Graphic Design BA(Hons)
With an emphasis on design thinking and crafting big ideas beautifully, this course is your springboard to a design career in the creative industries. You’ll discover how to solve challenging questions facing society and business today with great ideas delivered appropriately across print and digital platforms.
Key details
| Location | Falmouth Campus |
| Course Duration | 3 years |
| Attendance | Full-time |
| UCAS code | W214 |
| Contact | 01326 254350 |
This course is in Clearing
Apply through Clearing
Introduction
In your first year you’ll learn how to become an adept visual communicator, developing core skills in typography, branding, visual language, craft and critical thinking. You’ll experiment and explore as you move through the course, defining your identity and critical perspective for becoming a fully formed practitioner.
You will:
- Head to London for a week where you’ll visit a range of different studios from the boutique Fraser Muggeridge Studio to Pentagram, the world’s largest independent design consultancy.
- Have the opportunity to go on trips to cities abroad so you can gain global perspectives on the subject.
- Work on briefs created with, and supported by, industry practitioners.
- Enter creative competitions such as D&AD, ISTD and the Creative Conscience Awards.
- Go on an industry placement in the summer before your third year.
- Create an industry standard portfolio in your third year.
What our students do
Student Shortlisted for Design Award
Graphic Design student Danielle White has had her work recognised at the South West Design +...
Double Accolade for Graphic Designer
Graphic Design student Ian Walden recently received two prizes for his work.
Ian, who...
Falmouth Most Successful Uni at D&AD
Falmouth is celebrating a bumper year at the D&AD New Blood Awards, where the number of...
Award Win for Graphic Design Student
Graphic Design student Bethany Rush has won the adult fiction category as this year's...
Students Sweep D&AD New Blood Awards
Only the very best creative students are awarded coveted Pencil awards at D&AD New Blood, so...
Four Students Shortlisted for Coveted Design Award
Four Falmouth students have been shortlisted for this year's Penguin Random House UK Student...
Designer Awarded during Final Year Show
Graphic Design student Jen Marsden is off to Australia after being...
An Exchange of Ideas, Knowledge and Expertise
Graphic Design students recently visited 36 studios across London and The Netherlands. These...
What our graduates do
Our graduates have begun their careers at places like Mytton Williams, Biles Inc, Smith & Milton, The Partners, Bisqit, Turner Duckworth, Design Bridge, Thomas Matthews and The Chase.
Course details
What you'll learn
With design process and problem-solving at its heart, this course explores how creative and meaningful ideas can be made. You’ll study the historical, social and cultural issues connecting theory and practice, and gain real-world skills from live briefs and workshops from leading designers.
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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 how to come up with ideas, the history of design, and the latest industry innovations.
Modules
Design Process
A Word in your Eye
Narrative
Difference and Identity
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Focusing more 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, ethical issues 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
Consumerism
Typography
Design Directions
Collaborative Practice
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Your third year focuses on intense project work, a dissertation and professional practice workshops. On top of 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 at the Royal Society of Arts.
Modules
Journeys
Dissertation
Destinations
Transitions
The modules above are those being studied by our students, or proposed new ones. Programme structures and modules can change as part of our curriculum enhancement and review processes. If a certain module is important to you, please discuss it with the Course Leader.
How you'll learn
You’ll attend group tutorials, seminars, workshops, peer critiques and regular individual tutorials - giving you the chance to present work and hear feedback in our new, dedicated studio space.
How you'll spend your time
Year | Timetabled teaching and learning activity | Guided independent study | Placements |
1 | 30% | 70% | 0% |
2 | 30% | 70% | 0% |
3 | 24% | 76% | 0% |
How you'll be assessed
Year | Written exams | Practical exams | Coursework |
1 | 0% | 0% | 100% |
2 | 0% | 0% | 100% |
3 | 0% | 0% | 100% |
Assessment methods
- A variety of design briefs.
- There’s an ongoing policy of review and feedback every week with staff and other students, while formal assessment is twice yearly.
- In year three you’ll write a dissertation and exhibit your work for assessment as part of a final-year show.
Staff
Our award-winning designers, associate lecturers, technicians and other staff members specialise in traditional and digital fields. As well as frequently contributing to books and publications, they’re often invited to judge professional design awards.
