By the tiswa editorial team, from the official sources listed at the end of this guide. How we write our guides
A logo that introduces a brand, a package that sells a product, an app screen people understand at a glance: that is the job. Plenty of students picture a graphic design major in Saudi Arabia as a course in Photoshop and Illustrator. University plans say otherwise. You study design history, typography, identity and interactive design before a graduation project, and Umm Al-Qura gives a whole level to co-op training. When you look for work, studios open your portfolio long before they ask about your GPA.
How many years is a graphic design degree?
The bachelor takes four years at most universities, and the Umm Al-Qura University graphic design programme page states a four-year study period leading to the bachelor. The Umm Al-Qura study plan runs over eight levels, including a full level for co-op training. King Saud University offers a bachelor in graphic design in the design department of its college of arts, and Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University offers a bachelor in print and multimedia design in its college of design. Credit hours differ between universities and plans, so use your cohort's plan from the department website.
What courses do graphic design students study?
Here is a summary of the Umm Al-Qura plan, showing how study moves from the basics to the graduation project:
| Stage | Example courses |
|---|---|
| Level 1 | Color in Graphic Design, Photography for Graphic Designers, Computer-Aided Design |
| Level 2 | History of Graphic Design, Visual Representation of Ideas, Portfolio Design, Terminology in Graphic Design |
| Level 3 | Printing Technology, Graphic Design Studio 1, Typography Design 1, Advertising Design |
| Level 4 | Typography Design 2, Motion Design 1, Identity Design, Print Design 1 |
| Levels 5 and 6 | Interactive Design, Motion Design 2, Graphic Design for User Interfaces, Packaging Design, Graduation Research |
| Level 7 | Cooperative Training, six credit hours |
| Level 8 | Graphic Design Studio 4, Video Game Design, Sustainable Graphic Design, Graduation Project |
The plan includes motion, interfaces and video games, so today's designer does not work only on paper. Adobe software and Figma are the daily tools, and Canva helps with quick jobs. Read Canva for students and see software offers in design student deals.
How do you get into a graphic design major?
Most public universities admit on a weighted percentage of the secondary school grade and the General Aptitude Test, and the Achievement Test may count depending on the university and track. Some design colleges start with a common or qualifying first year and then place students in departments by GPA and preference, and may set extra conditions for the department. Read the admission guide on your university portal before applying, and see the first year in the preparatory year guide.
Your portfolio matters more than your GPA when hiring
In design, the first thing an employer asks for is your portfolio, not your transcript. That is why Portfolio Design sits in level 2 of the Umm Al-Qura plan. The usual mistake is a portfolio of class exercises that look like every classmate's. Add one project you started yourself, a new identity for a café in your neighbourhood, say, and yours stands apart. Build it from your first project:
- Keep every stage of each project
The first sketch, the alternatives and the final version. Employers want to see how you think, not only the result.
- Write a short story for each project
Three lines: the problem, your design decision and the outcome.
- Pick your best six to ten pieces
A short strong portfolio beats a long average one.
- Cover different areas
Identity, print, motion and a digital interface, so an employer sees your range.
- Publish it on a professional platform
What jobs can graphic design graduates get?
The Umm Al-Qura programme page says graduates serve government, public and private organisations as well as individuals. Common roles in the design market include:
- Graphic designer at an advertising agency or in a company marketing team.
- Brand and visual identity designer.
- Motion and video designer for digital platforms and ads.
- UI and UX designer for apps and websites.
- Packaging and print designer for products and publishing.
- Freelance designer working with several clients.
If you go freelance, the Freelance platform from the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development issues a freelance work document to citizens, so check its listed activities and conditions before you start. The level 7 co-op placement is your chance to try a real workplace. Read co-op training to prepare.
Does a graphic designer need a licence?
Graphic design is not one of the professions that require a classification exam before practising, as medicine does, but commercial work follows the general rules: a commercial registration if you open a business, or the freelance document if your activity is listed, and respect for intellectual property in the fonts and images you use. Read the licence of every font and image before using it in client work.
A prompt for analysing a creative brief
AI is useful before you open design software: for understanding the brief and pulling out the audience and message. The design itself is what you are graded on. More in AI for architecture and design students.
I am a graphic design student. This is the brief from my studio tutor: [brief text]. Extract in a table: the target audience, the core message, the required tone, the constraints (sizes, colours, platforms), and the questions I should ask my tutor before starting. Do not suggest a design. Just help me understand what is being asked.
To compare a nearby major, read interior design major, and browse the majors section.
