# Graphic design major in Saudi Arabia: study, courses, admission and jobs

> **The short answer**: A graphic design major in Saudi Arabia teaches visual communication: identity, advertising, packaging and app interfaces. The bachelor takes four years at most universities, and the Umm Al-Qura plan runs over eight levels, including a full co-op level. Hiring depends more on your portfolio than on your GPA.
>
> tiswa lists the current student offers in Saudi Arabia for [Adobe](https://tiswa.app/en/deals/adobe/), [Figma](https://tiswa.app/en/deals/figma/) and [Canva](https://tiswa.app/en/deals/canva/).

**Key takeaways**

- The bachelor takes four years; the Umm Al-Qura plan has eight levels, including co-op.
- Courses cover design history, print, identity, motion, interfaces and packaging.
- Employers ask for your portfolio first, so start it with your first project.
- Jobs: agencies, marketing teams, identity, motion, UI design and freelance work.
- Freelance work runs on the freelance document or a commercial registration.

![Graphic design major in Saudi Arabia: study, courses, admission and jobs](https://tiswa.app/assets/blog/major-graphic-design/major-graphic-design-cover-en.webp)

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.

> Major quiz: Answer 6 quick questions to get 3 majors close to your interests, each with a full guide. https://tiswa.app/en/tools/major-quiz/

## 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](https://uqu.edu.sa/graphicdd/94828) states a four-year study period leading to the bachelor. The [Umm Al-Qura study plan](https://uqu.edu.sa/App/Degrees/1421) 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 |

![Comparison card of the guide table](https://tiswa.app/assets/blog/major-graphic-design/major-graphic-design-inline-2-en.webp)


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](https://tiswa.app/en/blog/canva-for-students/) and see software offers in [design student deals](https://tiswa.app/en/deals/majors/design/).

## 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](https://tiswa.app/en/blog/preparatory-year-guide/).

> **Tip**: Start sketching every day before university begins. Turning an idea into a quick hand sketch makes every studio easier and gives you portfolio material from your first year.

## 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:

1. **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.
2. **Write a short story for each project**: Three lines: the problem, your design decision and the outcome.
3. **Pick your best six to ten pieces**: A short strong portfolio beats a long average one.
4. **Cover different areas**: Identity, print, motion and a digital interface, so an employer sees your range.
5. **Publish it on a professional platform**: Add the link to [LinkedIn](https://tiswa.app/en/blog/linkedin-for-students/) and your [CV](https://tiswa.app/en/blog/cv-for-students/).

![5-step flow: Keep every stage of each project / Write a short story for each project / Pick your best six to ten pieces / Cover different areas / Publ](https://tiswa.app/assets/blog/major-graphic-design/major-graphic-design-inline-1-en.webp)


## 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](https://freelance.sa) 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](https://tiswa.app/en/blog/coop-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](https://tiswa.app/en/blog/ai-for-architecture-design-students/).

Analyse a creative brief:

```
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.
```

> **tiswa's take**: Our view: graphic design is a major where your work speaks before your degree does. Pick a university whose plan includes motion, interfaces and co-op training, start your portfolio in year one, and use student prices on Adobe and Figma instead of paying full price.

Adobe, Figma, Canva and Apple devices have student offers on Tiswa. Open [design student deals](https://tiswa.app/en/deals/majors/design/) once you verify that you are a student. [Join Tiswa](https://tiswa.app/en/join/)

To compare a nearby major, read [interior design major](https://tiswa.app/en/blog/major-interior-design/), and browse the [majors section](https://tiswa.app/en/blog/c/majors/).

## Questions

### How many years is graphic design in Saudi Arabia?

Four years at most universities. The Umm Al-Qura plan has eight levels, one of them for co-op training.

### What are the main graphic design courses?

Design history, typography, print, identity, advertising, motion, interactive design, interfaces, packaging and a graduation project.

### Do I need drawing talent for graphic design?

Hand sketching helps you think fast, but it improves with daily practice. What matters most is solving problems visually.

### What jobs can graphic design graduates get?

Designer at an agency or marketing team, identity designer, motion designer, UI designer, packaging designer, and freelancing.

### Can I work as a freelance designer in Saudi Arabia?

Yes, through a commercial registration or the freelance work document from the ministry platform if your activity is listed. Check the conditions on the platform.


## Sources

[^1]: Umm Al-Qura University, Graphic Design programme, https://uqu.edu.sa/graphicdd/94828
[^2]: Umm Al-Qura University, Graphic Design study plan, https://uqu.edu.sa/App/Degrees/1421
[^3]: King Saud University, College of Arts, https://arts.ksu.edu.sa/en/node/3010
[^4]: Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Bachelor of Graphic Design and Multimedia, https://www.iau.edu.sa/ar/colleges/college-of-design/programs/bachelor-of-graphic-design-and-multimedia
[^5]: Freelance platform, Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, https://freelance.sa