BA Graphic Communication portfolio

• We are particularly interested in your most recent work – even if it is unfinished.
• We want to see photos of your sketchbook pages, worksheets, and preparatory drawings.
• Do not include everything you have ever done, but a good, clear selection that represents your abilities – the quality of the work is more important than the quantity.
• There is no limit to how many pieces of work you can include in your portfolio. However, we recommend you consider the selection of work, avoid too much repetition, and avoid including very old work. Keep it up to date.
• Demonstrate your personal interests.
• If possible, include at least one piece of work where you responded to a brief or constraint rather than working freely. This helps us understand how you approach problems and adapt your thinking.
• Show your technical skills, interest in materials and processes, and your ability to learn through experimentation.
• Demonstrate an understanding of contemporary practice by showcasing your ability to research through meaningful investigation. This should include looking at other artists/designers, contemporary work, and broader cultural works, for example film or texts, and other areas of interest. 
• An interest in letterforms, typography, and how type and image work together is central to what we do. If you have any work that engages with letters, text, layout, or visual communication, we would love to see it. This does not need to be formally produced: hand lettering, experimental type, or even a keen eye for signage and print in your sketchbook all count.
• If you have written about design, type, or visual culture, for example an essay, a blog, or a personal project with a written rationale, you are welcome to include it. We value students who can articulate their ideas as well as make them.
• All portfolio images should be arranged into one single PDF file, not submitted as separate files/folders. You can save images as viewable onscreen, rather than print quality to help manage file size.
• If you have a website containing a portfolio of your work, you can send us the link to your website.

I have not studied graphic design or graphic communication at A level/Post-16, how should I prepare my portfolio?

If you have studied other creative subjects for example, art, film, media, photography, product design, textiles, then you should include selected works you have made in these, as well as any independent graphic design projects.

If you studied design at GCSE level, you might include a few pieces from this, but examples of recent work is essential.

To develop your portfolio you could also produce work independently.

Ideas for making independent work:

• show work that you have made following tutorials in InDesign, Illustrator, or Photoshop
• enter design contests and show the work you developed for these
• collage images and text together to create your own zine
• redesign the cover of a favourite book or album
• create a new logo for a business.

You could also include, either in your portfolio or personal statement, an explanation of why you are interested studying graphic design. You could talk about exhibitions you have been to, books you have read, and designers you admire.

Is there a minimum number of pieces to include in my portfolio?

There is no set amount of work, and not all work needs to be completed.