Course General Description

The Bachelor of Visual Arts Graphic Design programme stimulates your creativity and ideas into a portfolio that is suitable for a design business. Curiosity, imagination and human relationships are a vital part of design. With award-winning graduates, the course gives you the best balance between essential technological skills, conceptual ideas and sound theoretical understanding through teaching, research and reflection. We are a guide to placing design into both professional design spaces and a socio-cultural context, developing your personal talent into the knowledge and skills you need to be successful in a rapidly changing society. The course is delivered in a studio-like environment, which is very similar to what you would experience in the design and advertising industry. With opportunities for interdisciplinary projects, we seek to develop your unique sense of authorship into design that has meaning and impact. Attracting students from both local and international backgrounds, the programme is a lively opportunity to develop strong friendships and a team spirit.

School General Description

Nelson Mandela University (NMU), formerly known as University of Port Elizabeth (UPE), is a South African university with its main administration in the coastal city of Port Elizabeth. Nelson Mandela University was founded through a merger of three institutions in January 2005, but its history dates back to 1882, with the foundation of the Port Elizabeth Art School. Nelson Mandela University is a comprehensive university offering professional and vocational training. The University has seven campuses – six in Port Elizabeth and one in George. The main campus of the university is South Campus. Students at Nelson Mandela University can study towards a diploma or a degree up to doctoral level qualifications. A number of courses include workplace experience as part of the curriculum at Nelson Mandela University. English is the university's medium of instruction.