Study an online Graphic Design degree with OCA

Do you find yourself appreciating typography, product packaging, magazine layout or book design? Do you find yourself thinking about the latest brand or curious to witness the impact of what an original design could make? Think that you’d like to study graphic design online?

Our online graphic design degree offers you the opportunity to enhance your creative potential through exploratory design initiatives, be it paper, web, digital, animation or print. You’ll determine your own preferred specialism within the wide range of graphic design practice while you study graphic design online with us.

The degree will examine the combination and significance of font style, image-making and layout which are the building blocks of graphic design. You’ll explore these through an investigation of visual language, context and dynamics, broadening your understanding, proficiency and expertise for the duration of your graphic design study.

You will learn to apply problem-solving methods to deliver visually powerful solutions to briefs that effectively communicate information and ideas. You’ll be encouraged to expand your definition of graphic design through brainstorming, researching contemporary practices and techniques in print and new media, and defining and refining your unique house style.

As you study graphic design, you’ll be challenged and encouraged to expand your definition of graphic design both on and offline. Throughout your course of study, your specialist tutor will support you and your work, enabling you to work independently, ready for the world of visual creative.

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Our online graphic design courses are open access

Online graphic design courses that cater for distance learners are the perfect way to expand your knowledge and skills at a pace that suits you. They allow you to balance your studies with your personal and work life so you can grow and develop in a way that works for you. Studying a graphic design bachelor’s degree online is a fantastic way to forward (or even jump start) a career in design, illustration, web design, and much more!

If you’re looking for an online graphic design bachelor’s degree, start your journey today and study graphic design with OCA!

Emily Everard

Course Structure

The Graphic Design degree is split into nine units; three at each Stage of study.

As a flexible degree, you can complete the programme in up to 9 years, with a maximum of three years to complete each level of the course.

Course Overview

Stage One

Stage 1 supports your creative ideas by examining how to generate and visualise ideas, use research to reflect upon your own design work and inform creative approaches. At the end of the first stage, you will have begun to apply these skills to identify your own personal voice and to develop the content and meaning of your work.

Stage Two

Stage 2 supports you to consider and resolve more complex and varied design problems. More in-depth research will be required into markets, consumers and the end-user experience. You will be asked to consider current issues and contexts such as globalisation, the environment, cultural diversity and other emerging societal changes, and explore a selection of research methods and focused design processes, to create clearly defined visual communications within a variety of specialist disciplines.

Stage Three

Stage 3 supports you to build on your stage 2 studies and synthesize your creative practice and research interests across self-directed bodies of work and critical thinking assignments. The unit/modules provide a framework that enable you to foster an increasingly autonomous and professional approach to your studies.

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We regularly review our curriculum; therefore, the qualification described on this page – including its availability, its structure, and available units – may change over time. If we make changes to this qualification, we’ll update this page as soon as possible. Once you’ve registered or are studying this qualification, where practicable, we’ll inform you in good time of any upcoming changes. If you’d like to know more about the circumstances in which OCA might make changes to the curriculum, see our Academic Regulations or contact us. This description was last updated on 14 December 2022.

Programme Specification 2023/24 New Curriculum

This Programme Specification is for all units on the new curriculum.

Review Programme Specification here

Programme Specification 2023/24 Running Out Curriculum

This Programme Specification details the units and learning outcomes that are being taught out.

Review Programme Specification here

Graphic Design Accessibility Statements

Accessibility statements give an indication of the type and format of content, teaching, and learning activities on the course, and how these are ordinarily delivered.

Review Accessibility Statements Here

Foundations

£1025

Per course

Level 1 (HE4)

£4,950

For the level

Level 2 (HE5)

£4,950

For the level

Level 3 (HE6)

£4,950

For the level

Total approximate undergraduate fees

Breakdown of costs...

Foundations

£1,175

Per course

Level 1 (HE4)

£5,670

For the level

Level 2 (HE5)

£5,670

For the level

Level 3 (HE6)

£5,670

For the level

Total approximate undergraduate fees

Breakdown of costs...

More Information
  • With the OCA, you can study a BA (Hons) degree in our flexible online learning model at approximately one third the cost of a degree at a traditional physical university.

    Students study and pay for the course on a unit-by-unit basis, so you only pay for the course as you enrol to each unit.

    This course is eligible for a part-time tuition fee loan from Student Finance England, Wales and Northern Ireland, or you can self-fund the course and break down costs even further through the deposit and instalment option.  Find out more about your funding options here.

  • You will require regular use of a computer or laptop and internet access. Most essential reading materials can be accessed through the digital library services and eBooks.

    Students are responsible for sourcing and, where necessary, purchasing any additional software and resources specified. These can be around £400 at Level 1, £500 at Level 2, and £550 at Level 3. Where possible, open or freeware equivalents will be discussed alongside industry standard options.

    On this course, resources will vary depending on which creative disciplines you study. You will be introduced to various disciplines within your first two units, after which you can make an informed decision about where you take your creative practice.

    You may be eligible for any student discounts on computer equipment and software by using your student email, and you can find out more information about student discounts here.

  • Graphic Design is an open access degree; this means that there are no formal qualifications or experience required to join the course. All you need is a passion for the arts, and willingness to learn.

    All OCA courses require students to be IT literate, have a good internet connection, and have a good standard of English equivalent to CEFR B2. You can review the study requirements here so you’re prepared for online study at higher education.

  • We accept enrolments for our BA (HONS) courses in monthly intakes throughout the year.

    Review the key enrolment deadlines on the link below.



  • Our part-time degree courses are completed on average between 6 and 9 years. The degree is structured into three levels (instead of three years) so you’re able manage study around other commitments.

    Once enrolled, you’ll have a maximum of 12 years to complete your degree course. There are unit and level timeframes within the overall degree time frame, and you’ll need a minimum of 10 study hours per week to keep on track. To find out more about course duration and managing your time, click here.

  • Your course materials are accessible online through the virtual learning environment, OCA Learn, where you’ll also have access to student forums, a subject space, the student handbook and the online library. You’ll work primarily from a set text of course materials and resources, but can also sign up to webinars, workshops and study groups in addition to your core learning.

    Once you’ve completed the required assignments within a course unit and received tutor feedback, you’ll submit a portfolio of work to an assessment event. This gives you the opportunity to develop your work before you have it formally assessed to achieve credits towards your degree.

  • Upon completing the BA (Hons) Graphic Design degree, you’ll be set with skills to help you navigate the workplace. You could use your practice across a variety of professions such as a graphic designer, illustrator, web designer, print designer, wireframer, marketeer – the choice is yours. Prospects can help you with a variety of options of where your degree could take you.

    In May 2022 the Department for Culture, Media, & Sport estimated there were some 2.3 million jobs in the UK creative industries, and post pandemic the Creative Industries are growing faster than the UK economy as a whole.

  • The Academic Regulations for Subsidiary Institutions of The Open University are applicable to all taught courses offered by the Open College of the Arts (OCA).

    You can review the Academic Regulations on our policy page.

To Join

Stand out from the crowd with a Graphic Design degree from OCA here: