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Join the Future of Graphic Design
Are you ready to enter the exciting world of graphic design and build a rewarding career? Our newly revamped ‘BA (Hons) Graphic Design: Branding, Promotion, and Digital Design’ (flexible learning) degree programme is designed to give you the skills, knowledge, and confidence to excel within the fast-paced graphic design industry.
What Sets Our Course Apart?
Our course content is thoroughly modernised, focusing on the latest trends, tools, and techniques. From dynamic branding strategies to the latest digital design practices, every module is crafted to reflect current industry standards. This ensures that you are not just designers, but adaptable, forward-thinking professionals ready to make an impact.
We’ve reimagined our curriculum with fresh, exciting module titles that immediately grab your attention. These modules are designed to be both inspiring and practical, offering you hands-on experience with the latest in branding, promotion, and digital design. You’ll explore everything from immersive user experiences to cutting-edge digital campaigns, making you highly competitive in the job market.
We’re committed to providing more than just an education; we’re offering you a gateway into the design industry. With a curriculum that resonates with current trends, we’re attracting a wide range of guest speakers, forging new industry partnerships, and creating opportunities for real-world collaborations. These connections will help you build a strong professional network before you even graduate.
Our course isn’t just about learning the fundamentals – it’s about preparing you for the future. With a focus on innovation and creativity, you’ll be encouraged to explore your ideas deeply, challenging yourself to push the boundaries of what’s possible in graphic design. Your portfolio will not only reflect your talent but also your readiness to meet the demands of a constantly evolving industry.
We understand the importance of collaboration and interaction in a modern educational environment. That’s why we’ve integrated screen-based technology to seamlessly connect on-campus students with distance learners. Whether you’re in the classroom or studying remotely, you’ll be able to engage in real-time discussions, work on group projects, and participate in live critiques. This ensures that all students, regardless of location, benefit from the same high-quality educational experience and the opportunity to build a network of peers and contacts.
As a graduate, you will leave our programme with a portfolio that’s aligned with the latest industry standards. You’ll be equipped to step directly into the professional world, whether you’re seeking employment or launching a freelance career. Employers are looking for designers who are knowledgeable, adaptable, and ready to contribute – and that’s exactly what you’ll become.
Join the Future of Graphic Design
Start your journey by enrolling on the BA (Hons) Graphic Design: Branding, Promotion, and Digital Design (flexible learning) programme, and realise your aspirations to become a leading graphic design professional. With our forward-thinking curriculum and strong industry connections, you’ll graduate ready to make your own unique and individual mark.
Student Work
Satisfy your creative thirst.
Our wide range of inspiring student projects aim to satisfy your thirst for creativity. The BA (Hons) Graphic Design programme encourages personal development, and you will have endless opportunities to produce exciting and commercially viable work that expresses your creativity and individuality as a designer. Achievement and a successful career in the digital design and branding industry will be the ultimate reward for your time spent studying with us.
Click here to download student work booklet (PDF)
Project Development Journals
Peeling away the creative process.
Although physical sketchbooks are used for ideas generation, and experimentation with traditional techniques and materials, students on our degree course submit all of their work in a digital project development journal (PDJ). This includes everything they have produced, from research and development stages to their final outcomes. The digital format allows students to add, refine, and change the order of content, which is more difficult to do with a traditional sketchbook. The following examples demonstrate the ways in which our students work, and how they present their final project development journals for assessments.
Click here to download project development journal booklet (PDF)
Portfolio Preparation
Portfolio flavour.
When it comes to attending a portfolio interview, preparation is everything. You should arrange your best work in such a way that it showcases your skills and allows you to speak confidently about each piece or project. Although we will spend time focusing on your creative abilities, we also want to find out more about you, your interests, and aspirations for the future. Our guidance booklet will help to ensure that your interview runs smoothly, and your work is well organised.
Click here to download portfolio preparation booklet (PDF)
Alumni
Tasting success.
Your academic reward for three years of hard work and determination is a degree certificate that helps you to get ‘a foot in the door’ of the design industry. Although this is a requirement and a necessity for many employers, what they really want to see is evidence of your skills as a designer. This doesn’t only include technical proficiency; they also want to know how you think, how inventive you are, how your work stands apart from others, and how interesting you are as a unique individual. Your work should speak for itself in terms of your passions, focus, and career ambitions. Our graphic design graduates work for a wide range of agencies, businesses, and organisations around the world. Here is just a small sample of their successes.
Click here to download alumni booklet (PDF)
Click here to view our alumni online
Final Shows
Celebrating every drop of creativity.
