Graphic Communication
Graphic communication is a discipline concerned with the design and delivery of visual information across a range of formats and media. It encompasses typography, layout, print design, digital design, motion graphics, infographics, wayfinding, and the production of visual content for advertising, publishing, branding, and public communication. The field differs from graphic design in its particular attention to the communicative function of visual work, asking not just whether something looks good but whether it conveys its intended meaning clearly and effectively to its intended audience.
The University of Reading's three-year full-time graphic communication degree includes a sandwich year and a year abroad, giving you professional experience in the creative industries and the chance to study at an international partner institution. Reading's programme is known for integrating design practice with an understanding of communication theory, visual perception, and the contexts in which graphic work is received and used. You will study typography, grid systems, image-making, information design, digital media, branding, print production, and design research, developing both your visual sensitivity and your ability to think analytically about how communication works.
The year abroad and sandwich placement enrich your creative development and professional preparation in ways that classroom study alone cannot.
Graduates in graphic communication go on to work as graphic designers, art directors, typographers, information designers, brand designers, digital content creators, and visual communication specialists across the creative industries, public sector, education, healthcare communication, and publishing. The combination of design craft and communicative understanding that Reading's programme develops is valued by employers who need designers who can think as well as make. Many graduates continue to postgraduate study in design, communication, or related disciplines to develop specialist expertise.