BA (Honours) Graphic Design
Three years full-time
UCAS code • W210
Location • City Campus
Subject area • Art and design
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Find out about Creative Spark, our annual graduate showcase of final year students' work, and Brightest Spark, an exhibition featuring projects completed by our elite students.
View the Creative Spark image gallery, taken from the 2010 graduate showcase of final year students' work.
Read about our graphic design teaching staff.
Find out about the Sheffield Institute of Arts (SIA) and view a 360 degree tour of the SIA gallery, where our students exhibit their work.
View a 360 degree tour of our print making studio.
View a 360 degree tour of our print making studio.
Our Digital Design Centre can print medium to large format high quality outputs on a range of different media. The laboratories have software supporting 2D and 3D engineering and creative design applications. Find out more.
Our Printmaking Centre supports a range of processes including silk screen printing, etching, relief, cyanotype, bookmaking and letterpress. Find out more.
One of the most valuable resources available for you to access is our highly experienced technical support team. Find out how they can help support your development.
Read about some of our graphic design students and their award-winning work.
At a glance
Graphic design has four key areas to explore - graphics, motion graphics, advertising and illustration. You learn how to turn new and creative ideas into memorable designs that meet the challenges of a brief. You also have lots of opportunities to test your skills by taking part in international competitions and live briefs.
Key points
• Explore graphic design through graphics, motion graphics, advertising and illustration.
• Take part in international competitions and live briefs as part of your course.
• Get ready for a career in design with live briefs, visiting lectures and conferences.
• Opportunities to attend international design conferences and professional design association events.
What is graphic design?
Graphic design is all around us. We interact with it on a daily basis in a variety of formats from the printed page to the digital interface. It is an ever changing and exciting discipline that requires designers who are creative, responsive and innovative.
This course
Study to be a graphic designer and develop a design portfolio full of ideas to enter and challenge the graphic design industry.
You learn about the core principles of graphic design and its application across a range of sectors and have the opportunity to explore advertising, illustration, motion and interactive, or traditional graphic design. The path you choose can be reflected in your award title such as BA (Honours) Graphic Design (Illustration), so you can easily communicate your strengths to prospective employers when you graduate.
During the course you’ll focus on generating new and memorable ideas as the basis of your creative process. You explore a range of media, develop your critical skills, and learn how to solve problems creatively. The course is delivered by tutors who are expert practitioners in a number of areas.
You have the opportunity to enhance your career prospects by taking part in international competitions, live briefs and work placements. There are also residential study trips at home and abroad, complemented by visits to design conferences and professional design association events.
You have access to a huge range of creative resources to experiment and engage with. You can take advantage of facilities such as • 3D printing for rapid prototyping • state-of-the-art hardware and software • TV, film and photography studios • a creative media centre • performance spaces • a gallery • well-equipped workshops.
You also have access to our award-winning learning centre featuring a specialist art, design and media library and extensive online resources.
Developing your design portfolio is an important way for you to evidence your talents and skills to employers when you graduate. Throughout the course, we’ll be looking for you to innovate, take creative risks and challenge social and cultural conventions.
Key areas of study
Key areas include • advertising • illustration • motion and interactive • structural graphics • typography • traditional graphic design study topics such as printmaking, life drawing, photography, branding and marketing.
As part of the Sheffield Institute of Arts this course is involved in Project Spark, Creative Spark and Brightest Spark. These are all opportunities to showcase your work and gain recognition.
Find out more about BA (Honours) Graphic Design
Related courses
- BA (Honours) Product Design (Full-time)
- BA (Honours) Games Design (Full-time)
- MDes Graphic Design (Full-time)
- BA (Honours) Product Design: Furniture (Full-time)
- BA (Honours) Interior Design (Full-time)
- MDes Jewellery and Metalwork (Full-time)
- MDes Product Design: Furniture (Full-time)
- MDes Product Design (Full-time)
- BA (Honours) Fashion Design (Full-time)
- MDes Interior Design (Full-time)
You apply for this course through UCAS.
