MA Design for Art Direction

The MA Design for Art Direction course welcomes proactive, contextually aware and curious thinkers from a broad range of backgrounds, from all over the world.

Applicants may come from a range of disciplines such as graphic design, photography, moving image, set design, curating, art practice and related fields with an Honours degree course in a relevant field, or have other equivalent qualifications.

The course team also welcomes students with relevant technical/ practical background experience who show a commitment to critical thinking and ambitious project development, as well as those who may have previously worked in industry, or non-traditional backgrounds, or be already in employment.

Educational level may be demonstrated by:

• Honours degree at 2:1 or first-class
• Possession of equivalent qualifications;
• Prior experiential learning, the outcome of which can be demonstrated to be equivalent to formal qualifications otherwise required;
• Or a combination of formal qualifications and experiential learning which, taken together, can be demonstrated to be equivalent to formal qualifications otherwise required.

APEL (Accreditation of Prior Learning)

Applicants who do not meet these course entry requirements may still be considered in exceptional cases. The course team will consider each application that demonstrates additional strengths and alternative evidence. This might, for example, be demonstrated by:

• Related academic or work experience
• The quality of the personal statement
• A strong academic or other professional reference
• OR a combination of these factors

Each application will be considered on its own merit but we cannot guarantee an offer in each case.

For fees and funding information, please see website 

The course will equip you with the skills to set up small scale agencies or join in-house teams as junior art directors, designers, researchers, art/media buyers or junior creatives.

You'll be prepared for a successful career within media agencies, cultural institutions, print and web editorial and production companies.

Work in both the commercial and public sectors in areas such as:

• In-house teams in the cultural and voluntary sectors
• Trend forecasting
• Design education
• Exhibition and event organisations
• Creative consultancy for brands
• Retail development
• Editorial design
• Set design
• Creative direction
• Curating

Critical Perspectives and Research Methods (20 credits)

This unit equips students with practical and theoretical skills that situate art direction within a broader field of practice, culminating in a designed Literature Review as the end submission.

Defining Design for Art Direction (40 credits)

Within the scope of this unit, students define the meaning of art direction within their own practice through a variety of creative briefs and practical workshops. Producing manifestos, designs, campaigns and showcasing this within an academic portfolio.

Specialist Practices for Art Direction (40 credits)

Students will explore their self-driven ideas, using specialist tools to create unique ways of working within the field of art direction. Working on longer-form briefs, students will develop campaigns that are thoroughly researched and delivered. This unit has an emphasis on emerging digital techniques and play.

Collaborative Unit (20 credits)

This unit builds upon the inherently collaborative nature of the profession. Students explore different ways to collaborate, including interdisciplinary projects within UAL, and live projects working with professional partners and institutions outside of the course.

Final Major Project (60 credits)

The Final Major Project is an opportunity for the student to deploy all of the skills learned throughout the year in a self-directed project. This project will be driven by them and their interests and could be in an area that they wish to continue with upon graduation.