
Graphic Communication Design (Top-Up) BA (Hons)
University of NorthamptonWaterside Campus, Northampton
Course overview
Our Graphic Communication Design (Top-Up) BA (Hons) builds upon your prior knowledge and skills to explore the communication of ideas and messages to diverse and ever-evolving audiences through a dynamic range of media that highlights the potential of what design can achieve. The Top-Up programme will develop your critical understanding of communication, expand your understanding of how the Creative Industries work, and advance your creativity and professionalism. The Graphic Communication Design (Top-Up) is focused on identifying your individual interests, launching you on your career path and honing your commercial design skills.
Studio culture is at the heart of our Top-Up programme, naturally fostering the creativity, collaboration and debate that inspire personal perspectives on design and prepares you for the professional industries. Students experiment with a range of traditional processes and evolving technologies to challenge the conventions of image-making and meaning. Through engaging with issues, real-world problems and commercial scenarios, you will develop critical, reflective and professional skills that will prepare you for the ever-changing creative industries.
Key highlights
- Studio culture fosters creativity, collaboration and debate on design
- Experiment with traditional processes and evolving technologies in image-making
- Tackle real-world problems and commercial design scenarios
- Develops commercial design skills and understanding of the Creative Industries
- Builds critical, reflective and professional skills for creative careers
Entry requirements
- IELTS: 6 — 6.0 IELTS 6.0 (or equivalent) with a minimum of 5.5 in all bands for study at undergraduate level.
Scholarships
ICAEW Foundation Bursary
Three annual payments of £4,000
Up to £12,000John Lowe Accounting and Finance Scholarship
Scholarship is paid as £1,000 in the second and third years of study.
Up to £2,000Northampton Energy Elite Athlete Scholarship
This scheme offers the student athlete a support network enabling them to balance the demands of performance sport with academic study.
Reid Science, Engineering, and Computing Bursary
£500 per year of study
Up to £1,500TD Lewis Scholarship
The T D Lewis Scholarship provides both undergraduate and postgraduate students with financial awards of up to £1,000.
Up to £100The Chancellor's Fund
Up to £50The University of Northampton International Scholarship
The University of Northampton International Scholarship Scheme is a merit-based scholarship that provides up to a £4,000 reduction in tuition fees.
Wilson Endowment Scholarship
Successful students will receive three annual payments of £500, one for each year of study.
Up to £1,500
Careers this course leads to
- Graphic designer
- Communication designer
- Art worker
- Illustrator
- Brand designer
- Junior art director
Cost of study
UK/Home: £9,790 per year | International: £18,500 per year
Admission
Applications are made through AHZ at no cost. Share your transcripts, English test scores and personal statement, and your AHZ Counsellor will review your profile, submit your application to University of Northampton, and guide you through interview, offer, CAS and visa — right up to enrolment.
Ready to start?
Book a free consultation and we'll map your fastest route to a September 2026 place.
