Program Overview
Planning and producing visual material to convey ideas and messages is the skill of graphic design. Graphic design is everywhere, from cereal boxes to billboards to phone apps. These designs can affect our perception and emotions by combining many aspects and ideas. Through the most popular graphic design tools, designers bring visual thoughts to life and use text and imagery to engage or enlighten people. It is possible to utilise design to market and sell goods, to spread a message, or to create a distinctive brand identity.
A complex tapestry of aesthetic innovation and cultural transformations may be seen throughout the history of graphic design. It originated in earlier societies that used symbols to communicate, such as the Egyptians and their hieroglyphics. Since it allowed for the mass manufacturing of books and the advancement of typography, the printing press’s introduction in the 15th century revolutionised graphic design. With the advent of the Industrial Revolution, posters and packaging emerged as new-age advertising. Modern graphic design was made possible by ground-breaking movements from the 20th century, such as Art Nouveau, Bauhaus, and Swiss Style. To satisfy the demands of a visually-driven society, it now spans a broad spectrum of media, from print to digital.
Graphic design greatly influences modern civilisation, which shapes our visual experiences and successfully conveys messages. It attracts attention, stirs up feelings, and adapts perceptions. Graphic design can communicate information, strengthen brand identification, and create lasting experiences through logos, packaging, commercials, or user interfaces. Bridging the gap between art and communication makes complex concepts understandable and aesthetically pleasing. Graphic design enables companies, organisations, and individuals to stand out and meaningfully engage with their audience in a world overflowing with visuals.
A graphic design course thoroughly examines the theories, equipment, and methods employed in the industry. In addition to honing their creative abilities and developing their design skills, students also learn to use industry-standard software. The course prepares students for a future in this exciting and innovative industry by covering typography, layout, branding, and digital design.
- Introduction to Graphic Design Principles
- Typography and Layout Design
- Digital Imaging and Photo Editing
- Branding and Logo Design
- Illustration and Vector Graphics
- Web and User Interface Design
- Print Design and Production Techniques
- Portfolio Development and Professional Practice
According to research, the average pay for graphic designers is $50,710. A 3 per cent increase in employment is anticipated between 2021 and 2031, less than the average 8 per cent rise for all occupations.
A creative and exciting career may be built on a firm foundation of graphic design study. It allows people to communicate visually, address design issues, and advance in a continually changing field. Graphic design provides limitless options for personal expression and making a significant effect.
Why Study This Program
Exciting Job Opportunities
There is always a need for graphic designers, especially those with digital expertise. With renowned companies investing in their talent and agencies always looking for creative, new designers, the demand for graphic designers has extended in the last year. A degree in visual communication or graphic design may lead to many employment options. For creative individuals, studying graphic design opens them to a world of intriguing professional prospects. Businesses today rely significantly on eye-catching images to engage their audience and differentiate themselves from the competition in the digital era.
You may help with online design, marketing initiatives, brand identification, and more as a graphic designer. The unlimited opportunities range from working with leading advertising firms to freelancing and setting up your own design company. The industry is the chance to continuously learn and develop while experimenting with new methods and technology. Studying graphic design lays the way for an exciting and rewarding profession with an excellent eye for aesthetics and a passion for visual storytelling.
Every Day is Different and Unique
With new projects coming within the production pipeline, choosing a profession in graphic design is always rewarding. A graphic designer’s life is never dull since they are always given new projects. These projects might include designing social media campaigns or creating logos for corporate organisations, among other things. You become continually inspired by new ideas and cannot remain motionless for an extended period.
Even if there may occasionally be tedious or repetitive tasks, there will always be something to smile about. Daily opportunities to appreciate our surroundings, think imaginatively, and take in the most exquisite aspects of life are cherished when working in the field of graphic design. It’s a fantastic career, and you might not consider it work. Graphic design is a wonder; the opportunities are endless, from creating colour schemes to building the next great design.
Share Results With the World
You will be given many duties as a graphic designer and produce original work you can proudly display. Seeing something you developed in context on a store shelf or billboard creates an imprint that future generations may see. Graphic design is in high demand worldwide if you enjoy seeing new places, seeking employment overseas, and having an adventurous spirit. You should consider taking a graphic design course if you are considering studying abroad. It is a career that allows you the potential to be approved for a highly skilled Visa in developed nations.
