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This course has places available for 2020/21 entry.
If you're thinking about applying, or you've applied for a postgraduate course starting in 2020/21, see guidance for prospective students during the Coronavirus outbreak.
An intensive, vocational route into the graphic design profession that can provide a portfolio for further study at postgraduate level.
The next Open Evening for this course will be announced soon
Featuring work by students on PGCert Design for Visual Communication. Music by Paul Murdoch.
Featuring work by: Kira Allmark, Evlin Arweck, Joseph Chebukaka, Caley Dewhurst, Nikolaos Kalliandis, Jan Kanuch, Yoann Le Pape, Marie O'Mara, Jamica Ortiz, Linlin Pan, Caroline Verbruggen, Szu-Yun Wang. Editing by Jamica Ortiz, music by Eliane Testone.
Type Talks is an example of work produced on the course by alumni Kim Yeandle-Hignell.
PGCert Design for Visual Communication alumni Kimberly talks us through her work in LCC's Postgraduate Shows 2014.
Explore projects from graduating students from London College of Communication's Postgraduate Certificate Design for Visual Communication course, exhibiting as part of LCC Degree Shows 2019.
Discover our printing techniques, from Lithographic Printing to Print Finishing and Bookbinding.
This workshop offers a wide-range of expertise in everything from etching to lithography.
The Digital Space is an open-plan, creative hub with computers set up with specialist software.
The programme is ideal for those from diverse academic backgrounds who wish to extend and develop their prior experience through visual communication.
Students on the course have previously studied subjects from molecular genetics to English. The course is a confidence-building bridge to Master's study as well as providing the foundations for professional career development.
You can expect to become part of a unique learning community, made up of staff and fellow students from a diverse range of creative disciplines and cultures.
Through tutorials, set and self-initiated projects, workshops and group discussions, you will gain a deeper understanding of the design process that will enhance your practice.
Visual language and grammar, typographic hierarchy, graphic representation, identity and information visualisation are just some of the areas you will explore.
Personal projects will provide you with a foundation in the principles of visual communication whilst engaging with postgraduate level research methods and conceptual development.
Examples of personal projects include: mapping directional devices in the city; the promotion of a typeface; visual analysis of people flow and visual surveys of lettering.
Graduates from this course have found employment within high-profile international creative agencies, design management, teaching and professional practice.
Some have established their own design studios, while others have gone on to achieve highly at Master's level.
Please note: We expect students to begin the course with a working knowledge of Adobe Creative Suite: InDesign, Illustrator and Photoshop. Software is not taught on the course.
London College of Communication offers Short Courses in portfolio building and the relevant software skills.
Part-time students need to be aware that access to our technical facilities are generally between working hours: 9am-5pm and Monday to Friday. Please check with the specific workshop area.
“When I came to graduate, I was armed with…a good grounding in fundamental design principles. This meant that I was well equipped to find work at a studio, and become an active member of London's design community.
My design education began during my first conversation with (the course leader) Tony Pritchard whilst applying to the Postgraduate Certificate and it continues to this very day”.
Tom Hornby – Freelance Designer, Pentagram, formerly Senior designer, SEA Design
“This course took me from design zero to creative hero. I flew out of LCC with a perfectly proportioned Helvetica Black S centrally aligned on my chest and a complementary cape flapping stylishly behind me.
It was the perfect grounding for a career in design and creative thinking. Practical, pragmatic, challenging, and creatively inspirational. This course is very hard work, but it pays off big time. Well it did for me!"
Nick Hearne – Creative Director, Gravity Road
"The structure of the course, the variety of projects and the incredible team of guest lecturers who supported Tony Pritchard – including Teal Triggs (Associate Dean Royal College of Art), Geoff Hadden (Root 2), Tory Dunn (Head of Design HMRC Digital) and Geoff White HonFISTD – allowed me to explore fundamental components of visual communication through emphasis on focused experimentation and rigour."
Kam Rehal – Senior Lecturer in Graphic Design, University of Greenwich
"We have employed several graduates from this course and they have never failed to impress. The course is highly unusual. Applicants are not necessarily from a design background, arriving at LCC well versed in other subjects instead.
It is this that gives them the edge as design practitioners. Graphic design is, after all, all about the rest of the world".
Lucienne Roberts, AGI, MISTD, FRSA – Founder and director of design studio LucienneRoberts+ Graphic design for publishing house GraphicDesign&
"The Design for Visual Communication course continues to be a great source of lively, spirited, creative minds. This is exactly what design needs, and long may it continue".
