Program Overview

Delve into key skills like research, strategy, typography, and process design, gaining a holistic understanding of professional design practice. We offer a dynamic approach to the discipline, preparing you for a broad range of media including digital, print, and environmental. As a graphic designer, you explore your social responsibility while developing critical thinking, experimentation and innovative visual communication, in this ever-evolving area.

Top reasons to study graphic design at Teesside University:

• Nationally recognised :Teesside University is 1st in the UK for Graphic Design. (Guardian University Guide 2024 & 2025, tees.ac.uk/source)   97.6% of design studies students agreed that staff were good at explaining things. (National Student Survey 2024, tees.ac.uk/source)
• Adobe Creative Campus: our courses and campus are powered by Adobe and Apple. We’re Europe’s first Adobe Creative Campus and the only Apple-accredited university, equipping you with the digital tools and resources to transform the creative world. Our courses have a built-in Creative Week – a workshop based, festival style, off-timetable week each semester where you can experiment with new materials, make visits and upgrade your tech skills.
• Professional membership: we’re a member of the Association of Illustrators giving you access to interactive talks, guidance on contracts and licensing. You also have your own discounted membership, equipping you with the tools to forge a successful career in industry or as a freelancer.
• Work-ready: 90% of BA (Hons) Graphic Design students go on to work and/or study 15 months after the course (Graduate Outcomes Survey 2020-21, tees.ac.uk/source). The course includes short, career-focused modules helping you understand working in the arts and creative industries. You look at how the graphic design industry works, how to access it, who shapes it and how to grow within it. From industry leaders’ professional wisdom and insight, to accessing professional opportunities and creative coaching, you become an industry insider and leave with a working understanding of the professional community.
• Enter awards: you are supported to enter career-enhancing awards, including the Adobe Global World Championships held in Disney Studios, the Creative Conscience Awards, D&AD New Blood Awards and the renowned International Society of Typographic Designers (ISTD) – many of our students have been successful in winning awards at these events.