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Join a postgrad study live chat on the 24 April 2024 between 16:00 – 17:00 to find out more about postgraduate studies and life at Herts. Get all the information you need from our knowledgeable teams about admissions, accommodation, student finance, and you’ll have the opportunity to speak to our current students.

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MA Graphic Design and Branding

Why choose Herts?

  • Employment Prospects: Graduates work in art, digital, and design jobs with organizations including Fiora and creative agency Emperor. Many are also practicing as freelancers supplying independent design services to clients.
  • Teaching Excellence: During this project-based course you will practice contemporary graphic design and be taught by tutors with extensive high-level commercial experience.
  • Industry-Focused Course Content: You will explore the social, global, and cultural value of how our work creates meaning and impact in products and other entities in every environment.
  • Entry requirements and key information

    An honours degree (2:2 or above) in a field relevant to the award you want to study. If you do not have a degree, you will need to show you have appropriate professional experience and skills to benefit from the course. We may also be able to take into account accredited prior learning (APL) or accredited prior experiential learning (APEL). If your degree is in a different field, you will need appropriate knowledge, skills or experience in the field you wish to study, or be able to show that you are prepared for intensive new learning. In all cases you will need to demonstrate through a portfolio or interview your preparedness for study at postgraduate level.

    If you do not have the required level of English for entry, our academic English courses can help you to achieve this level.

    Institution code

    		 H36

    School of study

    		 School of Creative Arts

    Course length
  • Full Time, 1 Years
  • Part Time, 2 Years

    • Location
  • University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield
  • Employability

    Careers

    Particular emphasis is given to providing you with the skills necessary to further your career as a graphic designer. The course is designed to help you understand and work within the contemporary industrial environment and particular attention is given to helping you acquire entrepreneurial skills.

About the course

  • MA Graphic Design and Branding degree will develop your professional skills as a graphic designer.
  • You will work with design professionals of international standing.
  • This Master's degree gives you the opportunity to work in professional and industrial contexts.

Why choose this course?

MA Graphic Design and Branding sits within the PG Design programme at the School of Creative Arts. There is strong emphasis on professional practice and the real-world applications of art and design, where you will develop key research skills and gain a good understanding of the work of other practitioners in your field.

The aim of the postgraduate programme is to equip you with the skills, knowledge and understanding required to practice at an advanced level, to foster your creativity and enhance your employment opportunities. You will work alongside artists and designers who are involved with a wide variety of media and forms. Induction, seminars and social events for students and staff mean that you will be part of a friendly and supportive postgraduate community, which also includes film makers, musicians and professionals working in new media. Senior research staff and internationally renowned artists work with postgraduate students, helping you to develop original and challenging work.

Visual communication and the graphic image are increasingly important in the global information economy. On this masters degree, you will be encouraged to adopt a creative, enquiring and critical approach to the graphic image and its uses in contemporary practice. 

From traditional craft processes to digital image making, exploring the graphic image and its uses, in both web based and print formats. We focus on professional practice and enterprise, helping you acquire the skills required to practice in the creative and cultural industries, and equipping you with the skills necessary to work as a freelance practitioner. Key aspects of the course also include social, political, environmental and commercial contexts of graphic design, branding and the processes by which graphic signs operate to convey meanings in various environments.

Our staff are experienced in research and professional practice, and you will also benefit from contributions from visiting designers and design professionals, as well as from involvement with our international exhibitions programme and our close links with industry partners.

What will I study?

This course is designed to help you develop your practice and give you the skills recovery to further your career in industry both in the UK and abroad. The course includes practice based modules where you will explore and develop your work as a graphic designer. It also contains course or research skills, entrepreneurialism and professional practice. The final part of the course enables you to complete a major project.

  • Level 7
    Module Credits Compulsory/optional
    Design Studio Practice 1 15 Credits Compulsory
    Research Methods 15 Credits Compulsory
    Advanced Design Skills Lab 30 Credits Compulsory
    Design Studio Practice 2 45 Credits Compulsory
    Professional design Practice 15 Credits Compulsory
    Major Study: Graphic Design and Branding 60 Credits Compulsory

    • Further course information

    Course fact sheets
    MA Graphic Design and Branding Download
    Programme specifications
    MA Graphic Design and Branding Download
    Additional information

    Sandwich placement or study abroad year

    n/a

    Applications open to international and EU students

    		 Yes

    Student experience

    At the University of Hertfordshire, we want to make sure your time studying with us is as stress-free and rewarding as possible. We offer a range of support services including; student wellbeing, academic support, accommodation and childcare to ensure that you make the most of your time at Herts and can focus on studying and having fun.

    Find out about how we support our students

    You can also read our student blogs to find out about life at Herts.