Jonathan Ellery – Browns Design, 2019
"The postgraduate Design for Visual Communication course at London College of Communication is the best of its type in Britain, and internationally.
I say this with confidence, having been involved with operating courses and examining at a variety of levels in several European and Asian countries".
Ian McLaren
Postgraduate Certificate Design for Visual Communication is in Part Time mode which runs for 30 weeks. You will be expected to commit 20 hours per week to study.
The Postgraduate Certificate Design for Visual Communication has three components:
These units aim to achieve an integrated approach to your learning and to avoid the notion that research and application are aspects of design that are experienced in isolation.
Introduces you to the key methods of investigating subject matter employed at postgraduate level.
Will investigate and re-examine the main themes of graphic design such as visual language and grammar; hierarchy; structure; navigation; identity; etc. This unit will enable you to experience research and development methods in practice.
Offers you an opportunity to undertake a choice of projects that places emphasis on your future professional or academic direction. The following are indicative subject areas: information design, typo/graphic design and image-based design.
The course is currently running in part-time mode only and fits within the university credit framework. It runs one day a week during the day on a Friday.
It is comprised of tutored study and self-directed study with access to facilities. You will embark on both course-set and self-initiated projects.
You will also engage in debate exploring a multitude of subjects, from design fundamentals to notions of cross-disciplinary thinking.
The above programme outcomes are assessed using the following assessment methods:
Lecturer, Postgraduate Certificate Design for Visual Communication, Postgraduate Diploma Design for Visual Communication
Course Leader, Postgraduate Certificate and Diploma Design for Visual Communication
Programme Director, Graphic Design Communication
We are committed to making university education an achievable option for a wider range of people and to supporting all of our students in achieving their potential both during and after their courses.
We welcome applications from people with disabilities. If you have a disability (e.g. mobility difficulties, sensory impairments, medical or mental health conditions or Asperger’s syndrome) we strongly encourage you to contact us on disability@arts.ac.uk or +44 (0)20 7514 6156 so that we can plan the right support for you. All enquiries are treated confidentially. To find out more, visit our Disability & Dyslexia webpages.
The course team welcomes applicants from a broad range of backgrounds, from all over the world. PG Cert Design for Visual Communication attracts applicants from a variety of backgrounds. Applicants will normally have a first degree or its equivalent. We welcome applications from non-traditional backgrounds and in particular mature students.
Your experience is assessed through our selection criteria as a learning process. Tutors will evaluate that experience for currency, validity, quality and sufficiency.
Your educational level may be demonstrated by:
Applicants who do not meet these course entry requirements may still be considered in exceptional cases. The course team will consider each application that demonstrates additional strengths and alternative evidence. This might, for example, be demonstrated by:
Each application will be considered on its own merit but we cannot guarantee an offer in each case.
All classes are conducted in English. If English is not your first language, we strongly recommend you let us know your English language test score in your application. If you have booked a test or are awaiting your results, please indicate this in your application. When asked to upload a CV as part of your application, please include any information about your English test score.
For further details regarding international admissions and advice please visit the International Applications page.
Offers will be made based on the following selection criteria, which applicants are expected to demonstrate:
This course has places available for 2020/21 entry. Applications for 2021/22 entry will open in Autumn 2020.
All applications will be considered by the course team who will consider key elements when making a decision on your suitability to join the course:
This course allows offer holders to defer. If you have an offer of a place, but you would like to defer starting for a year, please contact our Admissions Service as soon as possible via your UAL Portal. Make sure you check our Admissions Policy before requesting a deferral.
If you are an EU offer holder, it is important to consider that, from 2021-22, you may be charged International fees, which are higher. Read our Coronavirus guidance for prospective students for details.
Before you apply, please take time to read the guidance below. You will be asked to provide the following items and upload documents when completing the online application form:
The online application can be saved as you fill it out, so you don’t need to complete it all at once. You will also have the chance to review all the information and make any necessary amendments before you press submit.
Applications are accepted and offers are made, throughout the year. Early application is advised.
If you are currently studying at another institution and have successfully completed 60 credits in the equivalent units/modules on your current PG course and wish to continue your studies at London College of Communication, you can apply to transfer.
The Admissions Tutor will consider applications on a case by case basis, subject to places being available. You must apply directly to the course via the course webpage as early as possible.
Further information about the external student transfer policy can be found on the Office for Students Information page.
Please provide a CV detailing your education, qualifications and any relevant work or voluntary experience. If English is not your first language it is important that you also include in your CV details of your most recent English language test score.
