Graphic Design MA

The MA Graphic Design programme at Edinburgh College of Art is where designers not only emerge through communication, but venture forth to interrogate and envision, and so contribute to the world around them.

We approach research as a generative practice, and designing as a form of enquiry. By asking questions, we initiate. From this foundation, we take an active stance, speculating and expanding not merely on what Graphic Design is capable of as a means of influencing, uniting, and conversing, but also on the identity of Graphic Designers in a volatile world and a reality that is constantly being reshaped by new technologies. 

What kind of designer does the world now urgently need? What must they envision, and what must they take responsibility for?

We hold the demands of the real world alongside the value of craft and experimentation. We encourage a practice that moves fluidly between rigour and curiosity: technical and imaginative by turns, clarifying and refining as it probes, plays and evolves its way towards something new, yet made to matter to its audiences.

Your study will be guided by academic staff who are themselves working designers and creatives, and connected to a network of industry practitioners who open doors to extensive opportunities and knowledge. You will also find yourself in a studio environment where collaborative study and creation happen, cultivating fresh ideas, building momentum, and forming meaningful partnerships and friendships.

Through inquisitive making and progressive resolution, working both independently and as a collective, you will arrive at a clearer sense of purpose and establish a voice of your own as a designer. You will gain new insight and build connections that support your future career, and leave with the capacity to adapt, and to shape what comes next.

This programme is for those with a foundation in Graphic Design who want to deepen and expand their practice. It also welcomes practising designers and creatives from adjacent subjects who want to redefine their direction, sharpen their vision, or step towards a greater sense of mission. Whichever route you take, core skills in visual communication and design are essential.