2013/14 academic year
For 2013 entry, mandatory UK field trips are included in the course fee.
The course fee may be subject to annual inflationary increase. For further information on fees and funding see www.shu.ac.uk/study/ug/fees-and-funding
2013/14 academic year
Typically £10,680 a year
2014/15 academic year
Typically £11,250 a year
The course fee may be subject to annual inflationary increase. For further information on fees, scholarships and bursaries see www.shu.ac.uk/international/fees
• coursework • projects • essays
Key Information Set 
Spark - be creative
Subjects included are • animation • architecture • computers • creative writing • digital media production • engineering • fashion design • film and visual effects • film and media production • fine art • furniture and product design • games design • graphic design • interior design • jewellery and metalwork • performing arts • photography • product design.
Creative Spark
Creative Spark is an annual showcase of student work and celebrates the innovation, creativity and imagination of our most talented graduates. Creative Spark is hosted across four university venues • Owen • Cantor • Sheaf • Arundel Gate Court and S1 in the city centre.
For further information visit the Creative Spark website.
Brightest Spark
Brightest Spark is an exhibition housed in the SIA Gallery and Cantor building. This exhibition features the elite students in each Sheffield of Institute of Arts course as chosen by industry professionals.
For further information visit the Brightest Spark website.
Project Spark
Sheffield Hallam students have the opportunity to play a key role in the promotion of the Creative Spark and Brightest Spark exhibitions by submitting entries for Project Spark. The 2012 competitions included • concept design • branding and wayfinding • creative writing • image • brightest spark logo and branding.
For further information visit the Project Spark website.
Students' work on display at the Sheffield Institute of Arts Gallery.
BA (Hons) photography students exhibited their work in the Sheffield Institute of Arts Gallery.
An example of a contemporary fine art project.
Laura Hayes final year project for BA (Hons) Contemporary Fine Art.
An example of an animation modelling project.
BA (Hons) Animation modelling work on display for Thomas Lloyd's final year project entitled The Window Pianist.
An example of a metalwork and jewellery piece.
Emma Middleton's jewellery piece for BA (Hons) Metalwork and Jewellery.
The concept behind Emma's work is based on the idea of sentimental jewellery and the burden this can become on the wearer.
An example of an animation modelling project.
BA (Hons) Animation modelling work by Luke Adams for his final year project entitled Uneasy Rider.
Part of the Creative Spark exhibition.
Graphic students work on display.
Part of the Creative Spark exhibition.
Work displayed by engineering students.
Four students' workbooks on display.
BA (Hons) Interior Design student workbooks (Shamila Hussain, Faiza Khan, Naomi Nunn and Helen Genia Austin).
A collaboration between fashion and engineering students.
A collaboration between fashion and engineering students creating a wedding dress that could be dissolved after the wedding to transform it into five new fashion pieces.
This went on to achieve international acclaim.
Part of the Creative Spark exhibition.
Work displayed by interior design students.
Part of the Creative Spark exhibition.
BA (Hons) Metalwork and Jewellery students work on display.
Part of the Creative Spark exhibition.
BA (Hons) Product Design work.
Students' workbooks on display.
A visitor to Creative Spark looking at students' workbooks for BA (Hons) Product Design.
Part of the Creative Spark exhibition.
Work on display from the Extended degree in Design.
An example of a final year metalwork and jewellery project.
Final year project for BA (Hons) Metalwork and Jewellery.
Gallery
James Boardwell
Lecturer
I'm new to the department this year having guest lectured during the last academic year. I work part-time, two days a week, across the visual communication area.
My main interests are in design research and interaction design. In particular, I'm interested in how to design services and engage audiences using different on and offline media; how to create a great user experience.
My background is in research, initially researching future services for the BBC and then designing 'interactive' services such as Test the Nation and Backstage. I'm a director and founder of two businesses, Rattle and Folksy. Rattle is a design studio specialising in data driven applications (often visualising and representing data as 'stories') for clients like the BBC, C4 and Umbro. Folksy is the largest UK marketplace for handmade crafts. I've also recently started a start-up for events called GoGoMargo
I completed a PhD in Geography at Bristol University back in 1997 and my applied social science background is still useful when looking critically at audiences and design. I'm really interested in why we behave as we do and how to effect changes in behaviour and how we
design for new and emergent behaviours using strategies like design fictions
Find me at Technogoggles and Twitter (@jamesb).