You will be asked to complete a personal statement describing why you want to study on PG Cert Design for Visual Communication. This is a very important part of your application and should demonstrate a critical knowledge of and enthusiasm for the subject, and a well-articulated rationale for joining the course. We would like to hear about your academic and professional background; what you hope to achieve with the course; and the areas of design you hope to pursue such as editorial design, typography or information design.
Ensure that your personal statement it is well written, clear and free of any spelling mistakes. It is your chance to impress the course team by showing a strong interest in the subject, demonstrating what you feel you would bring to the course, your appreciation of what the course can offer you and how you feel it might help you in the future. This can be demonstrated through work experience, previous studies and your personal experience.
This course has places available for 2020/21 entry. Applications for 2021/22 entry will open in Autumn 2020.
All applications will be considered by the course team who will consider key elements when making a decision on your suitability to join the course:
This course allows offer holders to defer. If you have an offer of a place, but you would like to defer starting for a year, please contact our Admissions Service as soon as possible via your UAL Portal. Make sure you check our Admissions Policy before requesting a deferral.
Before you apply, please take time to read the guidance below. You will be asked to provide the following items and upload documents when completing the online application form:
Please note: we will ask you for copies of certain documents (for example, English language qualification/certificate and copies of any previous UK study visas).
For further advice on how to apply please visit the UAL International Application page.
The online application can be saved as you fill it out, so you don’t need to complete it all at once. You will also have the chance to review all the information and make any necessary amendments before you press submit.
Alternatively, international applicants can apply through an overseas representative in your country.
Applications are accepted and offers are made, throughout the year. Early application is advised.
If you are currently studying at another institution and have successfully completed 60 credits in the equivalent units/modules on your current PG course and wish to continue your studies at London College of Communication, you can apply to transfer.
The Admissions Tutor will consider applications on a case by case basis, subject to places being available. You must apply directly to the course via the course webpage as early as possible.
Further information about the external student transfer policy can be found on the Office for Students Information page.
Whether you are applying through a UAL representative or direct application you will need to complete an Immigration History check. If you do not complete the Immigration History Check we will not be able to proceed with your application.
Please provide a CV detailing your education, qualifications and any relevant work or voluntary experience. If English is not your first language it is important that you also include in your CV details of your most recent English language test score.
You will be asked to complete a personal statement describing why you want to study on PG Cert Design for Visual Communication. This is a very important part of your application and should demonstrate a critical knowledge of and enthusiasm for the subject, and a well-articulated rationale for joining the course. We would like to hear about your academic and professional background; what you hope to achieve with the course; and the areas of design you hope to pursue such as editorial design, typography or information design.
Ensure that your personal statement it is well written, clear and free of any spelling mistakes. It is your chance to impress the course team by showing a strong interest in the subject, demonstrating what you feel you would bring to the course, your appreciation of what the course can offer you and how you feel it might help you in the future. This can be demonstrated through work experience, previous studies and your personal experience.
After you have successfully submitted your application online, you will receive an email confirming your application and providing your login details for the UAL Applicant Portal. Please log into the portal, as this is where we will send you important updates and requests, and you can contact us with any questions you may have about your application.
Applicants should present a portfolio (maximum 20 images). This should include a maximum of six projects and supporting material. These should be clearly annotated and organised.
Your portfolio should demonstrate visual acuity, conceptual ability, technical competence and personal interest. Acknowledging that applicants come from diverse academic backgrounds, 'portfolio' is taken as having a broad definition.
It may include sketch/notebooks; developmental work; photographs; PowerPoint presentations; web/interactive work; diagrams; printmaking; illustrated reports; commercial work; freelance commissions; personal work; conceptual work; 3D work (photographed); textiles; and written work.
Applicants are usually interviewed by the course team before a place can be offered. Interviews will take place at LCC, or via Skype/telephone.
You will receive the outcome of your application through the UAL Applicant Portal.
£3,740 (2020/21).
Course fees may be paid in instalments
£7,640 (2020/21).
Course fees may be paid in instalments
In addition to tuition fees, you are very likely to incur additional costs such as travel expenses and the cost of materials. We strongly suggest you read the information on our Additional Costs page.
Find out about the accommodation options available and how much they will cost.
Students have gone on to find employment within high profile agencies, they have progressed to work as art directors, senior designers, creative directors in areas such as interaction, branding, exhibition, editorial and information design.
Graduates of the course have gone on to work at:
