Graphic Design BA(Hons)

By taking on practical and critical work, you'll explore and experiment with new processes and practices. Working together in our immersive studio culture, we'll study things like generating ideas, the history of design, and the latest industry innovations.

Modules

Design Process

This module introduces a key component of a graphic designer's education: a practical understanding of 'design process'. You will initially explore 'process' as a linear set of guidelines or 'signposts' along a creative journey, directing you towards the next key step. You'll consider the importance of each 'signpost', understanding how it helps to externalise and develop your thinking. As part of the design process, you'll embrace key skills such as drawing and mark-making, research, lateral thinking and creative breadth, and how managing time effectively can enable a more reflective and productive learning style. Through presentations, workshops and studio briefs, you'll be encouraged to wrestle with the underlying principles that govern, shape and motivate the creative process of idea generation and development.

A Word in your Eye

Through a series of practical and theoretical assignments, you'll be introduced to the fundamental principles of visual language and the powerful role it plays in communication design, understanding the notion that all materials and artefacts carry meaning and value within the context of communication.

You will experiment with the basic elements of design, practice and process in order to understand and evaluate their function in the exploration of ideas and the delivery of messages.

Narrative

During this module, you'll experiment with 'graphic' interpretations of a personally authored piece of content, informed by play, research and idea development within and beyond graphic design. These interdisciplinary themes and principles will encourage you to explore more diverse and experimental approaches to storytelling (including montage theory, juxtaposition, and narrative arcs) and to move beyond the conventions of the subject. You'll consider how a sequenced combination of text, image and compositional structure within any given narrative can determine the engagement with, and comprehension of, a predetermined story or message. Presentations and workshops, together with studio briefs, will be supported by learning teams and individual tutorials.

Difference & Identity

Graphic design cannot live in a vacuum. Although many visual techniques and craft skills can be rehearsed within an academic enquiry, ultimately graphic design provides a service in a predominantly commercial world, where its success is evaluated against defined needs and expectations. Whether these needs are to stimulate the desire to buy, communicate life-changing messages or political ideologies, send us the right way, distinguish one thing from another, or just help us to know more, we (as individuals) are not always the primary recipients of these messages. This module explores the relationships between the stakeholders in a communication process, promoting discourse around the notion of 'others' and 'difference'.

Focusing on real-world, industry-facing projects, we'll encourage you to challenge convention and produce daring, original work. We'll study areas like information hierarchy, ethics and design for society, while continuing to build your core skills. You'll also go on study trips – usually to London or Amsterdam – to learn from designer-led workshops and visit studios like Pentagram, GBH, Fitch, Mother and Trapped in Suburbia.

Modules

Brand Experience

This module focuses on brand creation and contemporary communication strategies within our consumer society. It will develop theoretical discourses around the motivational triggers to purchase and consume (desire versus need), relationships between persuasion and empowerment, tensions between consumption and sustainability, personal identity and belonging, and local and global contexts within a consumer society. You'll rehearse and develop your understanding of the design process through studio-based assignments that will push and challenge conventional boundaries within the discipline and place the emphasis upon 'the big idea'. This drives the communication strategy through multiple media platforms, from print, three dimensions, audio, time-based and digital arenas.

Typography

Typography lies at the very heart of the practice of graphic design and is fundamentally concerned with the mechanical expression of the written word. Our society depends heavily on written forms of communication and this module considers the nature of typographic hierarchy, the conditions that govern its application and the principles of organising editorial information. You'll be presented with a range of project briefs that utilise both manual and digital exercises, taking a 'hands-on' response to various typographic challenges. This module also explores personal authorship of content and visual expression, from writing through to typography and image making (photographic and/or illustrative). Lectures and seminars will provide the context for the work, and projects will be discussed with a personal tutor within regular small-group tutorials that facilitate shared learning and a platform for critical debate.

Design Directions

This module marks an important transitional stage, as you move from tutor-set assignments and managed project outcomes, to more independent goal setting and personal exploration of future directions.

At this stage, you will begin to reflect more critically on your future prospects, with optional work placement opportunities (maximum of 3 weeks outside term time), providing off-campus learning experiences.

The practice-based, self-negotiated assignments will be orientated by the assertion that design and designers can be agents for positive change within our society. You'll be encouraged to identify potential opportunities for graphic design within this context, develop new insights into existing problems and challenge the communication conventions.

