phd in graphic design

Graphic Design Graduate Programs in America

1-25 of 35 results

Harvard Graduate School of Design

Cambridge, MA •

Harvard University •

Graduate School

• • Rating 4.29 out of 5   7 reviews

Master's Student: Great survey of urban planning if you have no prior background in architecture or urban studies; cohort skews younger (early to mid twenties) so might be an adjustment for older students with more experience ... Read 7 reviews

Harvard University ,

Graduate School ,

CAMBRIDGE, MA ,

7 Niche users give it an average review of 4.3 stars.

Featured Review: Master's Student says Great survey of urban planning if you have no prior background in architecture or urban studies; cohort skews younger (early to mid twenties) so might be an adjustment for older students with more... .

Read 7 reviews.

Roski School of Art and Design

Los Angeles, CA •

University of Southern California •

University of Southern California ,

LOS ANGELES, CA ,

Carnegie Mellon College of Fine Arts

Pittsburgh, PA •

Carnegie Mellon University •

• • Rating 5 out of 5   4 reviews

Master's Student: I graduated from the School of Design at the College of Fine Arts. This is one best design program at a major research university. The cross disciplinary approach, and ability to take courses at other schools like business, engineering, and public policy makes the CMU experience truly unique. It’s been said that the hardest part about Harvard is getting in, and the hardest part about CMU is graduating. This very is true. ... Read 4 reviews

Blue checkmark.

Carnegie Mellon University ,

PITTSBURGH, PA ,

4 Niche users give it an average review of 5 stars.

Featured Review: Master's Student says I graduated from the School of Design at the College of Fine Arts. This is one best design program at a major research university. The cross disciplinary approach, and ability to take courses at... .

Read 4 reviews.

College of Arts and Sciences - Suffolk University

Suffolk University •

Graduate School •

Suffolk University

• • Rating 4.56 out of 5   16

School of Christian Studies and the Arts - Mississippi College

Mississippi College •

CLINTON, MS

College of the Arts - University of Florida

Gainesville, FL •

University of Florida •

University of Florida ,

GAINESVILLE, FL ,

College of Fine Arts - Boston University

Boston, MA •

Boston University •

Boston University ,

BOSTON, MA ,

University of Washington College of Arts & Sciences

Seattle, WA •

University of Washington •

University of Washington ,

SEATTLE, WA ,

• Find college scholarships

Syracuse University College of Visual and Performing Arts

Syracuse, NY •

Syracuse University •

• • Rating 5 out of 5   1 review

Master's Student: It has been amazing. All my teacher’s are supportive and giving me the tools to succeed in my future career. They know about outside opportunities I should follow as well. It is fantastic and I love it here. ... Read 1 review

Syracuse University ,

SYRACUSE, NY ,

1 Niche users give it an average review of 5 stars.

Featured Review: Master's Student says It has been amazing. All my teacher’s are supportive and giving me the tools to succeed in my future career. They know about outside opportunities I should follow as well. It is fantastic and I love... .

Read 1 reviews.

Rhode Island School of Design

Providence, RI •

• • Rating 4.33 out of 5   6 reviews

Master's Student: Great! Challenging school with amazing professors who care about their students. Has amazing resources and funding. ... Read 6 reviews

PROVIDENCE, RI ,

6 Niche users give it an average review of 4.3 stars.

Featured Review: Master's Student says Great! Challenging school with amazing professors who care about their students. Has amazing resources and funding. .

Read 6 reviews.

College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences - University of Denver

Denver, CO •

University of Denver •

University of Denver ,

DENVER, CO ,

Rochester Institute of Technology - College of Art and Design

Rochester, NY •

Rochester Institute of Technology •

Rochester Institute of Technology ,

ROCHESTER, NY ,

College of Arts and Humanities - University of Central Florida

Orlando, FL •

University of Central Florida •

University of Central Florida ,

ORLANDO, FL ,

School of Arts, Technology, and Emerging Communication (ATEC) - University of Texas - Dallas

Richardson, TX •

University of Texas - Dallas •

University of Texas - Dallas ,

RICHARDSON, TX ,

• Sponsored Find Student Loan Options
• Industrial and Product Design Graduate Programs
• Fashion and Apparel Design Graduate Programs

Tyler School of Art and Architecture

Philadelphia, PA •

Temple University •

Temple University ,

PHILADELPHIA, PA ,

College of Fine Arts- Ohio University

Athens, OH •

Ohio University •

• • Rating 5 out of 5   2 reviews

Niche User: Students are encouraged to teach undergraduate students and lead classes of their own during their time in graduate school. Graduate students seem to enjoy this more interactive experience. ... Read 2 reviews

Ohio University ,

ATHENS, OH ,

2 Niche users give it an average review of 5 stars.

Featured Review: Niche User says Students are encouraged to teach undergraduate students and lead classes of their own during their time in graduate school. Graduate students seem to enjoy this more interactive experience. .

Read 2 reviews.

College of Visual and Performing Arts - George Mason University

Arlington, VA •

George Mason University •

George Mason University ,

ARLINGTON, VA ,

College of Architecture, Design, and the Arts - University of Illinois at Chicago

Chicago, IL •

University of Illinois Chicago •

University of Illinois Chicago ,

CHICAGO, IL ,

Clinton, MS •

Mississippi College ,

CLINTON, MS ,

College of Arts and Letters - Missouri State University

Springfield, MO •

Missouri State University •

Missouri State University ,

SPRINGFIELD, MO ,

ArtCenter College of Design

Pasadena, CA •

• • Rating 4.67 out of 5   3 reviews

Master's Student: The Brand Design and Strategy graduate program is tailored to cater to the needs of working professionals who aspire to pursue a creative career path. The school offers state-of-the-art learning technology and a diverse faculty of experienced instructors from around the world, which enriches the learning experience and provides a global perspective on Design. However, the course load can be demanding, and failing to complete the units during any semester may require waiting a year before taking a class. Despite the rigorous academic requirements, the experience, knowledge, and connections the school offers will undoubtedly help aspiring professionals in the entertainment or design industry advance their careers. ... Read 3 reviews

PASADENA, CA ,

3 Niche users give it an average review of 4.7 stars.

Featured Review: Master's Student says The Brand Design and Strategy graduate program is tailored to cater to the needs of working professionals who aspire to pursue a creative career path. The school offers state-of-the-art learning... .

Read 3 reviews.

