INNOVATION AND SPECIALIZATION

AKTO’s BA (Hons) Graphic Design programme is the only undergraduate programme in Greece that gives students the option to choose a specialization at the end of the first year, depending on their research and professional interests.

The chosen specialization is also reflected on the degree. The available specializations are:

• Graphic Design: Visual Communication

• Graphic Design: Illustration & Visual Media

• Graphic Design: Interactive Digital Media

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

AKTO supports its graduates through the Career Office and its wide network of partners, ensuring their professional development. Graduates continually strengthen the job market, with a strong presence in creative agencies, advertising companies, publishing houses, digital agencies, and start-ups. The market recognizes the high standard of studies and professional training, with our graduates standing out in international competitions, winning awards, and growing into leadership positions in the field of visual communication. Many have established themselves at major companies or are following successful international careers.

EDUCATIONAL VISITS

Educational visits include museums, exhibitions, creative agencies, and advertising companies, offering direct exposure to current design trends. In addition, themed educational trips are organized in Greece and abroad, broadening knowledge and experience in the field of visual communication.

HIGH ACADEMIC STANDARD

The study programme is not limited to professional specialization but also strengthens academic and research development, preparing students for postgraduate studies in Greece and abroad. Graduates of the programme are admitted to leading universities, drawing on the dynamic education they receive. The programme combines professional knowledge, experimentation, and innovation through dedicated research projects, cultivating critical thinking and professional responsibility. Through this process, creative thinking and new design approaches are developed, contributing to shaping contemporary knowledge in the field of Graphic Design.

PROFESSIONAL PARTNERSHIPS & COMPETITIONS

During their studies, students have the opportunity for direct contact with the job market by taking part in projects in collaboration with major organizations such as Samsung, Michelin, Greenpeace, The Smile of the Child, Doctors of the World, METAdrasi, the British Embassy, radio stations, and other bodies. At the same time, participation in international competitions strengthens students’ professional profile, broadening their prospects for development.

ACADEMIC TEAM

The programme is staffed by a multifaceted academic team with a strong theoretical background and professional experience in Graphic Design. The coexistence of experienced designers and young creators shapes a dynamic, contemporary educational environment, encouraging collaboration and innovation.

The aim of the Graphic Design programme is to prepare visual communication designers, with theoretical and technical knowledge, artistic soundness, and professionalism, who are able to respond maturely and effectively in the field of visual communication, contributing to the cultural development and wellbeing of both the individual and society. The programme combines the conceptual and theoretical with the practical side of Graphic Design and Design. It strengthens learning and follows an experiential and exploratory methodology. It places emphasis on observation, identifying and evaluating problems, so that the right decisions can be made. It develops skills, in a rational and analytical way, across all types and applications of visual communication, so as to cultivate the ability to find alternative solutions and proposals.​

The 1st year of study is the introduction, as well as the gradual deepening, into the field of Visual Communication. Approaching Visual Culture and Graphic Design through Theory, History, and design, you understand the principles and rationale of Visual Communication and experiment with a variety of media, materials, techniques, and contemporary technological applications.

The study programme offers students the opportunity to choose a specialization direction from the 2nd year, which will be clearly stated on their degree, aiming to deepen theoretical and technical knowledge in their field of interest. In this way it gives them the opportunity to focus on their design work, their portfolio, and their CV, so that they are even more competitive in the job market after graduation.​

In the 3rd year, besides further developing your professional level, the field of research also begins, at both a theoretical and creative level. Through Research Methodology, evaluating findings, and writing and presenting your conclusions, you will carry out your research project in a field of Graphic Design and Visual Culture of your choice. At the same time, you are called upon to demonstrate the theoretical and design skills & knowledge you have gained, as part of completing the Main Project, an original, complete piece of work on a topic of your choice.

The BA (Hons) in Graphic Design programme opens up an extremely wide field of applications for graduates to establish themselves in the following areas:

• Illustration
• Web Design
• Web Responsive Media
• User interface & User experience (Ux/Ui)
• Mobile and Tablet Applications
• Typeface Design,
• Motion Graphics
• Creating Multimedia applications
• Online Advertising and Social Media
• Layout and print design
• Visual Communication Design
• Advertising
• Corporate Design
• Packaging
• and other areas emerging from the field of Design

Contact us at admissions@aktocollege.gr so we can send you the Detailed Study Guide.

Here you can view the Programme Specification And Curriculum Map For Graphic Design.

This programme was developed and is delivered and assessed by AKTO, awarded by and quality assured by Middlesex University London.

YEAR 01

The first year includes 6 modules (3 per semester) that introduce you to the basic theoretical and design principles of Graphic Design.

