Name: Graphic Design, MA
Price: £9,450 per year GBP

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Attendance

Campus

Start

Duration

1 year

Start

September 2025

Delivery

In-person

On our MA Graphic Design course you’ll have the opportunity to develop your own choice of personal topics within the wide arena of visual communication. This will be guided by your research and support from your supervisor.

The course is rooted in visual communication research, underpinned by theory, with an emphasis on enabling you to develop a very personal body of practical work. We’ll encourage you to generate a unique line of enquiry through developing new ideas and challenging traditional design boundaries. By the end of your programme, you should have generated a contemporary body of work that has advanced your skills to a professional level in preparation for your future in the creative industries.

The course modules challenge you to advance your critical and creative thinking skills in graphic design, across both traditional and digital media, whether that involves getting to grips with established graphics disciplines like typography, editorial, branding and packaging, or working with digital tools to create concepts for moving image, websites, apps and other new media.

You’ll be taught in a friendly studio atmosphere with the opportunity to mix with all the other MA students in the School. You will be able to explore various traditional print techniques, such as letterpress and screenprint in our specialist workshops. Then we have a full spectrum of digital print facilities for large format printing onto different material, laser cutting and 3D printing.

Why study with us

The opportunity for a structured work experience will be provided for every student who requests it.
You’ll have access to an excellent library of traditional and digital books/magazines and computers loaded with the latest industry software (such as the Adobe Creative Suite).
Study trips are an important part of the research activity that brings design to life. We’ve taken students on study trips to London, Berlin, Amsterdam and New York in recent years.

Interested?

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Flora talks about her time studying here

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2020 Degree Show - work by Julia Norris

What you'll do

You’ll get to attend lectures from guest speakers and practicing designers who are at the top of their profession.
Every year we hold a Design Conference Week featuring various guest speakers from all areas of graphic design, branding, advertising, illustration, media and digital design.
At the end of the course your work will go on display at a public exhibition.

Modules

This module will support you to make informed decisions of your critical position in the design industry. It'll direct you to establish a clear and critical rationale that will inform through research and underpin your practice decisions. You'll also develop your critical understanding of the philosophies, design strategies and design work of others by networking with relevant contacts.

Module code: DE4402

Utilise theoretical debate and discussion to stimulate analytical, creative and innovative responses to your practice. Advance key skill competences, investigative resources and creative vision. Deploy personal and professional interests and focus your creative practice. Specialise creative practice through informed research with an emphasis on cultural intelligence and a global outlook.

Module code: DE4405

This module provides the opportunity for you to realise your ideas and aspirations as identified in earlier modules through the successful completion of a major study. Encourage mastery of practice-based research through a complex and specialised area of design study. Enhance critical decision-making in complex and unpredictable solutions for the generation of new ideas in design thinking.

Module code: DE4409

Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of our published course information. However, our programmes are subject to ongoing review and development. Changing circumstances may cause alteration to, or the cancellation of, courses. Changes may be necessary to comply with the requirements of accrediting bodies or revisions to subject benchmarks statements. As well as to keep courses updated and contemporary, or as a result of student feedback. We reserve the right to make variations if we consider such action to be necessary or in the best interests of students.

Slide 1 of 1

What I love about my course is that all the tutors are passionate, friendly and supportive. There are lots of opportunities like working in a design agency with top designers, working on real life briefs and entering competitions.

Samiya Rahman

BA (Hons) Graphic Design
United Kingdom

Worldwise Learning Centre

Creative Simulation Zone

Academic expertise

Jonathan Harker

Course Leader

Future careers

Many of our graduates have gone on to secure high profile roles in leading graphic design and creative agencies, both nationally and internationally.

Graphic designers can work in many different areas, from traditional print for book design in the publishing industry and packaging design for the food and drink industry, to the digital arena of web design and new media. Often, the career path of an artist or designer does not take a particularly conventional route. Some graphic designers work on a freelance basis, while many work for design agencies or as part of in-house departments of larger companies. Life as a graphic designer can be exceedingly fast-paced, challenging and exciting.

A design related master’s degree can open doors to employment in a range of other exciting sectors, such as advertising, art and design, business and administration, hospitality and tourism, management consulting, marketing and PR, music and performing arts, retail and sales, recruitment and human resources, teaching and education, while a number of our graduates have gone on to set up and run their own independent businesses.

Other roles that could be explored with a design related master’s degree include:

Advertising Account Directive
Advertising Account Planner
Advertising Art Director
Archivist
Art Therapist
Brand Consultant
Broadcast Journalist
Community Arts Worker
Exhibition Designer
Fine Artist
Gallery Manager (Commercial)
Marketing Executive
Medical Illustrator
Museum/Gallery Exhibitions Officer
Photographer
Photographic Stylist
Press Officer
Press Photographer
Printmaker
Production Designer (Theatre, TV, Film)
Television Production Assistant
Visual Merchandiser

Entry requirements

Applicants should hold a 2:2 degree or equivalent professional experience or learning in a related field
Applications from all candidates will be considered on their merits
Professional experience in the field of graphic design or a related art and design area
IELTS: Score of 6.0 with no component lower than 5.5
A high level of achievement in undergraduate studies at a university elsewhere such as North America: Minimum overall GPA of 3.3 on a 4.0 scale
All applicants are requested to submit digital supporting material and where possible, will be invited to attend an interview with a portfolio of recent work

Fees and funding

2025/26

Full-time£9,450 per year

Part-time£1,050 per 20 credits

International

Full-time£17,900 per year

Scholarships and bursaries

We have a wide range of bursaries, scholarships and funds available to help support you whilst studying with us.

Select your country to see eligibility information and how to apply by selecting more info on the cards below.

Select your country/region

Dependants Bursary
Students with financially dependent children may be eligible for our Dependants Bursary as part of our financial support package. 
Find out more about Dependants Bursary
Carers Bursary
If you need extra support because you have unpaid caring responsibilities alongside your studies.
Find out more about Carers Bursary
Sports scholarships
We offer student athletes support and opportunities for their playing careers whilst they study a high-quality degree.
Find out more about Sports scholarships
Alumni Loyalty Discount
UK students with a previous award from us will receive 20% tuition fee discount.
Find out more about Alumni Loyalty Discount

This course will develop your intellectual and imaginative power through a programme that combines theory and practice. The theory and practical modules run alongside and complement each other.

Design Research 1and 2 are theoretical modules that provide you with the opportunity to explore methods that are appropriate to the world of design research. Our unique Friday morning lecture programme features lectures from academics, guest speakers and practicing designers.

Throughout the programme you’ll continue to explore the links between theory and graphic design practice. Practical work is carried out within our extensive and very well equipped studios and workshops. The practical modules (Practice 1,2,3) are designed to allow you to pursue your own specific individual design research project. This will be a major investigation into a particular personal area of study. A key element of the practice sessions is the opportunity to generate, investigate and test new ideas.

The programme culminates with a final public exhibition of student work.

All full-time and part-time students will be required to attend the Friday morning lecture programme throughout semesters 1 and 2. Full-time students will also attend weekly seminars and tutorial sessions during the week. Part-time students are scheduled for their practical sessions on a Friday afternoon, so that their commitment on campus allows for day release from their place of employment.

Evening tutorial sessions may be available from time to time for some students who are unable to attend in the day. Many of the Friday morning lectures are filmed to help support online learning or those who miss sessions.

Interested?

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This course is delivered by the School of Arts and Media

For information on possible changes to course information, see our essential and important course information

You can find regulations and policies relating to student life at the University of Central Lancashire on our student contract page

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Graphic Design

Why study with us

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Further information