Art and Design
Build your future with a career in art and design
If you’re ready to push boundaries, explore your creativity, and turn your passion for art and design into a career, our University Centre in Bury St Edmunds is the perfect place for you. Whether you’re an emerging artist, an aspiring graphic designer, or looking for a stepping stone into the wider creative industries, we offer the space, facilities, and guidance to help your ideas come to life.
Our courses blend studio-based practice with industry insight, giving you the freedom to develop your own style while building the professional skills employers and clients value. With opportunities to exhibit work, take part in live briefs, and connect with creative professionals, you’ll leave with a portfolio that gets noticed.
Art and design pathways
BA (Hons) Art Practice
The course has been designed to enable you to develop critical contextual skills, emphasising creative growth through research. Central to our ethos is the idea that through exposure to art theory, analysis of contextual material, and via your own practices of critical reflection you can develop a heightened sense of critical-visual awareness. We’ll train you in how to turn that awareness into a series of effective strategies to convey meaning—dynamically and consistently.
BA (Hons) Graphic Communication
We’ll help prepare you for a range of professional opportunities in advertising, branding, publishing, illustration and digital communication. You’ll gain skills across a range of contemporary design standards as well as to explore emerging technologies (augmented reality, UX design, web design, motion graphics).
Access to Higher Education Creative Industries
provides a strong foundation in areas such as media, design, performing arts, and visual communication, while also developing academic skills like research, writing, and critical analysis. The programme is ideal for learners returning to education who are looking to build confidence, gain a recognised qualification, and take the next step towards higher education and creative careers.
For the full range of construction pathways available across the Eastern Education Group – and to see the careers they can lead to – explore our Art and Design Progression Map.
Why choose our university?
Purpose-built design studios and art workshops
Build links with employers during your study ready for when you graduate
Collaborate on live briefs and showcase your work in public exhibitions
Careers in art and design
GRAPHIC DESIGNER
Salary: £18,000-£45,000+
Develops visual concepts to communicate ideas, inspire audiences, and support branding. They work across digital and print media, producing designs for websites, advertising, packaging, publications, and social media.
ARTIST
Salary: £15,000-£45,000+
Expresses ideas, emotions, or concepts through visual, performing, or digital media. They may work in painting, sculpture, illustration, digital art, or mixed media, producing work for galleries, commissions, exhibitions, or commercial projects.
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Salary: £20,000-£60,000+
Leads the vision and execution of creative projects across advertising, media, design, and other creative industries. They oversee teams of designers, writers, and artists, ensuring that campaigns, branding, and visual content align with client or company goals.
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Real students, real outcomes
Graduates from our Art and Design programmes leave with a strong portfolio, professional experience, and the creative confidence to take their next step. Many move into roles in design studios, agencies, galleries, and freelance practice.
By working on live briefs and exhibiting your work in public spaces, you’ll graduate with both the skills and network to launch your career without needing to relocate.
Hear from our graduates:
Libby Minns