Division of Humanities & the Arts - CUNY City College of New York

New York, NY •

CUNY City College of New York •

• • Rating 4 out of 5   1 review

Master's Student: The psychology program at CUNY City College of New York continues to surprise me with interesting classes like Gender and Psychology as well as Trauma and resilience. It shows the deep and diversity of psychology. It’s a programs that continues to capture my interest. ... Read 1 review

CUNY City College of New York ,

NEW YORK, NY ,

1 Niche users give it an average review of 4 stars.

Featured Review: Master's Student says The psychology program at CUNY City College of New York continues to surprise me with interesting classes like Gender and Psychology as well as Trauma and resilience. It shows the deep and diversity... .

Minneapolis College of Art and Design

Minneapolis, MN •

• • Rating 4.71 out of 5   7 reviews

Master's Student: Overall my experience at MCAD has been good. There are some excellent professors who are really passionate about teaching and go above and beyond for their students. The admin staff are also all amazing! There are a few classes and professors that I really struggled with, but I think that is going to be true of any college. ... Read 7 reviews

MINNEAPOLIS, MN ,

7 Niche users give it an average review of 4.7 stars.

Featured Review: Master's Student says Overall my experience at MCAD has been good. There are some excellent professors who are really passionate about teaching and go above and beyond for their students. The admin staff are also all... .

Suffolk University ,

Maryland Institute College of Art

Baltimore, MD •

• • Rating 4.59 out of 5   17 reviews

Alum: I absolutely loved my time at MICA, however I have heard it has changed significantly since I graduated on 2011. I cannot overstate how inspired I was by my professors, classmates, and community. I have had no problem getting a job since college. ... Read 17 reviews

BALTIMORE, MD ,

17 Niche users give it an average review of 4.6 stars.

Featured Review: Alum says I absolutely loved my time at MICA, however I have heard it has changed significantly since I graduated on 2011. I cannot overstate how inspired I was by my professors, classmates, and community. I... .

Read 17 reviews.

Otis College of Art and Design

• • Rating 4.33 out of 5   3 reviews

Master's Student: It’s a great school, and I’m glad I was accepted based upon my art portfolio. This is my dream school to attend, and the courses are very well organized, and educational. This contribute s to my knowledge, and prepares me for a great career in my field. ... Read 3 reviews

3 Niche users give it an average review of 4.3 stars.

Featured Review: Master's Student says It’s a great school, and I’m glad I was accepted based upon my art portfolio. This is my dream school to attend, and the courses are very well organized, and educational. This contribute s to my... .

Academy of Art University School of Graphic Design

San Francisco, CA •

Academy of Art University •

Academy of Art University ,

SAN FRANCISCO, CA ,

Showing results 1 through 25 of 35

Doctoral Program FAQs

Candidates who do not have backgrounds in one of the School of Design's area of focus (Communication Design, Product Design, Interaction Design, UX design, Environments Design, Service Design, Design for Social Innovation, design research, design theory) would not be eligible for Teaching Fellowships. They may, however, be considered for the self-funded PhD option. Additional study, such as the School’s MA, MPS or MDes degree could make such candidates eligible for PhD Teaching Fellowships. Please contact us for advice on this matter.

Yes. Candidates with expertise on housing, interiors and smaller-scale architecture and an interest in Transition Design may apply and help the School build out its offerings in Environments Design.

No. The Human Computer Interaction Institute offers a PhD with pathways in Interaction Design. Consequently, applicants with research topics and approaches that demand significant amounts of coding or more cognitive science based research methods will be encouraged to apply to HCII.

In some cases, 3+ years of high-level professional design experience, demonstrated with a portfolio and a well-formulated research proposal may meet the application requirements.

In some cases, yes. Applicants with backgrounds in Business and Management, but with additional expertise and experience in Design, and who are interested in Transition Design, should apply to this program and will be encouraged to seek faculty advisers from other areas on campus. We would be particularly interested in candidates with business and management expertise related to Transition Design such as circular economies, sustainable design, and B corps.

Carnegie Mellon is a highly ranked research university and there are potential advisors from a wide range of disciplines on the campus. We also have a network of potential advisors who are based in other institutions.

No. The language requirements for application to the program cannot be waived. Please review these carefully.

No. Unfortunately we do not have the ability to review portfolio materials for each inquiry that we receive. To be considered for the program you will need to formally apply.

No. We do not currently offer an online option for our PhD degree. We hope to eventually offer a part time PhD degree but it is not an option at this time.

No. The only funding opportunity available is the Teaching Fellowship which requires students to teach 1-2 courses during the academic year.

Best Graphic Design Programs

Ranked in 2020, part of Best Fine Arts Schools

Graphic designers are creative professionals who use

Graphic designers are creative professionals who use art and technical skills in a variety of industries, including publishing, business, fashion and advertising. These are the best fine arts schools for graphic design. Read the methodology »

• Clear Filters

Recently viewed courses

Recently viewed.

Find Your Dream School

This site uses various technologies, as described in our Privacy Policy, for personalization, measuring website use/performance, and targeted advertising, which may include storing and sharing information about your site visit with third parties. By continuing to use this website you consent to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use .

   COVID-19 Update: To help students through this crisis, The Princeton Review will continue our "Enroll with Confidence" refund policies. For full details, please click here.

• Grad Programs

Graphic Design

Degree Information

Questions to ask yourself when choosing a degree program, career overview, career/licensing requirements, salary information, related links, view all graphic design schools by program.

Advertising

Art Education

Art History

Fashion Design

Interior Architecture

Interior Design

Photography

Printmaking

Visual Communication

RELATED GRADUATE PROGRAMS

Industrial Design

Studio Arts (M.F.A.)

RELATED CAREERS

Antiques Dealer

Digital Artist

Graphic Designer

Product Designer

Web Art Director

Website Designer

SAMPLE CURRICULUM

Design Theory

Creative Advertising

History Of Design

Illustration

Interactive Design

Multimedia Design

Videography

Featured MBA Programs For You

Connect with business schools around the globe and explore your MBA options.

Best Business Schools

Check out our lists of best on-campus and online MBA programs and find the best program for your career goals.

Explore Graduate Programs For You

Ranked master’s programs around the globe are seeking students like you to join their programs.

Med School Advice

Get medical school application advice, USMLE prep help, learn what to expect in med school and more.

