Graphic Arts - MA/Postgraduate Diploma/Postgraduate Certificate

The course will offer you the chance to extend your practice and explore new areas in the changing world of industry and design. Learning to be independent, to research effectively, to question and to be critical, and to sustain practice for the long term.

Students learn up to date technical skills in design for print, web, motion graphics, and fabrication.

The full Masters course comprises 180 credits divided into three 60 credits stages: Postgraduate Certificate, Postgraduate Diploma, and Masters. Students work incrementally through the three stages and must pass all modules at each stage in order to progress to the next.

Introduction to Graphic Arts (30 credits)

This module introduces the subject through practical work and debate. You will consider and reflect on your initial perception of graphic arts and your own motivations for investigation, study, and practice within the broad scope that it offers. You will familiarise yourself with the resources available to you and begin to negotiate a programme of independent study.

Research Practice (30 credits)

Primarily concerned with building academic skills, this module offers a series of choices, each of which has specific sets of concerns related to the practice and theory of art, media and design. These options are: Research by practice; Critical Research and Research in Enterprise (in the Creative Industries).

Analysing Practice in Graphic Arts (30 credits)

You will explore and consider the different forms available to visual communicators, including print, screen and 3D/environmental outcomes. Through individual proposals you develop your work responding to a given text. Technical skills workshops enable you to explore the subject further and experiment with your ideas.

Developing Practice in Graphic Arts (30 credits)

This module builds upon your skills as a practitioner and seeks to develop concepts and ideas through an understanding of the self and critical position. You will research and submit a proposal for the development and realisation of a body of practical work that continues to the final module. There are also collaborative and day projects with invited guest speakers.

Extended Practice in Graphic Arts (60 credits)

You will undertake to produce a self-directed body of work with a choice of media, that shows your ability as an innovative and creative visual communicator, capable of creating meaningful and interesting content for an identified audience. The body of practical work is complemented by a substantial evaluation report which contextualises your particular approach to Graphic Arts.

The University continually enhances our offer by responding to feedback from our students and other stakeholders, ensuring the curriculum is kept up to date and our graduates are equipped with the knowledge and skills they need for the real world. This may result in changes to the course. If changes to your course are approved we will inform you.

You will be based in the department's Graphic Design studios at one of our city centre locations. You will study through a combination of one to one tutorials, group tutorials, seminars, lectures, technical workshops and day projects. Initially there are set briefs to assist you in writing your own study proposal for the MA stage.

For more details see our glossary of teaching and learning terms.

Students may join the course either full-time or part-time. A semester is a period of study and generally runs September to January and February to May/June.

Full time - the course is delivered on two main days a week and students typically study for three semesters over 18 months.

Part-time- students study for six semesters over three years with one day a week contact time.

You will be assessed by a combination of practical and written work at the end of each module.

For more detail see our full glossary of assessment terms.