Johnny Wood
Module leader
After initially studying graphic design and playing music professionally, I decided to move on from a successful career as a managing director and developed my design skills to encompass motion graphics obtaining a first class degree in multimedia design and digital animation.
After winning awards and industry accreditation for my animation 'Hurry Home', I went on to work for RealtimeUK, responding to the creative multimedia challenges of a variety of high profile corporate clients, including Jaguar, Sony and Rolls Royce. After obtaining my PGCE, I returned to teaching full-time and subsequently joined Sheffield Hallam as a senior lecturer while maintaining my private design practice and musical interests.
Through my career path, I have actively enjoyed the roles of a graphic design student, full-time musician, managing director, multimedia design student, digital artist, freelance designer, teacher and lecturer. Through pursuing creative aspirations, I have been fortunate enough to combine, develop and exercise my passion for creative practice, music, management and education
Research interests/activities
I have enjoyed the programme of multi-disciplinary academic conversations organised at Sheffield Hallam for representatives of three research centres. I have also been a speaker, offering my own ‘provocation’ on emotional design.
Last year I was fortunate to be invited to become involved with Arthouse, funded through Engineering for Life. The research, conceptualised by professor Breda Beban, asks the question as to whether film-making and other types of digital media can offer a voice to younger and older people growing up and growing old in care.
This year I am looking forward to continued involvement in the role of visual communicator within a new research bid that will examine attitudes to dementia and ageing. The bid is for a call from the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and National Institute for Health Research. We are hoping to examine the possible use of art and design-based methods to explore perceptions and stereotypes of dementia and in particular retelling the experience of people with dementia, carers and family through motion-based design.
Frazer Hudson
Lecturer
I have been a practising illustrator for 20 years and have worked in all sectors of the industry including advertising, publishing and editorial markets.
Some of my past clients include • The Royal National Maritime Museum • Volkswagen • The Association of Illustrators • Mini Cooper • The National Geographic Channel • The Conran Group • The Observer • The Independent • The Guardian • The Mail on Sunday • The Telegraph • The Times • Esquire • Mens Health • GQ • Elle • Harpers & Queen • The Economist • The Lancet Journal.
I bring this external experience into my teaching and enjoy providing students with opportunities to develop their skills at reviewing and developing their critical awareness and talking points around their work. I am particularly interested in the relationship between verbal and pictorial associations and how these relate to idea generation.
I have worked alongside the Association of Illustrators as a pricing advisor, judged some of the leading British illustration competitions and been recognised for my work with a number of key industry awards.
Pam Bowman
Principal lecturer in typography and joint course leader for graphic design
I graduated from Leeds Metropolitan University in 1995, having studied graphic arts and design alongside Patrick Walker and Alun Cocks who subsequently set up Dust in Sheffield in 2000.
I have been teaching since 1997 on degree courses at six different universities and have seen more than 1,000 students graduate. Many of these make regular return visits to talk to current students.
To have the opportunity to work in education, shape a course and remain a practising typographer is the perfect balance.
I have reviewed conferences for the Eye magazine blog and am currently working on a research project with Matt Edgar about the future of reading and the design writing of Ken Garland.
I am currently principal lecturer in typography and share the course leader role for graphic design with Matt Edgar. I am also a director and typographer at www.du.st
Recent projects have included
• participation in 'A Bunch of Fives' for The Designers Republic.
• presentation page for the Royal Mail Yearbook 2012
• reworking of 'Naming Of Parts' by Henry Reed, as a poster. Selected by Ken Garland for the 10x10 project for team Impression, other contributors included Paula Scher, Domenic Lippa and Si Scott.
James Corazzo
Senior lecturer
I have been designing and teaching graphic design for the past 12 years and I love what I do.
