Taking a leap of faith to study BA Graphic Design as a mature student from the USA

Journey to Salford

“I started my career in the visual effects sector as a Rotoscope Artist. However, I then ended up as a Software Quality Assurance Engineer, testing motion graphics and video editing software for almost 20 years.

Whilst I found this role rewarding, most of the job was very technical and repetitive. I’d always wanted to be a graphic designer, but I was too scared to pursue this career when I went to university the first time. I held on to my role because it paid well, and I was afraid to start over but as time went on, I became more and more dissatisfied.

The final straw which made me decide to pursue further study was working on a project in which I reviewed and corrected the work of motion graphics designers. Being so close to the design world without actually being able to do anything creative was awful. This frustration gave me the final push I needed to make the leap.

I had been wanting to move to the UK for a while and had already spent a lot of time here, so I knew this was the right destination for me to go back to university. Salford had a good reputation for making sure students have a good experience whilst studying. The structure of the graphic design programme really appealed to me and the facilities available to students seemed fantastic.”

BA Graphic Design

“The course is a mixture of taught sessions and lots of independent work. Our tutors are very engaged with us, always happy to help and extremely patient. I’m learning how to think like a designer, whilst gaining confidence in my abilities. I’m getting familiar with industry-standard software like Adobe Illustrator which will really help me in the future.

We’ve already got to meet members of the industry during guest lectures. One particular lecture from Chris Bigg stood out to me – he talked about his process focusing on the concept and experimentation. He explained that mistakes aren’t really mistakes and that really resonated with me because it made me realise that things don’t need to be perfect all the time.

I’m halfway through my first year but I’m looking forward to getting more practical experience throughout the course and potentially completing a placement in my third year.”

Experience as a mature student

“My experience of my second degree has been really good. As a mature student, I have a better appreciation of the resources available and I’m taking advantage of all the opportunities I’m given.

I had spent a lot of time in Manchester for several years before studying at Salford so I already had a community of friends. As I am older than many of my peers, I have found that I identify particularly well with the tutors.

There are lots of other mature students at Salford and as time goes on, I am sure I will meet them too but for my first year I am prioritising immersing myself into the course.”

Living in Manchester

“I live round the corner from Piccadilly Train Station in the centre of Manchester. I love living here as I can walk almost everywhere in the city. Plus, it’s easy for me to travel to other parts of the UK and explore.

One of my favourite memories so far was getting to see New Order and Johnny Marr in Wythenshawe Park last summer. I’ve been a fan of both of these for a long time so it was such a fantastic experience.

My advice to other international students would be to get out and explore as much as possible. There is so much history and culture in the UK. Plus, the people are very friendly. Even Europe is so close so you should take any opportunity to explore you can.”