Graphic Design Manchester School of Art (MMU)

I will be graduating from this course very soon, I recommend it very much and I say that as someone who wanted to leave in the first year. I've found that there is a lot of emphasis on who you want to be as a creative person - I don't want to say designer because some of my colleagues have found that they prefer to work with film, animation or 3D and that has been completely encouraged. The development of an idea is a very important, the tutors there really look for ambitious projects so I would say yes, it's quite challenging - you won't be given many narrow briefs, especially in the third year where we were asked to write all but one of them. Again, this is mainly to help you work on defining your own personal practise.

In first and second year you are given lectures that you are expected to write an essay about, these usually look at perceptions, history ect. In the third year the dissertation topic is your own choice, there are no lectures about it. As well as that there are occasional visits from studios who will usually give a lecture about their work and maybe a 'workshop'. There are plenty of workshops in the building too so you can try screen printing, ceramics, woodwork ect.

The tutors are friendly, they have been quite critical of my most lazily created work but to be honest their comments have only voiced my own thoughts. They don't really teach you what to do, more guide. I have been told of other universities holding lessons on techniques, that doesn't really happen at MMU, you will get the odd instructional session on stuff like InDesign but I think you're just expected to pick it up on your own. You will have a tutorial each week with one tutor in a small group and quicker one to ones with other staff too.

I don't really understand what you mean about socialising. There's usually about 80-90 people in a year so plenty of people to make friends with. Lots of bars and stuff in Manchester too and the uni owns a great quality sport centre too if you're interested in that.

Hope that helps, like I said at the start it's a great course. I'm very glad I didn't leave having reached the end of it.

Thank you so much! Honestly wasn't expecting anyone to give so much detail, so thank you!! I think I'm probably gonna put it as my firm unconditional, but just so undecided and might have to take a year out. But will be going to the degree show definitely to see the work and what is produced on the course.

I've got an unconditional offer, but so undecided about uni and courses.

Anyone had experience of the course? Is challenging (in a good way) and how do you find it? It sounds like there's quite a lot of practical workshops, how the lectures, tutors etc?

I've heard some people say it's not very sociable, and they find the art school being part of MMU difficult for socialising etc

Basically, whats the course and uni like? Wanna find somewhere better than this year I've spent at Newcastle Uni doing Fine Art