Our on-campus, end of year shows celebrates our students’ hard work, when they showcase their designs and promote themselves to industry representatives and members of the public. The third-year degree students choose exciting Final Major Project themes and these result in stand designs that include physical, as well as digital artwork. Professional graphic designers are invited to our private view, when they can talk to students and learn more about their skills and career ambitions. The accompanying booklet shows the wide range of themes that our students have worked on. They will hopefully inspire you to follow the same path and aspire to gain employment as a successful graphic designer, after studying with us.
Click here to download final shows booklet (PDF)
Our Staff
Simon Gomes MA
BA Graphic Design Course Leader
My main specialisms are advertising, branding, and visual identity design. I have experience of working on design projects for national/international education institutions, charities, and small businesses.
Lauren Thrumble (Cert Ed, BA Hons)
FE & HE Lecturer
I attained my Level 5 Teaching Qualification in Education & Training in 2019 and went on to study a Bachelor of Arts Honours Degree in Education & Professional Development.
This course includes the following core modules that all students complete:
Level 4 Year 1
Broaden your design knowledge and work with a range of techniques and processes for experimental projects that are open to individual interpretation.
GD401: Design Inspiration 1 (20 credits)
GD402: Decoding and Constructing Type (20 credits)
GD403: The Digital Domain (20 credits)
GD404: Employment Practice and Portfolio Building 1 (20 credits)
GD405: Branding Fundamentals (20 credits)
GD406: Clients and Competitions 1 (20 credits)
Level 5 Year 2
Use the skills from level 4 to produce project work with a strategic, commercial focus.
GD501: Design Inspiration 2 (20 credits)
GD502: Strategic Thinking and Visual Persuasion (20 credits)
GD503: Digital Branding and Promotion (20 credits)
GD504: Layout Design form Print and Screen (20 credits)
GD505: Type in Motion (20 credits)
GD506: Employment Practice and Portfolio Building 2 (20 credits)
Level 6 Year 3
Demonstrate your ability to articulate your advanced design knowledge and skills through the production of engaging commercial/competition briefs and final major project work.
GD601: Industry and Business Practice (20 credits)
GD602: Social, Cultural, Environmental, and Ethical Practice (20 credits)
GD603: Clients and Competitions 2 (20 credits)
GD604: Self-Promotional Branding (20 credits)
GD605: Final Major Project (40 credits)
Contact
Online platforms (recorded Microsoft Teams sessions), student forums, one-to-one and group tutorials, and email feedback. All project handbooks and learning support materials and are made available to access online.
Feedback
As you progress through your studies, ongoing feedback and suggestions are provided on work and personal performance. Tutor and peer recommendations are constructive and identify where improvements can be made.
Community
The course continues to build and maintain a vibrant student community. Group sessions and forums play an integral and invaluable role in ensuring that all online students feel fully supported in their studies. You will make regular and ongoing use of online platforms to share your work and record your on-going learning journey.
Occasional changes to modules and course content may take place. Students will be notified when applicable.
The primary way of delivering this course is online and teaching includes a combination of recorded lectures, small group seminars, workshops, presentations, guest lectures, and one to one discussions with your tutor.
Assessment Methods
- Digital project research, development and outcomes’ journals
- Digital design portfolio
- Reports and essays
- Presentations
- End of Year Show
Students will receive 12 hours of teaching time per week throughout this course. Additional one-to-one online meetings with tutors will provide further support. Online students will also have the opportunity to collaborate and share work with their on-campus peers during sessions.
Entry requirements would usually be one of the following:
- 48 UCAS Tariff Points – Level 3 qualifications, these may include: A Level or BTEC National Diploma (PPP) or a Foundation Diploma, in a relevant subject area · Access to HE Diploma in an art related programme with at least 45 credits at Level 3 Recognition of Prior Certificated Learning (RPCL) Recognition of Prior Experience (RPEL)
We welcome applications from people of any age who might not meet the standard entry criteria, but we would expect to see evidence of continuing academic and/or professional development and a capacity to pursue the course successfully. As part of the application process, a digital portfolio of art and design-related work must be presented to evidence creative ability and suitability for the course. If you have been out of formal education for some time, and/or you do not have the qualifications stated, we might still be able to consider your application and offer you a range of support.
Portfolio Requirements
1. We accept both physical and digital PDF portfolios, and portfolio websites. However, we are seeing fewer students present their work in physical portfolios, as digital versions can be more easily updated, and with the integration of more contemporary technology they can also include examples of website design, motion graphics, animation, and video work.
