BA (Hons) Graphic Design

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Home - Sep 2026 International - Sep 2026

Currently reading: Course overview

Starts: Sep 2026
Duration: 3 years
Mode: Full time
UCAS code: W210
Fees: UK: £9,535 (2025/26)* / International: £17,000 (2025/26)*

*Fees subject to change for 2026/27.

Unlock your creative potential

Learn to apply design thinking to reach global audiences in new and immersive ways.

Why study this degree?

Award-winning students and internationally recognised
Taught by staff who are current design professionals
Build yourself a fulfilling and future-focussed design career
Innovative, forward-thinking and industry-focused. Work with industry practitioners to explore creative design thinking across a range of briefs
Excellent employability rates and highly successful alumni
Great career prospects with graphic designers in high demand.

Our BA (Hons) Graphic Design course embraces a forward-thinking vision of design. Technologically focused, collaborative and globally minded, it equips you with the critical eye, creative problem-solving skills and resilience needed to thrive in the creative industries.

You’ll work across media and explore graphic design from multiple critical perspectives, challenging traditional roles and developing your own concept-driven approach. We champion individuality and clear design thinking, encouraging you to experiment with format, context, materials and medium. You’ll refine your creative skills and reimagine communication across platforms such as typography, editorial design, data visualisation and more.

With access to cutting-edge facilities and dedicated studio spaces, you’ll collaborate with industry practitioners on a range of briefs. Through a blend of lectures, workshops, tutorials and live projects, senior lecturers and visiting professionals will provide practical insight and support your future career path.

The programme balances preparation for entry to the commercial world of design very well with a more critical and academic approach to the discipline. I see universities like Ravensbourne as helping people develop into tomorrow’s leaders and innovators.”

—

Darren Raven , External examiner

Key study topics

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

The specifics

Downloadable course specification

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"

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 may include:

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

At Ravensbourne 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 interview and/or portfolio process.

Selection criteria:

Students should ideally have a background in art, creative media or design. Applicants are expected to submit a portfolio of work which shows a range of their skills and demonstrates why they would be a good fit for the course.

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

UK students

Simply select your chosen start date using the 'Apply now' dropdown at the top of this page, and you will be directed to the appropriate course page on the UCAS website. The UCAS code for this course is located in the course overview bar at the top of this page.

The UCAS website will guide you through the simple application process. You can also apply through your school or college using the UCAS system.

Learn more: how to apply for an undergraduate degree course

The entry requirements for this course can be found in the relevant section above.

International students

Simply select your chosen start date using the 'Apply now' dropdown at the top of this page, and you will be directed to the appropriate application form.

Admission onto this course is also subject to successful completion of an interview and portfolio (or showreel).

If you wish to study our BA (Hons) Graphic Design degree 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.

Your interview
At interview we're keen to hear all about your motivation and enthusiasm to study Graphic Design at Ravensbourne. Show us you have a good understanding of your work and why you want to pursue a career in the creative industries.

Finally, the interview is a great opportunity to meet current students, get to know the course better and ask us questions.

This page offers great tips for completing your portfolio/showreel and preparing for your interview.

You can’t learn in a vacuum. At Ravensbourne University London, industry connection is ingrained into everything we do. We will equip you for success in the creative and digital industries, ensuring you are truly industry ready upon graduation. Our tutors are respected academics and practitioners with substantial experience and industry links.

You will be part of a diverse community of creatives, working collaboratively to explore new professional practices. Ravensbourne has strong industry links with a range of high-profile companies, including: Apple, Barclays, the BBC, European Space Agency, Marks & Spencer, Museum of London, the Royal Shakespeare Company, Samsung and many more.