MA Graphic Design

For our students coming from a non-UK educational background, UCA has launched an Integrated International Pre-Masters year. On this course you’ll prepare for postgraduate study with a mix of online and face-to-face learning that will give you the study skills required to complete a Master’s, and you’ll also improve your English for academic study.

You’ll begin your year examining your own practice and developing your research skills – these units will run throughout the year as you build towards your Major Project.

Practice and Process
During this unit, you'll examine the advanced specialist tools, methods, concepts and processes relevant to graphic design practice through a series of projects, workshops and advanced technical sessions that relate to your own research and aspirations.

Research Methods
This unit enables you to undertake a focused and rigorous investigation into the purpose and process of research at postgraduate level within the field of Graphic Design.

As you build upon the topics covered in Term one and continue honing your practice and research, you'll begin to develop your ideas for your Major Project.

Professional Practice
This unit will enable you to develop a framework within which to formulate your Major Project. You'll undertake a rigorous investigation into existing practice - researching, questioning, challenging, debating and addressing key debates relating to Graphic Design.

Major Project: Conceptualization and Development
The Major Project is the culmination of your studies and will form an exposition of the central ideas and concepts developed throughout your MA. It is an opportunity to resolve previous projects and demonstrate evidence of advanced conceptual, theoretical and technical capability over a period of self-directed study.

Major Project: Continuation and Realisation
With all three of the year’s units still continuing to support you and encourage you in your work, you’ll spend the final term producing and refining your Major Project.

The body of work you produce should draw upon your experience prior to this MA, the work you have developed in the other units and your aspiration for work or further study on graduation.

Tuition fees - 2024 entry

UK students:

• MA course - £10,500

EU students:

• MA course - £10,500 (see fee discount information)

International students:

• Integrated International Pre-Masters course (30 weeks) - £17,500
• Integrated International Pre-Masters course (15 weeks) - £8,750
• MA course - £18,000

Further information
The fees listed here are correct for the stated academic year only. For more detailed information about our course fees and any financial support you may be entitled to please see our fees and finance pages.

Financial support

There are lots of ways you can access additional financial support to help you fund your studies - both from UCA and from external sources.

Discover what support you might qualify for please see our financial support information

UCA scholarships and fee discounts

At UCA we have a number of scholarships and fee discounts available to assist you with the cost of your studies.

You'll find everything you need to know for your level of study on our scholarships page.

Additional course costs
In addition to the tuition fees there may be other costs for your course. The things that you are likely to need to budget for to get the most out of a creative arts education will include books, printing costs, occasional or optional study trips and/or project materials.

These costs will vary according to the nature of your project work and the individual choices that you make. Please see the Additional Course Costs section of your Course Information for details of the costs you may incur.

You'll benefit from well-established industry links with corporate, media, cultural and creative organisations.

Our course has links with:

• Design Bridge
• Pearlfisher (design group)
• FutureBrand
• The Brewery
• The BBC
• Imagine
• Bloom
• Interbrand

We also have regular guest lecturers and recent guests have included:

• Richard Williams - Founder of Williams Murray Hamm
• Tim Perkins - Group Director of Design Bridge
• Philip Carter - Founder of Carter Wong Tomlin
• Helen Healy - Picture Editor for the Guardian newspaper

MA Graphic Design alumni go on to work in a diverse variety of exciting careers. Employment opportunities include:

• Graphic design
• Museum design
• Web or interactive design
• Picture editing
• Freelance design or illustration
• Brand design
• Packaging design
• Retail design
• Art direction
• Design management.

You may also wish to progress onto a PhD or MPhil research degree.

MA course

• A good honours degree or equivalent qualification in a related discipline
  
  

and/or

• Relevant work experience, demonstrating your ability to study at postgraduate level.
  
  

Consideration will also be given to applicants who can make a strong case for admission in relation to a particular project and can demonstrate their potential to satisfactorily complete the course.

Portfolio requirements

For this course we will need to see your portfolio for review. We’ll invite you to attend an Applicant Day so you can have your portfolio review in person, meet the course team and learn more about your course. Further information will be provided once you have applied.

MA course

The entry requirements will depend on the country your qualifications are from, please check the equivalent qualifications for your country:

• Non-UK equivalent qualifications

Any additional entry requirements listed in the UK requirements section, e.g., subject requirements, work experience or professional qualifications, also apply to international applicants applying with equivalent qualifications.

Portfolio requirements

For this course we will need to see your portfolio for review. We’ll invite you to attend an Applicant Day so you can have your portfolio review in person, meet the course team and learn more about your course. Further information will be provided once you have applied.

MA course with Integrated International Pre-Masters course

• A recognised bachelor degree or 3 year diploma with a strong portfolio in a relevant subject.

Any additional entry requirements listed in the UK requirements section, e.g., subject requirements, work experience or professional qualifications, also apply to international applicants applying with equivalent qualifications.

Portfolio requirements

For this course we will need to see your portfolio for review. We’ll invite you to attend an Applicant Day so you can have your portfolio review in person, meet the course team and learn more about your course. Further information will be provided once you have applied.

English language requirements

To study at UCA, you'll need to have a certain level of English language skill. And so, to make sure you meet the requirements of your course, we ask for evidence of your English language ability, please chcek the level of English language required:

• English language requirements