2. Once we have received your application, we will ask to see evidence of art and design work (ideally submitted as an A3 landscape PDF portfolio). This allows us to review and discuss your work before a formal interview. We will have your work on a screen, but if you wish, you can also show a physical portfolio to discuss your work further.
3. When considering which projects to show at your interview, we recommend selecting between 5-10 well-presented creative projects, and evidence of 2-3 essays/reports (to assess your written communication skills).
4. Include your strongest project at the start of your portfolio, with another in the middle, and one at the end.
5. Your creative projects should provide evidence of your methodical ongoing process – from research to the development of ideas and concepts, and realisation of completed outcomes. We are looking for inventiveness and depth of thought.
6. We will need to see evidence of initial sketches and digital development. This should be supported by ongoing evaluative notes that explain your decision-making process.
7. We will assess how your work has applied colour, type and layout, illustration, and/or photography.
8. Ensure that each project is clearly labelled with a heading and include a short description (around 100 words) that explains project requirements, as well as an overview of your resulting creative strategy.
9. We want to gain a good idea of your computer software skills, although this is covered as part of the first year, to ensure all students have the necessary skills to complete their work.
If you have any questions about our portfolio requirements or the interview process, please feel free to contact the Programme Leader at simon.gomes@don.ac.uk
Our graphic design graduates can gain a variety of job roles depending on their skills, interests, and career goals. Some common job roles that graphic design graduates can pursue include:
- Graphic Designer: This is the most obvious job role for a graphic design graduate. A graphic designer is responsible for creating visual concepts and print/digital designs for various mediums, such as visual identity programmes, websites, logos, brochures, packaging, and advertising.
- Brand Identity Designer: A brand identity designer creates and designs the visual elements that represent a company, such as the logo, typography, colour scheme, and other branding elements. They work with marketing teams to create a cohesive and recognisable brand identity.
- Packaging Designer: A packaging designer creates and designs the packaging for various products, including food, cosmetics, and electronics. They focus on creating visually appealing and functional packaging that protects the product and enhances its appeal.
- Art Director: An art director is responsible for overseeing the visual aspects of a project, such as advertising campaigns, magazines, or websites. They work closely with the creative team and ensure that the design meets the client’s needs and project goals.
- User Experience (UX/UI) Designer: A UX/UI designer is responsible for creating the user interface and experience of a digital product or service, such as a website or mobile app. They focus on usability, functionality, and aesthetics to create an intuitive and enjoyable user experience.
- Motion Graphics Designer: A designer working in this area produces unique, animated screen-based graphics for branding, promotion, and social media, such as kinetic and three-dimensional typography, and motion posters.
- Web Designer: A web designer creates and designs websites, including layout, graphics, and navigation. They work with developers to ensure that the design is functional and responsive across different devices.
- Creative Director: A creative director oversees the entire creative process, from concept development to execution. They work with designers, writers, and other creative professionals to ensure that the project meets the client’s needs and goals.
Depending on graduates’ interests and areas of personal focus, they can explore more specific careers in illustration, animation, advertising, copywriting, and marketing.
Financial Support
UK students can take out a tuition fee loan to cover the cost of their course and a maintenance loan to cover living costs.
We also have a range of other financial support available.
Course Fees
UK
£7940 per Year.
Additional Costs
Your Tuition fees cover most costs associated with your course (including registration, tuition, and assessment).
There may be some extra costs that you might need to make, or choose to pay, to further support your studies. For example:
- Books (you will have access to books from your module reading lists in the HE library and in PDF format, but you may want to buy additional publications of specific interest).
- Adobe training learning manual: £20.
- Printing and photocopying (annual cost): £10.
- Specialist Mac or PC Laptop: £300 – £600
- Basic Drawing equipment (sketchbooks, pens, pencil, ruler): £30
Financial Support for Learners
Various additional funding opportunities may be available to students. These include short-term loans (bridging loans) for students awaiting student finance payments, with applications accepted throughout the year, and the Student Opportunity Fund, providing non-repayable financial assistance based on individual circumstances, open for application annually from October/November. Other options include the Low-Income Bursary and Care Leavers Bursary, both offering £500 and requiring specific eligibility criteria. Additionally, exemptions from council tax for full-time students and specific bursaries such as the Initial Teacher Education Bursary are provided. Moreover, there’s support available for disabled students, including the Disabled Student Allowance and Additional Learning Support for those with long-term mental, physical, or specific learning difficulties, with confidential assistance and adjustments offered in accordance with the Equality Act (2010). To access support or discuss needs, students are encouraged to contact the Additional Learning Support team.
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