If you don’t want to sit still and wish to succeed with many different projects, consider working as a graphic designer overseas and savouring the travel experience. Designers may work, carry out tasks, and interact and engage with clients on the other side of the globe in the borderless world. Of course, solid graphic design abilities can help you stand out to employers abroad if you work in communication or marketing.
Become a Problem Solver
Studying graphic design allows you to explore your creative side and develop your problem-solving capacity. You have particular difficulties as a graphic designer, which call for creative solutions. You frequently tackle challenging visual challenges, whether building an intuitive user interface for a mobile app or developing a visually attractive logo that successfully expresses a brand’s values. Understanding client needs, target audiences, and the larger context in which the design will be presented are all necessary steps in this process.
Analytical thinking, research, and experimenting are required to identify the best design solution. By studying graphic design, you develop your ability to think critically, analyse data, and make decisions that improve the user experience. You learn the layout, typography, colour theory, and compositional techniques that help you convey ideas clearly and arouse the emotions you want in your audience. In addition to preparing you for a satisfying job, analysing and solving visual problems gives you transferrable problem-solving abilities that can be used in various industries outside of design.
Be Your Own Boss
You can pursue entrepreneurship and be your boss by studying graphic design. You may create your design studio or embark on an exciting freelance graphic design career with a solid foundation in design concepts, software expertise, and a portfolio of your work. You may fully manage your projects, clientele, and work schedule if you go this route. Being your boss allows you to select the customers and projects you want to work on, enabling you to focus on fields that excite you. You may set your charges and workflow and customise the creative process to suit your tastes.
Being in command of your future also means having the opportunity to increase your revenue as you develop a loyal business and a solid reputation. Being your boss also allows you to pursue creative opportunities and transdisciplinary projects that suit your interests. It encourages independence, self-motivation, and ongoing learning, pushing you to advance your abilities and keep up with the ever-changing design landscape. By pursuing graphic design, you may create your professional path and become a prosperous entrepreneur.
Why Study In Malaysia
Enjoy Real Flexibility
The way graphic designers work is primarily up to them. If you want to work as a freelance graphic designer for various businesses or prefer the more conventional, permanent position with one company, graphic design is excellent for both. Using the available resources, you may create a profession that suits your graphic designer preferences. Work for yourself or an organisation, and be as autonomous or collaborative as you like—it’s ultimately up to you.
Highly In Demand
The need for graphic designers is growing. Today, visual leadership is demanded in brand touchpoints. Since first impressions count, graphic design is a valuable and durable skill set. Design permeates every aspect of our lives, from the food brands we select to the advertisements we see on our gadgets. Moments are short, and you don’t have much time to capture and maintain someone’s attention. Visual signals are essential, and it’s graphic designers that brands look up to find a solution.
Affordable Course Fees
The fee required to study graphic design in Malaysia is comparatively less than that required in many other countries, such as the USA, the UK, Australia, and Canada, to name just a few. With graphic design degree expenses shooting up worldwide, Malaysia comes across as a reliable option to receive a high-quality education at an affordable cost.
Globally Recognised Degrees
Graphic design degrees from Malaysian universities enjoy global recognition. Studying graphic design in Malaysia allows students to pursue the program in Malaysia and then move anywhere globally. Several students continue their master’s and specialisation in Malaysia or transfer to other countries to pursue different pathways.
International Education Standard
The standard of graphic design programs in Malaysia meets international standards. This ensures exceptional education for students who enrol in this course. The course curriculum is rigorously developed, keeping in line with international benchmarks to ensure students learn the latest developments in graphic design in Malaysia.
Excellent Campus Facilities and Infrastructure
Malaysia offers excellent campus facilities, modern infrastructure, and innovative teaching aids for studying graphic design in Malaysia. The schools in Malaysia offer a great learning atmosphere. Several leading universities have developed in-house labs and testing facilities dedicated to helping students learn with hands-on experience, operate with state-of-the-art machinery, and stay up to date with the latest innovations.
Career Prospects
Using online tools, software or working by hand, a graphic designer develops visual designs to convey ideas that motivate, educate, or captivate consumers. They utilise their talents to design logos, brochures, websites, packaging, and other promotional items. They work in various sectors, including publishing, marketing, and advertising. The task of a graphic designer is to produce aesthetically appealing designs that convey a particular idea or message to the target audience. Along with the capacity to collaborate with other designers and clients, they also need to be familiar with the most recent design trends and tools.
