Graphic Design

Graphic design is a discipline concerned with visual communication: the art and practice of combining type, image, colour, and layout to convey ideas, create identities, and shape how people experience and navigate the world. It is everywhere, from the branding that defines a company's identity to the signage that guides you through a city, the publication that communicates an idea, and the digital interfaces through which we access information and services. Great graphic design is both a visual craft and a form of thinking, requiring creativity, rigour, and an understanding of how audiences respond to what they see.

At Arts University Plymouth, this three-year, full-time programme invites you to experiment, push boundaries, and develop a design practice that has genuine cultural and social resonance. You will develop skills in visual research, typography, branding, publication design, digital design, and campaign development, learning both the technical tools of the profession and the conceptual thinking that distinguishes strong design from merely competent work. A sandwich placement year is integrated into the programme, giving you the opportunity to spend a year working within a studio or design organisation and to experience professional practice from the inside before you graduate.

Work placement opportunities are also available throughout the course.

Arts University Plymouth's creative environment and connections to the design industry enrich your development as a designer. Graduates go on to work as graphic designers, art directors, brand designers, typographers, UX designers, illustrators, motion graphics artists, and creative directors in design studios, advertising agencies, publishing houses, in-house teams, and as freelancers. Some go on to postgraduate study or to set up their own practices.

The combination of conceptual depth and technical versatility the degree develops opens doors in a field where creativity and clear thinking are equally valued.