Meet Lozana Rossenova

By the time Lozana completed her Bachelor of Fine Arts in the US, she had developed an enduring interest in typography. The next step, she decided, was to pursue a master’s in Europe, where the strong typographic tradition would enable her to deepen her knowledge. 

“The University of Reading seemed like an obvious choice because of the reputation of the Department of Typography & Graphic Communication.” 

Next, she had to find the right course for her. Based on her interests in typography, art and design history, the Head of Department suggested the undertaking our book design pathway at master's level. 

"Following that advice was the right choice for me. Having this chance to learn from experts in the field and receive a lot of personal support is something that Reading excels at. I also liked the fact that the Department in Reading is quite small and specialised; it’s a luxury really."

Lozana was confident in her choice. With courses taught with a depth and attention to detail that is beyond superficial design, Reading Typography graduates are defined as experts in typography by industry.

“The typographic knowledge and sensibility you gain at Reading in a year, can take many years to attain just through working in industry, as I’ve observed with other colleagues in the studios where I’ve worked. It’s very hard to reconstruct such depth of knowledge once you’re working.”

During her MA, Lozana had the opportunity to expand her knowledge into specialised areas such as digital and hybrid publishing, and digital archives. Her studies were complemented by diverse cross-referencing practice and research, enabled by the Department’s extensive facilities and industry links. 

"I really enjoyed the history sessions and the visits to the Special Collections. This is rare in contemporary graphic design programmes and I think the value of learning this material at university is immense. Also, the practical projects encouraged students to explore new directions. 

"The whole programme was designed to encourage active cross-referencing between the theories we were learning and the practices we were exploring in the studio sessions. For example, another student and I devised our own publication, exploring all the different stages of the publishing process and its intersections with digital technologies."

Lozana credits Reading for both outstanding teaching and support that goes well beyond graduation. Her career success and intellectual development was nurtured by the skills and networks that she developed here. 

"I must emphasise the role of my tutors at Reading, who became my mentors and continued to support me long after finishing the programme. In addition to refining my design practice, the analytical, writing and research skills I developed in Reading led me to articulate a successful, fully funded PhD proposal.”