Graphic Design - BA (Hons)

Entry requirements

The University will consider applications from students offering a wide range of qualifications. All applications are assessed on an individual basis but some of our typical requirements are listed below. Students offering qualifications not listed are welcome to contact our Admissions Team for further advice. Please also see our general entry requirements.

• A level

  BBC at A Level in art /design/technology relevant subjects.

• Access to HE Diploma

  The University welcomes applications from Access to Higher Education Diploma candidates for consideration. A typical offer may require you to obtain a proportion of Level 3 credits in relevant subjects at merit grade or above.

• BTEC Nationals

  Distinction, Merit, Merit in an appropriate subject.

• International Baccalaureate

  30 points overall or 15 points at HL, including Visual Arts or Design Technology at HL 5 or SL 6.

• International Foundation Programme

  Pass all components of the University of Kent International Foundation Programme with a 60% overall average including 60% in Design/Art and Design module (plus 50% in LZ013 Maths and Statistics if you do not hold GCSE Maths at 4/C or equivalent).

• T level

  The University will consider applicants holding T level qualifications in subjects closely aligned to the course.

• Apply now

Portfolio advice

As a Graphic Designer you get paid to have ideas. As part of your application to the University of Kent, you are required to submit a portfolio as evidence of your artistic ability and potential to present your ideas visually.

Take time to plan this from the moment you decide to apply. Assessors at the University are expecting an indication of work in progress showing how you approach an idea or subject and develop the work from initial thought, through experimentation and enquiry, to resolved work. We do not expect to see professional outcomes at this level.

Below you will find details of what we are looking for and how your work will be assessed. You will also find tips on how to plan and present your work and what makes a strong Graphic Design portfolio.

What to include in your Graphic Design Portfolio

Requirements

1. Development/sketchbook work – up to 10 images of your development/sketchbook work (minimum of 5 images)

2. Resolved/finished work – up to 10 images of your resolved work (minimum of 5 images)

3. Influences/context images – up to 5 images which demonstrate your influences (minimum of 2 images, see below for more detail)

Each image can have up to 100 characters, including spaces and punctuation, of supporting/explanatory text.

Influences/context Images

The images demonstrating your influences may be images of work or objects which have inspired or influenced your work e.g.

· people working in the same medium or for the same audience, now or in the past

· people interested in the same subject or theme, now or in the past

· natural or man-made phenomena, objects, places, events which have inspired or provoked a response

Guidance

Assessors are interested in how you have decided to put your portfolio together; it should be carefully planned and well presented. They will also be judging your ability to edit your work, so be selective and strategic in your choice of material. If you have lots of high-quality work, include it to showcase your talent and commitment. If you haven’t, select your best: these key gems can show us that you know what you are good at, and how to show it. Resist the temptation to pad out your portfolio with mediocre work.

For entry to Year 1 Graphic Design a strong portfolio is likely to display the following:

· Evidence of ideas, concepts and problem-solving.

· Experimentation with materials and how ideas develop into more resolved pieces.

· Typographic skills.

· 2D and 3D skills.

· A broad range of projects undertaken with a variety of outputs not just one idea, technique or theme.

· Above all, while drawing and digital skills are desirable, assessors are looking to see ideas. Ideas should be evident at the centre of any work presented.

If you are applying to join Year 2, your portfolio should include:

· Evidence of more lateral thinking.

· Experimentation and risk taking.

· Graphic application, i.e. use skills with typography and a larger volume of text, leading to compositions.

· Ideally some work on a client or more commercial brief.

Each image can be accompanied by a small amount of text, and we encourage you to make use of this opportunity. Avoid including titles or describing the work and instead explain the ideas behind each piece, the challenge undertaken or any other significant factors. It may also be useful to explain why you have included the image in each category (development work, resolved work or influences).

Consideration should also be given to the graphical layout of the portfolio. Remember that assessors will be looking at your work on a screen so the digital image you present to them is what they assess. Poor quality photographs and bad scans of your work will not create a good impression. Take the time and care to make your work look as good as possible.

How we assess your portfolio

Portfolios are assessed by academic staff who are particularly interested in how you research and develop ideas in a visual way and how you engage with design. This is broken down into four main areas:

1. Visual Research and Enquiry – shows the level of your engagement in intelligent, structured visual enquiry and how well you communicate this.

2. Idea Development – shows your ability to appropriately explore and develop ideas, and your level of skills in the use of materials or techniques.

3. Selection and Resolution – shows how well you judge which ideas have the most appropriate potential and your ability to bring them to a level of completion appropriate to your intended outcome.

4. Contextual Awareness – shows the extent of your knowledge of the subject you have applied for and how your work relates to it.

How the content of a portfolio provides evidence for the above categories will vary enormously depending on the person – no two portfolios will be the same.

How to submit your portfolio

We will request a portfolio from you once your application has come through to us, and if you apply before the UCAS January deadline, you will be given a three-week window in which to submit your portfolio. Please upload your portfolio as a PDF document to the Kent Vision applicant portal. Please note, for uploads, the file size needs to be 5MB or under. If your file size is over 5MB, please email your portfolio to artshumsadmissions@kent.ac.uk.

Please ensure you allow time for the technical aspects of portfolio submission. Take time to familiarise yourself with the submission portal once it opens in December (you’ll get a link to it after you apply via UCAS) and work out what you will need to do to prepare your images.

International students

If you are an international student, visit our International Student website for further information about entry requirements for your country, including details of the International Foundation Programmes. Please note that international fee-paying students who require a Student visa cannot undertake a part-time programme due to visa restrictions.

Please note that meeting the typical offer/minimum requirement does not guarantee that you will receive an offer.

English Language Requirements

Please see our English language entry requirements web page.

Please note that if you do not meet our English language requirements, we offer a number of 'pre-sessional' courses in English for Academic Purposes. You attend these courses before starting your degree programme.