BA (Hons) Graphic Design: Advertising and Branding

Key information

Typical offer:
Entry requirements
Fees: See below
Full details
UCAS code: W215
Institute code: H36
Study abroad option
Work placement option
Find out more

The University of Hertfordshire is committed to welcoming students with a wide range of qualifications and levels of experience. The entry requirements listed on the course pages provide a guide to the minimum level of qualifications needed to study each course. However, we have a flexible approach to admissions and each application will be considered on an individual basis.

UCAS points	A Level	BTEC	Accepted T Levels	Access Course Tariff	IB Requirement
112–120	BBC–BBB (Creative subjects preferred)	DMM–DDM	Design Survey & Planning for Construction; Digital Production, Design & Development; Education and Childcare; Healthcare Science; Health; Science; Digital Support Services; Digital Business Services; Onsite Construction; Building Services Engineering for Construction; Accounting; Design and Development for Engineering and Manufacturing; Engineering, Manufacturing, Processing and Control; Finance; Maintenance, Installation and Repair for Engineering and Manufacturing; Management and Administration; Agriculture, Land management and Production; Legal Services	Diploma with 45 Level 3 credits at Merit	112–120 points from a minimum of 2 HL subjects at H4 or above to include Visual Arts at SL or HL (with the remaining points to come from a combination of HL, SL and Core)

Additional requirements

Portfolio: Presentation of an acceptable portfolio of artwork.

IELTS: All students from non-majority English-speaking countries require proof of English language proficiency, equivalent to an overall IELTS score of 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in each band.

If you do not have the required IELTS or equivalent for direct entry on to your degree programme, our Pre-sessional English and International Foundation courses can help you to achieve this level.

For more details on the University of Hertfordshire's entry requirements, please visit our Undergraduate Entry Requirements page.

Find out more about International Entry Requirements.

Why choose this course?

Ranked 1st in the UK in the World Brand Design Society, Student Design Awards 2022-23
95% satisfaction for organisation and management (NSS, 2024, based on the average of Q17-18)
Our students have won D&AD New Blood pencils every year since 2011.

Creativity, collaboration, tech and big ideas. If you think you want to work in advertising or branding, but you love graphic design, this could be the course for you. Design is the (not-so) secret weapon behind every innovative brand, beautiful magazine, eye-popping piece of print and jaw-dropping digital interface. Learn its secrets and carve out an influential career working with the biggest firms or apply your talents to make a positive impact on the world around you. This pathway lets you focus on the specialist skills you’ll need to work in the industry, learn the latest software and make lifelong friendships with like-minded creatives.

The teaching team have worked at the top end of the design, advertising and branding industry and now want to pass on their knowledge, expertise and connections to the next generation of creatives. In recent years, our students have worked on live briefs with the likes of Lacoste, Sky, Mini and collaborated with students from Yale University is the US on a brief set by Prada. We’ve also partnered with some of the world’s leading creative agencies including Droga5 and DesignStudio (the designers of the Premier League, Airbnb and Deliveroo branding).

It’s a powerful mix of freedom, inspiration and support that prepares you for an incredible career. In fact, it’s earned our students over 100 major awards in recent years, including at least one D&AD pencil every year since 2011. So, join our community and turn your creativity into a career you love. Who knows? Maybe you’ll be next. 

What are the facilities like? 

Amazing. Learn in our vibrant, dedicated studio spaces and Mac labs. Do your research in our 24/7 library. Use our professional-quality photography, TV and motion capture studios. And borrow all the tech you need to create mind-blowing work. 

What's the course about?

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.

Your main campus is College Lane 

This is where the creative arts, science and health-related subjects are based. This means you’ll share the campus with future nurses, scientists, artists and more. You can use the common rooms to relax with friends, work out in the 24-hour gym or have a drink in our on-campus pub or cafes. We also have restaurants for you to eat in or grab something on the go. Our Learning Resources Centres are open 24/7, which means you can study whenever suits you best. Want to pop over to the other campus? You can take the free shuttle bus or walk there in just 15 minutes.   

What will I study?

Degree programmes are structured into levels, 4, 5 and 6.  These correspond to your first, second and third/final year of study.  Below you can see what modules you’ll be studying in each.  