Enrollment Advisor

1-800-2REVIEW (800-273-8439) ext. 1

1-877-LEARN-30

Mon-Fri 9AM-10PM ET

Sat-Sun 9AM-8PM ET

Student Support

1-800-2REVIEW (800-273-8439) ext. 2

Mon-Fri 9AM-9PM ET

Sat-Sun 8:30AM-5PM ET

Partnerships

• Teach or Tutor for Us

College Readiness

International

Affiliate/Other

• Enrollment Terms & Conditions
• Accessibility
• Cigna Medical Transparency in Coverage

Register Book

Local Offices: Mon-Fri 9AM-6PM

• SAT Subject Tests

Academic Subjects

• Social Studies

Find the Right College

• College Rankings
• College Advice
• Applying to College
• Financial Aid

School & District Partnerships

• Professional Development
• Advice Articles
• Private Tutoring
• Mobile Apps
• Local Offices
• International Offices
• Work for Us
• Affiliate Program
• Partner with Us
• Advertise with Us
• International Partnerships
• Our Guarantees
• Accessibility – Canada

Privacy Policy | CA Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information | Your Opt-Out Rights | Terms of Use | Site Map

©2024 TPR Education IP Holdings, LLC. All Rights Reserved. The Princeton Review is not affiliated with Princeton University

TPR Education, LLC (doing business as “The Princeton Review”) is controlled by Primavera Holdings Limited, a firm owned by Chinese nationals with a principal place of business in Hong Kong, China.

Graduate Program

The Doctor of Design (D.Des.) program at the Harvard Graduate School of Design is a leading doctoral degree program for professionals who wish to conduct rigorous, intensive design research. The program is geared towards applied research that advances design related knowledge in a broad range of scales from product design to buildings and landscapes to urban design and regional planning.

2024 Best Online PhD in Graphic Design [Doctorate Guide]

If you have a passion for art and digital technology and want to conduct in-depth research about it at the collegiate or professional level, you might consider pursuing a PhD in Graphic Design.

You may also find this degree essential if you desire to teach graphic arts at the postsecondary level.

Editorial Listing ShortCode:

A doctorate in graphic design can also open up opportunities for advanced design careers in the commercial or creative sectors.

Online PhD in Graphic Design Programs

Every industry has a visual story to tell in advancing and promoting its products, and graphic designers are needed to make those stories compelling and attractive. A doctorate in graphic design can introduce you to a wide variety of cutting-edge tools in visual arts, and you can learn how to implement them at both the academic and commercial levels.

There are opportunities for graphic design experts in a range of fields, such as:

• Information technology
• Game design
• Architecture
• Landscaping
• Digital animation
• Interior design

If you choose to follow an academic career, your PhD can help qualify you to teach the fundamental disciplines of visual arts to undergraduate and graduate students.

Topics generally studied in a graphic design doctoral program include:

• Advanced typography
• Computers as a creative medium
• Digital design
• Interactive design
• Research methods
• Photography
• Technology and representation
• Experimental media

While pursuing this degree, you’ll conduct research in one of many specialty areas of graphic design. Your graphic design research focus will most likely depend on your interests and professional goals.

Graphic Design Careers & Salaries

Nearly all industries rely on visual arts to advertise, illustrate, explain, educate, entertain, or communicate, so there is a great variety of opportunities in graphic design careers. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics , here are some careers related to graphic design, along with their median salaries.

If you obtain a doctorate in graphic design, you may choose to work in either academia or industry. Graduates may find opportunities in upper-level administrative roles as well. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 4% job growth for arts and design occupations and 12% job growth for postsecondary teachers over the next ten years.

Graphic Design Doctorate Curriculum & Courses

Graphic design PhD programs offer a wide variety of courses to help you hone your artistic skills and knowledge. Some students want to research new technologies, advance their teaching expertise, or apply graphic arts techniques to commercial and industrial projects.

A PhD program in graphic design will typically include some of the following courses:

• Advanced typography : This course teaches you how to create powerful visual messages by using various typefaces and fonts.
• Digital design : In this class, you may utilize digital technology to create dynamic animations and visual displays that can be applied to website layouts, print displays, or animation.
• Interactive Design : In this class, you may master techniques that can help you create graphic projects that are free of bugs and user-friendly.
• Data-Driven Art : This course shows you how to combine advanced techniques in computer technology to create sophisticated visual art presentations.
• Web Design : Some web design courses help you hone your coding skills so you can create web-based graphic presentations.
• Intellectual Property Law : These courses instruct you on copyright-related legal issues.
• Photography : While enrolled in photography courses, you can learn about techniques related to taking photos and videos as well as manipulating the images to create innovative works of art.
• Research Methods for Graphic Design : As a doctoral degree candidate, you’ll likely be required to conduct independent research in graphic design as part of your capstone class or dissertation.
• Visual Culture and Design : In this course, you can examine the relationship between national culture and the way artists express themselves in graphic art.
• Project Studio : In this class, you can have the opportunity to gain professional experience engaging in real-world commercial or pro bono artistic projects.

Many universities require PhD students to write a dissertation based on original research. Alternatively, you may have the opportunity to participate in a teaching assistantship program.

Graphic Design PhD Admissions Requirements

The admission requirements to get into doctorate programs for graphic design can change from school to school, but these are some common prerequisites:

• Bachelor’s or master’s degree . Most programs require you to complete a bachelors degree in a related field, and most will expect a master’s degree as well. Schools generally request transcripts to verify your coursework and academic ability.
• Letters of recommendation . Graduate programs may ask you to submit letters of recommendation from former teachers and employers stating your qualifications as a doctoral candidate.
• GRE or GMAT scores . You may be asked to submit GRE or GMAT test scores, though a growing number of schools no longer require them.
• Letter of intent . Some doctorate programs request that you provide a letter of intent that summarizes your career objectives and indicates your preferred research specialization.

Your entrance process can also include filling out an application and paying an application fee. In addition, international students may be required to show fluency in English. Colleges may also require you to submit a portfolio of your work.

Accreditation

Regional accrediting agencies review academic institutions according to measurable and objective standards of professional integrity and academic rigor.

Most educational institutions and employers will have greater respect for your credentials if they come from an accredited school. If you attend an accredited school, your credits are more likely to transfer between institutions. You may also have an easier time enrolling in further postgraduate study.

If you want to see if a prospective school has credible accreditation, you can visit the website of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) .

Financial Aid and Scholarships

While a doctorate can be costly, there are many national, regional, and local organizations that help doctoral students find a way to pay the bills. You may find financial support through grants, student loans, scholarships, or work-study programs.

Some organizations offer tuition assistance to veterans or active-duty military personnel. There are also companies that are willing to pay for their employees’ additional schooling. To see if you qualify for federal aid, you can fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) .

What Can You Do with a Doctoral Degree in Graphic Design?

A doctoral degree in graphic design can be a qualification for being a researcher or teacher at the postsecondary level. Graduates can also utilize their degree to pursue advanced positions in the design sector. Some design professionals find work in animation, advertising, or even medical illustration.