Having recently joined Sheffield Hallam as a senior lecturer in graphic design, I teach on a range of undergraduate and postgraduate modules. My particular areas of interest include • book and publication design • typography • creative thinking • professional and personal development • experiential design.
I am also deeply interested in design education – not just what we teach, but how and why – and this forms the spine of my research including recently co-curating the conference Redesigning (Graphic) Design Education.
I run my own consultancy designing books and publications for the cultural sector. I speak regularly at design and education conferences, most recently at the Victoria and Albert Museum, and contribute articles to D&AD and Icograda.
I currently serve on the D&AD North Committee and as a member of the industry advisory board for the Creative and Cultural Skills Council for the UK’s creative and cultural industries. I am an external examiner for the BA(Hons) Graphic Design programme at Werbe Academy, Vienna and a fellow of Higher Education Academy.
Profiles
James Boardwell
Lecturer
Johnny Wood
Module leader
Frazer Hudson
Lecturer
Pam Bowman
Principal lecturer in typography and joint course leader for graphic design
James Corazzo
Senior lecturer
Sheffield Institute of Arts
Sheffield Institute of Arts at Sheffield Hallam University is one of the oldest and most well-established centres of creative learning in Britain. Since 1843, we’ve built an excellent reputation and nurtured generations of students in a culture where anything is possible and with the resources to make it happen. To find out more about the Sheffield Institute of Art and its creative community visit the website.
Sheffield Institute of Arts gallery
The gallery offers and exciting programme of changing exhibitions of the best in art, design and creative practice. Located in the Cantor building, it hosts exhibitions throughout the year.
Print making studio
Our print making studio supports a wide range of print activities including etching, drypoint, cyanotype, lithography and screen printing.
Art and design print making studio 1
Our print making studio supports a wide range of print activities including etching, drypoint, cyanotype, lithography and screen printing.
The Digital Design Centre
The Digital Design Centre comprises a suite of 6 IT laboratories (4 PC and 2 MAC) together with the Print Output room, an area for printing medium to large format high quality output on a range of different media. The laboratories have a wide range of software supporting 2D and 3D engineering and creative design applications.
The Digital Design Centre runs a high quality computer printing facility and has the ability to print sizes between A4 and A0 and wide format banners. A3, A2, A1, A0 and Banner photo quality printing is available on a range of papers, as well as AutoCAD type plans ( B & W ) on standard paper.
The Printmaking Centre
The Printmaking Centre supports the following processes
• silk screen printing
• etching
• relief
• cyanotype (an early photo graphic process)
• bookmaking
• letterpress
The printmaking workshop is divided into process lead areas which are outlined below.
Screen print area
In this area there is everything the student needs to get a good grounding in every aspect of silk screen,
with facilities for printing onto to paper, fabric and MDF.
Resources include
• four screen beds
• large exposure unit
• wash-out and development area
• in house photo positive facilities
Intaglio and relief area
We have all the facilities on hand to give you a broad experience of traditional printmaking techniques. We offer support in dry-point and etching as well as photo etching, relief and linocut.
• large etching press (max plate size- 1060 X 715 mm)*
• medium etching press (max plate size – 770 X 935 mm)*
• medium relief press (max plate size – 565 X 820 mm)*
• small relief press (max plate size – 285 X 410 mm)*
• horizontal etching tank (for copper only/max plate size – 300 X 600 mm)
• small exposing unit for photo-etching
Letterpress area
This area includes a printing press, cases of select fonts and smaller support equipment.
Bookbinding
Facilities for making and binding books are provided within the studio and some specialised equipment is available for students to use within the department.
Digital area
We provide a small digital suite within the printmaking workshop enabling students to make their own positives and negatives for the processes supported in the department such as silk screen, photo-etching and cyanotype. Our print facilities enable us to output a variety of different types of photographic positives in house creating an immediate bridge between digital and traditional processes. This enables you to design and make exciting print works to a high standard within one location. Resources include Two AppleMac computers with Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator and Indesign (CS5.5) A3 scanner, large format A0 inkjet printer, A3 b/w laser printer.
