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What makes Graphic Design, Advertising and Marketing at the University of Worcester special?

Our graphic design courses have been specifically designed in collaboration with leading industry professionals, for anyone wanting to experience an agency style learning environment and work in multi-disciplinary creative teams, tackling real-world brand projects.

To equip you with the right balance of conceptual, creative and practical skills the course focuses on original thinking and innovation, so you learn about graphic design theory, big advertising ideas, customer insights, narrative and storytelling and how to confidently present your ideas to clients.

As your academic knowledge and practical abilities grow, we teach you about visual identity and brand language, design for print, design for web, art direction, digital and social media marketing and how to cultivate your own entrepreneurial approach, preparing you to work alongside the very best in the world of visual communication. 

Overview

Overview

Key features

  • Engaging methods of academic and agency style tutoring
  • Access to new state-of-the-art facilities
  • Opportunities for agency internships and collaborations
  • A vibrant programme of award-winning visiting lecturers
  • A wide range of creative opportunities after graduation

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Enter your details below and we will keep you up to date with useful information about studying at the University of Worcester.


Entry requirements

Entry requirements

104
UCAS tariff points

Entry requirements

104 UCAS tariff points (for example, BCC at A Level)

T Levels may be used to meet the entry tariff requirements for this course. Find out more about T levels as UCAS tariff points here.

Further information about the UCAS Tariff can be obtained from http://www.ucas.com

International Students

We accept IELTS, Pearson and many Cambridge certificates as a proof of English language fluency on our degree courses, as well as many other English language qualifications.

Undergraduate courses usually require a minimum IELTS of 6.0 (with no less than 5.5 in any component) or Pearson 59 (with no less than 51 in each component) or various Cambridge certificates. Other equivalent English qualifications will also be considered. Some courses may require a higher score for professional accreditation or registration.

If you are an international student who does not have the relevant entry requirements for direct entry onto this course, we do offer pathway courses at the University of Worcester.

International College could be the right option for you and enable you to still graduate with this degree. To find out more, visit the Art and Design course pages

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Course content

Course content

Our courses are informed by research and current developments in the discipline and feedback from students, external examiners and employers. Modules do therefore change periodically in the interests of keeping the course relevant and reflecting best practice. The most up-to-date information will be available to you once you have accepted a place and registered for the course. If there are insufficient numbers of students interested in an optional module, this might not be offered, but we will advise you as soon as possible and help you choose an alternative. 

Year 1

Mandatory

  • Customer Insight & Marketing
  • Design: Skills & Theory
  • The Big Advertising Idea

Optional

Year 2

Mandatory

  • Integrated Marketing Communications
  • Art Direction
  • Graphic Design for Internet & Multimedia

Optional

Year 3

Mandatory

  • Visual Identity & Brand Language (Major Project) 
  • Design Awards and Exhibition

Optional

  • Digital & Social Media Marketing 
  • Brand Management
  • The next big thing
  • Industry Collaboration

Part-time study

The above module breakdown is based on studying the course full time over three years. It is also possible to study this course part time over four, five or six years in which case the mandatory and optional modules will be spread over the duration of the course.

Teaching and assessment

Teaching and assessment

We enable you to develop the independent learning capabilities that will equip you for lifelong learning and future employment, as well as academic achievement.

A mixture of independent study, teaching and academic support through the personal academic tutoring system enables you to reflect on progress and build up a profile of skills, achievements and experiences that will enable you to flourish and be successful.

Teaching

An experienced team of lecturers and design practitioners will be teaching students throughout the course and facilitating a student focused, practical and skills-based approach to learning, with a multi-disciplinary experience as a key factor of the student experience.  

Studio Practice and Interactive Workshops will equip students with all the practical skills they need from a creative perspective. Lectures and Seminars will equip them with all the theoretical skills needed from an academic perspective. Live Briefs allow for an agency style group project, bringing both creative and theoretical application together.  

This blended, inclusive approach creates a challenging, but exciting learning experience. It fosters the development of students who take responsibility for their own learning, becoming increasingly independent and autonomous as they progress through their studies. This helps promote a professional, lifelong approach to learning. As the student progresses through each level, the criteria assessed become more demanding, searching and challenging.  

A mixture of independent study, teaching and academic support from Student Services and Library Services as well as the personal academic tutoring system enables students to reflect on progress and build up a profile of skills, achievements and experiences that will help them towards their goals. Activities and materials will be available through Blackboard virtual learning environment and/or module websites.  

Meetings with personal academic tutors are scheduled on at least 4 occasions in the first year and three occasions in each of the other years of a course. Scheduled meeting dates will be provided in the course planner.  

Contact time

In a typical week, a student will have around 12 contact hours of plus individual or group tutorial teaching.

The precise contact hours will depend on the modules being studied. In the final year students will normally have slightly less formal teaching time in order to do more independent study and develop work related opportunities which are supported by bespoke individual support and tutorials. Typically, class contact time will be structured around:

  • 3 hours of (large group) lectures/seminars/client-brief
  • 6 hours of interactive workshops, large and small group discussion, computer skills
  • 3 hours of (small group) presentations/group critiques/tutorials

Class sizes will be around 20-25. Where larger lectures take place, learning is supported with group-based approaches or online activities.

Independent self-study

In addition to the above contact time, students are expected to engage with around 25 hours of personal study per week. Typically, this will involve individual and/or group work on projects and tasks, preparing for assignments, trips to see work and going to the library. Independent learning is supported by a range of excellent facilities, including the Hive library, the virtual learning environment, extensive access to vast electronic learning resources and purpose-built contemporary design and media studios.  

