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Graphic Design (with integrated foundation year) at University of Cumbria - UCAS

Course options

2024 - 20252025 - 2026
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University of Cumbria has participated in the Teaching Excellence Framework. These ratings were awarded in 2023, for four years.

Course summary

Have alternative qualifications or don't quite meet our entry criteria? No problem. If you’re looking for a graphic design foundation course that will develop your skills and confidence in a supportive, dynamic environment, look no further. Your introductory year will give you the technical expertise and knowledge to progress to our highly respected undergraduate degree in graphic design. Course Overview To break into the competitive but rewarding graphic design industry, you’ll need an exciting portfolio, excellent subject knowledge, the skills to use the latest professional equipment and technology – and your own unique flair in creatively solving communication problems. So, if you’re looking for a graphic design foundation course that enables you to learn graphic design from industry experts and develop the skills and confidence needed to kick-start your graphic design career, look no further. Your introductory year will give you the technical expertise and knowledge to progress to our highly respected BA (Hons) Graphic Design course. Following your foundation year, our hands-on course is designed to take you to your creative limits and graduate with the confidence, experience and skills that are so sought after by employers in this highly selective but exciting industry. On this course you will...

  • Develop an appreciation of the key theories and contexts that influence graphic design today.
  • Develop a portfolio of graphic design work that demonstrates your understanding, visual skills and critical judgement.
  • Work on industry-led briefs enabling you to develop autonomy, creativity and professionalism.
  • Develop a range of industry-standard skills: idea generation, design development, typography, layout, 3D graphics, motion graphics, digital artwork, presentation skills, etc.
  • Undertake group projects which simulate the workflow of a professional studio.
What you will learn You will work closely with illustrators exploring the fundamental principles of visual communication and many of the core principles and considerations are shared between the two disciplines, As well as visual communication skills, you will also develop the personal management, interpersonal and team working skills that will help you to deal with the challenges of the exciting, fast-changing industry that you’re a part of during and after life as a student. From Semester 2 onwards your learning will become ever more specialised and industry-focused. This enables you to develop specialist skills and understanding in such diverse areas as typography, editorial and book design, branding and identity, packaging, motion graphics, exhibition design, etc. Year One
  • Making Images
  • Making Objects
  • Visual Enquiry
  • Environment
  • Portfolio and Progression
Year Two
  • Introducing Visual Communication
  • Cultural Contexts
  • Multi-Dimensional Graphic Design
  • Collaborative Practice
Year Three
  • The Designer's Toolkit
  • Type & Typography
  • Graphic Design Projects
  • The Critical Designer
Year Four
  • Advanced Design Projects
  • Independent Research Paper
  • Graphic Design Showcase

Modules

Foundation year - Compulsory modules: Visual Literacy, Technical Processes, Applied Visual Practice, Design Cultures. Year one - Compulsory Modules: Design Fundamentals, Design in Context 1, Communicating Ideas, Thinking through Image-Making. Year two - Compulsory modules: Principles of Graphic Design, Principles of Multimedia, Exploration of Graphic Design, Design in Context 2. Year three - Compulsory modules: Graphic Design Application, Professional Context, Graphic Design Practice, Professional Practice.

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

Course code:
W215
Institution code:
C99
Campus name:
Carlisle - Brampton Road
Campus code:
B

Points of entry

The following entry points are available for this course:

  • Foundation

Entry requirements

Qualification requirements

If you are over 21 and returning to study after being in relevant employment for a minimum of 3 years and do not meet the published entry requirements for Year 1 of our degree courses, please do not assume you are not qualified to join us. Our experienced Admissions and Academic staff will review your prior qualifications and professional experience to support your application. The Integrated Foundation Year programmes support your return to education and are specifically designed for students who have the ability to study for a degree but may not have all the necessary qualifications, skills or experience to join the degree in Year 1. Contact our Course Enquiries Team for more information.

Additional entry requirements

Interview

Portfolio

Student Outcomes

Operated by the Office for Students
75%
Employment after 15 months (Most common jobs)
95%
Go onto work and study

The number of student respondents and response rates can be important in interpreting the data – it is important to note your experience may be different from theirs. This data will be based on the subject area rather than the specific course. Read more about this data on the Discover Uni website.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

EU £9250 Year 1
England £9250 Year 1
Northern Ireland £9250 Year 1
Scotland £9250 Year 1
Wales £9250 Year 1
International £13575 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

These fees are for the first year only. For years 2 - 4, the BA or BSc fee will apply. Visit www.cumbria.ac.uk/studentfinance for more information about student fees and finance, and for details about our alumni discount.
Graphic Design (with integrated foundation year) at University of Cumbria - UCAS