MA Graphic Media Design

Course units

We are committed to ensuring that your skills are set within an ethical framework, and we have worked to embed UAL’s Principles for Climate, Racial and Social Justice Principles into the curriculum and in everything we do. As part of this initiative, we’ve shaped our courses around social and environmental sustainability principles that ensure learning outcomes reflect the urgent need to equip you with the understanding, skills and values to foster a more sustainable planet. Our aim is to change the way our students think and empower you to work towards a sustainable future.

Block 1

Unit 1: Emerging Positions – Critical Practices (60 credits)

This unit functions as an introduction to postgraduate study, through critical and reflective practice, exploring alternative working approaches that blend graphic design practice, history and theory. This approach is employed to build a confidence in moving past the familiar into the unknown, through close readings of the variables that shape contemporary graphic design practice. A series of workshops alongside a curated lecture series, anchored by key reference material, will support the studio-based delivery.

Block 2

Unit 2: Collaborative Unit – Reciprocal Studio (20 credits)

The focus of the unit is student-driven collaboration with projects being developed to meet the specific requirements of student groups within and across disciplinary boundaries, with potential to work with participants from a broad range of discipline areas within and outside LCC/UAL.

Unit 3: Defining Methods – Design Enquiry (40 credits)

Alongside the Collaborative Unit, you will begin establishing a proposal for your Master’s Project by exploring varied methods, design processes, readings and the practical context of your field of study, structured through ongoing critical reflection. The products of this enquiry will feed directly into your proposal, with a clear understanding of the technical abilities and processes that allow you to define potential final outcomes based on the intended audience and context.

Block 3

Unit 4: Making Public – Master’s Project (60 credits)

Within this stage of the course, you will further your knowledge and extend your critical and professional understanding through the realisation of the Master’s Project. You are expected to produce work demonstrating a significant synthesis of research and practice drawing on the skills and knowledge acquired in the first three stages of the course. Your Master’s Project will demonstrate, both in content and form, your advanced understanding of graphic design practice, history and theory. You will spend this phase of your study pursuing an argued and distinct line of inquiry working towards a major output. This will be supported by a report articulating the motivations and objectives of the project, acknowledging key theories, contexts and stakeholders for the research.

Selection criteria

Offers will be made based on the following selection criteria, which applicants are expected to demonstrate:

• Sufficient prior knowledge and experience of and/or potential in a specialist subject area to be able to successfully complete the programme of study and have an academic or professional background in a relevant subject.
• Also to show a willingness to work as a team player, good language skills in reading, writing and speaking, the ability to work independently and be self-motivated.
• Critical knowledge of and enthusiasm for the subject area and capacity for research-led design, intellectual inquiry and reflective thought through: contextual awareness (professional, cultural, social, historical); evidence of research, analysis, development and evaluation (from previous academic study and employment) and a grounded understanding of the world of sonic, visual and networked culture and be able to engage in and contribute to critical discussion.
• In the study proposal a description of the area of interest, field of study and the particular focus of their intended project. This should include an overview of how you intend to go about producing the project and the methodology.
• Your portfolio should be conceptual and research-based, you must show your thinking and making process and a curious nature to explore, test and experiment.