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Master's courses

Example of information design project by master's student

Study communication design or typographic research at postgraduate level.

Why study with us?

Typography lecturer standing up and showing master's student text in a book during seminar
Our Department has an international reputation for its teaching and research. On our master's programmes you'll benefit from the collective expertise of our academic staff, researchers and visiting practitioners.

Our collections and archives

Collections-based book design workshop with master's students

Archives from major individual designers and design companies are an important part of our collection. They make a unique contribution to our teaching, to postgraduate research, and as a source of inspiration to our students.

How you'll study

Book cover design for Double Cross by Malorie Blackman by master's student as final project

You'll learn in small-group workshops and seminars, and apply your design skills to practical projects. You'll also work with historical material from our collections and gain insights in how design practice reflects past and present technology and contexts.

Master's scholarships available

There is a variety of funding support available to our master’s students, including a range of scholarships open to UK and international applicants.

Funding opportunities for students accepted to our MA Communication Design programme include:

  • the Stationers' Foundation Bursary and Mentoring for MA Communication Design
  • the Information Design and Ernest Hoch Scholarship
  • the Arts & Communication Design Scholarship
  • the Felix Scholarship.

For full information and application dates, please visit the University's master's scholarships page.

Find out more about postgraduate fees and funding

Student work

Visit our MA Communication Design student work website to see more examples of student projects.

  • Data Visualization information design project by Maria Pitsillidou
    Data visualisation
    Maria Pitsillidou
Two master's students sitting in the Department, working on a laptop

Life in the Department

You'll engage with your fellow postgraduates and researchers in a supportive, collegiate environment. 
Headshot of Dan Rhatigan former master's student studying typeface design in the Department of Typography

Read Dan's story

My time at Reading was the start of many relationships with colleagues and specialists whose own work is vital to what we’re doing at Adobe now.

Dan Rhatigan

Master's graduate and Senior Manager at Adobe Type

Read more master's stories
Diagram called Design How You Feel created as part of graphic communication research project.

Our research

95% of our research is world leading or internationally excellent and 100% of our research impact has been classed ‘outstanding’ or ‘very considerable’ (Research Excellence Framework 2021, combining 4* and 3* submissions – Art and Design: History, Practice and Theory; Typography and Graphic Communication).