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Leeds Beckett University - City Campus,
Woodhouse Lane,
LS1 3HE
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To find out more about postgraduate courses, talk to academic staff, and explore finance options, join us for our Postgraduate Online Open Day, taking place on Wednesday 3 June 2026.
Postgraduate MA
Graphic Design
Challenge ideas in the field of contemporary graphic design. You’ll learn to operate using hybrid forms of visual communication to develop your own creative practice.
Course overview
-
L27 -
City Campus -
Full-Time -
1 Year -
21 Sep 2026
Develop your creative practice within the fields of contemporary graphic and communication design. This master’s will encourage you to challenge the established conventions of the creative, communicative disciplines to enhance your own ideas and concepts.
As part of your course, you’ll:
- Examine this field of study by integrating theory and practice
- Explore research-led practice at an advanced level
- Focus on your area of specialism, helping you to develop your problem-solving skills
- Investigate a range of concerns through a variety of practices, methodologies and media
- Explore the relationship between traditional forms of communication and the emerging, evolving digital practices employed by contemporary practitioners
You’ll have the opportunity to share and develop ideas by working alongside other creative artists and designers from within the Leeds School of Arts.
Industry expertise
The course draws upon expertise within a dynamic team of staff and practitioners. The academic and learning support teams have a wealth of professional and educational experience. This diverse knowledge supports the breadth of possible practices within the field of graphic and communication design. This includes design for print and screen, experiential design, digital/interactive practices, advertising, typographic communication, photography, moving image and animation.
The INSIDE/OUT lecture series brings together some of the most exciting names from the fields of art, architecture, design, fashion, film, music, performing arts and beyond. You can catch up on previous lectures by visiting the Leeds Arts Research Centre site.
Specialist facilities
You’ll have access to the studios and workshops of the award-winning Broadcasting Place building. The building is equipped with everything from the latest Macs and software to letterpress and printmaking workshops, photographic darkrooms, a digital print unit, animation workspaces and 3D construction facilities.
Why study Graphic Design at Leeds Beckett University...
- Benefit from the school's close links to industry and creative businesses in the Yorkshire region, throughout the UK, and beyond
- Your tutors have extensive experience of working as active practitioners, allowing you to gain from their industry knowledge and professional networks
- Study within Leeds School of Arts - one of the largest university arts communities in the north
- Gain access to a vast range of ideas, skills and facilities which will allow you to take your practice in whichever direction you want to
- Leeds has a thriving creative sector; home to hundreds of innovative start-ups, agencies, design businesses and countless other opportunities for graphic design graduates
Graphic Design Develop your own approach to the study and practice of graphic design
Everything you need to know
Discover all there is to know about the course, from entry requirements and fees to exploring the school you’ll be joining - we’ve got it covered.
Entry requirements
Applicants should either have at least a second class honours degree in the cognate subjects of Art or Design, at least a second class honours degree in a non-cognate subject supported by evidence of an aptitude for the subject applied for, or have equivalent experience or training, normally from within the work environment.
All suitable candidates who meet the entry requirements will be required to submit a portfolio of creative work related to the cognate areas listed above, and may be required to attend an interview. Your portfolio should include examples from your previous education, professional experience, or personal work.
All applications should be supported by a reference, either academic or professional; you can download our reference template for completion.
All applicants should satisfy our English Language requirements. Please note the IELTS requirement for this course are IELTS 6.5 with no skill below 6.0. Further details about acceptable equivalent qualifications can be found on our International Student information pages.
Entry requirements
Applicants should either have at least a second class honours degree in the cognate subjects of Art or Design, at least a second class honours degree in a non-cognate subject supported by evidence of an aptitude for the subject applied for, or have equivalent experience or training, normally from within the work environment.
All suitable candidates who meet the entry requirements will be required to submit a portfolio of creative work related to the cognate areas listed above, and may be required to attend an interview. Your portfolio should include examples from your previous education, professional experience, or personal work.
All applications should be supported by a reference, either academic or professional; you can download our reference template for completion.
All applicants should satisfy our English Language requirements. Please note the IELTS requirement for this course are IELTS 6.5 with no skill below 6.0. Further details about acceptable equivalent qualifications can be found on our International Student information pages.
IELTS
All applicants should satisfy our English Language requirements. Please note the IELTS requirement for this course are IELTS 6.5 with no skill below 6.0. Further details about acceptable equivalent qualifications can be found on our International Student information pages.
Selection Criteria
We may use selection criteria based on your personal attributes; experience and/or commitment to the area of study. This information will be derived from your personal statement and reference and will only be used if you have met the general entry requirements.
