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A mockup of 9 editorial spreads inside of a book open on a blue background. Each design shows a mixture of abstract illustration and typography
An illustration coloured in shades of blue, turquoise and white. The illustration has a windy thick road from the top right corner to the bottom right. Dotted around the road are illustrations of houses, horses and people
A mockup of iPad and mobile phone apps for BBC Bitesize learning on a dark green background. The apps show various video clips and augmented reality design of characters, with popups of information for learning

Communication Design MA

Get to the heart of how design shapes our understanding of issues, our environment and each other.

  • Course Duration

    Full-time 1 year, part-time 2 years

  • Annual Fees

    • Home (full-time) £10,000
    • Overseas (full-time) £18,500
  • How to Apply Request a prospectus

  • Course Start

    September 2026

The MA in Communication Design encourages you to research, discover, initiate, test and communicate your ideas within professional and real-world contexts. You will develop your own unique design voice by questioning what communication design is and what communication design could be, delving into contemporary communication design issues like sustainability, new technology, inclusivity, and ethics. As a practice-based, forward-thinking collaborative course that pushes the boundaries of communication design you will explore the contribution responsible design practice can make to the rapidly changing needs of contemporary society.

The course emphasises independent and self-directed study, guided by subject-specialist tutors through tutorials, workshops, and lectures. You will develop practical skills in areas like illustration, typography, and narrative storytelling, as well as digital media practice and theory. The course also includes cross-discipline collaborative projects, fostering teamwork and industry engagement. Regular studio visits, guest lectures, and participation in design competitions like the D&AD New Blood Awards will enhance your exposure to industry practices, preparing you for an innovative and exciting career in an ever-changing industry.

  • Yellow square with the word Fun in bright pink repeated three times
  • Monochrome image of a man leaning back with a device on his head and large yellow numbers dotted around him
  • two sections side by side, the left reads Do what you like and the right reads ride a bike. both sections are in a triangle with repeating high contrast triangle lines moving out from the centre. the second section the triangles are inverted
  • An illustration coloured in shades of blue, turquoise and white. The illustration has a windy thick road from the top right corner to the bottom right. Dotted around the road are illustrations of houses, horses and people
  • A mockup of 9 editorial spreads inside of a book open on a blue background. Each design shows a mixture of abstract illustration and typography
  • A mockup of iPad and mobile phone apps for BBC Bitesize learning on a dark green background. The apps show various video clips and augmented reality design of characters, with popups of information for learning
  • Text perpendicular to the lines of a grid
  • Business cards for 'Unitas' with white card stock, red logo graphic on the ledt, and 'Unitas be the change' in dark grey sans serif type on the right
  • A page of a book with visible grid layout
  • bold cursive style type face in negative space with white outline over a bright red background, text reads Les mistonnes and is wrapped around a road bicycle with the 'female' symbol as the crank and pedals
  • Blue circle propped up with cut outs of eyes and hands collaged onto it
  • An illustrated pig walking on two legs and holding an old fashioned key above it's head, walks towards a red sportscar and bundles of bank notes
  • Collaged images
  • Side by side images show each side of a seed packet, with black print on cardboard texture. There are spot prints of yellow and beetroot red
  • A doll with articulated joints, and accessories hanging from fine chains
  • top-down style render of a building interior
  • poster with blurry blue background, two audio cassettes in cyanotype style blurry white print fill the right hand side, text on the left reads Audio books are fantastic, it's like being in a fourteen hour film
  • Wireframe mockups of a website with purple and green theme
  • A cyanotype image of a leaf with holes
  • Book cover of John le Carre's The Night Manager showing a face painted in hazy green watercolours
  • Illustration showing two women in a pale blue bathroom and one is shaving her legs

Why study with us

  • Project-Based Skills

    Develop and refine your skills through project-based learning, which includes working on real-world projects and live briefs helping you to apply your skills in practical contexts.

  • Experimental and Challenging Approach

    The course encourages an experimental approach, challenging you to explore and critically address complex design issues such as sustainability, new technologies, inclusivity, and ethics.

