Digital Design
Digital Design is the discipline concerned with the creation and communication of visual and interactive experiences for digital platforms. Where traditional graphic design worked primarily for print, digital design operates across screens, devices, apps, websites, and interactive installations, requiring designers who can think about how users interact with content as well as how it looks. It is a field driven equally by aesthetic sensibility, understanding of human behaviour, and technical knowledge of the tools and languages through which digital experiences are built.
At Northumbria University, this three-year full-time programme includes a sandwich year with work placement opportunities and a year abroad, giving you structured professional experience and an international perspective. You will develop skills in interface design, user experience design, motion graphics, visual communication, typography, and the digital production tools used in professional practice. The curriculum engages with design thinking and research methods alongside technical production, reflecting the reality that the best digital designers understand why users behave as they do, not just how to make things look good.
Digital Design graduates work across a range of industries and organisations. Technology companies, digital agencies, design studios, in-house design teams in large organisations, games companies, and media organisations all employ digital designers. Roles in user interface design, user experience design, motion design, brand design, and digital art direction are common starting points.
The sandwich year placement is particularly valuable in building professional contacts and demonstrating real-world capabilities to employers. Many graduates build portfolio careers or move into senior design leadership roles over time. Postgraduate study in interaction design, design research, or related disciplines is an option for those who want to develop specialist expertise or move into the academic dimension of the field.