Visual Communication

Entry requirements

An undergraduate degree (2.1 and above) in the same subject, or a very closely related subject, equivalent qualifications or professional experience.

A digital portfolio that shows examples of creative visual work, including developmental work and final outcomes. Please include at least 15-20 pieces highlighting your area of practice.

As part of your application please include the following:

• Highlight any competition entries and live projects, exhibitions, collaborations (if applicable).
• Highlight any evidence of industry experience (if applicable).
• Produce an essay or other written assignment, which demonstrates your ability to conduct research related to art and design and shows your knowledge of historical or contemporary creative practice.

Months of entry

January, September

Course content

Visual Communication at BCU is a dynamic and progressive course, that challenges the way we look at images and text in a present-day context. The world is saturated with visual stimulus and our students are trained to navigate through this, finding ways to impart new information, through graphic design, typography, moving image, illustration and photography. Students on the course are adept at communicating through visual language.

Staying ahead in an ever-changing field requires embracing technological advances; you will learn to employ the essential knowledge and skills needed for the new emerging creative industries, and you will be expected to explore, experiment, and push the boundaries of design and image making, whilst being part of a mature and relevant course that has existed for over 50 years.

You'll have the chance to learn in our studios and workshops, as well as with our partnerships, with organisations, and industry. You will be involved in learning, teaching, researching, and demonstrating professional development within visual communication.

What's covered in this course?

Learning will be achieved through the development of a critical understanding of practice. You will be taught methods that will cover both theory and practice, the key to understanding advanced practice-based principles. As you develop you will establish evaluative criteria and learn how to apply this knowledge to practice.

Because Visual Communication has broad scope, (e.g. lens based, time based, narrative based), you will be encouraged to specialise in one of the following areas, all under the single named award of MA Visual Communication: MA Visual Communication (Graphic Communication), or MA Visual Communication (Illustration). These alignments have been one of the main attractions of applicants to this course.

As a creative practitioner you are inspired to create and engage with industry, this can be through live briefs or collaborations, this will allow you to develop specialist knowledge in graphic design and illustration. The course provides an immersive learning experience for both advanced practitioners and recent graduates within the field of visual communication.

We place emphasis on internationalisation as a proportion of our students come from overseas and we value the richness and diversity of cultural knowledge that this brings.

Information for international students

IELTS 6.0 overall with 5.5 minimum in all bands.

Fees and funding

Learn more about postgraduate fees and funding