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Graphic Design with Foundation Year at Sheffield Hallam University - UCAS

Course options

2025 - 2026
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There are other course options available which may have a different vacancy status or entry requirements – view the full list of options

Sheffield Hallam University has participated in the Teaching Excellence Framework. These ratings were awarded in 2023, for four years.

Open days

4Dec
Sheffield Hallam University - undergraduate and degree apprenticeship open evening
Undergraduate
15Feb
Sheffield Hallam University - undergraduate applicant open day
Undergraduate
22Mar
Sheffield Hallam University - undergraduate applicant open day
Undergraduate

Course summary

Please check the Sheffield Hallam University website for the latest information. Course summary

  • Develop the knowledge, skills and attributes of graphic design practices that reflect your values, interests and career aspirations.
  • Apply your skills in creative projects with professional and academic tutors and a rich industry network.
  • Experiment with traditional and future-facing analogue and digital technologies in our purpose-designed studios.
  • Showcase your work to the public and industry professionals via presentations, competitions and exhibitions.
If you don't meet the entry requirements for our BA (Hons) course, or you’d like extra preparation before starting degree-level study, we recommend you join the foundation year – which has been designed to encourage exploration and experimentation. Prepare yourself for a career in the expanding field of graphic design through projects which respond to social, technological, economic and political challenges. By the end of the course, you’ll have the professional skills and knowledge to start your career in graphic design and create design solutions for the future. This course also allows you to specialise in and receive a different named award – Graphic Design: User Experience (UX) – through focused project work in your final year. How you learn All our courses are designed around a set of key principles based on engaging you with the world, collaborating with others, challenging you to think in new ways, and providing you with a supportive environment in which you can thrive. Based in our bespoke studios, workshops, and digital spaces, you’ll become part of a dynamic and collaborative learning community. Together, you’ll undertake creative adventures, explore possibilities, and challenge conventions. Through our teaching, we help you unlock your potential to contribute as a creative thinker and doer and apply your knowledge to design practice, culture, society, and life systems. You learn through
  • Studio practice
  • Workshops
  • Technical demonstrations
  • Group and individual tutorials
  • Critiquing activities
  • Lectures
  • Guest talks
  • Live projects
Key themes You’ll be encouraged to develop your personal identity and unique style through a portfolio of practical work and active involvement in the industry, design identity and community. This work will demonstrate your unique strengths and interests to future employers when you graduate. You’ll explore design practices such as:
  • Typography and type design
  • Brand and visual identity
  • Publication design
  • Digital product design
  • User experience (UX)
  • Design for visual arts
  • Exhibition and installation design
  • Motion and narrative storytelling
We encourage and support experimentation, adopting a risk-based approach where anything is possible. Across the three years of your course, you’ll explore these approaches through the hand, head and heart:
  • Hand – emphasising risk through play and exploration, practical and experiential acquisition of knowledge and skills.
  • Head – emphasising user research, analysis and responsible contextual application and production, while reinforcing year 1 attributes, skills and knowledge.
  • Heart – emphasising the development and realisation of practitioner identity through a portfolio of practice and engagement with industry, design identity and community, while reinforcing year 1 and 2 attributes, skills and knowledge.
Course support We’re a dedicated, qualified, and highly experienced teaching team, with world-leading research and recognised professional creative reputations, who take the time to get to know you. Applied learning Your course has been designed to embrace real-world challenges and provide you with the practical skills and knowledge to be successful.

Modules

Module and assessment information for future years is displayed as currently validated and may be liable to change. When selecting electives, your choices will be subject to the core requirements of the course. As a result, selections may be limited to a choice between one of two or more specified electives in some instances. You will be able to complete a placement year as part of this course. See the modules table below for further information. Year 1 Compulsory modules Foundation Projects — Developing Creative Practice Foundation Skills & Methods Year 2 Compulsory modules Graphic Design Journeys — Pathways & Disciplines Graphic Design Unbound — Principles & Skills Year 3 Compulsory modules Future Now: Collaboration In Action Graphic Design Impact — Context & Responsibility Graphic Design Life — Making & Visibility Year 4 Optional modules Placement Year Final year Compulsory modules Graphic Design Being - Portfolio & Practice Graphic Design Community — Collaboration & Participation

Assessment method

Coursework

How to apply

29Jan

This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.

Application codes

Please select a course option – you will then see the application code you need to use to apply for the course.

Points of entry

The following entry points are available for this course:

  • Foundation

Entry requirements

Qualification requirements

If your application is successful you will receive an email inviting you to submit your portfolio by email and submission details by an online google form. The portfolio helps us understand whether we are able to offer you a place on the course you’ve applied for. Your UCAS statement and portfolio provide you with the opportunity to demonstrate your creative experience, potential ability and enthusiasm for the course you’ve applied for. Visit our portfolio review guidance

Please click the following link to find out more about qualification requirements for this course

https://www.shu.ac.uk/courses/art-and-design/ba-honours-graphic-design-with-foundation-year/full-time

Additional entry requirements

Other

If your application is successful you will receive an email inviting you to submit your portfolio by email and submission details by an online google form. The portfolio helps us understand whether we are able to offer you a place on the course you’ve applied for. Your UCAS statement and portfolio provide you with the opportunity to demonstrate your creative experience, potential ability and enthusiasm for the course you’ve applied for. Visit our portfolio review guidance

English language requirements

If English is not your first language, you will need an IELTS score of 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in all skills or equivalent. If your English language skill is currently below IELTS 6.0 we recommend you consider either the International Foundation Programme: Art, Design and Media or Sheffield Hallam University Pre-sessional English course which will enable you to achieve an equivalent English score.

Please click the following link to find out more about English language requirements for this course

https://www.shu.ac.uk/courses/art-and-design/ba-honours-graphic-design-with-foundation-year/full-time

Student Outcomes

Operated by the Office for Students

There is no data available for this course. For further information visit the Discover Uni website.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

Channel Islands £9535 Year 1
Republic of Ireland £9535 Year 1
England £9535 Year 1
Northern Ireland £9535 Year 1
Scotland £9535 Year 1
Wales £9535 Year 1
EU £17155 Year 1
International £17155 Year 1

Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website .

Additional fee information

Our tuition fee for UK students on full-time undergraduate degree courses in 2025/26 is £9,535 per year. These fees are regulated by the UK government and therefore subject to change in future years. During your placement year you will pay a reduced fee of £1,200. We are currently reviewing our tuition fees for the foundation year stage of this course following the Government announcement of fee changes for some foundation year courses and will confirm fees as soon as possible. If you are studying an undergraduate course, postgraduate pre-registration course or postgraduate research course over more than one academic year then your tuition fees may increase in subsequent years in line with Government regulations or UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) published fees. More information can be found at https://www.shu.ac.uk/study-here/terms-and-conditions-and-student-regulations under student fees regulations. Our tuition fee for International/EU students starting full-time study in 2025/26 is £17,155 per year. During your placement year you will pay a reduced fee of £1,200. Please refer to our website for up-to-date information on costs and fees: https://www.shu.ac.uk/study-here/undergraduate/fees

Sponsorship information

Scholarships, discounts and bursaries may be available to students who study this course.

Graphic Design with Foundation Year at Sheffield Hallam University - UCAS