


Ignite your passion for exploring visual ideas and brand communication from real-world problems to commercial briefs, across digital and print.
Communication across all platforms will be at the heart of your time at Norwich University of the Arts studying on our award-winning Graphic Communication course.
Our BA (Hons) Graphic Communication degree is closely aligned to industry, and you will work on a wide variety of briefs set by staff, professional design agencies and external competitions.
You will engage in work that explores traditional formats as well as emerging digital technologies such as augmented and virtual reality. Your knowledge and skills will grow in branding, identity, advertising, motion graphics, interaction/UX design, whilst developing strong skills in creative thinking and ideas-led communication solutions.
Design solutions to real world problems
You’ll be challenged to engage with real-world problems, controversies and commercial briefs through research, design and technology.
Your original ideas are as likely to play out through an app, website or augmented reality experience as a printed poster, pamphlet or journal.
Design industry skills
As you hone your craft, you’ll get to meet leading practitioners from the creative industries and work on commercial briefs.
We’ll help to prepare you for a successful career as you compile your professional portfolio based on your own design interests.
Thanks to our strong links to industry, recent graduates are highly employable and have found full-time employment in leading design studios, working in areas such as branding and digital, motion and cross-platform advertising.
You will be taught by passionate and experienced tutors, as well as many visiting professional designers, whose reputation for nurturing talent means that leading design groups and agencies actively recruit graduates from the course.
Success in awards:
Students from Graphic Communication have received multiple awards from D&AD New Blood Awards, the YCN Awards, Creative Conscience Awards and Dragon Rouge Firestarters.
Graphics at Norwich
Course information
All courses run as a blend of on-campus and digital teaching and learning, and follow current UK government safety advice. Applicants and students will be notified directly if any changes need to be made.
Typical career paths include:
- Graphic designer
- Digital designer
- Website designer
- App designer
- Branding designer
- Advertising creative
- Promotions designer
- Brand strategist
- Copywriter
- Printmaker/printer
- Filmmaker/animator
You’ll also get specialist creative careers advice from our Business and Employability Team to help support you as you plan your career.
Course Information
Institution Code: N39Course 3 Year UCAS code: W213 Course 4 Year UCAS code: W214Course length: 3 or 4 year optionsSandwich courses: Creative Professional Development (1 year, Level 5 diploma), or Creative Computing (1 year, Level 5 diploma), available between years 2 & 3
Tom Horbury
Typical UK offers
A / AS Levels – GCE
GCE A/AS Levels 3 A-level qualifications at grades BBB. Where candidates are not taking 3 A-levels, Norwich will consider combinations of A-level/AS-level and other Level 3 qualifications.
BTEC Extended Diploma (QCF or RQF)
Distinction, Merit, Merit in an art, design or media related subject
BTEC Diploma (QCF or RQF)
Distinction*, Distinction* in an art, design or media related subject
T Levels
A T Level in any subject with overall grade Merit or above
UAL Extended Diploma
Merit
UAL Level 3 Foundation Diploma in Art and Design
Merit
UAL Level 4 Foundation Diploma in Art and Design
Pass
Foundation Diploma in Art and Design
Merit
Access to Higher Education Diploma (Art and Design)
Pass
International Baccalaureate Diploma
A minimum of 27 points
Norwich welcomes applicants of all ages from all backgrounds. Your application will be primarily assessed through your portfolio, responses to questions asked and personal statement, so even if you have no formal qualifications or do not meet our typical offers it can still be worth applying.
If you are studying at the time of your application and your application is successful it is likely that you will receive a conditional offer.
If the qualification that you are studying is not shown, do not worry as we are able to accept other pre-entry qualifications as well as combinations of different qualifications. Please do contact our Student Recruitment Team if you have any queries.
International applications
We accept qualifications from all over the world. To find our entry requirements from a specific country, please check our dedicated international pages.
Most international students are required to hold an English language qualification. Applicants are required to have a minimum UKVI approved IELTS exam score of 6.0 overall, with a minimum of 5.5 in each section. Equivalent English language qualifications are acceptable such as, IB English language syllabus A or B/English Literature (Grade 4).
We also accept some alternative English qualifications. Learn more about our English entry requirements.
You can email us on international@norwichuni.ac.uk if you’d like to discuss your application individually.
