Creative arts and design · Media and communication
Graphic design
BA
Overview
Graphic design is a studio degree about visual communication: type, image, layout and how a message is understood. A portfolio is central to admissions and to getting work afterwards. It is not the only way to work as a designer. Self-taught routes and shorter courses exist, and the degree does not guarantee clients. Students who enjoy it like making and revising visual work, and they need to be willing to explain their decisions.
You want a studio degree in visual communication.
Fine art, illustration, advertising and architecture have different portfolios and outcomes.
People who like visual problem-solving and critique.
What you will study
Universities do not teach the same modules. The lists below are a general shape, not a syllabus.
Year 1
- Visual language
- Type
- Software and print
Later years
- Live briefs
- Identity or digital design
- Major project
Skills
Useful before you start
- Visual ideas
- Willingness to be critiqued
Developed during the degree
- Typographic judgement
- Concept development
- Presentation
Teaching and assessment
Teaching often includes Studio, Critiques, Workshops.
Assessment often includes Portfolio, Projects.
Typical weekly commitment
Estimate. Studio courses expect independent making beyond class.
Entry requirements
Indicative patterns from published UK admissions information. Not an offer. Actual requirements vary by course, university and year. Pearson Edexcel International A Level and Cambridge International A Level are not treated as the same qualification as GCE A level.
Indicative requirements by qualification
The A-level band is the catalogue reference. IB and American lines come from the named university guides under the table. They are not a conversion every university uses, and they are not an offer.
| Qualification | Indicative requirements |
|---|---|
| A Levels | BBC–BBB. Art and design is the usual preparation. It is not offered in every school. A portfolio can carry more weight than a named subject. |
| IB Diploma | No UCL figure is stored for BBC or BBB. The stored UCL table runs from ABB to A*A*A. A required A-level subject must be Higher Level in UCL's rule. Each Higher Level subject in that table is at least 5. UCL equates A* to 7, A to 6 and B to 5. This is one university's table. |
| American curriculum | No Manchester social-sciences AP example is stored for BBC or BBB. Bristol publishes a GPA of 3.2, or 3.4 for competitive courses, and does not use one AP pattern for every degree. |
- University College London: Undergraduate entry requirements. Retrieved 2026-10-14. Not a universal rule.
- University of Manchester, School of Social Sciences: Americas country guide. Retrieved 2026-10-14. Not a universal rule.
- University of Manchester, Civil Engineering: USA country entry requirements. Retrieved 2026-10-14. Not a universal rule.
- University of Bristol: USA international qualifications. Retrieved 2026-10-14. Not a universal rule.
A-level subjects
Art and design is the usual preparation. It is not offered in every school. A portfolio can carry more weight than a named subject.
Often recommended: Art and Design.
Useful preparation: Computer Science.
GCSE and IGCSE
English at GCSE or IGCSE is commonly expected. Other subject grades vary. No single national threshold is stored.
Indicative only. Many offers depend on a portfolio, which is not a grade.
Other ways in
- A foundation diploma in art and design is a common preparation route, not a degree.
Admissions tests and extra requirements
No admissions test is stored as usual for this course. A university can still set one for a particular year.
Course costs
For many standard full-time courses in England, the home-fee maximum in 2026 to 2027 is Up to £9,790. This is the maximum standard full-time fee published for approved English providers with a TEF award and an access and participation plan. It is not the fee a named university charges, and it does not decide whether you pay home or international fees.
Clinical, laboratory and studio courses are not given a different home-fee figure here, because the regulated maximum is not the same thing as an international or clinical fee.
International tuition is set by each university and is not stored here. Clinical courses are often much higher than classroom-based courses. A school in Qatar does not decide home-fee status.
Source: Changes to tuition fees: 2026 to 2027 academic year. Retrieved 2026-10-14. Living costs, field trips and professional fees are not included.
Where you could study
UK degrees in this subject are numerous. This page does not list every university, because a list without a checked entry requirement would look more certain than it is.
No individual UK course page is stored yet for this subject. Use the university site.
No overseas course has been checked for this subject yet.
Where could this degree take you?
Graphic designer
Common route
A usual degree route. A portfolio matters as much as the certificate.
Marketing manager
Related, but not enough on its own
Design skill helps marketing teams. It is not a marketing management qualification.
Explore your pathway
A course sits between school subjects and a career. It does not guarantee either admission or a job.