Graphic Design With Foundation Year

University of Salford

United Kingdom, Salford

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Home/United Kingdom/Salford /University of Salford/Graphic Design With Foundation Year

University of Salford

United Kingdom , Salford

Key Facts

Program Level

Bachelor

Study Type

Full Time

Delivery

On Campus

Course Code

Course ID W214

Campuses

Main Site

Program Language

English

Start & Deadlines

Next Intake DeadlinesSeptember-2026

Apply to this program

Go to the official application for the university

Duration 4 year(s)

Next Intake September-2026

Graphic Design With Foundation Year

About

Introduction

In a nutshell

The world of arts and media is changing at a phenomenal rate, and there has never been a better time to explore your creativity and the ways in which you can apply it to the world around you.

The Foundation Year of this four-year programme aims to provide you with an understanding of the subject to allow you to progress on to the BA (Hons) Graphic Design course.

This Foundation Year provides the perfect opportunity for you to explore the key principles of art, design and media. The course is designed to help you develop your creative skills, it gives you a chance to build a larger portfolio, and provides a good transition period to familiarise yourself with the Salford School of Arts, Media and Creative Technology, and life as a student at the University of Salford. You will then be in a strong position to progress onto your chosen degree pathway.

This is a shared Foundation Year across Art, Design and Media disciplines, and will introduce you to a collaborative environment where you can explore ideas, take creative risks and become a confident independent learner. You will be joining a thriving and creative community.

Find out more by signing up to our next Open Day.

You can also find helpful FAQs and learn more about student life at Salford by exploring all of our Art and Design courses or, if you have any general questions, please contact course enquiries.

Continue reading to learn more about this BA (Hons) Graphic Design with Foundation Year course.

You will:

develop your creative skills and academic confidence
familiarise yourself with student life
prepare to study on one of our degree programmes

Two students working in a design studio

This is for you if...

You can demonstrate knowledge and enthusiasm about design

You are keen to develop skills in all areas throughout all stages of the creative process

You want to explore both new and traditional design processes

Requirements

Entry Requirements

Requirements

What you need to know

This course isnât suitable for international students. If you are an international student and interested in studying a foundation year, please visit our International Foundation Year course page.

By applying to this Foundation Year you are applying to a four-year programme - the shared Foundation Year, followed by a three-year art, design or media degree here at University of Salford. The Foundation Year is not a standalone qualification.

APPLICATION PROCESS

As part of the selection process, you may be invited to submit an online portfolio of your work. You may then be invited for an interview with our tutors. If you are called for interview we will send you further guidance well in advance.

In your personal statement (up to 4,000 characters), we would like to know more about why you are interested in Graphic Design, what inspires you in the graphic design sector, and what you hope to gain from the Foundation Year.

Standard entry requirements

GCSE

English Language at grade C/level 4 or above (or equivalent). Maths at grade C/4 or above (or equivalent) is preferred but not essential.

You must fulfil our GCSE entry requirements as well as one of the requirements listed below.

A Levels

64 tariff points from A-levels (or equivalent) to include an Art & Design qualification preferred

T Levels

Pass: D or E in core subject.

UCAS tariff points

64 tariff points from A-levels (or equivalent) to include an Art & Design qualification preferred

BTEC National Diploma

MPP

Access to HE

Pass Level 3 Access to HE Diploma with 64 points (relevant subject)

Scottish Highers

64 points including Art & Design

Irish Leaving Certificate

64 points including Art & Design

International Baccalaureate

24 points including Art & Design

European Baccalaureate

Pass Diploma with 60% overall

Alternative entry requirements

Salford Alternative Entry Scheme (SAES)

We welcome applications from students who may not meet the stated entry criteria but who can demonstrate their ability to pursue the course successfully. Once we have received your application we will assess it and recommend it for SAES if you are an eligible candidate.

There are two different routes through the Salford Alternative Entry Scheme and applicants will be directed to the one appropriate for their course. Assessment will either be through a review of prior learning or through a formal test.

English Program Requirements

Equivalent qualifications

English language requirements are shown on individual course pages. Generally, this is shown as an IELTS grade, however we accept a range of equivalent qualifications.

As a general guide:

For undergraduate courses we require IELTS 6.0 (with a minimum 5.5 in each component) or equivalent

For postgraduate courses, we require IELTS 6.0 (with a minimum 5.5 in each component) or equivalent

For the International Foundation Year, we require IELTS 4.5 (with a minimum 4.0 in each component) in UKVI IELTS for UKVI (Academic)

The approved equivalent qualifications list includes the following:

Secure English Language Tests (SELTs)

University of Salford English language courses

Regional-based qualifications

Majority English Speaking Countries as deemed by UKVI

Medium of English Institutions

Applicants who require a Student Route visa to study in the UK may require evidence of a Secure English Language test rather than an examination or qualification due to visa requirements, as deemed by the UK Government Home Office, Visa and Immigration (UKVI).

Career

Employment and stats

What about after uni?

Graduates from the BA programme work in many areas of graphic design, including design for print, branding, editorial design, illustration, interactive design including app design, ezine and e-book design, online marketing and web design, as well as motion graphics. Students also move into related careers within the ever evolving creative industries in marketing, project management, social media and account handling.

Graduates work locally, nationally as well as internationally at companies such as Love Creative, Vault 49 New York, Typo com, Raw, Great Fridays, Mainframe, Code, Office, TBWA, GQ, Harpers & Queen, Showstudio, Skaggs Advertising in New York, Sha-La-La workshop, Hong Kong and Zietgiest in Germany. Graduates work within the creative industries, as well as freelance, and others pursue careers in teaching.

A taste of what you could become

A Graphic designer

An Illustrator

An App designer

An Animator

And more...

Career Links

We offer many opportunities to engage with industry and the programme has close links with a range of design companies and industry networks both locally and nationally.

Industry experience is also integrated into module delivery with live briefs and other opportunities such as print fairs and exhibitions at internationally acclaimed venues within the north-west and beyond.

Live projects include Decode Recode as part of the official Opening of the University Building at MediaCityUK, this ran for 24 hours project with 24 countries, a live media Jam. Students designed branding, marketing and exhibition design for a networking event, DNA Carnival at Islington Mill, Salford. Other live briefs include Magma store promotion, album cover and merchandising for Ali Moss Late Bloomer (BT Ad) and ‘Sharing the Making’, a group that interacts with artisans in Peru to connect them with companies in the UK to offer fair trade. Another project was with BBC21CC, students worked alongside BBC media trainers teaching digital media skills to produce content for the BBC Big Screens.

Whilst not an assessed part of the course or part of a module, students are supported and encouraged to search for and undertake live briefs, freelance work or industry placement during the course, usually during the summer vacation period between years two and three.

Students gain work experience at a broad range of companies including Code, Design by Day, Hallmark, Havas Lynx, True North, DR ME, Lazerian, Like A River, Doodledo and Unconvention.

The graphic design programme delivers a popular professional speakers’ occasional programme of leading design professionals, from a broad range of disciplines, to present their individual philosophies and portfolios. Past speakers have included practitioners such as Textbook Studio, DR ME, Music, Si Scott, Peter Saville, Pete Fowler, John Burgerman and Trevor Johnson.