Graphic designer profession: where to study in the Czech Republic

Graphic design and visual communications

In 2021, 95% of all marketing materials are visual; needless to say, this figure will only increase with each subsequent year, as will the demand for the profession of graphic designer.

It is possible to get a design specialty in the Czech Republic in many public and private universities. Based on surveys of our creative students, the most popular specialty in this field is undoubtedly "Graphic Design". To pass quite a high competition already by the time of admission you must have skills and abilities in the chosen specialty.

For successful work in this field requires a number of professional skills, such as: understanding the basics of color, composition, typography (the art of text design), knowledge of graphic editors, programs for video editing and 3D-modeling, as well as understanding of technological processes of production itself. In this case, do not forget about the creative component of this profession, creativity - this is the first thing that the customer will pay attention to. Quite a lot of requirements, isn't it?

And the whole point is that the duties of a graphic designer preogromnoe number: it and the design of multi-page publications (books, magazines, catalogs), the development of logos and corporate identity, motion design, visualization, design of mobile applications and website interfaces, game design and much more. In order to get the full range of skills and knowledge, to become a professional in your business, just 2 weeks of courses will not do, you need a comprehensive study of each of these areas of activity.

Below we will tell you about the universities in the Czech Republic where you can study for free the specialty "Graphic Design" and get not only a European diploma, but also a unique work experience.

UMPRUM / Higher School of Applied Arts in Prague

One of the main creative schools in the Czech Republic. The Faculty of Graphic Arts and Visual Communication at the Higher School of Applied Arts in Prague offers its students an open learning system. Thanks to the strong teaching staff and technical resources of the university, the individual studios of the faculty are transformed into a single laboratory, a place for the development of creative skills of future graphic designers, illustrators and typographers. An integral part of the training is the work in a variety of graphic workshops, presented not only by the teachers of the university itself, but also by invited experts in the field of visual design. Lessons take place in separate studios.

At the moment, the Graphic Arts Department of the Higher School of Applied Arts, as if it were a separate institute, is represented by 5 departments:

• Illustration and Graphics
• Fonts and typography
• Graphic design and visual communications
• Film and Television Graphics
• Graphic Design and Media

Studies are offered in both undergraduate (4 years) and graduate (2 years) programs.

Applications to UMPRUM, as to any other creative university, are accepted until November 30. The "invitation" must be accompanied by:

• Nostrified certificate or diploma
• Motivation letter, in which the applicant should tell about his motivation to study at this department
• CV
• Czech language certificate at level B1
• A copy of the receipt of payment for the university application form.
• Entrance exams

In order to become a student of the Higher School of Applied Arts, you have to pass a creative examination consisting of 2 stages:

• The first stage usually takes place in early February. On this day the admission committee evaluates the applicant's portfolio and the success of a small creative task. All works of the participants are evaluated on a pass/fail system.
• The second stage of the competition lasts several days (most often 2-3) and involves writing a test on art history, performing a number of creative tasks, as well as passing an interview with the admissions committee.

The competition for admission to the School reaches 20 people per place.

UTB / Tomáš Bati University in Zlín

Tomáš Bati University in Zlín also boasts a chair of graphic design at its Faculty of Multimedia Communications.

Thanks to the innovative teaching system, students have time to get to know and study all current graphic design programs in just a few years.

An undoubted plus of studying at the Faculty of Multimedia Communications is the possibility for students to make their own schedule according to their interests and workload, which makes it easy to combine study with work.

The graphic design studies are carried out on Bachelor's (3 years) and Master's (2 years) programs.

Applications for training are accepted only until November 30.

The creative examination, passing which is required for admission, takes place in 2 stages

1. Submission of a portfolio with your homework. The jury members evaluate the creative potential of the applicant and the compliance of the works with the given topics.
2. The stage of the competition takes place in several days and consists of 3 parts:

• Writing a test on art history. It takes no more than 30 minutes to complete. The maximum number of points an entrant can get is 20.
• Fulfillment of creative assignments. This stage of the competition can last several days. The maximum number of points a future student can get is 60.
• Passing an interview with the admissions committee. At the interview, such questions as the student's motivation to study and his interest in a particular specialization are discussed. The interview usually does not take more than 15 minutes. The maximum number of points an applicant can receive is 20.