Class schedules are mainly in the morning and early afternoon, in order to smoothly support the transition into the new academic reality, giving members of the student community the necessary “space” for systematic practice, guidance, and intensive presence in the studios. At the same time, this schedule also makes it easier for those who have recently completed secondary education to be smoothly integrated into the daily study programme.

At the end of the year, you can choose one of the three available second-year specializations: Visual Communication, Illustration & Visual Media, and Interactive Digital Media.

Throughout your studies, we provide advisory guidance so that you are fully informed about the content of each specialization and the professional prospects they offer, helping you make the best choice based on your interests and professional ambitions.

SEMESTER 01

• Introduction to Graphic Design

• Design Practices & Design Concepts

• Principles & Processes of Visual Language

SEMESTER 02

• Visual Communication & Information Design

• Communication & Design Methods

• Visual Practices & Contextual Studies

YEAR 02

In the second year you will take two core modules and two specialization modules, depending on the direction chosen at the end of the first year.

Maintaining morning and early-afternoon schedules ensures a steady study pace and intensive depth in both studio and theoretical subjects, thereby supporting skills development and personal progress at this critical stage of study.

Modules per direction:

GRAPHIC DESIGN: VISUAL COMMUNICATION

SEMESTER 03

• Typographic Design & Historical Exploration

• Visual Communication: Visual Systems & Development

SEMESTER 04

• Strategic Practices in Graphic Design

• Visual Communication: Publication & Packaging Design

GRAPHIC DESIGN: ILLUSTRATION & VISUAL MEDIA

SEMESTER 03

• Typographic Design & Historical Exploration

• Illustration & Visual Media: Expressiveness & Moving Image

SEMESTER 04

• Strategic Practices in Graphic Design

• Illustration & Visual Media: Creative Illustration & Visual Practices

GRAPHIC DESIGN: INTERACTIVE DIGITAL MEDIA

SEMESTER 03

• Typographic Design & Historical Exploration

• Interactive Digital Media: Web Design

SEMESTER 04

• Strategic Practices in Graphic Design

• Interactive Digital Media: Interactive Digital Spaces & Technologies

YEAR 03

In the third year you will take one specialization module in the fifth semester of studies and two core modules in the fifth and sixth semesters. You will have the opportunity to carry out your Research Project on a topic of your choice, as well as to create your own design work on the same topic.

During the development of your research project you will receive consistent guidance and supervision both from your instructors and from your fellow students, aiming to achieve a high level of results and develop a steady work rhythm throughout the semester.

Classes take place both in the morning/early afternoon and in the late afternoon/evening, allowing for substantial research and practical work, while also making it easier for members of the student community to be professionally active. During the third year, having already developed important skills and built a strong portfolio, many students stand out and become active in the job market, through freelance or part-time collaborations, both in Greece and abroad.

In addition, you will have many opportunities for professional practice through Real Work Projects, in collaboration with major agencies, brands, and art and cultural organizations in Greece and abroad.

The teaching modules per direction are listed below:

GRAPHIC DESIGN: VISUAL COMMUNICATION

SEMESTER 05

• Research Project

• Visual Communication: Professional Development

SEMESTER 06

• Final Major Project

GRAPHIC DESIGN: ILLUSTRATION & VISUAL MEDIA

SEMESTER 05

• Research Project

• Illustration & Visual Media: Professional Development

SEMESTER 06

• Final Major Project

GRAPHIC DESIGN: INTERACTIVE DIGITAL MEDIA

SEMESTER 05

• Research Project

• Interactive Digital Media: Professional Development

SEMESTER 06

• Final Major Project

Visual communication is a fundamental and unavoidable condition of human existence, present from the very origins of rational thought through to the moment of each person’s birth. This necessity makes it one of the core pillars of human experience. Throughout history, craftsmen, copyists, illustrators, printers, painters, and, in modern times, graphic designers, have shaped the means of communication that determine how we perceive the world. Today, the dominance of the image — static or moving — is undeniable.

Graphic design acts as the bridge that carries an idea to the wider public, gaining tremendous power and playing a leading role in contemporary visual culture. The designer does not only create visual stimuli, but contributes to shaping communication and cultural experience. Knowledge, training, and critical thinking are essential prerequisites for practicing the profession in a socially responsible way. The field of graphic design is particularly broad and covers many areas of professional activity, such as book, magazine, and newspaper design, packaging creation, visual identity and branding design, web design, UI/UX application development, advertising, illustration, motion graphics, typography, and education.

AKTO’s three-year Graphic Design Study Programme has been designed following thorough study and research, providing top-level academic and professional training in the field of Graphic Design. Our goal is to offer students a contemporary, organized, and dynamic educational environment, shaping a study experience that combines knowledge with creativity.