  • Access to Professional-Level Resources

    Utilise a variety of professional resources including a Design Studio, UV and large format printing, a Media Resource Centre, and a Print Making Workshop.

  • Interdisciplinary Collaboration

    Benefit from an interdisciplinary approach that mirrors industry practices, integrating new and emerging concepts and technologies enriching your learning experience.

  • Expertise and Industry Recognition

    Norwich University of the Arts is a centre of design expertise, with students and graduates frequently winning prestigious awards like the D&AD Pencils and the RSA Howarth Award. Graduates of our MA Communication Design Master’s degree can be found leading global agencies.

  • Preparation for Advanced Professional Roles

    From moving image and sound to questions of brand management and publishing, you’ll stretch your skills and ambition ensuring you are well-prepared for complex professional challenges.

Course Details

This programme is a one-year course including 30 weeks of direct teaching time and a 15-week final project. You will need to complete three units and one 60-credit Major Project (180 credits in total). All units on the course are compulsory and must be passed in order to complete the award. If you study part-time your modules will be split across two years.

For full course details including aims and assessment criteria, download the course specification

Core Practice and Context (60 Credits)

This unit launches your Masters’ study experience at Norwich. it will encourage you to explore communication design problems through a structured process of research, idea generation, development, iteration, execution, and presentation. As a visual communicator, you’ll work across various territories, including illustration, graphic design, branding, and digital/interactive design. Through project work, you’ll research your subject matter, explore contemporary and historical references and refine your ideas to find the best communication strategies. Analogue and digital techniques, design software and consideration of materials will all play a part in how you realise and execute your ideas. Design briefs may be self-initiated, set by staff, or set by external organisations, often addressing global challenges or the United Nations’ 17 goals for Sustainable Development including climate emergency, social and environmental sustainability, equality and diversity, health and well-being, and other vital design for change agendas.

Collaborative Challenge (30 credits)

This unit is designed to tackle emerging and shifting issues in the field, such as sustainability, new technologies, and inclusivity. This unit emphasizes a creative, cross-disciplinary approach, encouraging students to experiment with various design methods that challenge and expand their existing practices. Working in supportive environments, students collaborate on projects that may involve real-world scenarios aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals or live projects with external clients. The focus is on teamwork, critical thinking, and the development of a unique design voice, with guidance from industry-experienced tutors. The unit culminates in a group submission and an individual reflective summary, with an emphasis on independent study, practical skills development, and engagement with the evolving landscape of communication design.

Project Design and Development (30 credits)

This unit will help you develop skills in designing and developing a creative and/or research project. The unit is designed to provide a wide range of tools and approaches to creating a research project, preparing you for undertaking your major project and many other investigations, such as doctoral or industry research. This unit introduces students to a wide range of research methods from the arts, humanities, and social sciences, helping them adapt these techniques to their unique projects. With a mix of independent study and expert-led tutorials, students will develop a robust understanding of project planning, ethical considerations, and the use of both digital and analogue tools. By the end of the unit, students will produce a contextual review, a detailed project plan, and an ethics review, laying the groundwork for their major project and establishing a distinct design voice, preparing them for the professional world.

Major Project (60 Credits)

This unit forms the culmination of your Master’s study in which you will design, develop, and execute a major project, individually or collaboratively. You will be supported and receive guidance in developing your projects through talks and group sessions. You will be encouraged to explore ideas and themes that challenge norms, question the role of design, and consider its potential to effect positive change. You will develop skills in selecting and utilising appropriate research methods, consider the stakeholders you will work with, and present your work to. You will work more independently as you progress, regularly consulting with your supervisor in group or individual tutorials. The format of your major project outcomes will be crucial, allowing you to showcase the knowledge and skills gained over the course to present a relevant and appropriate project in both the local and global context.

Download course specifications

Communication Design MA Course Specification (opens in a new window)

Learning and teaching

The course is delivered through a variety of engaging learning and teaching methods.