Level 4

Module	Credits	Compulsory/optional
Visual Communication	45 Credits	Compulsory
This module focuses on studio projects and workshops which introduce research, idea generation, and technical skills as core components of the creative design process. Students research, edit, and analyse content, honing visual presentation skills, with studio staff providing guidance. Activities and lectures introduce graphic design and illustration realms, aiding informed pathway decisions.
Visual Thinking: Histories, Theories and Context	30 Credits	Compulsory
This module emphasises critical and cultural aspects in graphic design and illustration, integral to professional development. Lectures, seminars, tutorials and workshops explore influences on contemporary design, covering various contextual factors such as artisanship, industrialisation, consumption, modernism, post-modernism. Students gain insight into situating their practice within broader contextual and professional frameworks.
Graphic Design Essentials Part 1	45 Credits	Compulsory
This module introduces core skills and knowledge in typography and layout, both in printed and digital form. There is a strong emphasis on research, idea generation and problem solving that leads to the development and realisation of design solutions through projects and workshops appropriate to graphic design, advertising and branding.

Level 5

Module	Credits	Compulsory/optional
Year Abroad	0 Credits	Optional
The Year Abroad will provide students in Creative Arts with the opportunity to expand, develop and apply the knowledge and skills gained in the first two taught years of the degree within a different organisational and cultural environment in a partner academic institution. The host institution will appoint a Programme Co-ordinator who will oversee the student's programme during the Year Abroad and will liaise with the appointed UH Supervisor.
Professional Work Experience 15: Design	15 Credits	Optional
Students may identify a work experience opportunity or have a work experience suggested to them. Before starting students meet with the Programme Leader or their nominated tutor, to agree the impending placement. All aspects of the intended experience are addressed from health and safety to client confidentiality and students are given guidance on behaviour and how to manage expectations. Proposals need to identify an outline work programme, the number of days in placement and the main learning outcomes; and are subject to agreement of the Programme Leader.
Professional Work Experience 30: Design	30 Credits	Optional
Students undertake a medium-term work experience/placement within their main area of study. They are supported by their Programme Leader or nominated tutor to confirm the formal arrangements with the provider / client. This includes a clear outline workplan, confirming the duration of the experience and daily working pattern. Students will work with the provider / client to define their role and responsibilities in a clear job description. Students become familiar with health and safety policies and offered guidance regarding client confidentiality, and their conduct in a professional environment. Proposals need to identify an outline work programme, the number of days in placement and the main learning outcomes and are subject to agreement of the Programme Leader
Contextualising Contemporary Practice	30 Credits	Compulsory
This module encourages students to see critical and cultural studies as a vital tool for innovative and well informed practice. It offers students the opportunity to explore a range of theoretical positions that inform recent and contemporary practice. Students will be asked to use the findings to reflect critically upon their own work and to locate their practice within the context of historical, social, political, cultural, environmental and theoretical perspectives.
Graphic Designs Essentials Part 2	30 Credits	Compulsory
This module builds on the first pathway module in Level 4 (Graphic Design Essentials Part 1) and aims to both reinforce core skills, knowledge, and creative application, whilst introducing students to essential digital facing skills such as interaction, user experience, animation, and narrative. Flexible and agile digital design skills are delivered via a series of workshops and these are tested through a series of professionally focused projects.
Graphic Design Professional Development	15 Credits	Compulsory
This module provides students with an insight into the world of graphic design through a reflective journal prompting reflection on evolving thoughts, opinions, values and career aspirations as emerging designers. It also encourages students to study and analyse the work of professional design practices or agencies in relation to their own work as students, fostering a nuanced understanding of industry practices and professionally relevant themes, in turn supporting students in their engagement with industry and enhancing prospects of employability.
Fundamentals of Advertising and Branding	15 Credits	Compulsory
This module acts as an introduction to the advertising and branding industries - explaining how creative and branding agencies work, the various roles within them and the types of work they produce. Typically, a series of lectures and short workshops would explore key skills including strategy and campaign development, art direction, copywriting, pitching to clients and the creation of visual identities. The module will prioritise working quickly to develop multiple ideas and solutions to set briefs, replicating the experience of working with these fields.
Live Briefs: Advertising and Branding	30 Credits	Compulsory
This module provides a crucial opportunity to put into practice all the skills, understanding and knowledge acquired thus far on the programme. Key activities will be focused on one or more practical design briefs drawn from the various national and international design competitions, as well as provide an opportunity to work on a brief set by a professional external client. These projects are designed to significantly raise the students' working efforts and standards in preparation for producing professional and competition standard work.