Technical support team
While you will find excellent facilities throughout, the most valuable resource you will have at your disposal is access to our extremely dedicated, highly experienced technical staff.
All the staff are there to support you during your time in the workshops. The technical team with its professionally qualified staff and practicing professionals, has a wealth of knowledge and expertise across all areas of our provision and comprises engineers, designers, silversmiths and jewellers, fine artists, media arts specialists and IT experts.
The team are committed to using their diverse range of skills and knowledge to support practical aspects of your
course work, whether solving a simple software problem, producing a complex engineering project or creating design work for an international exhibition. There are currently 50 technical staff directly supporting the Technical Resource Centres and the research institutes of the faculty.
Becky Roberts
Graphic design student wins 'best in show' award
A graphic design student from Sheffield Hallam University has scooped a prestigious award for her quirky illustrations of well-known English phrases.
Becky Roberts, who is graduating from the University this year, won the 'Best in Show Award' at the New Blood exhibition - Design and Art Design's (D&AD) annual showcase of new talent.
D&AD represents the global creative, design and advertising communities and celebrates brilliance in commercial creativity.
Becky won the top award with her illustration project, 'Idioms', which explores some of the most unusual phrases in the English language, such as 'keep your chin up' and 'eat your heart out'.
Becky, 23, who is from Sheffield but is planning to move to London, said: "My inspiration for the project came from an interest in informal language and unusual phrases that I had heard family and friends use over the years.
"My illustrations are quite light hearted and I don't like to take myself too seriously so I just had fun playing around to produce my final illustrations.
"Winning the award meant a lot to me because it has given me a lot of confidence in a difficult part of my life where I'm transitioning from studying to work. I hope it will help me with finding freelance work."
Professor Chris Rust, head of art and design at Sheffield Hallam, said: "D&AD awards set the standard for creative excellence in Britain and underpin our country's leadership in design.
"For one of our students to be recognised by D&AD for the best work in their annual New Blood show is a huge vote of confidence in her potential to influence the industry and our cultural life, but also an endorsement of the richness of our Graphic Design programme and the way in which students are encouraged to develop their individual strengths."
The New Blood exhibition is D&AD’s annual showcase of the best graduates from its Education Network. The 2012 exhibition took place in east London on Tuesday 26 and Thursday 28 June.
Around 50 other universities had stands of work at the New Blood exhibition and certificates for outstanding pieces of work were given throughout the show.
Becky's work can be viewed on her website http://www.doodleyboo.co.uk/
Paul Williams
A masters student unveils his award-winning photo montage in the window of Selfridges
A masters student is proving he is dressed for success as he unveils his award winning photo montage in the window of one of Manchester's most prestigious stores. 15 Seconds is being displayed in the window of Selfridges and features a montage of photographs of people in Manchester spelling out the word Hello.
Paul Williams, a fourth year graphic design student at Sheffield Hallam University, won a competition to create a piece of art to grace the six metre by four metre window on Corporation Street, central Manchester. The title 15 Seconds is based on Andy Warhol's famous comment about the nature of fame. The montage features a range of ordinary people, from Big Issue sellers to business people.
Paul, 22, said 'Warhol’s quote addressed what he saw as the increasingly temporary nature of fame and my work focuses on the same concept but updates it to highlight that he could never have foreseen just how quickly the media limelight would fade on celebrities in the 21st century. The already rapidly expanding world of digital technology will continue to make the world smaller and smaller.'
Jane Sharrocks, general manager of Selfridges Exchange Square, said 'Paul’s interpretation of the brief was amazing and he has created a stunning piece of design. Our focus was on Bright Young Things who have a talent in fashion and design.'
Claire Lockwood, course leader in graphic design, said: 'We instil students with the confidence and creativity to tackle big projects and ideas, and this excellent shop front is a wonderful example of
Profiles
Becky Roberts
Graphic design student wins 'best in show' award
Paul Williams
A masters student unveils his award-winning photo montage in the window of Selfridges
