Graphic Communication (BA)

Please contact our enquiries team if you're not sure that you have the right experience or qualifications to get onto this course.

Email: [email protected]
Tel: +44(0)23 8059 5000

You'll study 4 modules every academic year, including combined theory and practice modules. They'll give you the context in which to develop your graphic communication skills in practice. You'll develop a range of visual, technical, transferable and conceptual skills through engagement with key thematic areas of practice.

Want more detail? See all the modules in the course.

The learning activities for this course include the following:

• lectures
• classes and tutorials
• coursework
• individual and group projects
• independent learning (studying on your own)

Course time

How you'll spend your course time:

Course leader

Nicola Hirst is the course leader.

As a graduate of this graphic communication degree you’ll be a highly skilled creative practitioner, ready to take your place in one of the fastest growing areas of the economy.

Our graduates work in creative areas such as:

• graphic design
• interaction design
• photography
• motion design and animation
• illustration

Our employability focus includes:

• ongoing advice from tutors with extensive experience in the creative industries
• careers events to introduce you to potential employers
• collaborative relationships with organisations such as De La Rue, Antalis Papers and Made Thought

You’ll find our graduates in high profile companies, such as:

• Mother
• ustwo
• Protein Studios
• Moving Brands
• The Boiler Room
• iLoveDust
• Digital Annexe
• Johnston Works
• Activision M&C Saatchi
• Google Deep Mind
• Elle
• Jack Wills
• Blueprint
• The Guardian
• Harpers Bazaar
• The Sunday Times
• Wallpaper Magazine
• Territory
• Golden Wolf
• Phantom

We are a top 20 UK university for employability (QS Graduate Employability Rankings 2022). Our Careers, Employability and Student Enterprise team will support you. This support includes:

• work experience schemes
• CV and interview skills and workshops
• networking events
• careers fairs attended by top employers
• a wealth of volunteering opportunities
• study abroad and summer school opportunities

We have a vibrant entrepreneurship culture and our dedicated start-up supporter, Futureworlds, is open to every student.

Our in-house Studio 3015 provides paid design and marketing internships for our graduates. Through our network of institutional, professional and industry contacts, you’ll work on live projects to build a professional portfolio to show employers.

As part of your course, you can also choose to take a year-long paid placement with a professional design studio or creative agency. During your placement, you can apply the knowledge and skills you’ve developed during your degree, and gain vital professional experience.

What your fees pay for

Your tuition fees pay for the full cost of tuition and standard exams.

Find out how to:

• pay your tuition fees
• calculate your student finances

Accommodation and living costs, such as travel and food, are not included in your tuition fees. There may also be extra costs for retake and professional exams.

Explore:

• accommodation costs
• living costs
• budgeting advice
• fees, charges, and expenses regulations 

If you're a UK or EU student and your household income is under £25,000 a year, you may be able to get a University of Southampton bursary to help with your living costs. Find out about bursaries and other funding we offer at Southampton.

If you're a care leaver or estranged from your parents, you may be able to get a specific bursary.

Get in touch for advice about student money matters.

You may be able to get a scholarship or grant to help fund your studies.

We award scholarships and grants for travel, academic excellence, or to students from under-represented backgrounds.

The Student Hub offers support and advice on money to students. You may be able to access our Student Support fund and other sources of financial support during your course.

Funding for EU and international students

Find out about funding you could get as an international student.

When you apply use:

• UCAS course code: W211
• UCAS institution code: S27

Apply for this course

Portfolio guidance

Your portfolio is one of the most important parts of your application. It is your opportunity to show us your work, and it is our opportunity to find out more about you. You may not have presented your work before, so here is some help in preparing your portfolio.

What do you want to see in my portfolio?

Your portfolio should demonstrate a lively, inventive approach to the development of course projects and personally directed work. It should be carefully selected, as this will show us your critical ability. Your portfolio should be accessible and comprehensible, showing the development of ideas from initial drawings, workbooks or photographs to finished pieces. Please include sketches and drawings in your digital portfolio.

Your portfolio should reflect your understanding and awareness of graphic design, advertising and photography in their many forms and knowledge of practitioners whose work has influenced or interests you. We like to see evidence of sensitivity in response to surface, form, tone and mood, and in the materials used. Show us the range of your work: drawing, for example, shows your ability to observe still life, structure or people with accuracy, so make sure to include some. If you have had the opportunity to study the human figure, please include life drawing in your portfolio, but remember that we are also interested in seeing more creative and experimental work.

How many pieces should I include?

Your portfolio should include a maximum of 25 pieces of work. We will need to see evidence of course projects and self‐directed work. Your work should have been produced within the last twelve months, although earlier work can be included if it is particularly relevant to your interests and development. 

Will I be expected to have in‐depth knowledge of relevant design software?

We would expect you to have had some hands‐on experience of computing hardware and awareness of photo‐manipulation software such as Photoshop and page‐layout software such as InDesign etc. This is desirable but not essential.

Information for Mature students

We understand that mature students may not have work that is structured in the same way as A‐Level or Foundation students. We are, however, still interested in seeing self‐directed work, including sketchbooks and finished pieces.

We also understand that some applicants may have to include work that is over a year old. Life experience and any courses that you may have taken over the last few years will be relevant, but make sure that you include as much recent work as possible in your portfolio.

Top tip

Tailor your portfolio to the course you are applying to. Investigate the Graphic Communication programme thoroughly before making your selection. Remember that courses with the same name at different universities can vary greatly.

We treat and select everyone in line with our Equality and Diversity Statement.

Please contact our enquiries team if you're not sure that you have the right experience or qualifications to get onto this course.

Email: [email protected]
Tel: +44(0)23 8059 5000