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Graphic Design with Foundation

Course details
  • BA (Hons)
  • 4 Years
  • Full-time including foundation year
  • 15/09/2025
  • Undergraduate
Course location
Main Site

Course summary

This course is a four-year programme of study that includes an additional foundation year, enabling you to develop the required practical, technical, academic and creative skills for your undergraduate degree at the University of Plymouth.

Your foundation year will:

  • Welcome you to an engaging, experiential learning environment with a focus on active exploration, experimentation and discovery across a wide range of material, methods and media.

  • Help develop your practical, technical and creative skills through studio and workshop based projects.

  • Provide training in key learning skills for further undergraduate study and build an awareness of practice, context and theory.

  • Introduce you to the accessible community of experienced academics, practitioners and technical staff that will support you on your studies.

  • Give you access to a wide range of enviable specialist workshops, laboratories and facilities across the campus and become part of our vibrant student community through the various opportunities available within the School of Art, Design and Architecture.

  • Enable you to explore and develop your personal interests and strengths as a creative practitioner.

When you join the BA (Hons) Graphic Design with Foundation, you’ll also:

  • Develop innovative ideas in response to design briefs, and creatively solve design problems using images and typography. The course places emphasis on graduates having industry informed expertise, ensuring you’ll stand out in the job market. Good graphic design relies on the relationship between type and imagery... this course will teach you mastery of both.

  • You’ll develop your knowledge and develop yourself by taking advantage of a learning environment that includes open plan studios with 360 degree views of a thriving city centre, the Devon coastline and Dartmoor National Park. You’ll also be prepared for a dream career, with our graduates finding creative fulfilment working for companies such as Leo Burnett, Future Publishing and IBM.

  • In your final year you can choose a specialism to match your interests and career goals with options that relate directly to the design industry. Choose from Identity and Branding, Editorial and Publishing or Information Design.

  • Have direct contact with visiting speakers from prestigious studios such as Snask, Hey Studio and Dalton Maag.

  • Present your work to practicing graphic designers during our ‘Industrial Liaison Day’.

  • Enjoy small, personalised teaching groups, with tutors who know your name and your work.

  • Explore our diverse resources, including printmaking and photographic studios, cutting-edge Mac workstations, Fab Labs and a unique letterpress workshop.

Modules

The Foundation pathway provides students with non-standard entry points to progress onto the BA (Hons) course. The Foundation year allows you to develop skills across a range of media and introduces creative best practice in preparation for the first year of the undergraduate programme. During the Foundation year you will have the opportunity to explore creative processes relevant to visual design, animation, illustration, print-making, fine art, and photography. The course is designed to encourage visual exploration and creative discovery within an engaging and vibrant studio setting. Upon successful completion of the Foundation course, you will join the undergraduate BA (Hons) programme equipped with the skills and knowledge needed to successfully complete an undergraduate degree.

Assessment method

For up to date details, please refer to our website or contact the institution directly

Qualified teacher status (QTS)

To work as a teacher at a state school in England or Wales, you will need to achieve qualified teacher status (QTS). This is offered on this course for the following level:

  • Course does not award QTS

How to apply

Apply by
29 January

This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.

Application codes

Course code:
W21F
Institution code:
P60
Campus name:
Main Site
Campus Code:
-

Points of entry

The following entry points are available for this course:

  • Foundation

International applicants

The University of Plymouth has a dedicated Student Immigration Advice (SIA) service who will support you from the day you accept an offer at the University, right through to graduation. They will offer help and advice so you can get the most out of your studies, and your time in the UK, visit www.plymouth.ac.uk/student-life/services/international-students/international-student-advice for more information. Once you have applied through UCAS, your conditional offer letters will also be sent to you by email, so be sure to enter your current email address on your application and to check this email regularly. You'll need your unconditional letter, and the Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) that we'll send you, when applying for your student visa to the UK. A tuition fee deposit will be required before we'll send you the CAS. We're a licenced Sponsor under the Points Based System. To comply with our duties as a Sponsor, we're required to check other aspects of your application in addition to your academic achievements, for example any previous studies, financial status and your immigration history in the UK. For course entry requirements (inc. English requirements) please refer to the specific page for the course you are interested in (www.plymouth.ac.uk/study). A recognised English language qualification (e.g. IELTS) would be required or successful completion of one of the University's pre-sessional English Language courses. Check our country pages to find out more about application from your specific home country www.plymouth.ac.uk/international/study/international-students-country-guides. International fees, please visit our fees and funding pages www.plymouth.ac.uk/study/fees. If you have any questions please contact admissions@plymouth.ac.uk

Open days

Entry requirements

Qualification requirements

UCAS Tariff - 32 - 48 points

A level

32-48 points from a minimum of 2 A Levels

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016) - PPP

From any subject

Access to HE Diploma - P: 45 credits

Pass a named Access to Higher Education Diploma (preferably Art and Design or combined).

Scottish Higher

32-48 points

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Diploma (first teaching from September 2016) - PP - MP

From any subject

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate (first teaching from September 2016)

Considered in combination

Scottish Advanced Higher

32-48 UCAS points from a minimum of 2 Advanced Highers

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme - 24 points

From any subjects

Welsh Baccalaureate - Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate (last awarded Summer 2024)

considered in combination

Extended Project

Considered in combination

Leaving Certificate - Higher Level (Ireland) (first awarded in 2017)

32-48 points from any subjects

T Level - Pass (D or E)

Pass overall with D or E on the core. Any subject may be considered.

GCSE English and Mathematics at grade C/4 or above are required.

English language requirements

TestGradeAdditional details
IELTS (Academic)6With 5.5 in all elements.
Full details of English Language requirements can be found on our website.

English Language Requirements https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/international/how-to-apply/english-language-requirements

Contextual admissions

Universities and colleges consider more than grades when assessing applications and may make offers based on a range of criteria. Learn more about contextual offers.

At the University of Plymouth, we believe in building a welcoming and inclusive community that supports every student to achieve their full potential.
With our contextual offer scheme we may extend offers below our standard entry criteria to those applicants whose circumstances and experiences could have impacted their education and academic performance. You can check your eligibility for a contextual offer using our online postcode checker.

Learn more on the University of Plymouth website

Historical entry grades data BETA

This section shows the range of grades students (with UK A-Levels or Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diplomas) who received offers were previously accepted with (learn more). It is designed to support your research but does not guarantee whether you will or won't get a place. Admissions teams consider various factors, including interviews, subject requirements, and entrance tests. Check all course entry requirements for eligibility.

Not enough data available

We are unable to show previous accepted grades for this course. This could be because the course is new, it's a postgraduate course, there isn't enough historical data, or the provider has opted out of sharing their entry grades data for this course - learn more.

Student Outcomes

Operated by the Office for Students

75 Employment after 15 months (Most common jobs)

95 Go onto work and study

The number of student respondents and response rates can be important in interpreting the data – it is important to note your experience may be different from theirs. This data will be based on the subject area rather than the specific course. Read more about this data on the Discover Uni website.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

No fee information has been provided for this course

Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website.

Additional fee information

For all information about tuition fees, please visit our fees and funding pages at www.plymouth.ac.uk/study/fees

  • Fees are correct at the time of publication and may be subject to change.
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