Independent learning is supported by a range of excellent learning facilities, including the Hive and library resources, the virtual learning environment, and extensive electronic learning resources. 

Duration

  • 3 years full-time
  • 4-6 years part-time

Timetables

Timetables are normally available one month before registration. Please note that whilst we try to be as student-friendly as possible, scheduled teaching can take place on any day of the week; and some classes can be scheduled in the evenings.

Teaching staff

Students will be taught by a teaching team whose expertise and knowledge are closely matched to the content of the modules on the course. The team includes academics, specialist professionals and experienced practitioners.   Teaching is informed by the research and consultancy, and many course lecturers have or are studying for a higher education teaching qualification or are Fellows of the Higher Education Academy. You can learn more about the staff by visiting our staff profiles

Assessment

Assessment takes the form of formative (informal) and summative (formal) assessment.

Formative assessments carry no weighting but are really important, designed to help you achieve your best in the final summative assessments. Formative assessment can take different forms such as student support teams, informal peer assessment or rehearsed presentations. It is also embedded in your ongoing engagement with tutors’ and is part of the individual tutorial system.

Each module has summative assessment which normally requires a combination of practical work, critical reflection and written assessment that can vary and might require different forms such as essay, contextual analysis, blog, creative writing or learning journal. There is also one formal written examination in the third year.

The following gives an indication of the types of assessment you might expect across any year. This is only an indication and will vary depending upon your choice of modules.

Year 1

  • 4 x practical projects
  • 1 x critical reflection writing tasks
  • 1 x individual presentation
  • 1 x group presentation
  • 1 x essay
  • 1x report
  • 1x portfolio

Year 2

  • 4 x practical projects
  • 1 x critical reflection writing tasks
  • 1 x individual presentation
  • 1 x group presentation
  • 1x report
  • 1x portfolio

Year 3

  • 3 x practical projects (including 1 independent major project)
  • 1 x critical reflection writing tasks
  • 1 x individual presentation
  • 1 x group presentation
  • 1x portfolio
  • 1 x essay

You will receive feedback on practice assessments and on formal assessments undertaken by coursework. Feedback on examination performance is available upon request from the module leader. Feedback is intended to support learning and you are encouraged to discuss it with personal academic tutors and module tutors as appropriate.

We aim to provide you with feedback on formal course work assessments within 20 working days of hand-in.

Programme Specification

For comprehensive details on the aims and intended learning outcomes of the course, and the means by which these are achieved through learning, teaching and assessment, please download the latest programme specification document.

Careers

Careers

Employability

The balance of our graphic design courses is such that you will be able to develop enough high-level skills and an understanding of Graphic Design, alongside Advertising and Marketing, to pursue specific career opportunities. For example, you could pursue a career as a Creative Director, Marketing Director or Art Director.

Equally you would be equipped to apply for careers generally not considered by traditional courses, like a Copywriter, Client Director, Motion Graphics Designer, Creative Strategist, Brand Manager, Visual Planner, Digital media Designer, Communication Manager or Brand Manager.

The entrepreneurial aspect of the degree aims at giving you the confidence to work as a freelance contractor, or even to set up and run your own creative company should you wish.

Contact with industry through internships and visits will allow you to develop valuable industry connections and contacts in addition to real life experience.

The transferable skills of graduates in this domain are those much sought after in a range of other environments such as business and commerce; they enhance students’ profiles and employability and they are explicitly found in all work undertaken.

The development of an appropriate work ethic, including taking on roles and responsibilities, negotiation and decision-making, leadership, interpersonal engagement and serving the whole are essential in any kind of production work, and this is embedded in the learning and teaching and assessment strategies employed by the department.

Two students are walking next to each other and smiling

Careers and Employability

Our Graduates pursue exciting and diverse careers in a wide variety of employment sectors.

Find out how we can support you to achieve your potential
Costs

Fees and funding

Full-time tuition fees

UK and EU students

The standard fee for full-time home and EU undergraduate students enrolling on BA/BSc/LLB degrees and FdA/FdSc degrees in the 2024/25 academic year is £9,250 per year.

For more details, please visit our course fees page.

International students

The standard tuition fee for full-time international students enrolling on BA/BSc/LLB degrees and FdA/FdSc degrees in the 2024/25 academic year is £16,200 per year.

For more details, please visit our course fees page.

Part-time tuition fees

UK and EU students

The standard tuition fees for part-time UK and EU students enrolling on BA/BSc/LLB degrees and FdA/FdSc degrees in the academic year 2024/25 are £1,156 per 15-credit module, £1,542 per 20-credit module, £2,312 per 30-credit module, £3,083 per 40-credit module, £3,469 per 45-credit module and £4,625 per 60 credit module.

For more details, please visit our course fees page.

Additional costs

Every course has day-to-day costs for basic books, stationery, printing and photocopying. The amounts vary between courses.

If your course offers a placement opportunity, you may need to pay for an Enhanced Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) check.

It is perfectly possible to go through the course without incurring additional costs. However, if specialist materials or trips related to your studies are required in addition to allocated budgets, you would be expected to pay the additional costs. Such costs would be discussed and agreed with a member of staff in advance.

Accommodation

Finding the right accommodation is paramount to your university experience. Our halls of residence are home to friendly student communities, making them great places to live and study.

We have over 1,000 rooms across our range of student halls. With rooms to suit every budget and need, from our 'Chestnut Halls' at £131 per week to 'Oak Halls' at £221 per week (2024/25 prices).

For full details visit our accommodation page.

How to apply