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Graphic Design at University of Portsmouth - 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

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

Course summary

This is a Connected Degree Portsmouth is the only University in the UK with the flexibility to choose when to do an optional paid placement or self-employed year. Either take a placement in your third year, or finish your studies first and complete a placement in your fourth year. You can decide if and when to take a placement after you've started your course. Overview On this BA (Hons) Graphic Design degree, you’ll develop your own visual style, with an emphasis on developing your confidence applying digital and traditional design skills. We have an exceptional list of professional connections gained from our industry-active, research-led teaching staff. With opportunities to specialise in your area of interest and win awards from prestigious graphic design bodies, you’ll build an inspiring design profile that no employer can resist. Graphic design is a cornerstone of many industries, so you'll have lots of career options after graduation. If you want to start in web design, advertising, branding, and other media, or advance to a Master's: now is your time to explore. Course highlights

  • Show your Adobe expertise to industry peers by gaining an Adobe Certified Professional (ACP) qualification
  • Hone vital design techniques – including screen printing, letterpress, laser cutting and dye sublimation printing – using our specialist facilities
  • Get your talent recognised by entering international competitions by renowned organisation Design and Art Direction (D&AD), the Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufacture and Commerce (RSA), and the South West Digital Design Awards (SWDDA)
  • Elevate your professional profile by becoming a member of the esteemed International Society of Typographic Designers (iSTD)
  • Impress future employers by showcasing your work at our annual Graduate Show
  • Experience the graphic design profession by taking a one-year placement – either with a company or by setting up your own
  • Connect with companies and communities by taking part in events like the Dyson Challenge Week
Careers and opportunities With the skills and knowledge you gain from this course, you can work across a variety of creative industries. In 15 months after graduating, 90% of Graphic Design graduates have already started work or are pursuing further studies (HESA Graduate Outcomes Survey 2019), so you'll be in excellent company. Areas you could work in include magazine design publishing, branding and design, advertising, web design, and TV and film. You could also set up your own business, work as a freelancer, or go on to postgraduate study. Graduate destinations Companies and studios our graduates have worked at include:
  • Why Not Associates
  • Aardman Digital
  • The Light Surgeons
  • Fitch
  • 4IV
  • Rubrik
  • FHM Magazine
  • Graduate startups
Some businesses our graduates have started up include:
  • Territory Studio
  • Bright Agency
  • Debut Art
  • Strong Island
  • MWM Creative
  • Lethal Creative Studio
  • iLoveDust
Ongoing careers support Get experience while you study, with support to find part-time jobs, volunteering opportunities, and work experience. Towards the end of your degree and for up to five years after graduation, you’ll receive one-to-one support from our Graduate Recruitment Consultancy to help you find your perfect role.

Modules

Year 1

  • Information Design (20 credits)
  • Introduction to Graphic Design (20 credits)
  • Introduction to Visual Culture (Graphic Design) (20 credits)
  • Research-Informed Design Thinking (20 credits)
  • Screen Design - Motion Graphics (20 credits)
  • Typography and Layout (20 credits)
Year 2 Core modules
  • Editorial Design (20 credits)
  • Ethical Design (20 credits)
  • Professional Practice - Design Studio Practice (20 credits)
  • User Experience Design (20 credits)
Optional modules
  • Engaged Citizenship Through Interdisciplinary Practice (20 credits)
  • Experimental Practice - Hyper Graphics (20 credits)
  • Professional Experience (20 credits)
  • Student Enterprise (20 credits)
  • The Hidden Lives of Things: Material Culture in the Early Modern World (20 credits)
  • Visions of the Past: the Artist/Designer As Historian (20 credits)
  • Visual Culture: Issues of Representation (20 credits)
  • Visual Culture: the Body in Practice (20 credits)
Changes to course content We use the best and most current research and professional practice alongside feedback from our students to make sure course content is relevant to your future career or further studies. Therefore, some course content may change over time to reflect changes in the discipline or industry. If a module doesn't run, we'll let you know as soon as possible and help you choose an alternative module. Year 3 Core modules
  • Major Project in Graphic Design - Research and Development (20 credits)
  • Major Project in Graphic Design - Resolution and Presentation (20 credits)
  • Professional Practice - Design Briefs and Competitions (20 credits)
  • Professional Practice - Independent Design Practice (20 credits)
  • Professional Practice - Promotion and Employability (20 credits)
Optional modules
  • Visual Culture: Dissertation (20 credits)
- Visual Culture: Research Project (20 credits)

Assessment method

Not a fan of exams? Don't worry – there aren't any on this course. Instead, you can let your designs do the talking. You’ll be assessed through:

  • project presentations
  • research and developmental work
  • design portfolios
  • written essays or reports
You’ll be able to test your skills and knowledge informally before you do assessments that count towards your final mark. You can get feedback on all practice and formal assessments so you can improve in the future. The way you’re assessed may depend on the modules you select. As a guide, students on this course last year were typically assessed as follows:
  • Year 1 students: 100% by coursework
  • Year 2 students: 100% by coursework
- Year 3 students: 100% by 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:

  • Year 1
  • Year 2
  • Year 3

Entry requirements for advanced entry (i.e. into Year 2 and beyond)

We welcome applications for advanced entry. If you’d like to apply for advanced entry, you need to select the required year when you complete your UCAS application.

Entry requirements

Qualification requirements

Additional entry requirements

Portfolio

All applicants will be asked to provide a digital portfolio of work.

English language requirements

TestGradeAdditional details
IELTS (Academic)6English language proficiency at a minimum of IELTS band 6.0 with no component score below 5.5.
Cambridge English AdvancedCambridge English: Advanced (CAE) (taken after January 2015). An overall score of 169 with no component score less than 162.
Cambridge English ProficiencyCambridge English: Proficiency (CPE) (taken after January 2015). An overall score of 169 with no component score less than 162.
PTE Academic62An overall score of 62 with a minimum of 59 in each skill.
TOEFL (iBT)7979 with a minimum of 18 in Reading, 17 in Listening, 20 in Speaking and 17 in Writing.
Trinity ISEPassTrinity College Integrated Skills in English (ISE) Level III with a Pass in all 4 components.

Student Outcomes

Operated by the Office for Students
90%
Employment after 15 months (Most common jobs)
100%
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 £9535 Year 1
England £9535 Year 1
Northern Ireland £9535 Year 1
Scotland £9535 Year 1
Wales £9535 Year 1
Channel Islands £9535 Year 1
Republic of Ireland £9535 Year 1
International £17200 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

Students who are resident in EU countries: please note that the net fee is inclusive of the Transition Scholarship Placement Year and Year abroad (at the time of publishing for 2025/26): UK/Channel Islands and Isle of Man students – £1,430 EU – £1,430 International (Non-EU) – £2,875. Fees are accurate at the time of publishing and are subject to change at any time without notice. Please check the course page on our website for the most up to date fee information All fees are subject to annual increase. For more information about fees, go to port.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/undergraduate-fees-and-student-finance/tuition-fees-living-costs-and-other-study-costs
Graphic Design at University of Portsmouth - UCAS