Additional career options in the private sector include industrial designer, digital designer, marketing manager, or art director. The positions you pursue may depend on your previous experience, your degree specialization, and your chosen industry.

How Long Does It Take to Get a Doctorate in Graphic Design Online?

Much like with an on-campus or online masters in graphic design , the requirements for a PhD in Graphic Design can differ from school to school. Most PhD programs take 3 to 5 years to complete with full-time study.

If no dissertation component is required, a doctorate may be finished in 3 years. Writing a dissertation or having to pass doctoral field examinations will often add time to your degree completion timeframe, as will enrolling part-time.

Is a PhD in Graphic Design Degree Worth It?

Yes, a PhD in Graphic Design degree is worth it for many students. There is a lot of flexibility in how you can use this degree. A doctoral degree can help you qualify for positions in research and academia, but you can also pursue advanced career opportunities in a wide variety of sectors.

Many people who earn this degree go on to become college and university professors. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, this profession is projected to grow 12% over the next ten years, which is faster than the national average.

While arts and design occupations are expected to see 4% job growth over the next ten years, employment for management occupations is projected grow 9% (Bureau of Labor Statistics). Art directors in particular are expected see 11% job growth over the next decade, which is faster than average.

Universities Offering Online Doctorate in Graphic Design Degree Program

Methodology: The following school list is in alphabetical order. To be included, a college or university must be regionally accredited and offer degree programs online or in a hybrid format.

Clemson University offers a PhD in Rhetorics, Communication, and Information Design. The program provides instruction in how to conduct original research for publication in journals. Students in the program are typically preparing for careers in academia. The program is available online, following the same schedule as on-campus classes. The interdisciplinary curriculum covers studio art, communication, technology, and related subjects.

Clemson University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

Indiana University of Pennsylvania offers a PhD in Media and Communication Studies. The program is designed to provide flexibility for working professionals. Those in the program can join a cohort of either full-time or part-time students. Full-time students take three classes at a time, and part-time students take two. Classes include both online and face-to-face elements.

Indiana University of Pennsylvania is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

Liberty University offers a 100% online program for a PhD in Communication. It consists of 60 credit hours’ worth of 8 week courses. The average student takes 3 years to finish. The program is designed to allow students to keep working while earning their degrees. The curriculum is rooted in biblical principles.

Liberty University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

Texas Tech University offers a Doctor of Philosophy in Technical Communication and Rhetoric. The program includes 60 credit hours of coursework earned in a hybrid format. The curriculum covers how to conduct original research and includes studies in visual rhetoric, user-centered design, technical communication, scientific rhetoric, and more.

Texas Tech University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

The University of Alabama offers a PhD in Communication and Information Sciences. Numerous concentrations are available within the program, including Advertising and Public Relations, Media Processes and Effects, Interpersonal Communication, and more. Class sizes are small, and students can receive mentorship from faculty members.

The University of Alabama is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

Getting Your PhD in Graphic Design Online

If you enjoy using digital media to create art, you may be well suited for a career in graphic design. Earning a PhD in Graphic Design can help you advance your expertise and qualifications in this versatile field.

Experts in graphic design often seek work in design, marketing, or academia. Some professionals find their niche as a researcher, an artist, a professor, or a marketing manager. To find out more about what a PhD in this field has to offer, you can look into various online graphic design degree programs.

The sooner you start exploring accredited universities, the sooner you may find the PhD program that best aligns with your personal preferences and professional goals.

• Graduate Programs

Graphic Design

Learn how to express yourself visually across a variety of platforms, from interactive and environmental art to print publications and UX/UI-focused apps and websites.

• Request Info

In demand skills for real-world success

As a graphic design student, you'll learn a rich array of graphic design tools and work closely with faculty to broaden your understanding of the design field. You will utilize design thinking to work in both self-initiated and client-associated environments. You'll be prepared to work at the best agencies and studios in careers such as art director, app designer or branding designer, or even teach at the college or university level. You'll learn from distinguished and professionally active graphic design faculty who represent the full spectrum of the industry, and you'll graduate ready to be successful in this competitive job market.

Degrees & Offerings

Art: graphic design (mfa).

As a graduate graphic design student, you will have opportunities to participate in assistantships, dedicated studio and work stations and leadership within the art community at USD. You will take upper level courses in typography, digital and print studio, package design, design methods, graphic design concepts and theories, master's portfolio, master's thesis and independent study coursework, which allows you to customize your program of study to match your career goals and art interests. 

Learn more about the art program

View Admissions Requirements

Program Details

College of Fine Arts

Departments & Facilities

The Department of Art will provide you with unique and applicable real-world experience and connections that enable you to immerse yourself in an environment built for personal and creative discovery.

Our Design Studio

Here are some of the facilities and resources available to graphic design students:

• Networked computer software template
• 27” iMac studio space with 24/7 access
• Access to full Adobe CC suite and current design software
• Letterpress and type shop capabilities
• Fully equipped printing shop with 44" wide Epson 9800 poster printer, Epson 4900 large format photographic-quality printer and HP750 17" LaserJet printer
• Large platform laser cutter
• Ultimaker 3D printers and 3D scanners
• Graduate studios with office and work stations
• Design exhibition space in Sioux Falls, South Dakota

Graphic designers thrive at USD

Focused on learning and gaining real-world skills through one-on-one interaction with professors who care about your career goals.

Connect with local designers

As a graphic design major at USD, you can get involved and become a member of the local American Institute of Graphic Art (AIGA) chapter which provides opportunities in the local design community and builds leadership skills that will be invaluable as they move into the professional world. 

Exceptional Student Work 

Hear from A USD Alum

Joe Schaeffer

MFA, Graphic Design '19 Assistant Professor, University of Sioux Falls Sioux Falls, South Dakota

Take the Next Step

• Explore Programs

• Types of Jobs

Find the right school for you

35+ Years of Shaping Entertainment and Pop Culture - From Oscar and GRAMMY-winners, to animators, to creative directors and entrepreneurs, our graduates make significant contributions to their industries.  Learn More.

Top 50 Graphic Design Schools and Colleges in the U.S. – 2020 Rankings

What are the top graphic design school programs in the US?

Our 2020 rankings of the Top 50 Graphic Design School Programs in the US. We considered over 700 colleges with graphic design programs for this year's rankings. For an explanation of ranking criteria,  click here .

Founded in 1701, Yale University serves more than 12,300 students enrolled in dozens of programs in the areas of art, architecture, divinity, drama, forestry and environmental studies, law, management, music, public health, and more. The school, which houses more than 145 departments and schools, is home to one of the most prestigious fine arts schools in the U.S.