Independent study is a crucial part of learning at university and you will be required to undertake many hours of self-directed research and reading, and preparation and writing of assessments. Your course is delivered through a number of modules, which will help you to plan your time and establish a study routine. Outside of your lectures, workshops and tutorials, a range of support is available to assist with your independent study. Our subject-specific librarians will be on hand to direct you to the specialist learning and study-skill resources. You’ll also be assigned an academic advisor to give you tailored feedback and support.
Modules, teaching and learning
What you'll learn
This module establishes design as a method of enquiry, introducing critical frameworks, design thinking, and iterative research processes that build on your prior knowledge and experience. Through individual and collaborative activities, you'll explore methods such as fieldwork, participation, co-design, prototyping, and problem-solving, examining how graphic design intersects with other disciplines and industries. Engaging with historical and contemporary theories, you'll develop a reflexive and research-led approach to context aware practice. The module positions graphic design practice as a space for agency, critical investigation, and experimentation. By the end of this module, you'll have defined a personalised direction of study, identifying key questions, methods, and areas of focus that will shape your postgraduate research and practice. You'll demonstrate a critical understanding of graphic design as an adaptable and interdisciplinary field.
This module enables you to develop and realise ambitious design projects in response to complex, real-world challenges. Working individually or collaboratively, you'll define your line of enquiry and apply advanced research, experimentation, and prototyping methods to test and refine your proposals. You'll extend your engagement with established and emerging technologies, processes, and interdisciplinary approaches, challenging conventional boundaries within graphic design. Through sustained contextual research and critical reflection, you'll produce work that demonstrates a distinctive creative position and engages diverse audiences and stakeholders. Projects developed within this module will contribute to a specialist body of work aligned with your professional ambitions. Outcomes may include practical projects, process documentation, and critical writing, evidencing an advanced, research-driven approach to visual communication.
Expanded Practices is the culmination of your postgraduate study. You'll establish and realise a substantial, self-directed project that synthesises your research, practice, and professional positioning. Your project will articulate a clearly defined research enquiry, demonstrating advanced engagement with relevant theories, histories, and contemporary issues. The premise for your project proposal should articulate an informed awareness of, and response to the contemporary issues related to your project, and wider local and global contexts and challenges. Through critical analysis and sustained development, you'll produce work that reflects conceptual rigour, methodological clarity, and informed decision-making. This module requires you to manage complexity independently, situating your practice within local and global contexts. You'll critically evaluate how your work operates within professional, cultural, and societal frameworks, positioning yourself within relevant communities of practice and identifying opportunities beyond the programme. Ultimately, the module prepares you for professional practice or further research by evidencing your ability to initiate, sustain, and communicate advanced graphic design enquiry with authority and purpose. Your final outcomes should demonstrate responsible decision-making in relation to resources, collaboration, participation, methodologies, and appropriate external engagement.
Fees and funding
£10,400
UK
The tuition fee for the year for students entering in 2026/27 is £10400. The amount you will pay may increase each year to take into account the effects of inflation.
£18,440
International 2026
The tuition fee for the year for students entering in 2026/27 is £18440. The amount you will pay is fixed at this level for each year of your course.
Fees and funding
£10,400
For students entering in 2026
The tuition fee for the year for students entering in 2026/27 is £10400. The amount you will pay may increase each year to take into account the effects of inflation.
Additional course costs
Tuition Fees
Your tuition fees cover the cost of registration, tuition, academic supervision, assessments and examinations.
The following are also included in the cost of your course:
- 24/7 Library and student IT support
- Free wifi via eduroam
- Skills workshops and resources
- Library membership, giving access to more than 500,000 printed, multimedia and digital resources
- Access to software, including five free copies of Microsoft Office 365 to install on your PC,laptop and MAC, and access to free high-end software via the Leeds Beckett remote app
- Loan of high-end media equipment to support your studies
Access to course resources, equipment and facilities, including:
- Studio equipment and facilities, including our multi-media studios with a dedicated suite and specialist software.
- Free entry to Inside/Out guest lecture series.
In many cases, costs associated with your course will be included in your course fee. However, in some cases there are ‘essential’ additional costs (those that you will be required to meet in addition to your course fee), and/or ‘optional’ additional costs (costs that are not required, but that you might choose to pay). We have included those essential or optional additional costs that relate to your course, below.
Essential Costs
- Printing / production costs will vary depending on your chosen projects and specialisms.
- Materials (costs will vary). Costs are compulsory and will depend on your chosen specialist route and research project undertaken.
Optional Costs
- Educational visits; the details and location will vary but the costs you'll need to pay could include travel, accommodation and subsistence. When attendance is compulsory, travel, accommodation and tickets are paid for by the department.
- Course materials (£100-200); compulsory for portfolio submission and end of year exhibition.
