Master of Visual Arts in Graphic Design

VUT Research offers postgraduate students the opportunity to complete a Master of Visual Arts in Graphic Design. For students to become a professional in this field of study they need to understand both the theory and practice that informs graphic design. A Masters in Graphic Design enables graduates to develop their creative, conceptual and professional thinking to best serve the needs of this competitive industry. The focus on sustainable design and human-centred processes that designers engage with at the VUT looks to create design solutions in the field and considers the impact these have on participating communities or users. The Master in Visual Arts in Graphic Design course curriculum consists of either a written dissertation or a practice-based research approach. The duration of the course is two years of full-time study.

Build Your Future In Graphic Design

  • International Focus -VUT Research’s degrees and academic programmes are internationally recognised
  • Facilities -At VUT Research we have world-class research facilities and resource access.

Master of Visual Arts in Graphic Design Course Requirements

In order for students to gain admission to complete a Master of Visual Arts in Graphic Design, they need to have achieved a relevant  Postgraduate Diploma / Honours / or 4-year degree approved by SAQA with an average pass of 65%. Students also need to have completed a Research Methodology course approved by VUT Research.

In addition to the academic qualifications stated above, the following admission criteria also need to be satisfied before a recommendation for admission into a Master of Visual Arts in Graphic Design can be made:

  • The proposed topic must be appropriate for higher degree research and it must be consistent with the academic aims and objectives of the student.

  • The student must have access to the necessary resources, facilities and the necessary budget in order to complete the degree within the timeframe.

  • There must be a qualified staff member holding confirmed, continuous or fixed-term appointments of sufficient length for the purposes of supervision of the proposed research and student.

  • The proposed program of work must be able to be completed within the maximum period of submission for the degree.

  • A suitable level of contact with the university supervisors must be maintained.

  • Where the applicant is currently employed, capacity to meet the timelines and other requirements must be considered.

  • The proposed research cannot reproduce research that has previously been submitted for the award of a degree or diploma.

  • Where the intellectual property rights of the applicant may be a consideration, a suitable agreement protecting the rights of the student needs to be signed. If the student is unwilling to sign an agreement, the research proposal may not be approved and the student may be required to choose another topic in an area that is not commercially sensitive.

  • The applicant should have no outstanding financial obligation with the University and in the case of international applicants, they should be able to verify the necessary financial capacity to undertake the program.

  • The applicant must possess sufficient English language proficiency.

Graphic Design Career Opportunities

Students can enjoy successful careers as graphic designers working within many different fields within the industry. A Master of Visual Arts in Graphic design allows graduates to further advance their specialist advanced knowledge by articulating into the Doctor of Visual Arts with a specialisation in Graphic Design. These advanced qualifications enable graduates to consider careers in graphic design practice as well as in academia.  Graphic designers work as visual communicators by taking the written word and visually strengthening and augmenting it to make abstract ideas more comprehensible. The function of the Graphic Designer is constantly challenged as communication becomes more complex in contemporary technology-driven society and a Masters-level qualification enables graduates to become considerate and sophisticated problem-solvers.

Master of Visual Arts in Graphic Design

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