Established in 1869, Yale School Art was the nation’s first art school connected with an institution of higher learning. With an enrollment of more than 100 students, the school offers a BA in Art and MFA degrees in Graphic Design, Painting and Printmaking, Photography, and Sculpture. An interdisciplinary Film & Video program is also available.

The BA in Art offers the opportunity for intensive study leading to greater specialization in one or more of the visual disciplines such as Graphic Design, Painting/Printmaking, Photography, and Sculpture. Course highlights include Introduction to Graphic Design, History of Graphic Design, Graphic Design Methodologies, Advanced Graphic Design: Series and Systems, Advanced Graphic Design: History, Editing, and Interpretation, Typography: Expression, Structure, and Sequence, Printmaking, Visual Thinking, and Interactive Design and the Internet. Students in the program will complete a Senior Project Seminar that will allow them to showcase their designs.

The Yale Graphic Design MFA (Yale GDMFA) is a competitive, 60 credit hour program that accepts just 12 students each year and up to six students into the preliminary-year program. MFA applicants are expected to have “substantial and distinguished experience in visual studies and related professional experience,” says the school. Students can expect support for their graphic design collections in several ways including, “studio work led by faculty meeting weekly, small five- or six-person thesis groups meeting biweekly, and individual sessions with writing and editing tutors.”

Lectures, presentations, and workshops are also part of the program as well as access to “extraordinary” resources including Yale University courses, conferences, films, lectures, museums, and the “extensive” research and rare book collections of Sterling and Beinecke libraries. Students also have a designated workspace in the design studio loft and access to equipment including bookbinding materials, wide format printers, a RISO duplicator, Vandercook press, and workspaces in the School of Art buildings. More resources supporting interdisciplinary projects including motion capture and VR are available at the nearby Center for Collaborative Arts and Media.

The Yale Graphic Design MFA takes two years to complete, full-time.

Founded in 1877, Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) is one of the first art and design schools in the U.S. Serving approximately 2,500 students from across the U.S. and 57 other countries, the school has 19 studio majors and leading to bachelor’s or master’s degrees in the Fine Arts, Architecture, Design or Art Education. The school’s most popular programs are Graphic Design, Film/Animation/Video (FAV), Illustration, Painting, and Industrial Design. Aspiring graphic designers have two options: the four-year undergraduate BFA and the graduate MFA with two tracks.

One of the largest departments at RISD, the school says Graphic Design offers “countless opportunities to collaborate within and beyond the discipline,” thanks to access to more than 160 undergraduate majors. Course highlights include Spatial Dynamics, Color + Surface, and Design Studio. The program culminates in a “challenging, self-defined degree project that taps into each student's strengths, interests and experiences,” says the school.

The MFA programs offer the same opportunities as the BFA does, as well as two tracks: a two-year option designed for students entering with undergraduate degrees in graphic design or other visual communication, and a three-year option designed for students with degrees in liberal arts, the sciences or fine arts. Built on a sequence of required courses, the curricula for both tracks allow candidates to tailor individual courses of study through cross-disciplinary electives.

An impressive 96% of all RISD graphic design graduates are employed one year after graduation, and 70% are employed in positions directly related to their major.

Founded in 1887, Pratt Institute serves more than 4,800 students enrolled in more than 25 undergraduate degree programs and concentrations and more than 26 graduate degree programs in its Schools of Art, Design, Architecture, Liberal Arts and Sciences, and Information. Founded in 2014, The School of Design offers “up to four of Pratt’s oldest and most esteemed disciplines,” says the school, including Communications Design, Fashion Design, Industrial Design, and Interior Design.

The Communications Design program is the “only program in the country that recognizes and embodies the convergence and integration of Illustration, Advertising, and Graphic Design as the primary forces for the visual expression of ideas.” Students may concentrate in any of three areas (Illustration, Advertising Art Direction or Graphic Design). The undergraduate program for aspiring graphic designers leads to a BFA in Communications Design with a Graphic Design Emphasis.

The School of Design also houses the Graduate Communications Design Department, which offers an MFA in Communications Design and an MS in Package Design. The full-time Communications Design MFA emphasizes full-time studio practice in graphic design—communications, identities, objects, environments, and systems. Graduates are prepared to enter careers in print and digital media, typography, identity systems and branding, design strategy, social media and interaction design, motion design, environmental design, data visualization, information design, and user experience design.

First offered in 1966, the MS in Package Design is an initial master’s degree that offers students structured courses on the decision-making process for new product and package development, featuring direction in package design, typography, brand development, marketing, structural packaging, packaging technology, fragrance packaging, and the business aspects of the package industry. This is a full-time program, which culminates in a capstone thesis project.

For students who are not yet ready to commit to a degree program, the School of Continuing and Professional Studies (SCPS) offers Certificate Programs in Digital Design including Graphic Design, Digital Design, Branding and Digital Marketing and many others. These programs may be taken individually or “stacked,” producing an “accelerated path to completion,” says the school. Like the undergraduate and graduate Communication Design programs, Certificate programs offer the opportunity to complete an internship. 

Students in all programs will have the opportunity to enroll in one of more than 20 study abroad programs and international exchange programs in over a dozen locations such as Florence, Milan, Copenhagen, London, and Tokyo.

Founded in 1826, Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) is the oldest independent, continuously degree-granting college of art and design in the U.S. The College enrolls nearly 3,500 undergraduate, graduate and open studies students from 49 states and 52 countries. Around 80 programs leading to the BFA, MA, MFA, and MPS degrees are available in the areas of fine arts, design, electronic media, art education, liberal arts, and professional studies. Post-baccalaureate certificate programs are also offered.

Programs for aspiring graphic designers include a BFA in Graphic Design with three Concentrations including Graphic Design Studio, Book Arts Studio, and Graphic Design + Humanistic Studies, an MA in Graphic Design (GDMA) and an MFA in Graphic Design (GD MFA).

The undergraduate graphic design curriculum at MICA features a three-year sequence of core design courses, while the 60-credit MFA program features two years of full-time study that the school says combines “critical seminars, guided studio courses, and independent work.” Students in the MFA program may choose a concentration in Critical Studies or Curatorial Practices or “take advantage of electives in many MICA departments, including video, printmaking, and digital media.”

The MA program prepares students for advancing their careers and/or for applying to the competitive MFA. Program highlights include an “intensive introduction to design,” provided by the GDMA Studio, “taught with a strong emphasis on design fundamentals, process, visual research, and working across media,” a Design Theory and Practice Seminar, and the GDMA Workshop. Through the workshop, GDMA students will have the opportunity to create and exhibit a self-directed design project and a professional portfolio.

