Graphic Design Courses (MA Arts)

Graphic Design Courses (MA Arts)

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M.A. Graphic Design: What is it about?

M.A. Graphic Design focuses on Graphic Design in both web-based and print formats. The aim of this course is to develop highly experienced Graphic Designers.

This course is well suited to those students who want to make their career in the field of Designing and are interested in Animation and Graphics. Students who wish to pursue M.A. Graphic Design program should possess various skills such as listening and communication skills. Students should also have a creative bent of mind, strong computer skills, confidence and an interest in Typography and Graphics.

After completing this course, students can opt for jobs in various fields such as in Colleges and Universities, Film Industry, Animation and Games Industry, Fashion Companies etc.

MA Graphic Design Course Highlights

Course NameMasters of Art in Graphic Design.
Course Duration2 years
Exam TypeSemester Type
Eligibility CriteriaBachelor's degree in any discipline with aggregate of 50% or above.
Selection ProcessMerit Based or Entrance Based
AVerage Course FeesINR 1,00,000 - 3,50,000
Job positionsBrand Designer, Design manager, Freelance Designer, Graphic Designer, Picture Editor, Retail designer
Employment AreasDesigning Firms, Animation, Gaming Industry, Fil Industry, Television, Websites, Fashion companies
Average Annual SalaryINR 4,15,000 per annum

MA Graphic Design Syllabus

Graphic Designing is a program which has seen exponential growth in the recent past. This program teaches candidates in detail about the use of Graphic design in various sectors and the mechanism of it. The detailed syllabus of MA Graphic Design are provided below for your reference, 

Semester ISemester II
Semester IIISemester IV
Design Studio IDesign Studio II
Elements of Visual DesignInformation Design II
History of Art and DesignMotion Design
Interaction Design ITypography
Photo communicationProject II
Project I-
Advanced TypographyInternship 
Media Ethics and EducationFinal thesis
Package Design-
Publication Design-
Programming for Designers-
Project III-

MA Graphic Design: Top Colleges

In India, there are a total of 284 colleges in which the candidates can pursue MA in Graphic Designing. This course is not available to do from Distance. But there are certain specializations which the candidate can pursue online. Some of the colleges along with the average fees for the entire duration is provided below for your reference, 

Name of the CollegeCityAverage Fees
Sacred Heart CollegeErnakulam1,15,600
National Institute of DesignAhmedabad1,05,330
Mahatma Gandhi UniversityKottayam20,200
Ahmedabad University, Amrut Mody School of ManagementAhmedabad2,50,000
Apeejay Stya UniversityGurugram2,60,000
IILM UniversityHurugram3,30,000
Apeejay Institute of DesignDelhi2,00,000
St. Joseph College of CommunicationKerala90,000
International School of DesignPune 2,50,000
Vishwakarma UniversityPune3,00,000
Arch Academy of DesignJaipur1,64,500

MA Graphic Design: College Comparison

ParticularsNational Institute of DesignInternational School of DesignApeejay Institute of Design
OverviewNational Institute of Design is a group of public autonomous colleges located in various cities. The first college was founded in 1961 in Ahmedabad. The university offers a wide range of design courses and admission to these courses is done on the basis of an entrance exam called the NID-DAT. Situated in Pune, this premier institute offers various design courses. It has greatly contributed to the development of passionate interior, graphic, and fashion designers. It was established in 2011.Apeejay Institute of Design has been regarded as one of the top design colleges in Delhi. It has been awarded as the Most Promising Institute of Design by the Indian Federation for Fashion Development. It was established in 1991. 
Ranking5510195
FeesINR 1,05,3302,50,0002,00,000
Salary packageINR 5,29,000INR 4,50,000INR 4,77,000

MA Graphic Design Jobs

The field of Graphic Design has seen considerable growth in the past few years. Opportunities are growing day by day. Several job profiles are coming in the field of Graphic designing. Some of the job profiles are mentioned below for your reference, 

PositionDescriptionAverage Salary
Design ManagerThey are also known as Design Coordinators. They usually design for the project, plan accordingly to present to their clients.INR 4,28,000
Graphic DesignerGraphic Designer is a professional who works on graphics, create 3D designs, Create a piece of design for brochures, magazines and to present to their clientsINR 5,81,000
Picture editorA picture editor is also known as a photo editor who collects, edits, corrects, reviews the photograph before their publication and applies necessary touches to make the picture appealing to the general public.INR 4,19,000
LecturerAfter pursuing masters program candidates can become lecturers in colleges for teaching Graphic designing to the candidates.INR 6,11,000

M.A. Graphic Design: Admission Procedure

There are several colleges that prefer to take admissions on the basis of marks scored in bachelor’s programs and some colleges prefer to take admission on the basis of entrance test along with the personal interview. Let’s check out the admission procedure of MA Graphic Design . However, it may vary according to college to college so the candidate must be very particular while filling up the form,

