Graphic Design students visit Penguin Random House, The Guardian, Number 10 and more
23 April 2026
BA(Hons) Graphic Design students recently got the opportunity to spend three days visiting a host of graphic design studios, publishing houses and other editorial environments on a recent trip to London, learning from working professionals the value graphic design has for a variety of applications in different industries.
Taking place annually, the trip offers second and third year students the chance to contextualise the work they do on their course and see how the skills gained from their degree lend themselves to a variety of careers. The cohort heard directly from industry professionals and spoke with not only graphic designers, but copywriters, strategists, studio managers and more. Some of the agencies hosted studio tours and workshops as part of the visit, giving students the opportunity to work on projects in an agency setting.
Each student got the chance to visit five or six companies, with a plethora of experiences available for everyone to inform their career aspirations, with stops ranging from smaller agencies and design studios to some of the UK’s biggest publishing houses and news organisations.
The creative agencies visited included award-winning branding agencies such as Springetts and WMH&I, design studio Wolfe Hall, independent creative studio Wonderful Things, marketing agency Prophet, packaging branding agency B&B Studio, branding agency SomeOne (which is led by executive creative director and Falmouth alumni Rich Rhodes), digital communications agency Koto, graphic design studio Common Curiosity and fine artist/graphic designer Daniel Eatock. With many of these agencies having Falmouth alumni within the team, students had the chance to see what life after studying BA(Hons) Graphic Design can look like.
‘Big Five’ publishing houses such as Penguin Random House and HarperCollins, news organisation The Guardian, and Number 10 Downing Street (whose digital communications team is now led by Falmouth alumna Alice Hodgson) were also part of the trip. In the moments between career-inspiring visits, the budding designers also got the chance to experience London’s cultural attractions, from Tate Modern and the V&A to the British Museum and British Library.
Reflecting on the three days, Course Leader Andy Neal shared: “Studying graphic design at Falmouth doesn’t just lead to becoming a graphic designer; it’s a course that enhances students’ creative skillsets, with many alumni going into creative roles that require the ability to identify and respond critically to communication issues as well as being adaptable, willing to learn and work well with people. Throughout this trip we really showcased the different types of roles available at each organisation as living proof of the different ways graduates can use their creativity.
“As an example, The Guardian spent two and a half hours with the students including five or six mini presentations from different departments; graphic designers, content creators, photographers and digital artists. Each place we visited had a similar format, with some including a workshop or a tour, but all shared the plethora of inspiring careers available for graphic design graduates.”
Current student, Charlie Scott, said: “It was such an insightful and enjoyable study trip; all our studio visits were super helpful, and it was a great experience to see what working in industry and in London looks like.”
Fellow student Harvey Till added: “It’s obvious a lot of time and effort went into this trip; I had such a great time and I'm sure I speak on behalf of everyone else too. I felt the mix of agencies was great, and it was super interesting to chat to people in industry!”
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