The New School was founded in 1896 by American Impressionist William Merritt Chase. Back then, the school was known as The Chase School, and later as New York School of Fine and Applied Art. Today, known as The New School's Parsons School of Design, this art and design college serves nearly 6,000 students enrolled in 130 degree and diploma programs across five schools including the School of Art and Design History and Theory, School of Art, Media and Technology, School of Constructed Environments, School of Design Strategies, and the School of Fashion.

The School of Art, Media, and Technology offers several degree programs for aspiring graphic designers including an AAS in Graphic Design, a BFA in Communication Design, and an MPS in Communication Design.

The school says that the AAS program provides a “solid foundation in the traditional practices and concepts of graphic design,” while the BFA covers typography and interaction. Sponsored projects are in the areas of publication, interaction design, branding, advertising, type design, information design, motion graphics, and environmental design.

The one-year, 30 credit hour MPS program offers a concentration in Digital Product Design. Per the school, the program “combines instruction in advanced interaction design with coursework that develops your user-experience, design-thinking, and collaboration abilities.” Students will graduate with “industry-ready conceptual and front-end development skills and a network of design professionals to help” them “advance in or enter a rapidly growing field.” Career opportunities include Interaction Design (IxD), User Experience (UX) Design, Digital Product Design, and Product Management, to name a few.

Parsons also offers a Graphic and Digital Design Certificate through its continuing education department. The program, which consists of six courses, can be completed online or through a combination of online and on-campus courses.

Founded in 1947 as “Cartoonists and Illustrators School,” School of Visual Arts (SVA) serves more than 3,700 students enrolled in over 30 programs in areas ranging from fine arts and graphic design to filmmaking and photography. The programs at SVA lead to the BFA, MFA, MA, MAT or MPS degree.

Offerings for aspiring graphic designers include a BFA in Design and a Design/Designer as Entrepreneur MFA. The BFA is a “multidisciplinary educational system in itself, offering separate majors that include Graphic Design, Motion Graphics and 3D Design,” says the school. The program can be divided into package design, editorial design, information graphics, corporate identity, publication design, CD packaging, book jacket design, environmental design and website design. Other program highlights include intensive one-week workshops, exhibitions that are routinely covered by NBC, CBS. ABC, and CNN, competitions, enrollment in the AIGA (American Institute of Graphic Artists) and the Art Directors Club—two of the most prestigious design organizations in the country, industry review, and internships.

The Design/Designer as Entrepreneur MFA “inspires” students to conceive, produce, brand and market their own innovative content. Interaction, motion graphics, branding, and user experience are covered as well as typography as a visual language, video and new media directing, and art book and digital publishing. Students will also take classes in business, marketing, ethnography, strategy, research, advertising, promotion, intellectual property and networking.

MFA students have access to SVA MFA studios, open 24 hours a day and “designed to simulate an operational design/media firm with spacious workstations that allow for individual and collaborative work.” In the studio, students will produce a prototype to pitch to investors, collaborators or distributors. This final product is presented in public at the school’s Venture Forum at the SVA Theatre and subsequently to the design community.

Graduates of the program have gone on to work for commercial and not-for-profit corporations, institutions and businesses. Many founded their own start-ups, design firms and studios. Some have become partners in businesses and individual projects. Graduates have started over 50 design studios around the globe.

Founded in 1930, ArtCenter College of Design serves approximately 2,250 students representing more than 40 countries. The school offers 11 undergraduate and seven graduate degree programs in a variety of Industrial Design, Visual, and Applied Arts Disciplines. A joint MS/MBA program with the Drucker-Ito School of Management is also available. The school, which has a campus in Berlin, two campuses in Pasadena, and satellite studios in Los Angeles at the Peterson Automotive Museum, offers a BFA in Graphic Design and an MFA Graduate Graphic Design (MGx).

Students might also consider interdisciplinary programs such as the Desginmatters Concentration, which leads to a Certificate in Art and Design for Social Impact or the Integrated Studies Program, which covers essential skills and competencies, critical thinking and the creative process, cultural literacy and contextual reference, interdisciplinary experience, and quality of execution and professional practices. Offered through the Graphic Design Department (GX), all programs offer internships and study abroad opportunities.

Founded in 1866, the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) is one of the oldest accredited independent schools of art and design in the country. Serving nearly 3,700 students from 78 countries, SAIC offers more than 50 areas of study from Animation and Costume Design to Visual Communication Design and Writing. Programs for aspiring graphic designers are offered through the Visual Communication Design Department. Options include a BFA, MFA or Certificate in Graphic Design.

The BFA program has two major areas of focus including Physical Media (print, objects, and environments) and Virtual Media (interactive and time-based media). The MFA program offers the opportunity to explore other related departments at SAIC such as Printmedia, Writing, Photography, Architecture, Interior Architecture, and Designed Objects, and Film, Video, New Media, and Animation (FVNMA). The purpose of this opportunity is to “extend students’ design work into new territories,” says the school. The Graphic Design Certificate is designed for “students with an interest in exploring graphic design with an emphasis on print media.”

Other Graphic Design Program highlights include an active AIGA (American Institute of Graphic Arts) student chapter, Exploratory Languages (a lecture series featuring leading designers and design educators from across the country), and CIPB (Chicago International Poster Biennial), which is an international competition representing leading designers from throughout the world. Internship and optional study abroad opportunities are also available.

Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) was founded in 1978. With campuses in Savannah, Atlanta, Hong Kong, and Lacoste, France, the school serves more than 14,000 students from all 50 states and more than 100 countries. Offering more art degree programs and specializations than any other art and design university, SCAD has plenty of opportunities to study at domestic and international locations. The school also offers more graphic design programs than just about any other school on our list. Options include BA, BFA, MA, and MFA degrees in Graphic Design and a Design Management MA. A Minor in Graphic Design is also available.

All programs highlight Product Packaging, Entrepreneurship, Mobile Technology, Interface Design and User Experience. Students have the opportunity to declare a double major in the areas of Advertising, Branded Entertainment, Illustration, Motion Media Design, Sequential Art and more. Students also have access to Minors such as Mobile and Interactive Design, and Advertising Copywriting. Students may complement their degree with a Certificate in Digital Publishing.

The BA degree is offered in Atlanta, Savannah and online and the BFA, MA, MFA, and Minor programs are offered in Atlanta, Hong Kong, Savannah, and online. The Certificate program is offered in Atlanta, Savannah, and online.

SCAD graduates are prepared to join elite agencies, multinational companies, or start their own businesses as they lead branding, visual marketing, interactive media, and immersive campaigns. Graduates work at top companies around the globe including Apple, IBM, Ralph Lauren, Under Armour, Verizon, and many others.

