Language

English

Start date

September 2026

Frequency

Full time

Fruition

On campus

Duration

4 Years

Credits

240 ECTS

Immerse yourself in creative visual communication, learn how to develop advertising campaigns, branding, logos and sales strategies, turn your passion into a professional career.

The Graphic Design, pathway in Advertising course is for aspiring professional audiovisual designers who want to develop the strategic, creative and artistic aspects of audiovisual communication.

This program goes beyond the traditional boundaries of the discipline to give graphic designers the creative mindset needed in the advertising world. During the program you’ll not only create design projects, you’ll learn how to develop visual communication campaigns using conceptualisation, branding strategy and art direction to add value to the campaign.

What’s more, in this degree program you’ll develop a variety of projects working with actual clients, applying what you’ve learnt to your Final Project based on a real brief.

There are 60 places available for first-year students majoring in Graphic Design. Of these places, there is no specific number assigned by pathway or language.

The Bachelor of Arts in Design is valid throughout the European Higher Education Area, equivalent to an official university degree, and is accredited by the Agency for the Quality of the University System. This programme grants access to official university master’s degrees and, where applicable, to doctoral studies.

Information to decide

In the program you’ll learn to design everything from a brand logo, name or slogan, to a complete communication strategy.

The syllabus sets increasingly demanding goals as the 4-year program progresses, culminating in a Final Project working for a real company. The program methodology is based on learning by doing, encouraging interdisciplinary interaction with students studying other areas of design in collaborative workshops and joint projects.

The BA in Graphic Design, pathway in Advertising is taught in English, a language that opens up a world of professional opportunities for the future. During your learning experience, you’ll acquire knowledge that transcends the traditional boundaries of graphic design, preparing you for a market where designers must incorporate creative communication concepts and strategies in their projects.

The school collaborates with companies and institutions in the visual communication sector, the best way to gain first-hand experience working in graphic design. All the lecturers are professional designers working in the industry.

This program is for young people interested in communicating in a creative way. If you love making an impact and want to design innovative campaigns, logos, brands and strategies in a variety of different formats, the Bachelor of Arts in Graphic Design, pathway in Art Direction is the program you’ve been looking for.

The course is focused on people interested in learning how to create a brand, communicating brand identity in a creative way, understanding how strategies and branding work, and putting it all into practice.

In fact, during your projects you’ll work with real brands. After completing the program, you’ll have all the skills you need to create and shape your proposals in a professional way to make an effective visual impact.

One of the main reasons for choosing the IED Barcelona Bachelor of Arts in Graphic Design, pathway in Advertising program is that, as well as learning all the ins and outs of how communication works, you also acquire all the know-how and skills you need to design everything from a brand logo, name or slogan to a complete communication strategy.

Another advantage is that you’ll be working with real international brands, agencies and firms as part of versatile teams in a creative, multidisciplinary international setting. Last but not least, there’s our teaching staff, lecturers with extensive professional experience in the design sector to guide you on your way in the advertising world.

Syllabus

What will you learn?

In the first year you’ll acquire the basic concepts of design, design culture and project methodology. Lecturers actively encourage you to break the mould, to create and communicate.



First Semester

Foundation Project I
Representation Techniques I
Project Communication I
An introduction to Marketing
Science Applied to Design
Colour and Form



Second Semester

Foundation Project II
Representation Techniques II
Project Communication II
Technical Drawing I
Sociology
Volume



Year Subject

The History of Art and Design

What will you learn?

In the second year you’ll study the technological and design tools required to communicate a simple and effective visual message, developing your own creative style and interdisciplinary methodological processes. You’ll also learn about software tools like Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe After Effects and more, and how to use your creativity to take effective action in corporate communication initiatives.



First Semester

Informatics Graphic Design I
Animation Techniques
Graphic Design Workshop I
The History of Graphic Design
Semiotics
Graphic Techniques in Graphic Design
Graphic Design Photography
Typography I



Second Semester

Audiovisual Graphic Design
Digital Communication I
Informatics Graphic Design II
Typography II
Copywriting
Interdisciplinary Project

What will you learn?

In the third year you’ll be ready to create and apply the knowledge you’ve acquired in projects for actual clients, consolidating your creativity and art direction, understanding all the intricacies of the professional environment. What’s more, you can create a solid portfolio to showcase your work in a professional context.



First Semester

Graphic Design Strategy and Management
Workshop II
Corporate Identity Project
Photography Creation
Project Communication III
Project I



Second semester

Creativity Workshop
Media Planning
Editorial Project and Interactive Communication
Contemporary Communication
Packaging Project
Multidisciplinary Workshop

What will you learn?

