BA Honours Graphic Design

What will you study on the Graphic Design degree at Middlesex University?

Year one

During first year, you will be introduced to what the discipline actually entails: you’ll begin to understand the diversity of the study area, and the breadth of approaches to exploring and solving graphic design problems. You will discover how to employ visual and theoretical research, lateral thinking and visual and verbal communication skills as sound working methods, using logical and creative approaches to solve graphic design problems. You will discover the creative and communicative potential of typography, and the breadth and diversity of historical and contemporary practice in graphic design. Exploring a variety of different graphic media, you will be encouraged to develop an inventive and experimental response to the use of processes and materials in workshop areas including photography, printmaking, typography, design thinking and digital and analogue illustration.

Year two

The focus shifts in your second year to creative problem solving in the context of discipline specifics, utilising your understanding of the creative process to make design work worth spending time with. The projects will enable you to investigate the potential of concept, format and structure, analysing complex information to come up with highly imaginative and creative visual communication solutions. An understanding of specialist subject areas of contemporary creative practice is developed through studio and workshop based activities, enabling students to develop individual approaches to solving visual communication problems with the acquisition of intermediate specialist skills in creative workshop areas such as advertising, magazine design, moving image, interactive/web design, packaging and external client projects. Students are expected to undertake a two week design internship at the end of semester two, and regularly engage with external clients in order to gain further experience of the design industry, client briefing and liaison and creating work for specific target audiences.

Year three

For your final year of study, you will concentrate on solving visual communications problems to a professional standard, drawing on two years of highly developed creative intelligence and design skills to make a portfolio of work that best represents the individual designer. There will be opportunities for students to participate in student award competitions and assessment schemes; extend their range of specialist skills in graphic design and visual communications projects; pursue creative problem solving projects that are self-directed and geared towards making you a visually distinctive visual communicator. You will be expected to develop an individual, highly informed graphic design methodology that demonstrates your creative, critical and technical abilities to their fullest extent. Throughout the year your knowledge and skills will be deepened and extended through a range of project briefs that include branding, publishing, advertising, interactive media, creative industry competitions and a mandatory major self-initiated project. Students will participate in an end of year exhibition that showcases their work to an audience of University stakeholders, industry professionals and the general public.

Module and programme information is indicative and may be subject to change.

• Year 1
  • Understanding Visual Communication (30 Credits) - Compulsory This module aims to deliver a rich understanding of the chronological development of Graphic Design from its earliest origins to the present day. You will be introduced to the ‘isms’ of Art in the 20th Century and a timeline showing the development of design from early writing to the recording of words and language “the codex” or book.
  • Graphic Design Creative Workshops (30 Credits) - Compulsory This module will provide you with an opportunity to explore a variety of different graphic media so that you can gain an understanding in the value of these media for visual communication. You will be introduced to areas of design such as printmaking, image making, photography, digital design and design thinking. You will be encouraged to have an inventive and experimental response to the use of processes and materials in workshop and studio areas.
  • Creative Typography (30 Credits) - Compulsory This module will introduce you to the creative communications potential of typography by providing a strong grounding in fundamental typographic principles such as structure, hierarchy, layout, and terminology. Throughout this module, you will be encouraged to use conceptual creative thinking when exploring the possibilities of typography.
  • Design Exploration (30 Credits) - Compulsory This module will introduce you to a variety of design thinking processes within the field of Graphic Design. You will develop your conceptual ability and come up with creative solutions to a brief. You will be shown how to use typographic content and imagery with contrast, hierarchy and scale change to create original graphic content.
• Year 2
  • Graphic Design Cultures (30 Credits) - Compulsory This module aims to contextualise contemporary Graphic Designer and current design thinking with developments in technologies and society in the digital age. You will be given the opportunity to develop ideas connecting the recent developments of technologies, looking particularly at the digital nature of design. You will then look at societal changes made possible by the new digital age and to the more fluid role of Graphic Designer in society, including areas of design such as service design and interdisciplinary design. This will all be underpinned by looking in detail at current designers, asking questions about what is coming next.
  • Graphic Design Communication Workshops (30 Credits) - Compulsory

    This module will develop your understanding of specialist subject areas of creative practice through studio and workshop based activities. You will be able to further develop individual approaches in using creative processes analysing, evaluating visual pieces of work and presentation methods. The acquisition of intermediate specialist skills to work effectively in creative workshop areas such as editorial design, moving image, letterpress, coding, three-dimensional design and digital design will be encouraged.

  • Graphic Design Practice (60 Credits) - Compulsory This module will encourage the exploration and development of a graphic visual language within professional practice. You will be taught to integrate and enhance the practices of problem solving and typography developed in earlier modules. You will be encouraged to focus on exploring and refining imaginative visual communication concepts, resolving details and further developing the time management skills needed to meet the deadlines of professional external requirements. Professional practice is an important element of this module and opportunities will be provided to help you develop practice skills through a choice of briefs from internationally recognised design competitions. Advice on building relationships with industry by encouraging you to participate in self initiated placements will be provided. You will also be given the opportunity to investigate design with a social conscience, exploring how design can have a positive impact on society.
• Year 3
  • Graphic Design Professional Projects (60 Credits) - Compulsory The module will enable you to develop your professional practice and extend your range of specialist skills through producing a professional portfolio. You will also be enabled to develop an individual graphic design style and working methodology to and above the standard required by industry and postgraduate study. This will include developing a range of specialist skills in graphic design and visual communication to pursue creative problem-solving projects. You will be provided with the knowledge you need to be at the forefront of your profession and have the confidence to gain successful employment. You will then be able to develop a high-quality portfolio that best reflects your abilities and professional goals
  • Graphic Design Major Projects (60 Credits) - Compulsory This module will enable you to deliver a critical and contextual research project and pursue creative major projects and graphic authorship. You will consolidate the development of skills such as project identification, research organisation and development, time management, visual analysis and critical argument. You will go on to extend the ability to think creatively about the presentation of conceptual, critical and contextual material in both written and visual form. This module aims to enable you to identify and deliver a practice-based research project related to your studio practice which will explore the dialogue between theory and practice. You will be encouraged to develop an individual graphic design style and working methodology to and above the standard required by industry and postgraduate study. One way this will be done is through a self-initiated project to explore the idea of graphic authorship and experimental graphic design.

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