Our BA Graphic and Media Design course builds on London College of Communication's heritage and global reputation for graphic design education and is renowned for its experimental and applied approach.

This degree course acknowledges traditional values and specialist skills whilst recognising the changing and dynamic nature of design. The programme is innovative and flexible with a strong employment record. It provides you with the opportunity to specialise in future-facing areas of graphic design practice.

You can expect ...

You can expect to be encouraged to be innovative and to initiate change, to integrate practice and theory and work individually and collaboratively. You’ll possess technical skills but not be slaves to them, be able to make connections between disparate activities, be concept driven and capable of working across media. You’ll understand the complexities of audience and how to utilise your studies to plan your future direction whether in work or through continuing studies.

Furthermore, you will explore a variety of materials, media and methodologies and develop skills relevant to a career as a broad-ranging design professional. You will also take part in live, collaborative projects with industry to develop your entrepreneurship and introduce you to our commercial partners. These have previously included Diabetes UK, BFI, Interbrand, Dorling Kindersley, Design Museum London, ISTD, YCN, Illy Coffee, NHS, Moleskin and D&AD.

The course is delivered by experienced practitioners, tutors and other specialists including visiting speakers. All tutors on your course are active practitioners as well as involved in scholarly investigation, building industry links that also particularly support LCC’s unique Diploma for Professional Studies, where students can undertake work placements for a year anywhere in the world.

Tutors include ...

Course Director, David Simms who continues to develop his practice as a designer investigating the relationships between analogue and digital forms of image production. Recently he developed generative drawing machines using open source software 'Processing'. David's continuing research output has focused on the use of technology in learning and teaching. He has presented at conferences, institutions and to industry.

Alumni includes...

Students have gone on to work for various creative organisations including IDEO (Munich), Sonicjam (Japan), Imagination (Singapore), Pentagram, BBC, The Times, The Guardian, Mindshare, DK, Interbrand, Samsung, Hidden Art, Birch (Hong Kong), MADE, Intelligent PR, Hi-Tec Studio, Goodstuff, Saatchi X and Shroom Ltd, or have progressed to postgraduate study or established their own start-ups.

What our students say...

“[I gained] a very broad arts education - a conceptual and artistic take on the very practical world of graphic design. I was very glad to have had the printing facilities; silk-screen printing and letterpress, as they lent a lot to my projects and taught me invaluable techniques.” Former student, Sid Motion

“The most important part of the course, to me, was the chance to meet and work with like-minded people...The other incredibly valuable experience, was the chance to take a year in industry.” Former student, Nicola Ryan

"The industrial links are fantastic and I feel proud to say I have been there". Former student, Jessica Chamberlain

This course is taught within the School of Design at LCC.

Year 1

• Introduction to Study in Higher Education: Introducing you to studying at higher education level including aspects of research and writing as well as design thinking and ideas generation
• Principles: Introducing you to basic design principles including composition, form, type and colour
• Exploration: Exploring the principles and practices both theoretical and practical introduced in the previous units through projects
• Contextual and Theoretical Studies 1: Introducing you to histories, theories and debates in relation to visual culture. It will focus on the development of twentieth and twenty-first century ideas in graphic design and visual communications and explore the common themes and cross-fertilizations that occur between theory and culture

Year 2

• Collaborative Project: Offering you the opportunity to work collaboratively with students on your course or other courses on live projects and competitions
• Stories, Methods and Form: Considering visual narrative, storytelling and the methodology and forms used
• Language, Audience and Environment: Considering language, its manifestation and the audience to whom it is aimed and the environment it might inhabit
• Contextual and Theoretical Studies 2: Developing your broader knowledge and understanding of the historical, social, theoretical and cultural developments of contemporary visual culture. You will have the opportunity to further contextualise various aspects of design, media and communication theory in its broadest sense by focusing on specific options

Diploma in Professional Studies

The Diploma in Professional Studies is an optional Industrial placement year between the second and fourth year of the course. The Diploma in Professional Studies is a managed year of professional experience largely undertaken in the design profession in a variety of national and international locations. Students are selected during the second year on the basis of their portfolio, studentship and a detailed year out proposal.

