In the last few years, the creative industries have no doubt seen a seismic change in the way creatives are living and working. From the embrace of WFH and more inclusive and flexible practices, to a more global approach to when and where we work. Design education is responding, and LABASAD, the Barcelona School of Arts & Design, is carving out a name for itself as a pioneering online institution, offering master’s degrees in design and creativity.
Why Opt for Online Education and Why LABASAD is the perfect fit
1 . Global, flexible, connected
With all of LABASAD’s programs being online-only, you can study from anywhere in the world — perfect for those who love to travel, have difficult work schedules or work as digital nomads — and integrate your studies into your lifestyle, regardless of your location. Classes at LABASAD are scheduled each week, mirroring the structure of traditional in-person classes to maintain consistent learning and progress. This setup fosters real-time interaction, allowing students to engage directly with their teachers and ask questions during live sessions.
Plus, every class is recordable, giving students the freedom to revisit lessons at their convenience, whether they missed a session or simply want to review the material – never an option in a face-to-face format. In addition to online classes, students benefit from a robust support system, including access to a virtual campus available 24/7 personalised education through forums and chats, and a global network of peers and professionals, leading to multicultural networking opportunities.
2. Specialised in design: LABASAD’s powerhouse faculty
As a like-minded creative team, the staff at LABASAD share a passion for design and a collective goal to make design education fun, engaging, and, most importantly, a career catalyst. The curriculums are crafted by a roster of industry professionals and structured to cater to different levels of expertise, covering essential topics such as typography, brand identity, motion, editorial, and digital design. Crucially, this is underpinned by a strong emphasis on practical application and portfolio development. The directors and instructors at LABASAD are not just educators; they themselves are seasoned and globally recognised professionals who are actively working on their own successful practices.
They bring a wealth of experience from working with industry giants such as Nike, Netflix, and NASA (to name a few!) offering students unparalleled insights and mentorship in an online format
3. The Courses
LABASAD offers 10 dynamic online master’s degrees in 6 areas of expertise – Graphic Design, Interactive Design, Illustration, Interior Design, Communication and Photography – each in a streamlined 12-month format designed to deliver maximum impact. These programs allow creatives to delve deeper into their design specialism with enhanced focus and precision. Tailored to personal and professional aspirations, this bespoke learning experience immerses students in an environment that sparks innovation and creativity, all while equipping participants with the skills and knowledge needed to propel their careers forward.
3 Online Masters to Elevate your graphic design skills with LABASAD
For graphic design enthusiasts who are looking to reinvent their portfolio, sharpen their graphic design skills or break into the industry, there are three main programs available focused on graphic design.
Online Master in Principles of Graphic Design
This foundational program is an ideal starting point for individuals with little to no background in graphic design. This program covers the fundamentals of typography, brand identity, motion, editorial, and web design, and students are encouraged to experiment and develop their unique creative voice.
This Online Master is directed by Will Knight, a freelance creative, art director, and educator based between London and Newcastle, UK, with a focus on creative storytelling, ideation, and design. As the former Creative Lead at It’s Nice That, he has contributed to many multi-platform projects for editorial use and clients like Nike, Spotify, LEGO, Google, and Apple. You can find more information about the program here.
Online Master in Graphic and Digital Design
This intermediate program is designed for individuals with a background in graphic design and existing software skills who want to deepen their skills development and enhance their professional portfolio through practical exercises. Guided by the expertise of editorial art director, author, and university lecturer Stuart Tolley, and multidisciplinary branding and type design freelancer Olivier Segers, together, they bring their combined extensive industry experience to this course, where students will have the opportunity to study print and digital graphic design from both international and local perspectives, examining the role of the graphic designer in today’s cross-cultural society.
The syllabus also delves into the key principles of graphic design and explores the fields of brand identity, editorial design, digital design, motion graphics, and packaging.
As founder of graphic design and content studio Transmission, Tolley is no stranger to working with clients in the arts, culture, lifestyle, and publishing industries and has extensive experience working as an art director and graphic designer in the magazine publishing industry. Belgian branding and type design freelancer Olivier Segers currently holds the position of Design Director at Zypsy, a forward-thinking company collaborating with start-ups in the web3 space. As a brand enthusiast, he has devised several major identity designs across his career, including rebrands for the Royal Observatory of Belgium, the city of Cape Town, and Antwerp Zoo, to name a few.
You can find more information about the program here
Online Master in Graphic Design and Applied Typography
This advanced program, under the direction of Marina Soto and Mark Bloom, is tailored for individuals with significant experience in the industry and who are looking to deepen their proficiency. Students in this programme will master various disciplines within graphic design, with a particular focus on applying typography in diverse projects and contexts — from web to editorial. “One of the strengths of building a master from scratch is that, as professional designers, we know what is lacking in the industry, so we were able to create a programme aligned with the reality of today’s design world,” says Soto.
“Since LABASAD is a 100% online school, we could look for teachers from all over the world, and that of course is another strength of the master – the best professionals from the world weekly on your laptop reviewing your work.”
The year-long course is described as a “learning by doing” programme, where students develop different design projects alongside some supplemental software classes. “Being a student in this programme means a lot of time and dedication, but we believe that is the reality of being a designer,” she adds. “I believe with the right guidance, references and constructive feedback, students can be fast-tracked to learn more within our year-long course than they would do from any other form of graphic design education,” says Bloom, noting that he has personally seen students drastically improve their design work in just a matter of weeks. “This is not only rewarding to see from a teaching perspective but from the students too.”
Based in Barcelona, Marina Soto’s graphic design practice encompasses identity, campaigns, and art direction as the lead designer at Barcelona-based design studio Artofmany. As Creative Director and Owner of London-based design studio Mash Creative, Bloom brings over 15 years of experience specialising in brand identity and packaging design, working with clients of all scales and sectors. You can find more information about the program here
Beyond the courses themselves, LABASAD’s deep connections with the design world fling open doors for students, offering coveted internships, invaluable networking opportunities, and collaborative projects that can catapult careers to new heights.
As a non-traditional institution, they have embraced a holistic approach to the admission process. Don’t worry if you don’t have previous qualifications or formal studies. LABASAD values your entire profile — including your studies, professional experience, and current skills. The master’s director will personally review your CV, portfolio, and projects to make an informed decision that best suits your potential.
For more details on how to join the LABASAD family, including admission requirements, accreditation, certification, and course fees, just hop on over to their website here and ask for more information.
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Cover image credit: Project by Will Knight, Director of the Online Master in Principles of Graphic Design, for It’s Nice That x Dropbox: Indoors Zine, a collaborative publication created for Dropbox.