A graphic designer must build a company’s brand and successfully promote their offerings. They are the professionals who develop excellent designs and send the desired message. Here are some additional roles and responsibilities a graphic designer is responsible for:
- Review design briefs to identify requirements.
- Plan projects and specify financial restrictions.
- Create concepts for images depending on the needs.
- Create flows and convey your thoughts.
- Create graphics, logos, and other designs by hand or using software.
- Utilise the proper hues and arrangements for each graphic; collaborate with the creative director and copywriters to develop the final product.
- Test the visuals on different platforms.
- Adjust designs in response to criticism and ensure that the finished visuals and layouts are aesthetically pleasing and consistent with the brand.
For creative individuals who prefer utilising the right side of the brain, graphic design expertise is in high demand. Yes, graphic design jobs may be exciting and enjoyable, but can also be financially rewarding. You need the correct set of skills if you want to succeed as a graphic designer. Here are some skills you will need to be a successful graphic designer:
- Proven background in graphic design.
- A rich collection of pictures or drawings.
- Knowledge of design tools and software, such as InDesign, Illustrator, Dreamweaver, and Photoshop.
- A great sense of beauty and detail.
- Superior communication abilities.
- The capacity to adhere to deadlines and operate systematically.
Graphic Designer
A graphic designer creates product drawings, logos, website layouts, and other visual media. This job title may be used to describe a wide variety of tasks in various sectors. Since businesses require expertise in everything from brand identity to packaging—from a clear flyer to a stunning logo—graphic designers work in nearly every primary sector.
Creative Director
Creative directors decide the creative vision of a project. By leading their team through creating anything, whether a concrete product like a video game, film, magazine, or something more abstract like an ad campaign or corporate identity, they ensure the overall aesthetic and coherent appearance continues on track.
Photo Editor
To generate the ideal final image, photo editors manipulate, colour-correct, or merge real-world photographs. A photograph’s lighting and colour balance may be changed simply by altering it, or more extreme changes like changing the colour of the clothes or adding banners or logos can be made.
Apparel Graphic Designer
Graphic designers for apparel provide distinctive, unique imagery. They gain a thorough grasp of the target demographic for the business and make sure their visuals are unified and aesthetically pleasing to that group.
UX Designer
UX designers strive to make consumers’ experiences with goods, processes, and services delightful, smooth, and intuitive. They make sure the process is smooth from beginning to end. User testing may help UX designers fix any kinks or confusion throughout the design process.
Logo Designer
To represent a business, item, brand, or service, logo designers create aesthetically appealing visuals or symbols. They do extensive market research to fully comprehend what characters the target audience finds attractive and memorable.
Packaging Designer
Packaging or production designers create a product’s box, container, and labels to secure it during transportation and convey critical qualities to the consumer. They compose product information in an appropriate typeface using CAD software, add visuals to explain functionality and display the product’s appearance or instructions for usage.
UI Designer
Consider UI design as a part of UX design with comparable overarching objectives. Designers of user interfaces prioritise product layout. In addition to following the general course that a UX designer plans, they design each screen and each page such that the evolution of each step is visually evident.
Web Designer
Individual web pages, page layouts, and website images are all created by web designers as part of producing websites. They are also in charge of creating the website’s structure, drop-down menus, and navigation.
Production Artist
In graphics, cinema, painting, or other mediums, production artists handle the practical aspects of production. They upload design files and check their accuracy during the final phases of development. Both design and computer application skills are required for the position.
Program Duration
The duration to study graphic design in Malaysia is three years for the bachelor’s program. English is the medium of instruction followed in schools across all major international private universities.
The first year will have a number of common subjects between different specialisations. As students progress to years two and three, their modules and subjects will become more specialised as per their field of choice.
Students can sometimes switch from one specialisation to another, but it will require approval from the University faculty and the relevant authorities in Malaysia.
Students who want to opt for program transfers to another University will usually need to prepare the transfer paperwork and start processing from their second year onwards to ensure all the paperwork and approvals are in place so the program transfer can be done.
Entry Requirements
The Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA) sets the entry requirements and guidelines for university admissions in Malaysia, which all universities must adhere to. All prospective international students must meet the minimum entry requirements, as the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) takes these standards into account during the application acceptance and processing phases.