Google recently conducted a large-scale study related to the work of a graphic designer. They surveyed more than 9000 professionals working around the world.

• 55% of graphic designers are men
• they work approximately 44 hours a week.
• 68% of those surveyed have a college degree in graphic design
• the average salary in the world is 2000 euros and in the Czech Republic 1500 euros.

UJEP / Jan Evangelist Purkinje University in ÚSTÍ NAD LABEM

Of particular interest to applicants to the Jan Evangelist University in Usti nad Labem is the Faculty of Art and Design, which is currently represented by 3 departments:

• Design
• Photography
• Graphic Design

Carefully designed and constantly updated curriculum - allows students to acquire basic fundamental knowledge, develop professional skills and become in-demand in their profession.

The implementation of training projects under the supervision of successful European masters gives students the opportunity to gain real work experience during their studies and fill their portfolios with impressive achievements.

Every year students and graduates of the faculty actively participate in international exhibitions, workshops and graphic design competitions. Education at the university can be completed by bachelor's (4 years), master's (2 years) and doctoral (3 years) programs.

Unlike other creative faculties "invitations" here are accepted until January 16 inclusive. Another plus for foreign students will be the possibility to study for free even with minimal knowledge of the Czech language, a certificate at the A2 level will be more than enough.

The entrance exam takes place in mid-February and includes several stages:

• Evaluation of the applicant's portfolio
• Interview
• Writing an art history test
• Performing a number of creative assignments

ZČU / University of West Bohemia in Plzeň

The Ladislav Sutnar Faculty of Design and Art at the University of West Bohemia is the youngest creative studio in the Czech Republic.

The faculty of the university focuses on the development of applied art and visual communication. The Ladislav Sutnar Faculty is characterized by an interdisciplinary approach to education, allowing students to create their own schedule and attend only those lectures and seminars that interest them.

Students of the faculty regularly become winners of national and international graphic design competitions, which once again confirms the quality of education received here. Graphic design education at the University of West Bohemia is conducted only in the Bachelor's degree program (3 years).

The application deadline for admission to the university is November 30.

The creative examination takes place at the beginning of January and usually takes 2-3 days.

The exam itself consists of 2 parts:

• Portfolio submission. The admission committee evaluates the applicant's creative potential based on the works he/she has done before. To pass to the second round it is necessary to score at least 10 points out of 25 possible.
• Execution of creative tasks. During 3 days all applicants who passed to the 2nd round are engaged in the development of their own projects on the given topics. The final part of the test is a short interview with the admission committee, during which the applicant's motivation and interest to study are clarified.

The maximum number of points that can be scored in the creative exam is 150.

VUT / Technical university of Brno

It is possible to obtain a specialization in graphic design at the Faculty of Fine Arts of the Technical University of Brno. The curriculum is more focused on practical skills, but this does not mean that students are exempt from attending theoretical lectures on art history, aesthetics, philosophy, sociology and a number of other optional subjects.

A distinctive feature of the Faculty of Fine Arts is the ability of students to move freely from one workshop to another, thus gaining a unique range of skills and abilities.

Study in graphic design is available through undergraduate (3 years) and graduate (2 years) programs.

Deadline for university applications: November 19.

A designer is always a bit of a psychologist.

The creative exam consists of 2 stages and takes place on different days.

Stage 1 is the submission of a portfolio. To pass to the second stage the applicant needs to get at least 5 points.

Stage 2 - performing creative tasks and writing a test on the history of art. The future student will have to fulfill 4 creative tasks, one of which is common for all applicants. The minimum threshold score is 35.

Working as a graphic designer offers limitless opportunities for professional growth and constant creative development, but at the same time requires extensive skills and knowledge. Graphic design systems are constantly evolving and improving. And if you want to be a professional, you need to always be on trend.

A carefully selected training system will be the key to a successful start to your international career. And the first place to start is by learning Czech. Especially for those who are planning to enter creative universities, the Prague Education Center has developed an intensive training program, including classes in Czech language, terminology and specialized subjects.

Learn more about the program here. PEC students' testimonials can be found in the corresponding section of the website. If you would like to receive advice or enroll in a training program, simply apply.