Module manager: Dr Arjun Khara
Email: A.Khara@leeds.ac.uk
Taught: Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun) View Timetable
Year running 2026/27
DESN3947 DESN3948
This module is not approved as a discovery module
Graphic and Communication Design Project is a final-year capstone module that prepares students to consolidate their learning by developing an advanced and distinctive body of work. Students will investigate a topic of social or cultural relevance, and respond by preparing a signature project informed by research and experimentation. Students will accordingly complete a set of studio briefs that extend their conceptual, typographic, digital, and system-building skills, culminating in a curated project that documents their ideas, processes, methods, iterations, and final execution. This module will benefit Graphic and Communication Design students by highlighting their creative praxis while broadening their technical / digital range. The result is a portfolio-ready body of work that is suitable for professional roles or postgraduate study.
Through studio practice, tutorials, critiques, workshops, and guided independent development, these learning activities collectively enable students to consolidate their skills, define their creative identity, and produce a distinguished body of final-year work that:
Prepares Graphic and Communication Design students to develop an advanced signature project by supporting them through research-led enquiry, conceptual development, iterative experimentation, and multi-format design production.
Strengthens technical, typographic, and digital capabilities through focused studio briefs that encourage risk-taking, creative exploration, and application of contemporary design methods.
Promotes independent thinking and critical reflection by guiding students to articulate design decisions, evaluate their own processes, and position their practice within wider cultural and technological contexts.
Encourages cross-media thinking through activities that prioritise adaptability and integration of graphic, motion, and interactive outcomes.
Supports Graphic and Communication Design students in curating a refined project that showcases their ideas, methods, iterations, and final work in a professionally presented format suitable for portfolios, interviews, and further study
On successful completion of the module students will be able to:
1. Devise a range of ideas in response to creative and critical graphic and communication design challenges.
2. Design communication and graphic design outcomes in response to a brief using skills and knowledge to push disciplinary boundaries.
3. Justify concepts, arguments, and outcomes in a variety of forms informed by graphic and communication design theory and practice.
4. Propose and evaluate research for independent areas of interest in graphic and communication design.
On successful completion of the module students will be able to:
5. Apply effective written/visual/other communication skills to present a coherent and sustained argument.
6. Apply high level critical analysis skills.
7. Contribute to contemporary discourses by incorporating ethically aware and globally diverse perspectives in projects
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lectures | 10 | 1 | 10 |
| Seminars | 10 | 2 | 20 |
| Practicals | 10 | 2 | 20 |
| Independent online learning hours | 10 | ||
| Private study hours | 540 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 50 | ||
| Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 600 | ||
Students will receive regular formative feedback through a combination of structured and informal activities built into the module. Throughout the module, weekly studio practicals and seminar discussions will offer ongoing opportunities for verbal feedback as students test ideas, share evolving work, and engage in reflective dialogue with tutors and peers. Dedicated formative assessments will also be scheduled at key points over the semesters: these may include short written reflections, preliminary design concepts, annotated bibliographies, and rapid prototype development tasks. Each formative submission will receive constructive feedback focusing on intellectual clarity of the task, methodological rigour, and the integration of advanced design frameworks taught in lectures and seminars. Peer critique sessions will also support students in developing evaluative skills and understanding diverse perspectives.
| Assessment type | Notes | % of formal assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Coursework | Poster | 30 |
| Coursework | Assignment | 70 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) | 100 | |
Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated
Check the module area in Minerva for your reading list
Last updated: 30/04/2026
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