York St John University
Lord Mayor's Walk
York
YO31 7EX
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Course contact details
Admissions Office
Email:admissions@yorksj.ac.uk
Phone:01904 876598
Fax: 01904 876940876921
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Graphic Design
- BA (Hons)
- 3 Years
- Full-time
- 21/09/2026
- Undergraduate
- York St John University
Course summary
Graphic design is everywhere. Immerse yourself in the art of visual communication.
Learn the principles of visual language and the impact of graphic design. You will take the knowledge and techniques you learn and apply them to different practical projects. We encourage creativity, so you will be able to use different mediums and platforms to develop creative design solutions that are uniquely yours. It's time to find your specialism.
This course gives you the knowledge and practical skills needed for a career in graphic design. When you join us you will start by learning ways to generate concepts and ideas. You will evolve your skills in artistic layout, drawing and visual communication. Projects throughout the degree allow you to focus on your practical abilities. These projects increase in complexity as you progress and involve working with private clients. As you work on them you will learn about:
Typography
Branding
Composition
Image making
Motion graphics
User Experience (UX) and User Interface (UI) design
Print production
3D type and lettering
Alongside this practical exploration, we will also introduce you to the histories and theories of graphic design. This will allow you to identify what interests you most, so you can conduct your own research in these areas.
When you choose to study with us, you get more than the skills you need to succeed. You gain experiences that make you stand out. We give you opportunities to:
Work with private clients and graphic design companies on live briefs
Enter design competitions to showcase your work internationally
Complete work placements in industry and learn from visiting professionals
Visit international cities to experience contemporary design around the world and find new inspiration
Exhibit your work at our annual degree show, the perfect way to build a professional network.
Our team of expert designers and technical specialists will really get to know you by supporting your personal practice and ambitions.
Modules
Modules may include:
Year 1:
Design Process
Context of Practice
Graphic Design Principles
Graphic Design Practice 1
Year 2:
Critical and Contextual Studies 1
Graphic Design Practice 2
Personal and Professional Practice 1
Collaborative Practice
Year 3
Personal and Professional Practice 2
Critical and Contextual Studies 2
Graphic Design: Major Project
Ways to study this course
Campuses
- York St John University
Study options
- BA (Hons) • Full-time • 3 Years
Start dates
- 21/09/2026
Apply by
14 January
This is the equal consideration deadline. You can still apply after this date, but your application may not receive guaranteed consideration.
Application codes
- Course code:
- W210
- Institution code:
- Y75
- Campus name:
- York St John University
- Campus Code:
- A
- Points of Entry:
- Year 1, 2, 3
Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF)
York St John 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?
How to apply
Apply by
14 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:
- W210
- Institution code:
- Y75
- Campus name:
- York St John University
- Campus Code:
- A
Points of entry
The following entry points are available for this course:
- Year 1
- Year 2
- Year 3
Entry requirements for advanced entry (i.e. into Year 2 and beyond)
For Second Year entry, applicants must have completed the first year of Higher Education in a similar subject with a total of 120 credits.
For Third Year entry, applicants must have completed the first and second year of Higher Education in a similar subject with a total of 240 credits.
Applicants will need to submit a transcript of their completed study, and offers will be subject to a mapping exercise of modules to ensure an appropriate alignment of course content.
Please be aware that transfer applications are subject to availablity of space on the selected academic year of your chosen course.
For more information on the transfer process, please see https://www.yorksj.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/apply/transferring-to-york-st-john-university/.
If transferring to the final year of a course containing a placement or study abroad year, you must have also completed a placement or study abroad year prior to starting the course.
Entry requirements
Qualification requirements
UCAS Tariff - 104 points
GCSE/National 4/National 5
3 GCSEs at grade C/4 (or equivalent) including English Language.
Find out more about qualification requirements for this course.
Additional entry requirements
- Interview
- If your application is successful, you will be invited to a portfolio day. On the day, you will show your work to our tutors and discuss your work and the ideas behind it.
- Portfolio
- If your application is successful, you will be invited to a portfolio day. On the day, you will show your work to our tutors and discuss your work and the ideas behind it.
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.
For all UK applicants, we look at six factors:
• Where you live
• Your school or college
• Age
• Disability
• First in family to study in HE
• Time in care
These six factors create a point score, which is then taken into account, along with standard criteria. The points don’t influence whether an offer is made but can influence the type of offer made, resulting in reduced or unconditional offers.
Full information is on our website, including scheme adaptations for individual courses.
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.
- Data from:
- This course and 3 other design studies courses
- Date range:
- 2022-2024
Grades held by accepted students
- A*AA
- Highest grades
- DDD
- Lowest grades
Offer rate for UK school & college leavers
Students aged 17/18 who applied to this course were offered a place.
How do you compare?
See how students with your grades have been accepted onto this course in the past.
Student Outcomes
Operated by the Office for Students
Employment after 15 months (Most common jobs)
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
| 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 | £14000 | Year 1 |
| International | £14000 | 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.
Additional fee information
Fees for our foundation years may vary, please see the relevant foundation year at https://www.yorksj.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate/foundation-years/ for current foundation year fees.
For courses with an optional Placement Year, during the Placement Year your fees will be reduced to 20% of the annual fee value.
Course fees can rise from year to year, Please see our terms and conditions for further information:
https://www.yorksj.ac.uk/media/content-assets/admissions/documents/Student-Terms-and-Conditions-26-27.pdf
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