Student work: Kim Sin, HNC Graphic Design

Photo credits: Yani Hristov, HND Photography

If you are interested in a career which combines creativity, artistry and technology, graphic design is the path for you! Some people still get confused about what a graphic design career entails. Take a look at this article to quell all your doubts.

What is a Graphic Design HND/HNC?

A Higher National Diploma (HND) and Higher National Certificate (HNC) in Graphic Design refers to graphic designing courses offered by higher education colleges in the UK. While a HND and HNC cover the same subjects throughout the course, a HNC is a level below a HND. A full-time HND course takes two years to complete, whereas a full-time HNC course takes one year to complete. Many higher education institutions in the UK refer to the first year of the programme as a HNC and the second year as a HND.

What are the entry requirements for the course?

  • The applicant should be a minimum of 18 years of age;
  • Language proficiency score: IELTS score of 5.5 with minimum 5.0 in each component or PTE score of 51 with minimum 51 in each component or TOEFL(IBT) score of 87 with a minimum of 21 in listening, 22 in reading, 23 in speaking and 21 in writing;
  • Higher secondary school certificate or NARIC equivalent.

Career options after pursuing a HND/HNC in Graphic Design

One of the most common graphic design jobs to choose after pursuing a course in graphic design is becoming a graphic designer. If you are wondering how to get a graphic designer job after graduation, click here. A course in graphic designing offers a wide range of different career options, beyond just becoming a graphic designer, such as:

  • Product Developer: Product developers are required to visualise and manage the creation of products. They oversee the process of developing the product, starting from carrying out industrial research to creating illustrations of the product and presenting them to the stakeholders. Product developers play an important role in the product development process.
  • Marketing Specialist: Graphic designers are vital within the field of marketing. One of the crucial skills that a marketing specialist must have is creativity. They are responsible for creating marketing campaigns for a particular brand or product and it is here you can use your expertise, as a graphic design graduate, to come up with unique visual and content ideas.
  • Multimedia Artist: Multimedia artists have various job roles including creating visual effects or animations with the help of film, computers or videos. This is used in the development of computer games, advertisements, music videos and movies.
  • Packaging Designers: Though an unconventional profession for a graphic designer, packaging designers are in high demand today. This can be attributed to the growing desire for making products presentable and attractive to consumers. Packaging plays a pivotal role in the large scale marketing of products. Organisations are therefore hiring graphic designers to employ their artsy skills for the creation of attractive packaging for products.

Reasons to study a HND/HNC Graphic Design Course

  • Branding is crucial in today’s time. Brand names are no longer enough to attract potential customers. Today’s consumers are tough to impress, being exposed to countless brands on a daily basis. The correct designing and branding efforts can help the brand retain its existing customer base and attract the potential audience’s attention. By pursuing a graphic design course, you will develop your creative skills needed to make a brand stand out to customers.
  • Exposure. Technological advances and globalisation has enabled us to communicate with someone living in another part of the world with just a click. With these developments, digitalisation has also brought forth the platform to showcase your art, where people can witness your creativity internationally instead of being restricted to borders.
  • Exercise your brain. Pursuing a career with a creative foundation ensures that your brain is constantly working to achieve something new and better. As a graphic design graduate, you may find yourself taking up a position that poses exciting challenges, keeps you on the ball and taps into your creative side.
  • You can work for yourself, too! With technology becoming more and more accessible each day, now is the best time to unleash your creative side. The Internet offers you a platform to get feedback from people all around the world and gives you the liberty to start your own business.

London College of Contemporary Arts (LCCA) offers an undergraduate course of HNC/HND Graphic Design. The course focuses on helping students garner a better understanding of the basic concepts of graphic design. They will develop a range of graphic designer skills that can be instrumental in their career, such as the ability to manage multiple design or media projects at the same time, understanding how to comprehend information and translate it into visual data, developing research and analytical skills and learning how to communicate effectively. If you are planning to take up a graphic design course in London, sign up for this programme now!

This text was written by Meghdeep Patnaik and edited by Amelia Hayward-Cole.