Completed a foundation-level degree, HND, or equivalent qualifications in a relevant Art and Design subject? Top-up your studies to gain a full bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design.
If you want to break into the world of graphic design and visual communication, this course emerges you within industry-ways before you even graduate. Experiment across a variety of media and find your style, whilst bringing stories, brands and products to life to audience all over the world.
Why Study BA (Hons) Graphic Design (Top-up) at BNU?
A degree for you
Graphic design is in every aspect of our life, from the packaging our food comes in, to the adverts we see on the tube. This dynamic subject area, is continually evolving to keep up with audiences and new and emerging trends and topics within society, including economically, politically, socially, and culturally.
A top-up degree is the equivalent of the final year of an undergraduate degree, and offers a chance to deepen your knowledge, skills and understanding of your subject, while also getting an internationally-recognised qualification.
If you have completed a foundation-level degree, HND, or equivalent qualifications in a relevant Art and Design subject, you can choose to top-up your studies to gain a full bachelor’s degree.
Inspiring facilities
The Graphic Design course is located within the School of Art, Design and Performance, giving you access to a community of creative learners and diverse resources to help you achieve your creative outcomes. These include:
Mac Suites with Adobe Creative Cloud
laser cutting and 3D printing workshops
printmaking workshops
photography studios
editing and production facilities (including green screen)
And library.
To aid your development you will learn practical skills and experience both digital and traditional processes and technologies. Photography and film making are integral to most things we do.
Industry connections
With a history of delivering industry-standard graphic design education for more than 30 years, Buckinghamshire New University is the perfect place to start your creative career in graphic design.
As a well-established course, we have built up an excellent network of Alumni. Many are now in senior positions in the design world, both nationally and internationally, whom we can call upon.
Led by our enthusiastic and dedicated team of design practitioners and experienced academics, you’ll benefit from their industry knowledge and network of professional they bring to the course.
Location
With London and Oxford only a short journey away, you can take the opportunity to visit some of the world’s best exhibitions, galleries, and museums for inspiration.
What will I study?
Studying on the graphic design course will help prepare you for this continually expanding field. Not only will we support you as an individual in the development of your visual and creative problem-solving skills, but we also equipped you with the knowledge and confidence to enter and negotiate your career in this challenging, but exciting field.
Through practical hands-on, project-based learning you'll explore the fundamental core aspects of the subject like typography, narrative structure, hierarchy, layout and composition, information design, image creation and conceptual thinking skills.
You’ll develop your historical perspectives, research, and writing skills and gain the academic grounding on which to develop critical understanding and practical application. As well as this you'll explore the many workshop facilities and equipment our design department has to offer, from laser cutting and letterpress printing, to photography and the Adobe Creative Suite. Our experienced technical instructors will be there in your workshop sessions to support you with your activities and help bring your ideas to life.
Year One
Core Modules
Final Major Project
Dissertation
Professional Practice
Creative and Professional Development
Personal Projects and Commissions
At the centre of this course is studio-based activity. You’ll spend a significant amount of time in the Graphic Design studio working on both individual study and group tuition. On the course you are pushed to explore your own style, which you’ll build into your own distinctive portfolio that demonstrates your unique strengths and interests for prospective work opportunities after graduation.
To achieve the full BA (Hons) in Graphic Design you’ll need to complete the modules listed, as well as a major project and a dissertation.
The major project and dissertation will allow you to investigate a topic important to you within advertising. You will cover the whole research process, undertaking empirical investigation and analysis. You will be allocated a dissertation supervisor, who will offer support and advice.
This is the equal consideration deadline. You can still apply after this date, but your application may not receive guaranteed consideration.
Buckinghamshire New University has participated in the Teaching Excellence Framework. These ratings were awarded in 2023, for four years.
See why these ratings were awarded
What does this TEF outcome mean?
The following entry points are available for this course:
Visit bnu.ac.uk/international to find out more about applying to BNU as an international student!
| Test | Grade | Additional details |
|---|---|---|
| IELTS (Academic) | 6 | We require an IELTS score of 6.0 (with no element lower that 5.5) or a recognised equivalent. |
BNU English Language Requirements https://www.bnu.ac.uk/study/general-entry-requirements
We aim to cultivate an environment where individuality, diversity, and academic excellence thrive.
Our decision-making process is not just about grades; we assess the entire application, including personal statements, relevant experience and where appropriate portfolios. Within our Contextual Offer Scheme, we strive to embrace students whose educational and social backgrounds may have influenced their academic journey.
This underpins how we champion an inclusive community that transforms lives.
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.
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.
| Location | Fee | Year |
|---|---|---|
| England | £9790 | Year 1 |
| Northern Ireland | £9790 | Year 1 |
| Scotland | £9790 | Year 1 |
| Wales | £9790 | Year 1 |
| Channel Islands | £9790 | Year 1 |
| Republic of Ireland | £9790 | Year 1 |
| EU | £15910 | Year 1 |
| International | £15910 | Year 1 |
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.
Buckinghamshire New University tuition fees cover the cost of instruction, assessment, and core academic materials. However, additional costs may be incurred for course-related items or requirements, such as, but not limited to:
Additional costs will vary by course. It is your responsibility as a student to budget for any additional expenses associated with your studies.
For further details on what is included in your tuition fees, please check bnu.ac.uk/fees-and-funding
There are several ways you can fund your studies, including sponsorship and student loans. You may be able to use ELCAS credits for some of our courses. We also have scholarships and bursaries to help support our students.
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Phone:01494 605060
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