Giorgos Theodorou
Programme Leader BA (Hons) Graphic Design

At AKTO, distinguished Greek graphic designers, visual artists, and art theorists teach, recognized for both their academic and artistic work. Specialized professors and PhD holders, together with research staff, pass on innovative and in-depth knowledge to students, responsive to the changing needs of society, technology, and the market. AKTO’s academic team helps students express themselves through a free and bold spirit of inquiry and research, aiming for social benefit both domestically and internationally.

Meet the members of AKTO’s Graphic Design Academic Team

For the Full-Time undergraduate study programmes, the academic year has one (1) intake period, starting in October. For the Open College undergraduate study programmes, the academic year has two (2) intake periods. The first period is in October, followed by the second period the following February.

Contact us at admissions@aktocollege.gr for more information about intake periods.

Read below for information about tuition for AKTO’s undergraduate programmes:

• BA (Hons) | Full-Time
• BA (Hons) | Open College

Contact us at admissions@aktocollege.gr for further clarification about tuition and payment methods.

Candidates for the undergraduate study programmes must hold a Greek Lyceum Leaving Certificate or an equivalent secondary education qualification from abroad, such as an IB Diploma, A levels, or GCSE. Citizens of countries that are not members of the European Union or the Schengen Agreement must obtain a student visa or residence permit before enrolling. For candidates whose native language is not Greek, the language proficiency requirement is level B2.​

Contact us at admissions@aktocollege.gr for more information about the enrollment requirements.

At AKTO, we accept applications for transfers and admission via qualifying exams in every enrollment period. The process includes an interview and a presentation of a portfolio from the candidate’s previous academic path. Interested applicants can be admitted to an advanced semester or year of study and complete their studies through AKTO’s programmes.

Read detailed information about the transfer process to AKTO

AKTO subsidizes students with scholarships, tuition discounts, or even full subsidies, depending on the enrollment period, available places, and social criteria.

Read detailed information about:

• Tuition Subsidies & Social Responsibility
• Scholarships

Contact us at admissions@aktocollege.gr for more information.

AKTO, recognizing the pedagogical challenges and contemporary demands of education, offers its students a range of benefits to help them, both with their studies and with their social life. These benefits include:

• ISIC Student Card (International Student Identity Card)
  • Offers countless benefits and discounts to cardholders
• Counselling Centre
  • Specialized psychologists and counsellors
• VLE (Virtual Learning Environment) access
  • Microsoft Office 365
• Weekly Design Software workshops
• Technical Support
• Fonts from Fonts.GR
• E-Registrar’s Office

Read in detail about all the benefits AKTO offers

• Studies at AKTO are supported by modern, high-aesthetic building facilities, forming a contemporary environment ideal for learning and creation, across two state-of-the-art Campuses, the Athens Campus and the Thessaloniki Campus.

  At AKTO’s two Campuses, we give students access to state-of-the-art, specialized equipment in the fields of art and design, through:

  • Libraries
  • Computer Labs
  • Photography Studios
  • Fashion Labs
  • Fine Art Labs
  • Model-Making & Product Prototyping Labs
  • 3D Printing
  • Green Box Studio
  • Amphitheatre
  • AKTO Gallery

Graphic Design is constantly evolving and adapting to changing times. The new trends emerging as the Graphic Design Trends of 2023/2024 are varied and exciting, shaping new ways of approaching visual communication in terms of design and content. It’s clear that the field of graphic design today is more exciting than ever. Drawing on both old and new references, inspired by tradition and contemporary technology, endless possibilities are created within the already particularly expanded field of Graphic Design, covering many areas of professional and creative activity.

Graduates of the Graphic Design study programme today can be active across a wide, exciting range of services offered, such as:

• Designing print and digital books/magazines/newspapers
• Sustainable Packaging Design
• Visual Identity / Branding
• Web design, Frontend Web Development
• App Design, Digital Design, UX Design, UI Design
• Advertising and Communication Design
• Typeface design and Expressive Typography
• Motion Graphics Design
• Illustration & Graphics
• News visualization and Data-informed design
• Education

AKTO’s Careers Office helps graduates connect with the job market and a wide range of professional activity across various fields. AKTO Alumni is the largest 360˚ Art & Design community in Greece.

AKTO’s university Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees, awarded in collaboration with Middlesex University London, are recognized as professionally equivalent, in accordance with Presidential Decree 38/2010, as amended by Law 4093/2012, 4111/2013, 4205/2013, and 4635/2019. Middlesex University London is recognized by DOATAP as an institution equivalent to Greek Higher Education Institutions, while our graduates’ degrees have been recognized by A.T.E.E.N. Holders of these degrees are able to take part in ASEP competitions, in accordance with Article 13 of Law 4148/2013.

Read more about the Recognition and Accreditation of AKTO’s University Degrees