Master of Arts - Design for Visual Communication
- 1 year
- Duration
- 30,890 GBP
- Price
- September
- Start
- June
- Deadline
- Master
- Degree
- Campus
- Format
- London / United Kingdom
- Location
Program description
This course at London College of Communication is designed for designers seeking to build a resonant, contemporary practice that bridges traditional graphic design with emerging technologies in branding, spatial, and immersive experiences. It emphasizes the development of a responsible practice, equipping students with the analytical skills to sustain ethical work informed by UAL's Climate, Racial and Social Justice principles.
Students will refine their core practice and typographic mastery to evolve a unique visual language, while learning research methodologies and co-design skills for sustainable projects. The program aims to graduate thoughtful designers with the knowledge and resilience to tackle complex inequalities and create inclusive communication strategies for a more-than-human world.
Program structure
- Unit 1: Defining and Positioning (60 Credits):
This introductory unit establishes the foundations for postgraduate studies in visual communication through critical and reflective methodologies. A series of focused workshops and lectures in typography, visual language, and color theory provide the core technical framework, while parallel sessions explore research methods, audience positioning, and responsible design practices aligned with UAL's Climate, Racial, and Social Justice principles. Students develop a portfolio of work that synthesizes these elements, focusing on inclusive communication, sustainable resource use, and professional craft. The unit emphasizes collaboration, encouraging cooperative research and practical application with peers to build a responsible and contextually aware design practice.
- Unit 2: Collaborative Unit (20 credits):
This unit is designed to foster student-driven collaborative relationships with a diverse range of partners, including fellow postgraduate students, other institutions, and external organizations such as NGOs or cultural groups. The collaboration focuses on developing projects that meet the specific interests and goals of the student groups, agreed upon with tutors. Work can take place either in-person at the College or digitally, emphasizing flexible, cross-disciplinary teamwork.
- Unit 3: Exploration and Experimentation: (40 Credits):
This unit focuses on practice-based research and experimentation to define and refine your visual communication specialism. You will expand your skills in both conventional methods and emerging technologies, exploring workshops in areas like creative computing, 3D production, and projection mapping. The unit broadens your practical research scope to consider your role in addressing civic, climate, social, and justice-related challenges, with insights from professional practitioners. It prepares you for your Master’s Project by helping you gather extensive research, develop a proposal, and present it for peer feedback, effectively amalgamating theory and practice.
- Unit 4: Master’s Project (60 Credits):
This self-directed Master’s Project allows you to define and develop a specialist practice area with guidance from your tutor, staff, and peers. You will frame your work through both academic and professional lenses as you consolidate your expertise. The project culminates in a showcase of your resolved creative outcome and a supporting publication that critically analyses your process and findings.
Price
Tuition fee:
- 30,890 GBP per education*
*Tuition fees may increase in future years for new and continuing students on courses lasting more than one year. For this course, you can pay tuition fees in instalments.
You may need to cover additional costs which are not included in your tuition fees, such as materials and equipment specific to your course.
Requirements for applicants
Your educational level may be demonstrated by:
- Honours degree (named above);
- Possession of equivalent qualifications;
- Prior experiential learning, the outcome of which can be demonstrated to be equivalent to formal qualifications otherwise required;
- Or a combination of formal qualifications and experiential learning which, taken together, can be demonstrated to be equivalent to formal qualifications otherwise required.
If you do not meet these course entry requirements but your application demonstrates additional strengths and alternative relevant experience, you may still be considered. This could include:
- 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.
Language requirements
- IELTS 6.5 (or equivalent) is required, with a minimum of 5.5 in each of the four skills.
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.