Collaborative Practice

In this module, we'll explore collaboration as a central part of contemporary design practice. A critical component of the module will be learning activities such as designer-led briefs, live projects in collaboration with external partners, and workshops that will provide provocative interventions into creative thinking.

You can choose to take an optional placement year after your second year on a three-year programme, or after your third year if you’re studying for a degree with an Integrated Foundation Year. 

You’ll be responsible for finding your own placement, with support from the RealWORKS employability team. 

Choosing this option will enhance your industry experience and skills while studying. 

How you’ll study during your placement year 

You’ll spend time working in a professional context, as part of a business or organisation. This can be in one role, or up to three, and must be for a minimum of 24 weeks. 

You’ll develop in-demand workplace skills, deepen your insight into industry and grow your network of contacts, all of which could help you get ahead in your career after graduation. 

Throughout this year, you’ll develop a portfolio of work that includes critical self-reflection on what has been learned from the experience. You’ll be required to evidence your experiences, the skills you’ve learned and your professional growth. 

Your third year focuses on intense project work, a dissertation and professional practice workshops. As well as building your core skills, you'll take a critical look at your strengths and explore various directions for your future career. Towards the end of the year, you'll exhibit at D&AD New Blood and at our own exclusive show.

Modules

Journeys

Through a range of design challenges that explore alternative models of practice, you will be encouraged to reflect upon your strengths, motivations and personal design future. This module will emphasise the importance of analysis, innovation, collaboration and idea generation within the process of creative problem solving. Working on projects that challenge your creative potential, you'll begin to develop a portfolio of work that articulates your personal strengths and locates your practice within a wide range of professional contexts.

Projects will be negotiated with a tutor within strategy sessions that facilitate teamwork as well as a platform for critical debate.

Critical Writing

The dissertation is a self-initiated written assignment of 6000 words on a subject relevant to your programme of study and personal interests. This module affirms the critical role of writing within the work of a graphic designer.

Destinations

At this stage in your Graphic Design degree, you'll develop a final body of work and a strategy for the transition to industry or further academic or career interests. Emphasis will be placed on challenging conventions, with a focus on strong ideas that are critically engaged and beautifully made.

You can either develop larger projects from the previous module or work on new ones that help you position yourself and your work, as your interests become focused and your identity is honed. This work culminates in the final degree show and other industry focused events. Projects from earlier years can be incorporated into final portfolios as part of the 'Transitions element', which will also include promotional initiatives and strategies to project your future self and support ambition.

Learning is supported through team tutorials and individual 'bookable' sessions.

Why study an Integrated Foundation Year route? 

If you’re taking on a new subject that you haven’t studied in depth before, have been out of education for a while or have a non-standard educational background then an Integrated Foundation Year degree may be the right choice for you. It is a four-year degree with an Integrated Foundation Year to start, which allows you to explore the primary elements of your subject before progressing on to the remaining three years of the BA(Hons) degree. 

What you'll study in your Foundation year

If you choose this pathway, you'll study five core modules in your Foundation year. These are all designed to help you explore the foundational elements of your subject. You'll gain relevant technical skills, learn to experiment and take risks, develop an understanding of professional practice, have opportunities to work across disciplines and collaborate with other students on live project briefs. 

Modules

Explore

You'll begin your foundation year by working collaboratively with others to explore themes of the future. You'll take risks, experiment through play and be supported to break through barriers.

Technique

You'll take subject-specific workshops and develop essential technical and practical skills in your area of study. You'll also enhance your analytical and organisational abilities.

Apply

You'll work with your peer group to think beyond discipline by addressing a societal or global issue. You'll then showcase your work to your peers and deliver and accompanying evaluation of your process.

Industry

You'll enhance your creative and practical skills in your subject specialism by responding to typical industry briefs, underpinned by focused research and experiments. You'll also gain industry insights through guest lectures and workshops.

Launch

You'll develop your unique identity in your specialism through the production of a self-initiated body of work. Your final project will be the bridge to your next year, fully supported by evaluative reviews and critical analysis of the work you have created.

After the Foundation year, you progress into Year One of the full three-year degree, equipped with a deeper knowledge of your subject, a clear understanding of your strengths, and develop a practical and technical skillset and the confidence to excel in your chosen subject. 

If you apply for and enrol onto a degree with an Integrated Foundation Year, you’ll have the option to switch onto a five-year version including a placement year. That means you’ll complete the first three years of your course before completing a placement in industry in your fourth year and returning to Falmouth for the fifth year of your programme.