required to share your information with UCAS if we accept you on this course. We will create a simplified UCAS acceptance record on your behalf and return this to UCAS. By submitting your application directly to the University of Bolton, you agree to these terms.
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 with Advertising with Foundation - 22 September 2025
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 through 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.
- Materials and Processes
- Information and Interpretation
- Digital
- Creative Project
- Creative Industries Contexts
- Introduction to Design Practice
- Typography within Applied Visual Thinking
- Introduction to Studio Practice in Graphic Design with Advertising
- Creative Careers
- Production for Print
- Production for Screen
- Applied Graphic Design with Advertising
- Innovate
- Professional Practice and Self Promotion
- Major Project A
- Commercial Practice in Graphic Design with Advertising
Assessment methods
| Level | Assessment method |
|---|---|
| Level 0 | Coursework 78% Practical exams 22% |
| Level 1 | Coursework 66% Practical exams 34% |
| Level 2 | Coursework 52% Practical exams 48% |
| Level 3 | Coursework 62% Practical exams 38% |
Learning Activities
| Level | Activity |
|---|---|
| Level 0 | Guided independent study 55% Scheduled learning and teaching activities 45% |
| Level 1 | Guided independent study 66% Scheduled learning and teaching activities 34% |
| Level 2 | Guided independent study 66% Scheduled learning and teaching activities 34% |
| Level 3 | Guided independent study 68% Scheduled learning and teaching activities 32% |
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.
