Master’s Degree in Graphic Design

The Master in Graphic Design programme will equip you to become a critical thinker and an agent of progress for society. Contemporary designers ask questions, tackle challenges, and look for answers to the problems of tomorrow. In today’s world, design is more visible than ever. It is an integral part of companies’ decision-making processes and has been incorporated into the economic sphere, the business world and the institutional realm in how products and services are defined.

The graphic designers are a common presence on the teams responsible for developing new activities and initiatives. They are responsible for creating integrating strategies, of giving any new proposal of conceptual, formal and functional coherence. From verbal and visual identities, editorial design and packaging to environmental graphics, digital, and audio-visual, designers work to make each project both consistent and unique from the concept stages all the way through to implementation.

Through the development of an integral project, the Master in Graphic Design aims to give designers a global, contemporary and multidisciplinary vision of the practice of design. This Master is aimed at dynamic and curious students, willing to explore less-travelled creative paths and to devise unique and innovative solutions.

The Master in Graphic Design draws on a holistic perspective to help students shift their practice toward that of a creative director: a professional capable of engaging in complex project management, moving comfortably between the different disciplines of graphic design, coordinating and supervising teams.

The practice of design needs decisive professionals with a mind of their own and a broad perspective on contemporary design. We want our Master’s programme to prepare students to meet those requirements through active experimentation and practical learning, with the support of quality professionals.

The Master develops a comprehensive project that brings together seven disciplines of graphic design: verbal identity, visual identity, editorial, packaging, signage, digital and audio-visual. Students will receive constant support from teachers throughout the process so that they can develop their projects’ full potential while maintaining a balance between reflection, planning and action.

Teamwork

Design today is practiced collectively, and we want this transformation to be reflected in our Master’s programme. Working smart and effectively to produce quality implies contrasting, collaborating and sharing. Therefore, during the Master, each student will form a team with one other student in the pursuit of a meaningful and fruitful collaboration.

Practice makes perfect

The Master’s programme is based on an eminently practical perspective: experience offers us most of the keys to design.

Real-world applications

This Master’s course is intended to orchestrate a fluid transition between the academic and professional worlds. We want students to develop the best parts of themselves, to fuel their motivation and generate a working environment that closely mirrors the professional world.

Students and professors: a collaboration

The programme faculty includes prestigious design professionals who play an active role in student development. Their experience and knowledge will serve as the source of constant advice in the search for solutions, to guide students in making their own decisions and developing their own perspective

The Master of Graphic Design deals with the practice of graphic design from multiple perspectives and through different media and formats. We believe in the versatility of graphic designers and seek to promote it. Students will need to adapt to a changing profession, taking on new capacities in different professional environments.

The entire program in detail at mgd.elisava.net

The course is structured around different projects and teaching formats:

Strategy and team formation

Each course focuses on a current topic of interest, proposed by the programme directors, which will help students to explore and experience how graphic design can be a tool for change and progress in society. Students will work in pairs, and each team will define their own brief, using the proposed topic as a starting point.

Graphic Systems

This practical exercise, a preliminary step prior to the design project, introduces students to the idea of global thinking and shows them how to develop the basic elements that are the foundation for any multidisciplinary graphic project.

Master’s project

We apply a problem-solving dynamic, similar to what would be required in a professional context, to develop seven areas or disciplines of graphic design: verbal identity, visual identity, editorial, environmental graphics, digital and audio-visual. The aim is to approximate a comprehensive graphic project.

Examining the versatility designers must cultivate in order to respond to the different needs, environments, processes and languages, we develop a global and multidisciplinary vision of the practice of design.

Typography and global perspective

The development of the project demands constant assistance and support during the course. The students have the opportunity to present their doubts to different experts who will help them move forward with their projects, both conceptually and formally. These consultancies deal with the fundamental aspects common to any graphic project.

Workshops

Workshops help complement and deepen knowledge of other disciplines of graphic design. They take the form of meetings with specialists and recognized professionals.

The business of design

Graphic design is not just about concept, form, colour and typography. There are business-related aspects: making presentations to clients, building human relationships, working as a team, looking for opportunities, billing projects and ensuring a project, etc. In the capsules, we deal with topics from the day-to-day of graphic design that students will need to master if they want to earn a living in the field.

Showcases and Case Studies

Regularly, we organize meetings with local designers, which allow us to share experiences and knowledge. They provide exposure new points of view, reflections and references that enrich our perspectives on the exercise of the profession.

International lectures

We invite prestigious international designers to give lectures, helping students to learn first-hand about experiences, projects and case studies in different fields of graphic designs.

Expand your perspective

The Master in Graphic Design is intended to be the beginning of something new, not an inevitable step in your career. We want this course to prepare you to find your own professional path. As such, we will encourage you to foster your independence and nurture your talent as you explore the different disciplines of graphic design.

Discover your potential

Learn to connect different ideas and perspectives to expand the possibilities in your future. We offer you the tools and the experience you need to design, develop strategies, generate content, or manage the creative process.

Build an excellent portfolio

The projects that you will complete during the course will give you the knowledge and skills necessary to create an excellent portfolio – the key to making the transition into the professional world.

Have a unique experience

The combination of projects, workshops, showcases, conferences and tutorials make this Master a great opportunity to build your knowledge and broaden your experience.

Live in a city awash with design

Barcelona is awash with design, culture, gastronomy and events of all kinds; it’s the ideal setting for learning and fun. Barcelona is inspiring, and your stay is sure to be an unforgettable experience.

Be part of a multicultural and enriching environment

Our students come from all over the world and create a vibrant cultural atmosphere where the exchange of ideas, points of view and cultures takes place in a natural way.