  • Candidates must check the official website of the college regularly to check the updates.
  • Candidates can fill the application form online and pay the requisite fee online only.
  • Applications are likely to start in August.
  • Candidates must register themselves by entering their mobile number and e-mail id. The login id and password will be sent on that registered mobile number and email id. 
  • Candidates must fill the application form and keep the document handy to upload the same. 
  • After filing the form, if the admission is taken on the basis of merit, a cut-off will be released and the candidates coming within the cut-off will be eligible. 
  • On an entrance basis, the candidate will be required to appear for the entrance exam.
  • On the basis of marks scored in the entrance exam, the candidate will be called for the counseling process.
  • The candidate must take original as well as self-attested photocopies of the documents to be submitted. 

 M.A. Graphic Design: Eligibility Criteria

Candidates with undergraduate degrees from any stream can pursue Masters in Graphic Designing. Below mentioned are some of the main eligibility criteria is as follows provided for your reference,,

  • Candidates must have completed a Bachelor's degree in any discipline from a recognized Institute
  • Candidates must have scored a minimum of 55% or above or equivalent CGPA from a recognized Institute.
  • Candidates with bachelor's degree in arts as well as in Graphic Design will be preferable over other candidates.
  • Candidates will be required to appear for the entrance exam conducted by the university such as UCEED, NATA, SEED, etc. 
  • Candidates must have a valid score in the entrance exam. 

Popular Entrance Exams For Diploma In Graphic Design

MA Graphic Design: Entrance Exam

Name of the examApplication PeriodExam Date
UCEEDSeptember 30, 2022 – November 9, 2022January 22, 2023
NATA4th week of January 2023 – 2nd week of March 20232nd week of April 2023
SEEDTo be AnnouncedTo be Announced

Preparation Tips For Diploma In Graphic Design

Some Of The Essential Course Preparation Tips For A Candidate Who Wants To Pursue A Diploma In Graphic Design Are As Follows:

Start Early: An Early Start In Preparation For The Course Helps A Candidate Get To Know About The Modules And Subjects That Are Taught During The Course.

Prepare A Time Table: Prepare A Timetable And Adhere To The Timetable Which Helps You To Reduce Stress At The Time Of Examination.

Understanding The Course: Understanding The Course Is Very Important Before Studying. Understanding The Importance Of The Course Will Help The Students To Learn More About The Course Easily.

Revising Regularly: Revision Of The Subjects Is Very Important. Revising Regularly Helps The Students Remember The Subjects Easily Without Struggling To Answer In The Exams.

Why Study MA Graphic Design?

This program has seen considerable growth over the years. With the growth of technology, new techniques keep coming that increase the efficiency and structure of the design that fits according to the needs of the customer since customer satisfaction is the utmost priority. Some of the benefits of pursuing this course is mentioned below for your reference,

  • Huge opportunities-  This course offers huge opportunities to the candidates to work in various top sectors of the economy such as print and media publications, television and film industry etc . Candidates can get the chance to work as a Graphic designer, picture editor. Design manager etc 
  • High salary- Post completion of this course, candidates can get to work as a graphic designer and much more to explore. The starting salary in this field ranges between INR 3,25,000 - 5,00,000 per annum. Candidates with more than 6 years of experience can get up to INR 8,00,000 -10,00,000 per annum.
  • International opportunities- Candidates after some years of practice can try for international opportunities. Candidates can opt to other graphic designing courses to get a specialization or can work there.

What does a Graphic Designer do?

As a branch of fine arts, a graphic designer has the following responsibilities:

  • A graphic designer is supposed to keep a tab about the latest market trends to ensure that the work they create is not outdated. 
  • They have to communicate with the clients in order to know about their needs and requirements and curate designs accordingly.
  • Since they work in budget constraints, they must pan out their designs accordingly.
  • They must conceptualize visuals based on the client’s requirements and prepare rough drafts to present. 
  • They must develop designs, illustrations and logos by using either software or by hand.
  • They must also possess accurate knowledge about color schemes and layouts for each graphic to make them more appealing.
  • They should collaborate with copywriters and creative directors to publish the final design.

 Who should study MA Graphic Design?

However, there is no set criteria for pursuing this program. Candidates from any background or any stream can pursue this program. Pointed below are details of who can pursue this case and who cannot,

  • Candidates who are interested in the field of designing and digital image making 
  • Candidates who are aware of the basic of computers such how to use a software, which softwares to use etc
  • Candidates who are interested in designing and want to make it as a professional grAphic designer
  • Candidates having knowledge of HTML,CAD, and other softwares that are needed for better understanding of the subjects.

