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Graphic Design Syllabus
A comprehensive study of visual communication covering design principles, typography, color theory, layout, branding, and industry-standard tools like Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator.. The complete Graphic Design outline — 8 subjects, 45 chapters and 162 topics — laid out so you can see exactly what has to be covered and tick each item off as you go.
Graphic Design subjects
Each subject below has its own page with the full chapter → topic → sub-topic tree and a set of real exam-style flashcards.
6 chapters · 30 topics
Typography6 chapters · 22 topics
Color Theory5 chapters · 18 topics
Adobe Photoshop (Raster Graphics)7 chapters · 24 topics
Adobe Illustrator (Vector Graphics)6 chapters · 19 topics
Layout and Print Design5 chapters · 18 topics
Branding and Identity Design5 chapters · 15 topics
Digital and Career Skills5 chapters · 16 topics
Graphic Design flashcard decks
400 question-and-answer cards across 8 decks, written against this syllabus. Preview any deck free.
How to work through the Graphic Design syllabus
The outline on this page is arranged the way the syllabus itself is: subject, then chapter, then topic, then sub-topic. That last level is what most study plans skip, and it is where coverage actually goes wrong — a chapter marked "done" often has three sub-topics inside it that were never touched.
Weight your plan accordingly: Foundations of Visual Design carries 30 topics while Branding and Identity Design carries 15. Giving both the same number of weeks is the most common planning mistake for Graphic Design.
The ~120 hour estimate above is a first pass only: roughly 45 minutes per topic plus 12 minutes per sub-topic. Revision cycles, past papers and mocks sit on top of that number.
Graphic Design syllabus FAQ
What subjects are in the Graphic Design syllabus?
Graphic Design covers 8 subjects: Foundations of Visual Design, Typography, Color Theory, Adobe Photoshop (Raster Graphics), Adobe Illustrator (Vector Graphics), Layout and Print Design, Branding and Identity Design and Digital and Career Skills. Together they contain 45 chapters and 162 named topics.
How much do you have to study for Graphic Design?
The full Graphic Design outline breaks down into 45 chapters, 162 topics and 0 sub-topics. Foundations of Visual Design is the largest single subject with 30 topics across 6 chapters.
How long does it take to cover the whole Graphic Design syllabus?
Roughly 120 hours for one full pass. That estimate allows about 45 minutes per topic plus 12 minutes per sub-topic, so it is first-pass coverage — revision, past papers and mock tests sit on top of it. At 3 hours a day that is about 6 weeks.
Are there Graphic Design flashcards?
Yes — 400 question-and-answer flashcards across 8 decks, one per subject, written against this syllabus. A sample of every deck is readable on this site for free, and the complete decks are in the Examius app.
Is this Graphic Design syllabus free to use?
Yes. Every page here is free to read, and importing the Graphic Design syllabus into the Examius app to tick off topics as you finish them is free too. No account is needed to start.
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