Year 3

Route A

• Dissertation ( Major): The culmination of the Contextual and Theoretical Studies component of the course, providing you with the opportunity to utilise all your knowledge and analytical skills related to visual theory in the realisation of a self-determined dissertation.
• Live Projects: Challenging you to utilise your graphic communication skills and knowledge in the answering of a live design brief
• Major Project Studio: The culmination of the course, providing you with the opportunity to utilise all your practical, critical and analytical skills in the realisation of projects related to the development of your individual portfolio

Route B

• Dissertation (Minor): The tculmination of the Contextual and Theoretical Studies component of the course, providing you with the opportunity to utilise all your knowledge and analytical skills related to visual theory in the realisation of a self-determined piece of written work which could be a report, a review, or an article.
• Live Projects: Challenging you to utilise your graphic communication skills and knowledge in the answering of an external design brief
• Self Initiated Project: Developing your specialist knowledge in more depth and explores further applications and possibilities in a particular design area in the form of a self-initiated project
• Major project studio: The culmination of the course, providing you with the opportunity to utilise all your practical, critical and analytical skills in the realisation of projects related to the development of your individual portfolio

When you reach the final year it may be that you have developed an interest in your dissertation topic and want to place greater emphasis on it. Route A allows you to do this. If on the other hand you wish to place greater emphasis on studio work by doing a smaller dissertation you can do so in Route B.

BA (Hons) Graphic and Media Design's breadth of study means that its graduates are eminently employable.

Recent graduates are working in a variety of roles:

• Designer
• Producer
• Creative
• Art Director
• Motion Graphic Designer
• Arts and Culture Adviser
• Visual Merchandising Manager
• Communications Writer
• Social Media Planner
• Head of Design
• Senior User Experience Designer
• Animator
• Editorial Designer
• Production Co-ordinator
• Media Strategist

Our graduates have worked for a wide range of companies and agencies such as: IDEO (Munich), Sonicjam (Japan), Dalston Creative (Sweden), Light TV, Vault 49 (New York), Imagination, Karmarama, Brand Union (Singapore), AA School print studio, Hidden Art, Birch, Max Wigram Gallery, Sea Design, Iris, Cartlidge Lelvene, John Morgan Studio, YuCo Lab (Hong Kong), Pentagram, BBC, Times, Guardian, Mindshare, DK, Interbrand, Samsung, MADE (Midlands Architecture and the Designed Environment), Saatchi X, Shroom Ltd, Anthony Nolan.

Many alumni have also set up their own studios and businesses.

An applicant will be considered for admission who has already achieved an educational level equivalent to either passes in two subjects at GCE Advanced Level, supported by passes in three other subjects at GCSE Grade C or above.

OR

1 subject at GCE Advanced level and Foundation Diploma in Art and Design supported by passes in three other subjects at GCSE Grade C or above.

International and EU students: If your first language is not English you should check you have achieved the correct IELTS level in English. Further information is available on our International Applications page.

Portfolio Advice

Apart from the academic qualifications all students are required to present a portfolio of work which must evidence the following:

• Visual vocabulary: Quality of compositional skills and use of line, shape, form,scale,space, light, colour, texture and time
• Ideas generation: Quality of ideas and expression of conceptual thinking
• Research and its application (including sketchbooks)
• Systematic identification and investigation of appropriate resources
• Materials and media exploration and experimentation: Experimentation and testing of materials in realisation of concepts
• Contextual awareness and its influence on the portfolio: Understanding & application subject knowledge and context

Study Abroad Applicants

This course accepts a limited number of Study Abroad students (international students who would like to spend one, two or three terms studying alongside our undergraduates, as part of their course at their home university). To find out further information about Study Abroad fees and the application process please visit the Study Abroad website. 

Please apply through UCAS.

NON-EU INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS: If you are an international student and you are unsure of how to apply please contact the International Office first before applying - call +44 (0)20 7514 8138.

Study Abroad Applicants

International undergraduate students can apply to join this BA course for a period of up to three terms as a Study Abroad student. Please visit the Study Abroad website details on how to apply or contact the Study Abroad office:

T: +44 (0) 207 514 2249
E: studyabroad@lcc.arts.ac.uk