BA (Hons) Graphic Communication degree portfolio guidance
We are calling the traditional portfolio a ‘development portfolio’. This is to emphasise that what we would like to see is where you are now in your creative journey. You don’t need to spend a long time making the perfect work, as we can assess your potential from your work in progress. Your development is the most important part of your learning.
Your development portfolio should be relevant to this course, but you can include a wide range of work that shows your creativity, technical competence and understanding of innovative communication.
You may wish to include some of the following:
- Visual identity, logos and branding
- Digital, motion design and interactive design
- Advertising projects/ campaigns
- Work created using Adobe Creative Suite or other appropriate design software
- Web design
- Typography
- Photography
- Editorial work and poster designs
- Drawing Skills
- Suggestions for context: branding, corporate communications, advertising, digital/interactive design
Further portfolio advice and tips
Get more advice on presentation formats, layouts, and when to submit your development portfolio in the application process.
2023/24 University fees for new entrants
Norwich University of the Arts will assess students’ tuition fee status using the guidance provided by the UK Council for International Student Affairs
Students from the UK or Ireland and EU students with ‘Settled’ or ‘Pre-Settled’ status will be charged ‘Home’ fees if they meet the relevant residency requirements. They will usually be eligible for a tuition fee loan from the UK government, meaning that they won’t have to pay Norwich’s tuition fees upfront.
Students who do not meet the necessary residency requirements will usually be charged ‘Overseas’ fees and will not be eligible for the UK government tuition fee loan. Since 2021/22, this includes new entrants from the EU, EEA, and Switzerland who do not have ‘Settled’ or ‘Pre-Settled’ status, because the UK has now formally left the EU.
Fee status | Course | Annual fee |
---|---|---|
Home | Undergraduate degree (full-time three and four year degree) | £9,250 |
Overseas | Undergraduate degree (full-time three and four year degree) | £18,000 |
For Home undergraduate students starting in 2023, inflation may be applied to your fees in later years, if the UK government were to increase the fee cap beyond the current limit of £9,250 per year. If such an increase were to apply, we would confirm this in advance to you of each academic year, and we would limit the increase to the maximum allowed by the Office for Students.
For Overseas undergraduate students starting in 2023, inflation will be applied to your fees in later years. We will confirm this in advance to you of each academic year, and we will limit the increase to no more than the Office for Students’ recommended inflationary measure, which is RPI-X. RPI-X is calculated by the Office for Budget Responsibility. In setting fees for the following year, we will use the Office for Budget Responsibility’s RPI-X forecast for quarter 3 of the relevant year.
See our Fees and Funding page for further information which is also available in a downloadable format.
Financial support for UK students in 2023
Tuition fee loans and loans for living costs are usually available to UK and some EU students, as well as non-repayable Norwich University of the Arts bursaries based on family income. Find out more about applying for funding.
Four year degree – BA (Hons) Graphic Communication
Four year degrees offer students a chance to build on their experience within their undergraduate course of choice.
Year 0 will help to build confidence and develop subject specific practical, creative and conceptual skills – making full use of University studios and workshops.
Typical UK offers and entry requirements for Year 0 entry
GCE A/AS Levels
2 A-level qualifications at grades CC or higher.
BTEC Extended Diploma (QCF or RQF)
Merit, Merit, Pass in an art, design or media related subject
BTEC Diploma (QCF or RQF)
Distinction, Merit in an art, design or media related subject
T Levels
Pass (D or E on the core)
UAL Extended Diploma
An overall Pass
UAL Level 3 Foundation Diploma in Art and Design
An overall Pass
Foundation Diploma in Art and Design
Pass
Access to Higher Education Diploma (Art and Design)
Pass
International Baccalaureate Diploma
A minimum of 24 points
Norwich welcomes applicants of all ages from all backgrounds. Your application will be primarily assessed through your portfolio, responses to questions asked and personal statement, so even if you have no formal qualifications or do not meet our typical offers it can still be worth applying.
If you are studying at the time of your application and your application is successful it is likely that you will receive a conditional offer.
Find out moreRecent Awards
Top 10 for
Teaching Quality
by the Times and Sunday Times 2022
Top Two UK
Creative Arts
University
by The Complete University Guide 2024
GOLD-rated
University
the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF)
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