Graphic Design

Graphic design is the discipline of communicating through the combination of image, typography, and layout, creating visual material that informs, persuades, and connects audiences to ideas, products, and organisations. It is a practice that has moved from the printed page to encompass digital interfaces, motion graphics, brand identities, and environmental design, making it one of the most versatile and consistently in-demand creative skills in the modern economy.

At the University of Cumbria, this four-year full-time programme includes an integrated foundation year that provides a supportive and creative entry point, developing your skills, confidence, and core knowledge before you progress to the main degree. The foundation year builds strong artistic and academic foundations across drawing, design thinking, and contextual understanding, ensuring you are prepared for the more demanding work ahead. In the main degree, you will develop fluency in combining typography, illustration, and photography to create visual stories that leave lasting impressions, working across both print and digital contexts.

You will develop a personal design practice alongside the technical competencies that professional graphic design demands, learning to develop briefs, present ideas, and respond to feedback in ways that reflect professional studio culture.

Graduates go on to work in graphic design studios, advertising agencies, publishing houses, in-house brand and communications teams, digital media companies, and as freelance designers. Typography, branding, editorial design, packaging, digital design, and user interface design are all areas where graphic design graduates work. The breadth of contexts in which visual communication is needed means that graduates with strong skills and a distinctive portfolio can build varied and personally rewarding careers.

Postgraduate study in graphic design, visual communication, or typography is a route for those who wish to develop their practice or move into research or specialist professional roles.