Level 6

Module	Credits	Compulsory/optional
Year Abroad	0 Credits	Optional
The Year Abroad will provide students in Creative Arts with the opportunity to expand, develop and apply the knowledge and skills gained in the first two taught years of the degree within a different organisational and cultural environment in a partner academic institution. The host institution will appoint a Programme Co-ordinator who will oversee the student's programme during the Year Abroad and will liaise with the appointed UH Supervisor.
Sandwich Year (Creative Arts)	0 Credits	Compulsory
The optional 'Sandwich' placement year may be undertaken between the levels 5 and 6. Students undertake the placement within a commercial, public or not for profit setting that is able to provide an appropriate learning experience related to the creative and cultural industries. A placement could take a variety of forms, including: * working in an external organisation; * working with a University company or professional team within the University; * self-employment within defined context and externally refereed. The placement duration would typically be sustained for at least 36 weeks (from a maximum of two separate placements, neither of which should normally be less than 12 weeks in duration), though may be sustained for a full year. While the School actively supports the placement process, ultimately it is the placement provider that will agree to manage and select students, normally through an interview process. During the placement a member of the academic staff will be assigned to the student as a tutor and will monitor the student's progress during the placement period.
Degree Essay	30 Credits	Compulsory
Designers need to be informed practitioners who must critically engage with their discipline's history, ideas, and future evolution. This module empowers students to conduct in-depth inquiries into design culture, emphasising the analysis of social, cultural, economic, technical, historical, and aesthetic issues pertinent to their chosen topics and studio work. It fosters research, organisation, critical analysis, argument construction, studentship, and presentation skills. Student-generated content ensures each individual brings their identified interests to the sessions, fostering personalised and impactful learning experiences.
Graphic Design Advanced Practice Part 1	30 Credits	Compulsory
This Level 6 module aims to provide the learning and skills required to explore career aspirations and compete in national and international student design competitions, including from D&AD, ISTD and others. Briefs, derived from these competitions and program staff, will pose significant challenges to students' acquired knowledge, understanding, skills, and abilities. Project briefs will cover a wide range of discipline areas within graphic design such as print, packaging, advertising, branding, animation or interaction.
Graphic Design Advanced Practice Part 2	30 Credits	Compulsory
This module empowers students to choose from a selection of diverse briefs, enabling them to tailor their portfolio to their desired career. It focuses on producing professional-quality design outcomes, encouraging exploration of new materials and techniques. The module requires high levels of energy, commitment, passion, and effective time and project management skills. It also presents opportunities for collaboration.
Final Major Project: Advertising and Branding	30 Credits	Compulsory
In this module, students strive for excellence in advertising and branding, creating work executed to the highest standards. The module emphasises contextual exploration, urging students to consider and delve into the contexts surrounding subject matter and designed outcomes. Open briefs allow students to select their own subject matter and develop their own areas of interest. Engaging in a rigorous design process, students utilise various research techniques, thorough design development with prototyping, and continuous critical self-reflection. The final work demands meticulous detail, unparalleled craftsmanship, and professional typographic standards.

Study abroad

An opportunity for an amazing experience, which will help make you stand out from the crowd. With more and more companies working internationally, experience of living in another country can make a great impression on future employers.

This course offers you the opportunity to enhance your study and CV with a sandwich year abroad. The University has partnerships with over 150 universities around the world, including the USA, Canada, Asia, Africa, Australia, South America and closer to home in Europe.

If you study abroad between your second and third year of study, you’ll pay no tuition fee to the partner university and no tuition fee to us either. We’ll ask you to make your decision in your second year, so there is plenty of time to think about it.

Find out more about Study abroad opportunities

Please note Erasmus+ funding is only available until May 2023. For students starting their course in September 2022 and wishing to study abroad in 2023-24 or 2024-25, please refer to the Turing Scheme.
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. Our students are currently on, or have recently completed year-long placements with Urban Outfitters, The Body Shop, Disney, River Island, Ocado as well as many smaller design studios. The University also offers a ‘self-employed’ placement year which helps students set up their own practice.

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.

Find out more about work placements
What if I need support?