In the fourth year, apart from the obligatory steps, you’ll be developing projects in which all the know-how you’ve acquired in previous years comes together to prepare your Final Project with a real client company.



First Semester

Intellectual Property
Workshop III
New Media
Project II
Art Direction
Professional Internship
Multidisciplinary Workshop II
 



Second Semester

Final Project

Faculty

Director

Mery Glez

Video Designer and Creative Technologist

Teacher

Albert Ruiz Villar

Art Director

Teacher

Luisa Severo

Head of Brand and Communication Joko

Teacher

Ferran Milan

Typeface Designer Letterjuice

Projects

Graphic Design and Visual Communication

Barcelona

Final projects / thesis projects
Querencia

Graphic Design and Visual Communication

Barcelona

Pont al Palau. Clásicamente contemporáneo

Graphic Design and Visual Communication

Barcelona

Travel wonders written for you

Graphic Design and Visual Communication

Barcelona

Happy Hour

Graphic Design and Visual Communication

Barcelona

Final projects / thesis projects
Bonet

Graphic Design and Visual Communication

Barcelona

Llantiol Teatre

News

07 September 2026

Fashion show and festival: the IED Public Programme is back

In September, IED's Public Program returns with a calendar of events across its campuses in Italy and Spain, offering opportunities for dialogue, exchange and discovery open to the community and the wider public.

28 August 2026

What does sustainability mean for a design school?

When discussing sustainability, the debate often focuses on environmental impacts and the responsible use of resources. But what does sustainability mean, in practical terms, for a school that educates future designers, creatives and professionals capable of driving change?

31 July 2026

Forbes Next Leaders: Alumna Chiara Robino designs the August cover

The collaboration between IED and Forbes Next Leaders continues: for the August issue, the cover was designed by Chiara Robino, Alumna in Illustration from IED Torino in the 2025/26 academic year.

17 July 2026

Priscilla Fois brings her art to Urban Break Korea

IED Roma alumna Priscilla Fois has been selected to participate in Urban Break Korea, one of the leading international festivals dedicated to urban art.

16 July 2026

This Is What the Future of Visual Arts Looks Like

Recent graduates from the IED Barcelona's Graphic Design, Advertising, and Motion Graphics and Video programmes presented their final projects at Barcelona XR Lab. Data, text, image and sound come together to explore the global order and reframe systems for navigating the world.

10 July 2026

Degree Show 2026 opens IED Kunsthal Bilbao to talent, design and the city

Once again, the Papelera Building opened its doors to the public, showcasing the work developed by students over four years of study and turning the school into a meeting point for design, culture, industry and institutions.

07 July 2026

IED Brazil Coordinator Joins CDSA International Jury and Represents the Institution at Event in China

Eliane Weizmann took part in the official program of City Digital Skin Art (CDSA) 2026, a global initiative that connects art, technology, and urban space, bringing together experts from different countries.

03 July 2026

July: Exhibitions, Installations and New Horizons for IED.60 Public Program

With the arrival of July, IED Graduation Days enter their busiest phase across IED’s Italian campuses, bringing with them a series of public events designed to showcase the ideas, projects and research developed by students.

01 July 2026

Forbes Next Leaders: the July cover by Elisabeth Arana

The collaboration between IED and Forbes Next Leaders continues through the project that engages students and alumni in the creation of the magazine’s monthly covers.

Don't miss it

Open Day

07 September 2026 - 10 September 2026

Multiple

IED OPEN - THE FUTURE IS LOOKING FOR YOU

Online 7 - 9 September. In person (Italian campuses) -10 September.

14 September 2026 - 18 September 2026

Barcelona

IED Barcelona 2026 Undergraduate Welcome Week

The welcome event for undergraduate students, teachers and staff to mark the official opening of the new academic year will take place on Monday 14 September.

Exhibitions and Festival

16 September 2026 - 07 October 2026

Genova

The horizon of desire: stories from Genoa’s Waterfronts.

Six perspectives, a city in transition. IED Turin showcases Genoa’s Porto Antico and the Levante Waterfront in a photography exhibition at Palazzo Ducale

An open notebook showing two pencil sketches, one of a lamp and the other of designer handbags
Exhibitions and Festival

17 October 2026 - 17 October 2026

Barcelona

Barcelona Dibuixa 2026: “The Power of Hand Drawing”

IED Barcelona is offering this workshop, where participants will discover, guided by architect and lecturer Gianfranco La Cognata – Laco 2, how design takes shape through illustration.