Summer Study Abroad: Graphic Communication Design

Why choose Graphic Communication Design?

During this intensive three-week course you will:

• experience a taster of five Practices that make up the expanded field of Graphic Communication Design and the philosophy of Central Saint Martins
• learn from tutors who are practicing artists, designers and communicators; benefit from access to specialist facilities at one of UAL’s six Colleges.
• meet like-minded individuals from around the world!
• get involved in UAL life through social events and activities.
• All courses are assessed and you'll receive a record of study at the end of the programme if you wish to request credit from your home institution.

Entry requirements

English requirements

You should be proficient in written and spoken English and be able to participate in group discussions and make presentations. As a guideline we would expect you to have an English language level equivalent to IELTS score of 6.0.

More information on English language requirements and equivalencies.

Academic requirements

Students applying for this course are expected to be independent and highly motivated, preferably having completed one year at university (undergraduate-level study).

Previous experience in the subject area is required for this course.

Course details

At Central Saint Martins we understand Graphic Communication Design as an expanded practice. This means we are interested in thinking about design from a broad range of perspectives that challenge conventional understandings of the discipline. During this intensive three-week course you will experience five practices undertaken by the expanded designer of the 21st century:

• Designer as Producer
• Designer as Activist
• Designer as Researcher
• Designer as Artist
• Designer as Enabler

These practices will introduce you to a range of ways of thinking and working across the field of contemporary design. For each Practice, you will be given a different project brief to challenge your understanding of the role. These short projects will stimulate your thinking and enable you to become more confident of your own areas of interest and specialism. While embarking on these projects there will be opportunities to explore the city, thus enabling you to experience what London has to offer as a world-renowned cultural destination. The final week of the course will provide a more open-ended studio environment to enable you to bring more of your own personal position and agenda to the fore. During this final week you will choose one of the five Practices briefs to develop further into your own personal project.

Tutor information

Abbie Vickress is a graphic designer, researcher and design facilitator, exploring knowledge distribution in public engagement, cultural spaces, situations, and society. This critical approach manifests through printed design, exhibition/exhibit design, curation, writing and facilitation
of workshops and events.

Abbie’s projects vary from design interventions in large institutions such as the V&A Museum, The Royal Academy of Arts and the National Portrait Gallery; to international design collectives such as Derailed (a design residency along the Trans-Siberian Railway), and The State of Unsettlement (a range of projects and events about the UK’s departure from the European Union). She has also co-authored several editions of Thames&Hudson’s Graphic Design School publication.

A graduate of the Royal College of Art Visual Communication MA (2014), and a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, Abbie has taught at a variety of UK institutions across BA and MA level. These include, The Royal College of Art, Central Saint Martins (UAL), and the University of the West of England. She is a member of the International Society of Typographic Designers.

Dates and fees

Course Dates

Date: Dates to be confirmed for 2023

Cost: TBC

Time: 10am - 4pm

Duration: 3 weeks

Location: Granary Sq. - N1C

Materials

Please bring with you to the first session: 

• A laptop with Adobe Software (if you are able)
• A digital camera or phone with a camera
• A black marker pen
• Pens and pencils (including coloured pencils or pens)
• Scissors, a small ruler, eraser

Items can also be purchased from the college shop.

Summer Study Abroad Scholarship

We offer a Summer Study Abroad Scholarship for all of our 3 week Summer Study Abroad courses.

Find out how to apply

To be eligible, you must be 18 years or older, hold an offer to join one of our 3 week Summer Study Abroad courses, and be enrolled on an undergraduate degree programme outside the UK.

• The scholarships cover the tuition-fee only and depend on you successfully enrolling for the course. Our cancellation policy still applies.
• Scholarship winners will be asked to take part in promotional activities to promote Summer Study Abroad and the scholarship scheme.

Course handbook

Summer Study Abroad - Graphic Communication Design (PDF 236KB) course handbook.