We’re right here. This course is all about creativity and community, so your tutors will be right beside you in the studio, rolling their sleeves up and getting stuck in. Need them outside study times? No problem. Pop in for advice, answers or just a friendly chat.
You’ll be part of a small teaching group, so you’ll also build supportive relationships with other students. Get together for our events and exhibitions, or stick around for after-school club on Thursdays and do your thing alongside our whole graphic design and illustration family.
We’ve also got a dedicated student experience team, here to make sure you’re happy at Herts. So, if you ever feel you’re struggling, drop in and say hello. They’ll help you find all the advice, care and reassurance you need.
For help with study skills, including referencing, essay writing and presentations, you’ll have access to our academic support services. You can attend workshops, 1-to-1 sessions and online tutorials. Both our LRCs (Learning Resources Centres) run drop-in study skills sessions. And the best thing is, it’s all free.

This course played a huge positive role in my overall development. I found that my skills evolved greatly over the three years. Being exposed to live briefs, 1-2-1 sessions with lecturers and learning the contextual side of design are just some of the benefits I got to experience first-hand on this course. I also learnt about how vast the creative industry is, which is what made me pursue my career within advertising.

Hemi Patel, BA (Hons) Graphic Design: Advertising and Branding

Alumni Stories

Sam Sampson

Meet Sam Sampson who utilised the flexibility of his degree to discover his passion. Since graduating in 2017, he has been working as a Junior Creative at Wasserman Experience.

Current job role	Junior Creative
Year of graduation	2017
Course of study	BA (Hons) Digital Media Design

Flexible studying opportunities

When Sam came to study at the University, he was a Philosophy student but ended up changing his major to Digital Media Design. 'Luckily, the humanities department provided a major/minor split in my studies. This meant whilst I was studying philosophy, I could pick from a range of other courses that I had not considered. I chose "New Media Publishing" and found that it was much more aligned to my personality, so I changed to a full creative degree. If it had not been for that system, I would not be in my current role.'

Flexibility is a key way in which the University supports students to tailor their studies to fit their lives and best suit their skills and career aspirations. This is part of our commitment to recognise potential and nurture talent, providing students with fantastic opportunities and experiences. Sam says, 'the University of Hertfordshire truly shaped me personally as well as my career. I can guarantee that no other University would have provided me with the same opportunities they did and I can confidently say that if I had not studied here, I wouldn’t be as happy in my career as I am today.'

Supporting athletes

Sam is also an athlete and was fortunate enough to qualify for the sport scholarship programme due to his involvement in judo. Extracurricular activities such as these enhance the student experience, giving students multiple ways to develop and uncover their potential. Sam says, 'The performance gym (Performance Hertfordshire) is a truly spectacular facility for all athletes. The staff are very highly qualified and provided me with ongoing support via specialised training regimes, nutritional advice and physiotherapy that was imperative to my performance as an athlete. I could not recommend Performance Hertfordshire enough.'

Sam began his studies uncertain of what he wanted to do or how his future career would unfold. However, through the support and ingenuity of the University’s degree programmes, Sam has been able to discover potential he hadn’t previously recognised and enter an industry that suits his skills and interests.

Alumni Stories

Elise Robinson

Meet Elise Robinson who has used her degree and creativity to propel her career. Elise currently works as a Marketing Project Senior at Marshall Amplification plc.

Read more stories BA (Hons) Graphic Design

Current job role	Marketing Project Senior
Year of graduation	2014
Course of study	BA (Hons) Graphic Design

Currently, it’s Elise’s job to ensure smooth communication between the design and communications teams and other parts of the business. 'It's a bit like being an account manager for a design agency but in-house, where the other departments are your clients. I've taken a slight sideways step from a creative role to a management role, but it's my creative background and experience that helps me make informed decisions for the business.'

Embracing a different path

Having studied Graphic Design at Herts, graduating in 2014, and originally intending on leading a creative career in a commercial area, Elise soon embraced the opportunity of changing course and pursuing a more meaningful pathway.

Her degree provided her with a very broad understanding of cross platform campaigns and what it takes to deliver them. While she may not be in a creative role now, that broad understanding means she can confidently represent the creative teams and make strategic decisions.

Elise says she chose to study at Herts as the Graphic Design course reflected her career ambitions. She thinks choosing a Graphic Design course is a very personal choice because they vary so much. Some are very fine art focused, and some are much more commercial/business orientated. She wanted the latter, and Herts offers a very practical, business-orientated course that suited her and reflected the type of career she wanted to go in to.

Commercial experience

The commercial elements of the course alongside the industry exposure Elise received during her studies enabled her to develop an impressive wealth of experience and contacts which she could take with her into the professional world. 'The contacts I made whilst at university (printers, artists, clients and more) have been invaluable in my career so far. As the course was mostly practical design projects you had to go out and find suppliers and people to collaborate with.'

