Graphic Design

If you’re excited by creativity, visual storytelling and shaping how people experience the world, BA (Hons) Graphic Design at Manchester Met gives you the freedom, skills and confidence to develop your own creative voice. This hands‑on, ideas‑focussed course introduces you to the full spectrum of modern graphic design, from branding and typography to motion graphics, UX/UI and digital design, all built on strong creative problem‑solving.

You’ll work in a playful, experimental environment where you can explore ideas without being tied to specific software. Instead, you’ll learn how to communicate effectively across different platforms and formats, understanding not just how to design, but why design matters. With AI increasingly shaping the industry, our course puts communication theory at its core, helping you understand audiences, messages and meaning, so that technology supports your creativity rather than replaces it.

Throughout your degree, you’ll be immersed in industry‑facing experiences like guest lectures, workshops, studio visits and live briefs with real creative partners. These connections help you build confidence, gain professional insight and understand what it takes to thrive in a fast‑moving design world. Recent collaborations have included the Natural History Museum, Dalton Maag and MUBI. You’ll also have the option to take a work placement between second and third year to get experience of industry and prepare for life after graduation.

At Manchester School of Art, our design courses are taught in vibrant, open studio spaces alive with energy and creativity. These dynamic environments foster cross-disciplinary collaboration, encouraging students to engage, experiment, and learn from one another within a culture of shared practice and innovation.

By the time you graduate, you’ll be a distinctive designer with the adaptability, curiosity and creative mindset to shape your own future in the global design industry.

FEATURES AND BENEFITS

• Globally recognised - We are ranked in the top 100 schools for art and design in the world (QS World Rankings 2026).

• Live projects - Take part in live projects with industry partners to gain professional skills. Recent partners have included the Natural History Museum, typeface design studio Dalton Maag, magazine publisher It's Freezing in LA!, and streaming platform MUBI.

• Work placement - The course offers a work placement opportunity between years two and three to expand your horizons, get experience of the working world and start building a professional network.

• Collaboration - You’ll take part in an innovative module offered to students across Manchester School of Art which encourages interdisciplinary study, collaboration and external-facing projects.

• Design competitions - Students' successes include awards in regional, national and international arenas including D&AD Global Students Awards, ISTD, Royal Society of Arts, and Creative Conscience.

• Study trips - You may have the opportunity to undertake study trips to key design cities. Recent trips have included Berlin, Copenhagen and New York, and Venice Architecture Biennale and Milan Design Week.

• Studio visits - You may have the option to attend studio visits in Manchester and London across a range of graphic design practices.

• Mentoring scheme - Students are given an opportunity to be matched with an industry mentor to meet several times a year, providing advice and guidance on how to develop skills and knowledge for entering the workplace.