M.A. Graphic Design: Admission Procedure

There are several colleges that prefer to take admissions on the basis of marks scored in bachelor’s programs and some colleges prefer to take admission on the basis of entrance test along with the personal interview. Let’s check out the admission procedure of MA Graphic Design . However, it may vary according to college to college so the candidate must be very particular while filling up the form,

  • Candidates must check the official website of the college regularly to check the updates.
  • Candidates can fill the application form online and pay the requisite fee online only.
  • Applications are likely to start in August.
  • Candidates must register themselves by entering their mobile number and e-mail id. The login id and password will be sent on that registered mobile number and email id. 
  • Candidates must fill the application form and keep the document handy to upload the same. 
  • After filing the form, if the admission is taken on the basis of merit, a cut-off will be released and the candidates coming within the cut-off will be eligible. 
  • On an entrance basis, the candidate will be required to appear for the entrance exam.
  • On the basis of marks scored in the entrance exam, the candidate will be called for the counseling process.
  • The candidate must take original as well as self-attested photocopies of the documents to be submitted. 

M.A. Graphic Design: Eligibility Criteria

Candidates with undergraduate degrees from any stream can pursue Masters in Graphic Designing. Below mentioned are some of the main eligibility criteria is as follows provided for your reference,,

  • Candidates must have completed a Bachelor's degree in any discipline from a recognized Institute
  • Candidates must have scored a minimum of 55% or above or equivalent CGPA from a recognized Institute.
  • Candidates with bachelor's degree in arts as well as in Graphic Design will be preferable over other candidates.
  • Candidates will be required to appear for the entrance exam conducted by the university such as UCEED, NATA, SEED, etc. 
  • Candidates must have a valid score in the entrance exam. 

Popular Entrance Exams For Diploma In Graphic Design

MA Graphic Design: Entrance Exam

Name of the examApplication PeriodExam Date
UCEEDSeptember 30, 2022 – November 9, 2022January 22, 2023
NATA4th week of January 2023 – 2nd week of March 20232nd week of April 2023
SEEDTo be AnnouncedTo be Announced

Preparation Tips For Diploma In Graphic Design

Some Of The Essential Course Preparation Tips For A Candidate Who Wants To Pursue A Diploma In Graphic Design Are As Follows:

Start Early: An Early Start In Preparation For The Course Helps A Candidate Get To Know About The Modules And Subjects That Are Taught During The Course.

Prepare A Time Table: Prepare A Timetable And Adhere To The Timetable Which Helps You To Reduce Stress At The Time Of Examination.

Understanding The Course: Understanding The Course Is Very Important Before Studying. Understanding The Importance Of The Course Will Help The Students To Learn More About The Course Easily.

Revising Regularly: Revision Of The Subjects Is Very Important. Revising Regularly Helps The Students Remember The Subjects Easily Without Struggling To Answer In The Exams.

Why Study MA Graphic Design?

This program has seen considerable growth over the years. With the growth of technology, new techniques keep coming that increase the efficiency and structure of the design that fits according to the needs of the customer since customer satisfaction is the utmost priority. Some of the benefits of pursuing this course is mentioned below for your reference,

  • Huge opportunities-  This course offers huge opportunities to the candidates to work in various top sectors of the economy such as print and media publications, television and film industry etc . Candidates can get the chance to work as a Graphic designer, picture editor. Design manager etc 
  • High salary- Post completion of this course, candidates can get to work as a graphic designer and much more to explore. The starting salary in this field ranges between INR 3,25,000 - 5,00,000 per annum. Candidates with more than 6 years of experience can get up to INR 8,00,000 -10,00,000 per annum.
  • International opportunities- Candidates after some years of practice can try for international opportunities. Candidates can opt to other graphic designing courses to get a specialization or can work there.

What does a Graphic Designer do?

As a branch of fine arts, a graphic designer has the following responsibilities:

  • A graphic designer is supposed to keep a tab about the latest market trends to ensure that the work they create is not outdated. 
  • They have to communicate with the clients in order to know about their needs and requirements and curate designs accordingly.
  • Since they work in budget constraints, they must pan out their designs accordingly.
  • They must conceptualize visuals based on the client’s requirements and prepare rough drafts to present. 
  • They must develop designs, illustrations and logos by using either software or by hand.
  • They must also possess accurate knowledge about color schemes and layouts for each graphic to make them more appealing.
  • They should collaborate with copywriters and creative directors to publish the final design.

 Who should study MA Graphic Design?

However, there is no set criteria for pursuing this program. Candidates from any background or any stream can pursue this program. Pointed below are details of who can pursue this case and who cannot,

  • Candidates who are interested in the field of designing and digital image making 
  • Candidates who are aware of the basic of computers such how to use a software, which software's to use etc
  • Candidates who are interested in designing and want to make it as a professional graphic designer
  • Candidates having knowledge of HTML,CAD, and other software's that are needed for better understanding of the subjects.