A wide set of skills is always attractive to an employer, especially when entering a creative role. Possessing a comprehensive skill base will make you even more employable. Elise encourages students hoping to follow a similar career path to diversify their skillset by exploring related disciplines. 'If you can do graphic design, why not also brush up on your photography, web design or illustration?'

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, both here in the UK and around the world. These include Apple, DesignStudio, Koto, Saatchi & Saatchi and Turner Duckworth. 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.
View our Alumni profiles

Sam Sampson Elise Robinson
Key staff

Nick Lovegrove
Programme Leader for Graphic Design & Illustration
Find out more about Nick Lovegrove
Rich Mitchell
Senior Lecturer in Graphic Design
Find out more about Rich Mitchell

Course fact sheets
BA (Hons) Graphic Design: Advertising and Branding	Download

Programme specifications
BA (Hons) Graphic Design: Advertising and Branding	Download

Additional information
Sandwich placement or study abroad year	Optional
Applications open to international and EU students	Yes
Course length	Full Time, 3 Years Sandwich, 4 Years
Location	University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield

2025

Start Date	End Date	Year	Location	Link
19/09/2025	31/05/2026	3	UH Hatfield Campus	Apply online (Full Time)
21/09/2025	31/05/2026	1	UH Hatfield Campus	Apply online (Full Time/Sandwich)
20/09/2025	31/05/2026	2	UH Hatfield Campus	Apply online (Full Time/Sandwich)

2026

Start Date	End Date	Year	Location	Link
19/09/2026	31/05/2027	3	UH Hatfield Campus	Apply online (Full Time)
21/09/2026	31/05/2027	1	UH Hatfield Campus	Apply online (Full Time/Sandwich)
20/09/2026	31/05/2027	2	UH Hatfield Campus	Apply online (Full Time/Sandwich)

Interview

Apply through UCAS. If you’ve got the grades/predicted grades and you’re a good fit, we’ll invite you to an interview. Leave your suit at home and come for an informal chat about why you’d love to take the course. We want to hear what kind of design really interests you and what you know about the industry.
You’ll also need to bring your portfolio – approximately six to ten pieces of work that show off your potential and represent the kind of design you love. Present them well and explain your design process and ideas. It really doesn’t matter if you’ve never studied graphic design before, as long as you can think of original and clever concepts.
For further portfolios and interview advice
Fees and funding
Fees 2024
UK Students
Full time
- £9250 for the 2024/2025 academic year
EU Students
Full time
- £15500 for the 2024/2025 academic year
International Students
Full time
- £15500 for the 2024/2025 academic year
Fees 2025
UK Students
Full time
- £9535 for the 2025/2026 academic year
EU Students
Full time
- £15965 for the 2025/2026 academic year
International Students
Full time
- £15965 for the 2025/2026 academic year
*Tuition fees are charged annually. The fees quoted above are for the specified year(s) only. Fees may be higher in future years, for both new and continuing students. Please see the University’s Fees and Finance Policy (and in particular the section headed “When tuition fees change”), for further information about when and by how much the University may increase its fees for future years.

View detailed information about tuition fees

Read more about additional fees in the course fact sheet

Other financial support

Find out more about other financial support available to UK and EU students

Living costs / accommodation

The University of Hertfordshire offers a great choice of student accommodation, on campus or nearby in the local area, to suit every student budget.

View detailed information about our accommodation

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Get info and updates

BA (Hons) Graphic Design: Advertising and Branding

Key information

Typical offer:

Fees: See below

UCAS code: W215

Institute code: H36

Study abroad option

Work placement option

Additional requirements

Why choose this course?

What are the facilities like?

What's the course about?

Your main campus is College Lane

What will I study?

Alumni Stories

Meet Sam Sampson who utilised the flexibility of his degree to discover his passion. Since graduating in 2017, he has been working as a Junior Creative at Wasserman Experience.

Flexible studying opportunities

Supporting athletes

Alumni Stories

Meet Elise Robinson who has used her degree and creativity to propel her career. Elise currently works as a Marketing Project Senior at Marshall Amplification plc.

Embracing a different path

Commercial experience

2025

2026

Fees 2024

UK Students

Full time

EU Students

Full time

International Students

Full time

Fees 2025

UK Students

Full time

EU Students

Full time

International Students

Full time

Other financial support

Living costs / accommodation

What are the facilities like? 

Your main campus is College Lane 