Founded in 1907, California College of the Arts (CCA) serves around 1,900 students enrolled more than 30 degree programs. Undergraduate programs for aspiring graphic designers include BFA degrees in Graphic Design and Interaction Design and a BA in Visual Studies. Graduate options include an MFA in Design that focuses on Graphic Design, Industrial Design, and Interaction Design.

Highlights for all programs include the opportunity to immerse in the areas of Brand Identity, Print, Motion Graphics, and Screen-Based and Interactive Design, elective offerings that will “strengthen” students “design toolkit,” and the opportunity to gain real-world experience through CCA’s extensive internship program. Students have the opportunity to intern for design firms, publishing houses, and nonprofits as they work toward a polished thesis project.

“Situated within a top art college,” says the school, “the Graphic Design program also benefits from an atmosphere of hands-on making and experimentation. Students are constantly giving and getting feedback and testing their ideas with faculty, visiting experts, and peers.”

Graduates of the Graphic Design Programs at CCA have landed positions at innovative design firms, museums, publishing houses, technology companies, nonprofits, and more.

Walt and Roy Disney formed California Institute of the Arts (CalArts) in 1961 through the merger of two existing Los Angeles schools for art and music. The school became the nation's first postsecondary institution to offer graduate and undergraduate degrees in both the visual and performing arts. Just shy of a decade later, the new college, CalArts, opened its doors to offer programs in art, design, film, music, theater and dance.

Today, the school serves around 1,500 students enrolled in more than 70 undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs across six schools including the School of Critical Studies, The Sharon Disney Lund School of Dance, the School of Art, the School of Film/Video, The Herb Alpert School of Music at CalArts, and the School of Theater. The School of Art houses the Graphic Design Program, which leads to a BFA or MFA. A Digital Arts Minor and an Interschool Degree option are also available.

The school says that the Minor is “designed to help undergraduate students grasp the knowledge to build, engineer and design innovative custom systems.” The Interschool Degree Option is available to a small number of graduates and advanced third- and fourth-year undergraduates whose skills and artistic interests warrant pursuing a degree in more than one School.

The BFA program is a full-time, four-year program that prepares students for a career in print and publication design, web and interface design, motion graphics for broadcast and film, branding, identity and type design, and design history and education. Each year in the program “builds on the experience of the previous as a sequence of additional classes explore image-making, typography and design history. Baseline coursework is followed by more specialized classes in areas such as web design, motion graphics, and type design.” In addition to core studio classes, all candidates in the Program are required to pass a Graduation Portfolio Review in order to complete the program and obtain the BFA degree.

The MFA program offers two- and three-year options. During the two-year program, students deepen and refine their work through a set of required and elective courses covering subjects such as type design, web design, typography, motion graphics, design theory and design history. Students will also work with visiting designers on short-term projects within the focused studio environment.

“The three-year Program is designed for students who do not have a Graphic Design undergraduate degree, but who typically demonstrate a talent and enthusiasm for design, and a level of expertise in their given field. The heart of the Program is the Visual Literacy course, a critique class comprised of a series of structured projects designed to teach design principles, process, methodology and skills.” Students in both programs are required to pass a Thesis Review to obtain the MFA degree.

Founded in 1900, Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) serves more than 14,500 students representing over 100 countries. The school offers more than 100 programs across seven colleges, including the College of Fine Art, home of the School of Design. Here, aspiring graphic designers can earn a Bachelor of Design (BDes), formerly BFA. The program has three tracks: Products, Communications, and Environments. Students may focus in one or all three areas or pursue a more interdisciplinary focus that combines two of the three.

Other undergraduate options include the Minor in Design Application and the Undergraduate Interdisciplinary Degree known as “BXA,” which provides students with the ability to evenly balance their study of humanities or sciences with design. While BXA majors may take 26 design courses and 15 outside courses, most BXA students take 12 design courses, with the balance of their courses taken outside of the School of Design. The Minor is for students admitted to other programs on campus who are interested in gaining “fundamental design skills and/or exposure to design.”

“CMU also offers a unique program called Integrative Design, Arts, and Technology (IDeATe), which allows student to concentrate their studies on cross-campus industry themes like game design, animation and special effects, innovation and entrepreneurship, intelligent environments, and learning media design.”

Graduate options include a one-year Master of Arts (MA) in Design program, a one-year Master of Professional Studies (MPS) in Design for Interactions, a two-year Master of Design (MDes) in Design for Interactions program, and a PhD in Design Studies. Students in the graduate programs can expect to take courses such as Prototyping for Interaction Design, Studio: Visual Communication Fundamentals, Design Principles and Practices, and Seminar: Design Thinking. Students may complement their skills and knowledge with elective courses outside of design. Courses in policy, business, service or social innovation, interaction or communication design, or professional writing are recommended.

North Carolina State University (NC State) at Raleigh was established in 1887. The school serves 34,340 students enrolled in more than 300 degree programs across 12 colleges and 65 academic departments. The College of Design houses the Graphic Design program, which offers two degree paths—a Bachelor of Graphic Design and a Master of Graphic Design. The College has recently established a PhD in Design/Information Design Concentration as well.

The undergraduate and graduate degrees are NASAD (National Association of Schools of Art and Design) accredited and the PhD Concentration is set to receive NASAD approval after graduating its first class.

Students in the undergraduate program study comparative ideas about, and methods for, creating visual communication. Sequenced core studios, typography courses, and image-making courses “progressively introduce and develop skills, processes, and sensitivities across a range of media,” says the school. Graduate students will “closely examine the cultural and technological situatedness of graphic design and its products, and seek understanding of the people who use and interact with the things that graphic designers make.”

Students in all programs will explore and become proficient in a wide range of media — print, web, mobile, virtual reality, augmented reality, and embedded technology. Students will also practice visualization strategies such as mapping, diagramming, and storyboarding, they will develop strong formal and conceptualization skills through project-based assignments, and immerse in advanced studios that cover special topics such as data visualization, branding, and accessible design.

Another major highlight of the Graphic Design Program at NC State is the opportunity to gain valuable professional experience through paid internships within leading firms, and/or participate in sponsored studios as part of the graphic design curriculum. Students also have the opportunity to study abroad for a semester or summer at the NC State Prague Institute, or take advantage of other study abroad options.