The admission requirements to study graphic design in Malaysia for international students may vary from one university to another. However, the basic entry requirements are the same for most universities.
Usually, there are two pathways to entering a degree program in Malaysia:
- First, students can join a foundation program after completing their secondary schooling, O levels, or equivalent qualifications. After completing the foundation in Design, they can continue to the bachelor’s degree as per their choice.
- Second, students who have completed their higher secondary school or A levels or equivalent will be able to join the bachelor’s degree programme directly into year one.
If a student fails to meet the entry requirements for a bachelor’s degree programme, the faculty may offer different pathways into the degree programme, for example, through a foundation or a diploma programme.
Universities may raise the entry requirements to ensure incoming students are academically prepared for the rigours of their programmes. So, prospective international students should consult with an admission advisor to determine the precise entry criteria for their chosen programme and their preferred university.
General Entry Requirements For Bachelor’s Degree
A Levels or Equivalent:
- Pass A-Level with a minimum of Grade D in any two (2) subjects
Foundation:
- Pass Foundation / O-Level in a related field from a recognised institution.
English Language
International students who wish to study graphic design in Malaysia will need to also provide proof of their English language proficiency with IELTS or TOEFL exams. Students who have studied the British or American curriculum are generally exempted from the English proficiency requirements since the medium of instruction for that curriculum is in English by default.
Students who have studied other curriculums where the medium of instruction is also English will usually need to provide a supporting letter from the school stating that the instruction language for their schooling has been English. With that letter, English language requirements are proven to have been completed.
Fees & Cost
Students sometimes only look at the tuition fee during the comparison. However, depending on how forthright and clear the fee guidelines from the university are, the extra fees can be a hefty amount that could be a surprise. So students are advised to correctly add all the fees and decide which university fits their budget requirements to study graphic design in Malaysia.
Various factors will contribute to the overall cost structure, such as:
- Tuition fees
- Accommodation fees
- Admission fee
- Registration and Visa fees and
- Other one-time fees.
These fees vary from university to university and can depend on varying factors. The quality, infrastructure, facilities and teacher-to-student ratio will also determine how much a university charges.
You must find the right balance between quality and cost to get the best education possible. The average cost to study graphic design in Malaysia is between RM 20,000 to RM40,000 per year, depending on the University.
For reference, that’s around USD $4,000 to $8,000 per year for a 3-year graphic design degree program at the current exchange rate.
Accommodation
Accommodation cost is going to be another recurring fee for international students. Generally, students have two options: they can either stay at the on-campus accommodation provided by the university or at private accommodation. The prices will differ according to which university and area you choose.
Generally, campus accommodations at major universities start at around US$150 per month and can go up to $400 per month. The pricing for on-campus accommodation is determined by the size of the room, whether a student will be sharing the room or will be staying alone, or if the student is taking a master room, which generally comes with an attached bathroom or decides to stay at a sharing room with shared bathroom.
Some universities also offer cooking facilities and on-campus accommodation, which are shared facilities which will also be factored into the accommodation costs. Utility costs are generally an add-on fee.
While choosing the university, you can check with your admissions advisor on the options available for accommodation and how much they will cost so that you have an idea of how much of a monthly budget you will require as a student.
Admission Procedure
Researching, applying and managing overseas admissions is a tedious, time-consuming and often confusing process. Incorrect application submissions can lead to lengthy processing, delayed approvals, or rejections. You can visit education, exhibitions and fairs to collect information. However, that is not enough. You can only collect cursory information at these places. However, your admission processing will usually take much longer. During that time, you will need consistent and dedicated support to ensure your application is in the right experienced hands.
This is where we help.
Edmates helps international students from around the world with complete admissions processing. Our integrated one-stop centre helps international students with everything. We help you find future-driven programs that match your abilities and interests in leading universities.
We handle the entire process from the beginning until you have joined the university. Our international support system will manage everything for you, absolutely free.
Each student is assigned with a dedicated admission advisor who will manage the complete admission process and also guide the student throughout the admissions process. The advisor will also liaise with the university admissions department to ensure clear communications and faster processing.
You can speak with your assigned advisor anytime by booking a free call online through the website. You will also receive regular updates regarding your application via emails, SMS and WhatsApp.
To learn about each step of the admission process, you can read our complete guide to start applying for your higher education the right way.