Course summary

Marketing materials created by graphic designers and advertising professionals influence our choices every day. The University of Bolton's BA (Hons) Graphic Design with Advertising will prepare you for a career in this exciting and ever-changing field of visual communication. We'll support you in developing the skills to create media for screen and print, using typography, photography and illustrative skills to grab attention and communicate ideas, values and emotions in a matter of seconds. Every day, we read adverts, engage with websites and spend money based on choices influenced by marketing messages delivered through graphic design and advertising. We digest information on health, wellbeing, sustainability and thousands of other topics because graphic designers and advertising professionals produce content for digital and traditional media. By studying for your BA (Hons) Graphic Design with Advertising with foundation year course at the University of Bolton, you can develop essential knowledge and understanding of graphic design and advertising principles and practices, ready to start your career in this exciting profession. Our expert team will guide you as you learn to creatively combine ideation, photography, illustration, typography, and copywriting to communicate messages for clients ranging from big brands to small businesses and political parties to health providers. You'll learn how to grab your audience's attention and inform and persuade them of new information or trends. The foundation year allows you to discover and strengthen research, design, practical and communication skills that are essential for success as you study Graphic Design and Advertising. You'll explore an array of core techniques relating to the creative arts industries, including drawing, painting, sculpting, and finishing techniques, investigating both traditional and digital technologies. The foundation year also aims to build your confidence in academic skills such as literature searching, academic referencing and written and oral communication techniques. Following the foundation level, your studies will focus on graphic design and advertising. The course is designed to help you understand the creative and technical possibilities of contemporary graphic image-making, coupled with great typography and driven by original thinking. We'll encourage you to explore the theoretical and historical elements that influence design and think critically about your own work and that of others. We'll also focus on helping you develop career-relevant skills. Creativity, technical knowledge, problem-solving, teamwork, independence, time management, and communication skills are all essential for success as a professional graphic designer or advertising professional. This industry has seen massive changes in working methods, practices and media in recent years. However, the creative thought process that designers employ remains the same. Designers use words and images to communicate messages and meanings. These new developments continually add to the creative possibilities and excitement of a career in this sector, so we'll support you in developing the lifelong learning skills you'll need to adapt and thrive. You'll learn to take ownership of your professional development, maximising your potential for success and enjoyment of the creative process, all while experiencing life at our supportive, student-focused, multicultural campus.