Teaching is mainly project-based, supported by skills-based workshops. You’ll tackle a huge variety of briefs ranging in complexity and time scales. We encourage a competitive, demanding yet light-hearted atmosphere and pride ourselves on providing a lot of direct contact between staff and students. We also organise an annual international study trip, as well as visits to agencies, museums and galleries in London. 

You’ll spend your first year immersed in our studio, getting a solid grounding in print and digital projects, working alongside our Illustration students. You’ll be constantly challenged, supported and encouraged as you learn technical skills, experiment, take risks and push new boundaries.  

You’ll begin by learning the understated power of typography, logo design, brand identity and layout – fundamentals that will underpin your craft, whatever direction you take. With them under your belt, at the end of the year you’ll have the option to continuing with Graphic Design: Advertising and Branding or switching to the regular Graphic Design pathway. 

In your second year, you’ll take more of a professional focus, working on live briefs, developing your portfolio and building a CV. You’ll learn about art direction, copywriting, campaign development, brand strategy and how to design dynamic visual identities. Fancy exploring motion graphics in more depth? Want to build your online presence? We’ve got you. 

There’s the chance to explore everything today’s tech has to offer, crafting your website, building your social media profile and creating a unique narrative that shows top design employers what an amazing designer you are. You’ll learn how to approach agencies and visit studios. Throughout the course we’ll help you to investigate, understand and critique the history of the subject, the theories behind what’s happening in contemporary design as well as looking into future trends.  

Work placement/study abroad option: Between your second and final year, you’ll have the option to study abroad or do a work placement for up to a year. Not only will this give you an amazing experience to talk about but will also give your CV a boost. If you’d rather go straight to your final year, that’s absolutely fine too.  

By the time you start your final year, you’ll have a solid understanding of design and the specialisms that fire your imagination. You’ll pick from a huge range of creative projects, workshops and live briefs as well as developing your own self-directed projects — building a completely personal, standout portfolio. We’ll encourage original thinking, but we’ll also give you tons of support, inspiration and encouragement.     

And we won’t be the only ones. Throughout your course, we’ll invite amazing designers to lead workshops, set projects and become your mentors. Our proximity to London means it’s easy for us to invite people doing the most innovative and exciting work with us.   

It’s a powerful mix of freedom, inspiration and support that prepares you for an incredible career. In fact, in recent years it’s earned our students award wins in all the most coveted competitions including D&AD yellow pencils, Creative Conscience Gold medals and YCN awards. So, join our community and turn your creativity into a career you love. Who knows? Maybe you’ll be next.

Work placement

Graduate with invaluable work experience alongside your degree and stand out from the crowd.  

This course offers you the opportunity to enhance your study and CV with a work placement sandwich year. It’s a chance to explore career possibilities, make valuable contacts and gain sought after professional skills.  

Our dedicated Careers and Employment team are here to help guide you through the process.

If you take up a work placement between your second and third year of study, at the University of Hertfordshire you’ll pay no tuition fee for this year. We’ll ask you to make your decision in your second year, so there is plenty of time to think about it. 

What's next for my career?

Recent graduates of our Graphic Design programme are working in some of the most highly-regarded advertising agencies and with many of the world’s leading brands. The staff team’s network of contacts help secure placements for our students, and we prioritise maintaining an extensive alumni network, with regular reunions where current students can meet and learn from those now in industry. This course would prepare you to work as an art director, advertising creative, brand designer, brand strategist, copywriter or help you set up your own business.