Summer Study Abroad: Graphic Communication Design

Why choose Graphic Communication Design?

During this intensive three-week course you will:

• experience a taster of the five study Platforms that make up the undergraduate Graphic Communication Design programme here at 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 (list of language equivalencies). The Language Centre at University of the Arts London offers English courses for overseas students who wish to improve their English language skills.

Academic requirements

Students booking onto this course are expected to be independent and highly motivated and should have prior experience in graphic design, preferably having completed one year at university level (undergraduate-level study in graphic design).

Course details

This course will introduce you to a range of ways of thinking and feeling about design. The Platforms in question are: Experience & Environment, Information & Systems, Narrative & Voice, Strategy & identity, and Time & Movement.Within each Platform experience you will be given a different project brief to challenge your understanding of the subject. 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 Platforms briefs to develop further into your own personal project.

Tutor information

Dr David Preston holds a BA (Hons) degree in Graphic Design from Central Saint Martins (2004). He also holds a Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching and Learning from CLTAD (2011); and a PhD from UAL on the history of branding in Britain (2019). After his undergraduate degree David worked for the BBC as an information designer. Here he worked with the award-winning News Interactive team responsible for producing the BBC News website. From 2006 to 2009 he worked as a designer for various small boutique London agencies such as Kerr Noble, Studio Small and Praline. He worked with a range of international brands (Toyota, Swire), publishers (Rizzoli, Phaidon, Bloomsbury, Prestel, Laurence King), renowned arts and cultural institutions (BAFTA, Heal's, Modern Art Oxford), and new start-ups (Eager Drinks).

As well as teaching at CSM he has taught at the Royal College of Art, London College of Communication, Colchester School of Art, and Escola Superior de Artes e Design (Porto). Since 2009 he has led his own consultancy, David Preston Studio. He specializes in publishing and visual identity. Recent clients have included Universal Music, Lund Humphries, Antique Collectors Club and The Good Schools Guide.

Bobby Gunthorpe is a graphic designer who works for a range of large and small clients. He works in print, multimedia and web. He gained his degree at Central Saint Martins.

Dates and fees

Course Dates

Date: 5 July - 23 July 2021

Day: Monday - Friday

Time: 10am - 4pm

Duration: 3 Weeks

Cost: £2055

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

Please note 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.