  • Lectures

  • Seminars

  • Tutorials

  • Technical labs

  • Independent and group work

Assessment

Our assessment methods will vary based on the unit you choose and provide a comprehensive measure of your learning and progress. These methods may include:

  • Critically reflective essay
  • Course work
  • Presentations
  • Learning journal
  • Reflective evaluation
  • Body of creative work
  • Reflective research report
  • Team project evaluation
  • Major project
  • Supporting documentation

Some of the people you’ll be working with

Meet all staff

Our Facilities

Look around our city-centre campus, and you will find studios, media labs, and creative spaces in 13 buildings that sit among the cafés, bars, independent galleries and shops of Norwich’s cultural quarter.

View all facilities

Typical career paths

  • Graphic/Web Design
  • Art Directing
  • Brand Strategy/Design
  • Desktop Publishing
  • Design Consultancy
  • Editorial Design
  • Marketing
  • Packaging Design
  • Advertising
  • Studio Management
  • Teaching/Lecturing
  • Research/PhD Study

The UK’s creative sector is thriving, contributing £111.7 billion annually to the economy and offering over 2 million jobs.

Department for Digital Culture Media and Sport (DCMS)

Entry Requirements

Entrants should normally have achieved a BA (Hons) / BSc Degree of 2:1 or above (or its equivalent), in a subject related to your proposed course of study.

Applicants who hold a Degree from another discipline may also be considered for entry, subject to the submission of a satisfactory portfolio of art, design or media-related work in support of their application.

Those with industry experience or relevant skills from non-traditional backgrounds are encouraged to apply, including individuals currently employed. If you’re unsure about your eligibility, please contact us for guidance before applying.

English language requirements (International/EU)

If English is not your first language, IELTS 6.5 (or equivalent) is required, with a minimum of 5.5 in reading, writing, listening, and speaking. we also accept other English language qualifications.

International Qualifications

We accept a wide range of qualifications from all over the world.

For information on entry requirements from your country, see our international pages.

Student work by Lois Brandon shows designs mocked up onto various adidas products

Fees and funding

Home

Full time: £10,000

Part time: £6250 per year

The level of fee that you will be asked to pay depends on whether you’re classed as a UK
(home) or international student. Check your fee status.

Fees for subsequent years

The rules for inflation on fees in subsequent years depend on the type of fee status and level

For Home and overseas postgraduate degree students starting in 2025, fees will remain the same for each year of your course.

Funding your study

Depending on your circumstances, you may qualify for a bursary, scholarship or loan to help fund your study and enhance your learning experience. Find out more about scholarships and funding.

Additional costs

Your tuition fee covers the full cost of tuition. Accommodation, cost of materials, and living costs, such as travel and food, are not included in your tuition fees

International

The tuition fees for the 2025/26 academic year will be:

Full time: £18,500

The level of fee that you will be asked to pay depends on whether you’re classed as a UK
(home) or international student. Check your fee status.

Fees for subsequent years

The rules for inflation on fees in subsequent years depend on the type of fee status and level

For home and overseas postgraduate degree students starting in 2025, fees will remain the same for each year of your course.

Funding your study

We offer a range of scholarships and bursaries for international students. To find out more and see if you’re eligible, please visit the scholarships for international students page.

Additional costs

Your tuition fee covers the full cost of tuition. Accommodation, cost of materials, and living costs, such as travel and food, are not included in your tuition fees

Communication Design MA Course Costs (opens in a new window)

How to apply

Home

Applications to our postgraduate courses should be made directly to Norwich University of the Arts using a Postgraduate Application Form.

Postgraduate Application Form – Word Document 2025-2026 (opens in a new window)

Applications should be returned to admissions@norwichuni.ac.uk

Please see our Terms and Conditions and Admissions Policies for further details.

International

Postgraduate applicants can only apply directly by completing the below online application form or emailing the downloadable form to ioadmissions@norwichuni.ac.uk

Online Postgraduate Application Form (opens in a new window)

International students requiring a visa should apply as soon as possible in the year they wish to start. Email our International Team for more information. Please see our Terms and Conditions and Admissions Policies for further details

A photograph of a seminar room at Norwich University of the Arts, where an academic is giving a welcome presentation to visitors at an Open Day.

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