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Excel as a creative visual thinker and communicator. Study a wide range of modules covering topics including visual communication, motion design and visual effects, and experience design. Graduate with a portfolio of work that showcases your creative development and skills, all of which will impress prospective employers.
Our passionate and highly experienced staff understand how to nurture talent and are dedicated to building your confidence, knowledge and design skills that will help you to succeed within the creative industries. We have fantastic facilities, award-winning students and alumni, and a focus on employability and cutting-edge professional skills.
The Graphic Design team combine teaching with professional practice in a variety of fields including: graphic design, branding, illustration, exhibition and experience design. As well as editorial, print, web and mobile interface, packaging, 3D (digital/physical/Augmented Reality (AR)/Virtual Reality (VR)), animation and motion graphics. Each bring their industry insights and experience directly into teaching and, when coupled with influential guest speakers, enriches your student experience and ensures that the course meets the needs of an exciting and dynamic industry.
Teaching methods include lectures, seminars, group work and e-learning, with support and a structure that helps you develop independent study skills. You'll take advantage of the University's specialist learning communities, knowledge structures, facilities, computer suites and enhanced techniques to develop a command of core and advanced creative skillsets.
Year 1 focuses on skills and knowledge acquisition and development, applied across a comprehensive range of techniques, both studio and software-based. Moving into year 2, you'll focus on idea and conceptual development, while honing technical skills for a broad range of print and screen-based outcomes.
You'll have the opportunity to apply to undertake an optional placement year out in industry between your second and final year, this is sometimes known as a sandwich degree.
In your final year, professional practice is underpinned by further theoretical, conceptual and technical development that culminates in a major project that defines your practice, interests, skills and knowledge.
Part-time study
If you study this course on a part-time basis you'll typically complete 40-80 credits in a year, rather than the 120 credits of full-time students. All modules are taught during the normal working hours and you will be studying as a member of the full-time cohort.
Our typical offer is:
| Qualification | Minimum grade |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma along with one of the following at the required grade: SAT I and SAT II, ACT or Advanced Placement | GPA 3.0 or above and: Sat score of 1100/1600 from SATs AP (Grades 3+ in at least 2 subjects) ACT (score of 26+) |
If you don't meet our standard entry requirements, you can take one of the foundation pathways at our partners ONCAMPUS Sunderland. Find out more information and whether your course is eligible on our ONCAMPUS page.
If your qualification is not listed above, please contact the Student Administration team at studentadmin@sunderland.ac.uk for further advice.
Our admissions policy uses a range of flexible options to support you in studying with us. This may include a reduced offer of up to 16 UCAS tariff points, (or equivalent). Find out if you are eligible.
If you are studying an HND or Foundation Degree you may be able to enter the final year of our degree courses. Candidates wishing to be considered for direct entry to Level 2/3 should contact studentadmin@sunderland.ac.uk.
If English is not your first language, please see our English language requirements.
Interview/portfolio requirements
We’ll invite you to an informal interview where we'd like to see evidence of your creative potential. Please prepare a portfolio of work you have completed so far. We're not looking for perfection as we appreciate you may still be developing work. We would like to see:
If you are an international applicant, please send a link to your online portfolio.
The annual, full-time fee is:
*Undergraduate fees are set according to rules from Government in line with forecast inflation. The fee for your first year of study for 2025/26 will be £9,535. You will pay tuition fees for every year of study. Fees may increase every year based on the Retail Price Index.
Tuition fees for part-time students are £7,145 per 90 credits. Please note that part-time courses are not available to international students who require a Student visa to study in the UK.
Read more about EU fees and funding in our Help and Advice article.
Take a look at the scholarships and bursaries that may be available to you.
This information was correct at the time of publication.
Throughout the course we'll support you to launch your design career. You'll develop a creative and industry-ready portfolio, access work placements, attend employability days and put your designs on show to the public.
On modules such as ‘Graphic Design and Professional Practice', you'll also receive valuable advice on a variety of work-related topics. These range from costing and business plans to going freelance, self-promotion, self-employment, enterprise, careers, networking and copyright issues.
You'll also develop a Professional Engagement Document. This highlights all your self-development activities and engagement with industry, as well as other factors that give you an edge compared to other graduates.
Our graduates have gone on to work all over the globe in graphic design, editorial, infographics, motion graphics, advertising, web, packaging, experience and interactive design. Our graduates boast employment at Everything Different, Ordinance Survey, MTV, Sitel Group, Newcastle Football Club, Sports Direct, Initials Marketing, Cravens, Blumilk, Frontier (games) and SEGA. Most work in the creative industries of publishing, design consultancies and advertising design, while others prefer self-employment.
This creative degree can also open doors into many other careers, such as teaching, or further study to Masters or Doctorate level.
We encourage you to participate in competitions and award schemes including those run by the Design and Art Directors Association (of which we are a corporate member). Such competitions are part of building up a compelling creative portfolio.
In your final year you'll display your work at our annual Degree Show, attended by industry experts and potential employers. You may also have the opportunity to take your work to London.
In addition, our academic team organises visits to arts venues across the UK and in cities such as Edinburgh, Barcelona, Amsterdam, Paris and New York. Our London campus hosts a visit each year, providing access to the varied museums and galleries and opportunities to visit studios such as JRK Global, Anyways and Ogilvy.
We hold specific ‘employability days’ to help give our students that essential cutting edge. We invite graduates and employers to come into the University in order to look at student portfolios and give advice.
Through our links with industry, we also attract professionals in graphic design to come in and give talks throughout the year. These help you gain valuable insights and contacts in the world of work. Our creative spaces and conferences attract acclaimed guest speakers from across the design world, such as Andy Altmann (Why Not Associates) and Andy Sandoz, an Honorary graduate and former president of the internationally influential Design and Art Direction. To find out more about our guest speakers visit Creative Lives.
Creative Industries Week gives everyone in Arts and Creative the opportunity to participate in a range of projects, workshops, talks, industry visits and career events. This exciting week encourages interdisciplinary working, broadens your experience, to build your confidence and help develop your career path.
My favourite part of the course was how much access I had to equipment.
I couldn’t thank the University more for the opportunities I’ve got now.
Since graduating I have worked in two different well-known video game studios.
