BA (Hons) Graphic Design

• Type and typography
• Editorial design
• Ideas and concepts
• Design innovation
• Information design and data visualisation
• Service design and creative coding
• Graphic design for promotion

If you are studying the BA (Hons) Graphic Design with Integrated Foundation Year version of this course, key topics of your integrated foundation year will include:

• Fundamental design principles: typography, colour, hierarchy, layout, and imagery
• Developing clear visual narratives, identities, and design systems
• Crafting effective visual storytelling through sequencing, pace, and tone
• Conducting research with cultural, social, and ethical awareness
• Mastery of industry-standard software (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Animate, After Effects, Acrobat, Premiere Pro)
• Managing production workflows from pre-production to post-production
• Critically evaluating design work using relevant criteria
• Creating professional portfolios, slide decks, and pitch presentations

If you choose to add an Integrated Foundation Year on this course, you will be first introduced to the fundamental principles of design. Your foundation year gives you the time, space and support to explore your strengths, build confidence and prepare for the demands of project-based, industry-focused learning. Modules are as follows*:

• Module 1: Diagnostic exploration - making informed choices
• Module 2: Technical - Technical knowledge in practice
• Module 3: Specialist - Innovating specialist practice
• Module 4: Integration - Integrated practice for progression to Higher Education

Please note: Students starting this course with the Integrated Foundation Year in September 2026/27 will study the 2027/28 approved modules in Years 1, 2 and 3.

Year 1

Our first year explores the fundamentals of graphic design, looking in depth at ideas, tools and approaches, working together, digital skills, users and audiences, design and technology in culture, the future of workspaces, and utilising serious play. You are treated as a design professional from day one.

Modules include:

• Fundamentals of Graphic Design 1
• Fundamentals of Graphic Design 2
• Message 1
• Message 2
• Professional Life Practice: "Developing your Practice"
• Professional Life Practice: "Exploring your Practice"

Year 2

The second year of the Graphic Design degree expands your design horizons, giving you a thorough grasp of the current settings for work, helping you to specialise and focusing your ambitions by offering you live briefs, collaborations, external partnerships, and work-based learning opportunities.

Modules include:

• Collaborate
• Specialism
• Elective
• Professional Life Practice: "Applying your Practice"
• Work-based learning

Year 3

The final year refines your design voice and prepares you to join the design community, by constructing your portfolio, refining your chosen direction, building professional readiness, a future-facing showcase and your own design identity.

Modules include:

• Design Voice
• Professional Life Practice: "Situating your Practice"
• Major Project
• Showtime

Year 1

Year 1 explores the fundamentals of graphic design - from ideas, tools, and digital skills to audiences, culture, and technology. You'll be treated as a design professional from day one, with a collaborative and forward-thinking approach.

Modules include:

• Rave Beginnings
• Visualise
• Fundamentals of Practice
• Messaging 
• Creative Futures 1
• Employability & Professionalism

Year 2

Year 2 expands your design horizons through live briefs, collaborations, and external partnerships - helping you specialise and focus your ambitions, with work-based learning opportunities connecting you to the wider industry.

Modules include:

• Communication Platforms
• Preparing for Industry
• Emerging Technologies
• Design Studio
• Creative Futures 2
• Live & Work-based Learning

Year 3

Final year refines your design voice and prepares you to join the industry - building your portfolio, sharpening your direction, and developing a future-facing showcase and a distinctive design identity.

Modules include:

• Industry Collaboration
• Design Voice – Research
• Design Voice – Making
• Ideas in Context
• Rave Futures
• Major Project

All modules are subject to revalidation.

Our campus 

You'll study in a building designed to encourage collaboration between the different disciplines and practices within Ravensbourne, and to stimulate the work of innovative professionals and creative collaboration.

It features a variety of workspaces, including social and quiet areas, high-tech creative suites, technology hubs, design studios and more. 

Want to see where you'd be studying up close? When you book a guided building tour, you can see our fantastic facilities for yourself and find out more from one of our helpful student ambassadors.

Our local area

Ravensbourne is ideally connected - North Greenwich station is just a 2-minute walk away from our campus and offers amazing views from the Greenwich Peninsula.

These transport links offer an easy route to some of London's major business hubs, perfect for reaching possible placements or networking events with employers in the worlds of business or technology.  

We accept a wide range of qualifications for entry onto our courses, whilst also considering the context in which they were achieved. For this course, we would usually require a GCSE Grade 4 or above in English in addition to any of the below;

• Two A Levels at grade CC or above
• BTEC Extended Diploma at grade MPP
• UAL Level 3 Extended Diploma
• T Level (pass or above)
• Access to Higher Education Diploma
• International Baccalaureate at grade 24 or above
• Other/Mixed qualifications equivalent to 64 UCAS Tariff points

At Ravensbourne we take a flexible approach to admissions, as we want you to know exactly what you need to achieve in your exams to guarantee a place on the course. We still think exams are important and look forward to hearing about your successes, but we place just as much importance on the work you will share with us as part of our portfolio process.

Selection criteria:

Students should ideally have a background in art, creative media or design. Admission onto this course is also subject to successful completion of a portfolio (or showreel). 

We may also consider a combination of portfolio and academic qualifications and take into consideration progress made during studies and/or relevant work experience.

If you wish to study our BA (Hons) Graphic Design course, we will need to see examples of previous work that showcases your suitability for the course. 

Your portfolio

Bring along your portfolio and don’t forget your sketchbooks, which will demonstrate your creative processes and how you think.

We are interested in seeing your completed projects, including final outcomes, but it's always good to include any personal work you're proud of too.

We will be looking out for original and innovative experiments as well as relevant visual research and idea development.

Examples of work can include (but not restricted to):

• Posters and other printed matter
• Editorial layouts, including books and magazines
• Typographic experiments
• Information graphics
• Other forms of design including digital examples.

We accept a wide range of qualifications for entry onto our courses, whilst also considering the context in which they were achieved. For this course, we would usually require a GCSE Grade 4 or above in English in addition to any of the below;

• Two A Levels at grade DD or above
• BTEC Extended Diploma at grade PPP
• Other/Mixed qualifications equivalent to 48 UCAS Tariff points

At Ravensbourne we take a flexible approach to admissions, as we want you to know exactly what you need to achieve in your exams to guarantee a place on the course. 

Selection criteria:

Students should ideally have a background in art, creative media or design. 

There are no interview or portfolio requirements for this course.