Bachelor of Arts (Hons) - Graphic Communication Design
- 3 years
- Duration
- 30,890 GBP/year
- Price
- September
- Start
- June
- Deadline
- Bachelor
- Degree
- Campus
- Format
- London / United Kingdom
- Location
Program description
The BA Graphic Communication Design at Central Saint Martins is a dynamic programme for thinkers and makers committed to actively shaping the future of the discipline.
It provides a solid grounding in core practices while encouraging students to test and expand the field's boundaries in response to technological and social change.
The course is structured as a collaborative community where students, tutors, and practitioners explore graphic design together, with flexibility for inter-disciplinary, hybrid, or specialist paths. A central and urgent focus is on how design can critically engage with and intervene in systemic issues of climate, racial, and social injustice.
The programme confronts graphic design's historical role in perpetuating inequalities while harnessing its power as a vital tool for communication and change. It challenges students to consider how design can proactively engage with institutions, envision sustainable alternatives, and redefine humanity's relationship with nature. The community is dedicated to using nuanced communication to combat disinformation and generate new forms of public discourse. Ultimately, the course positions graphic communication design as a serious and vital practice for reimagining and designing a more just future.
Program structure
Year 1
- Unit 1: Introduction to GCD
- Unit 2: GCD Practices 01
- Unit 3: GCD Practices 02
- Unit 4: GCD Platforms 01
The first year of the Graphic Communication Design programme focuses on building core technical, practical, and theoretical skills. Students begin by collaboratively tackling a real-world problem, then explore key disciplinary practices like Typography and Computation through sequenced projects. The year culminates in working across fast-paced platform briefs, learning to apply new knowledge and connect practical skills with effective communication methods.
Year 2
- Unit 5: GCD Practices 03
- Unit 6: GCD Platforms 02
- Unit 7: GCD Platforms and Practices
- Unit 8: Creative Unions
The second year focuses on developing a self-aware and critically engaged practice. Students concurrently work on project-based platforms and a written unit, learning to analyze their creative work within broader cultural and theoretical contexts. They then unite specific practices and platforms to make intentional choices about medium and audience, defining their practice's direction. The year concludes with a college-wide, collaborative unit focused on socially engaged and transdisciplinary work.
Year 3
- Unit 9: Situating Your Practice
- Unit 10: Communities of Practice
The final year begins with deepening your specialized platform work, transitioning to self-directed projects that help define your practice's unique position. You then join a Community of Practice, synthesizing all your skills to produce an integrated portfolio. This culminating work clearly articulates your professional identity as a designer, preparing you for your career after graduation.
The working week
Price
Tuition fee:
- 30,890 GBP per year*
*Tuition fees for international students may increase by up to 5% in each future year of your course.
During your studies, you may need to cover extra costs which are not included in your tuition fees. You might need to budget for materials and equipment specific to your course. You may also need a laptop or other digital tech/software.
Requirements for applicants
The standard entry requirements for this course are as follows:
One or a combination of the following accepted full Level 3 qualifications:
- Pass at Foundation Diploma in Art and Design (Level 3 or 4) and one A Level at grade C or above
- Two A Levels at grade C or above (preferred subjects include Art, Art and Design or Design and Technology)
- Merit, Pass, Pass (MPP) at BTEC Extended Diploma (preferred subjects include Art, Art and Design or Design and Technology)
- Pass at UAL Extended Diploma
- Access to Higher Education Diploma (preferred subjects include Art, Art and Design or Design and Technology)
- Equivalent EU/international qualifications, such as International Baccalaureate Diploma (24 points)
- And three GCSE passes at grade 4 or above (grade A–C).
Entry to this course will also be determined by assessment of your portfolio. A very high proportion of successful applicants complete a Foundation Diploma in Art and Design.
Exceptionally applicants who do not meet these course entry requirements may still be considered.
The course team will consider each application that demonstrates additional strengths and alternative evidence. This might, for example, be demonstrated by:
- Related academic or work experience
- The quality of the personal statement
- A strong academic or other professional reference
- Or a combination of these factors.
Each application will be considered on its own merit but we cannot guarantee an offer in each case.
Please note that these qualifications alone will not be sufficient to secure entry to the course.
English language requirements
- IELTS level 6.0 or above, with at least 5.5 in reading, writing, listening and speaking
About the university
The University of the Arts London (UAL) produces and encourages the creativity essential for a better future. Its colleges have been at the forefront of innovative education since 1842, creating work with a lasting impact on people and the planet, driven by curiosity, imagination, and purpose.
London is fundamental to UAL's identity, providing a vital context where the university connects and exchanges ideas with individuals from all walks of life. Globally, its creative network influences education, culture, business, and society.
Through innovative research and creative instruction, UAL's faculty and staff bring fresh perspectives to education. The university enables students to build the careers they desire by working with them at every level - from pre-degree to postgraduate, and from short courses to online learning.
UAL's colleges
Ranked second in the world for art and design, UAL comprises six distinct colleges:
- Camberwell College of Arts
- Central Saint Martins
- Chelsea College of Arts
- London College of Communication
- London College of Fashion
- Wimbledon College of Arts
Together, they form a community of creatives, innovators, trailblazers, and storytellers, united in their mission to reimagine the future.
Courses in the visual arts, animation, screen, communication, fashion, media, and performance are available at the undergraduate and graduate levels.