Some members of staff only teach on specific modules, and your course might not feature every member shown here.
Bryan Clark
Bryan leads the subject of Graphic Design at Falmouth and is responsible for the undergraduate...
Timothy Donaldson
Timothy Donaldson is a letterworker: a practising graphic designer, type designer and...
Dr Robyn Cook
Robyn Cook was born in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Since graduating, she has worked as a...
Matthew Rogers
Matthew is a multi-skilled, reliable and innovative socially-minded thinker who enjoys sharing...
Andy Neal
Andy's career began as a musician; composing and performing material with Detritus, and...
Ashley Rudolph
Ashley graduated from the BA(Hons) Graphic Design course at Central St Martins in 1995, and has...
Nicola Salkeld
Nicola moved to Falmouth in 2006 from London. She did Foundation studies at Central School of...
Dion Star
Dion has been a senior lecturer at Falmouth University on the BA(Hons) Graphic Design course...
Jon Unwin
Following graduation from the MA Graphic Design course at the Royal College of Art in...
Matthew Dixon
Since graduating from Central St Martins in 1995, Matt has designed and directed campaigns for...
Facilities
- Large, open-plan, dedicated design studios.
- Design lab featuring traditional and digital production equipment.
- Photography and audio space supporting stills, moving image and sound.
- Mac desktop and laptop computers with professional software.
- Extensive library facilities including thousands of books, DVDs, magazines and journals.
How to apply
This course is in Clearing
Entry requirements
104 - 120 UCAS points, primarily from Level 3 qualifications like A-levels, a BTEC Extended Diploma or a Foundation Diploma.
Check how many points your qualifications are worth
We’ll also consider you based on your individual merit and potential. So get in touch if:
- You’re predicted points below our requirements
- You’re thinking about transferring from another institution
- You have other qualifications or professional experience
Language requirements
GCSE English Language Grade 4 (C), or equivalent.
We also accept qualifications equivalent to the IELTS Academic 6.0 overall score, with at least 5.5 in Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening.
If you need a Tier 4 student visa to study in the UK, you’ll need to take an approved Secure English Language Test (SELT).
Apply via UCAS
Enter these codes at UCAS Apply and Track
- University code F33
- Course code W214
Deadlines
UK/EU applications: 15 January
Late applications will be considered if there are places available.
International fee payers can apply after the deadline. But we recommend applying as early as possible, to make time for visa and travel arrangements.
Next steps
Once you’ve applied, you’ll receive a Falmouth Applicant Portal login, where you’ll find more details about these requirements.
What we're looking for
We want someone who:
- Can tell the visual story of their work.
- Thinks about the context of their work and the relevance it would have to a specific target audience.
- Can show the journey of their projects, the depth of your creative enquiry, and the quality of their ideas.
- Can investigate the questions of their project work, or explore the facts and information behind their ideas.
- Shows critical thinking and the ability to contextualise.
- Can provide a rationale for their intended project direction.
- Demonstrates emerging potential in visual and verbal articulation.
Fees, costs & funding
Tuition fees
-
£9,250 - full-time UK/EU
£15,000 - full-time international
Typical course costs
- £540 - Recurring annual costs
- £260 - One off costs for the course duration (compulsory trips, final portfolios or shows, etc)
- £2,750 - Optional study visits and placements for the course duration
If you need to bring equipment or materials with you, these will be outlined in your Welcome Letter.
The figures above don't include accommodation and living costs
-
£9,250 - full-time UK/EU
£16,000 - full-time international
Typical course costs
- £540 - Recurring annual costs
- £260 - One off costs for the course duration (compulsory trips, final portfolios or shows, etc)
- £2,750 - Optional study visits and placements for the course duration
If you need to bring equipment or materials with you, these will be outlined in your Welcome Letter.
The figures above don't include accommodation and living costs
Tuition fees are set annually and are subject to review each year. The University may therefore raise tuition fees in the second or subsequent years of a course, in line with inflation and/or the maximum permitted by law or Government policy. Students will be notified of any changes as soon as possible.
Funding
For information about funding available, please visit our undergraduate funding page
Ask a student
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