Other study-related expenses to consider: materials that you will need to complete your course such as books (whilst the library provides access to readings recommended for your modules, you may wish to purchase your own copies of some books); you can also make suggestions for books to be added to Library stock; placement costs (these may include travel expenses and living costs); student visas (international students only); printing, photocopying and stationery (you may need to pay for multiple copies of your dissertation or final project to be printed and bound); events associated with your course such as field trips; study abroad opportunities (travel costs and accommodation, visas and immunisations). Other costs could include academic conferences (travel costs) and professional-body membership (where applicable). The costs you will need to cover for graduation will include gown hire and guest tickets, and optional extras such as professional photography.
As well as your mobile phone, you will also need access to a desktop computer and/or laptop to complete assignments and access university online services such as MyBeckett, your virtual learning environment. You can book and borrow AV equipment through the media equipment service accessed online via the student hub and located in the library at each campus. Equipment includes: 360 Cameras, iPads, GoPros, MacBooks, portable data projectors, portable projection screens, flipchart stands, remote presenters, digital cameras and camcorders, SLR cameras, speakers, microphones, headphones, headsets, tripods, digital audio recorders and PC/laptops (a laptop loans service is provided on campus in the library on both campuses). Student laptops are also available from the laptop lockers located in the libraries.
This list is not exhaustive, costs are approximate and will vary depending on the choices you make during your course. Any rental, travel or living costs are also in addition to your course fees. If you choose to study via distance learning, you may not be able to access all of the facilities listed if you are not able to visit us on campus.
£18,440
For students entering in 2026
The tuition fee for the year for students entering in 2026/27 is £18440. The amount you will pay is fixed at this level for each year of your course.
Additional course costs
Tuition Fees
Your tuition fees cover the cost of registration, tuition, academic supervision, assessments and examinations.
The following are also included in the cost of your course:
- 24/7 Library and student IT support
- Free wifi via eduroam
- Skills workshops and resources
- Library membership, giving access to more than 500,000 printed, multimedia and digital resources
- Access to software, including five free copies of Microsoft Office 365 to install on your PC,laptop and MAC, and access to free high-end software via the Leeds Beckett remote app
- Loan of high-end media equipment to support your studies
In many cases, costs associated with your course will be included in your course fee. However, in some cases there are ‘essential’ additional costs (those that you will be required to meet in addition to your course fee), and/or ‘optional’ additional costs (costs that are not required, but that you might choose to pay). We have included those essential or optional additional costs that relate to your course, below.
Access to course resources, equipment and facilities, including:
- Studio equipment and facilities, including our multi-media studios with a dedicated suite and specialist software.
- Free entry to Inside/Out guest lecture series.
Essential Costs
- Printing / production costs will vary depending on your chosen projects and specialisms.
- Materials (costs will vary). Costs are compulsory and will depend on your chosen specialist route and research project undertaken.
Optional Costs
- Educational visits; the details and location will vary but the costs you'll need to pay could include travel, accommodation and subsistence. When attendance is compulsory, travel, accommodation and tickets are paid for by the department.
- Course materials (£100-200); compulsory for portfolio submission and end of year exhibition.
Other study-related expenses to consider: materials that you will need to complete your course such as books (whilst the library provides access to readings recommended for your modules, you may wish to purchase your own copies of some books); you can also make suggestions for books to be added to Library stock; placement costs (these may include travel expenses and living costs); student visas (international students only); printing, photocopying and stationery (you may need to pay for multiple copies of your dissertation or final project to be printed and bound); events associated with your course such as field trips; study abroad opportunities (travel costs and accommodation, visas and immunisations). Other costs could include academic conferences (travel costs) and professional-body membership (where applicable). The costs you will need to cover for graduation will include gown hire and guest tickets, and optional extras such as professional photography.
As well as your mobile phone, you will also need access to a desktop computer and/or laptop to complete assignments and access university online services such as MyBeckett, your virtual learning environment. You can book and borrow AV equipment through the media equipment service accessed online via the student hub and located in the library at each campus. Equipment includes: 360 Cameras, iPads, GoPros, MacBooks, portable data projectors, portable projection screens, flipchart stands, remote presenters, digital cameras and camcorders, SLR cameras, speakers, microphones, headphones, headsets, tripods, digital audio recorders and PC/laptops (a laptop loans service is provided on campus in the library on both campuses). Student laptops are also available from the laptop lockers located in the libraries.
This list is not exhaustive, costs are approximate and will vary depending on the choices you make during your course. Any rental, travel or living costs are also in addition to your course fees. If you choose to study via distance learning, you may not be able to access all of the facilities listed if you are not able to visit us on campus.
Funding support for your studies
Discover more about our range of postgraduate funding options including a Master's Loan of up to £13,206, and our 20% alumni discount*
*Terms apply
The course aims to advance innovative agility, to ensure our students are prepared to navigate the evolving and expanding graphic design industry. It is important our graduates establish their own creative voices, informed by their own opinions, intentions and ambitions.
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