Founded in 1919 as the Southern Branch of the University of California, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) serves nearly 45,000 students from all 50 states and more than 100 foreign countries. The school offers 125+ undergraduate majors across numerous schools, 109 academic departments, and more than 40 graduate programs. The School of Arts and Architecture is home to the Department of Design Media Arts (DMA), which offers both BA and MA degrees in Design Media Arts. The DMA program “emphasizes innovative creation with digital and mass media within the context of a public research university,” says the school. The curriculum highlights “a solid foundation in form, color, space, motion, typography, and interactivity, followed by a broad selection of area studies courses in video, visual communication, network media, game design, and narrative.”

Course highlights include Design Culture, Interactivity, Word + Image, Tangible Media, Form, and Typography. In addition, to DMA classes, students complete a series of general education courses and are encouraged to take other electives from the university to broaden their experience. A senior project also allows students to focus on individual interests within the areas of Visual Communication and Image, Interactivity and Games, or Video and Animation.

“This uniquely challenging and diverse program invites students to balance aesthetic sensibility with logical reasoning, formal theories with practical application, and contemporary thought with historical perspective.” With courses that are taught as studios of no more than 22 students, individual growth and a sense of community within the department is encouraged.

Otis College of Art and Design (OTIS) was established in 1918 by founder and publisher of the Los Angeles Times, General Harrison Gray Otis. The school serves approximately 1,100 full-time students enrolled in 11 BFA degree programs ranging from Graphic Design to Toy Design. The school also offers MFA degrees in Fine Arts, Graphic Design, Public Practice, and Writing, as well as a variety of minors and certificate programs.

The BFA in Graphic Design is offered through the Communication Arts Department as well as a Minor in Advertising Design and a Graphic Design Certificate. Formats covered in the BFA Graphic Design Program include branding and logo development, posters, books, package design, apps, websites, and interactive design. Students in the program “learn to articulate a critical and theoretical perspective and develop graphic design skills, such as type design and traditional letterpress,” says the school. “Strong craft and presentation skills are emphasized throughout,” with students achieving “the highest level of design excellence through critiques, reviews, and workshops.”

Course highlights for the program include Drawing and Building Form, Connections through Color and Design, History of Graphic Design, Illustration, and Advertising Design, Publication, Advanced Image Making Projects, Systems and Identity Design, and Type and Alternative Media. A Senior Thesis/Research Paper, Senior Project/Seminar, and Capstone are also part of the program.

The MFA in Graphic Design is an accelerated yearlong, “LA-based student, faculty and research collective of designers investigating the issues of our day.” During the program, students learn to work across media and platforms through a series of visiting workshops, courses in design theory and history, studio projects, and round table discussions. “The coursework engages research, discourse, critical thinking, and iterative process with the goal of discovering many possible design outcomes. In so doing, the program supports students in taking on the challenges and opportunities in contemporary graphic design practice.”

Graduates of the Graphic Design programs at OTIS have landed positions at major companies such as Apple, Anthropologie, LACMA, Guess, Metro, Capitol Records, and others.

Ringling College of Art and Design (RCAD) was established in 1931 by circus baron, art collector, and real estate developer John Ringling. A member of the only global association to serve art and design education research (Cumulus), RCAD opened with just 75 students and 111 course offerings. Today, the school serves more than 1,600 students enrolled in 13 BA and BFA degree programs and nine minors. Graphic Design, Computer Animation, Film, Game Art, Illustration, and Virtual Reality Development are just a few options.

RCAD programs offer a rigorous curriculum, which combines studio and liberal arts, with client projects, substantive internships, and national competitions. The school’s BFA in Graphic Design prepares students to design “show-stopping solutions for print and interactive media,” says RCAD. Launched in 1980, the program allows students to collaborate with other artists such as copywriters, printers, photographers, illustrators, and developers to “make their ideas a reality.” Course highlights include Design & Typography, New Media Design, Contemporary Design Culture, Interactive Design, Drawing & 2D Design, Drawing & 3D Design, and Visual Persuasion. For Course GDES 491, students have three options: Design Center, an Internship, or Graphic Design Elective.

RCAD internships have led to many full-time employment opportunities. Graduates have been hired by companies such as Google, Facebook, Adult Swim, CBS Interactive, ESPN, Apple iTunes, Leo Burnett, Microsoft, Yahoo!, American Greetings, IGN Entertainment, Wieden + Kennedy, Walt Disney Company, Birchbox, Inc. and many others.

Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) was established in 1838. The school serves more than 31,000 students enrolled in 225 academic programs across 13 schools and one college. An additional four programs are offered at VCU’s Qatar campus. The School of the Arts (VCUarts), which serves more than 3,000 students, offers 25 degree programs. The Department of Graphic Design here has several programs for aspiring graphic designers. Options include BFA degrees in Graphic Design and Communication Arts, and an MFA with a Concentration in Design/Visual Communications.

Students in the NASAD-accredited MFA program “concentrate on the philosophical, communicative, and aesthetic relationships of visual problem solving and the interacting skills leading to the effective articulation of concepts,” says the school. Graduates will have the skills and knowledge needed to pursue a career in Design Education and/or further their professional practices in conducting visual or theoretical research, and in investigating the intersections of function and expression in design problem solving.

The 122-credit BFA in Graphic Design is designed to “educate students to be capable of integrating form and information for the purposes of effective visual communication.” Course highlights for the program include Design Technology, Design Methods and Processes, Imaging, Letterpress, Book Arts, Visual Narrative, Studio Management, and Interaction. Seminar courses are also part of the program.

The Communication Arts BFA is a flexible degree program that allows students to study Advanced Figure Drawing, Scientific Illustration, 3D Modeling, Sequential Imaging (such as comic books and storyboards), Concept Design and Entertainment Design (such as video games and visual effects). “The program is centered on a rigorous investigation of studio methods and practices which explore conceptual and theoretical concerns for understanding and creating image, media, content and context.”

The focus during the junior and senior years is typography, visual studies design, figure drawing, introduction to 3D modeling, the history of visual communications, digital drawing, concept drawing, sequential imaging, advanced illustration, and advanced 3D modeling. The senior year culminates with the capstone portfolio course and a variety of electives are offered each semester to provide students the opportunity for specialized study.

Both BFA options prepare students to create effective visual communications for the advertising industry, marketing, business, retail, entertainment, public relations, publishing and more.

University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) was formed in 1982 “by the consolidation of two U. of I. campuses: the Medical Center campus, which dates back to the 19th century and the comprehensive Chicago Circle campus which replaced, in 1965, the two-year undergraduate Navy Pier campus that opened in 1946 to educate returning veterans.” Today, with more than 31,600 students enrolled in 250 degree programs and 53 certificate programs across 15 colleges, UIC is the largest university in the Chicago area. 

The College of Architecture, Design, and the Arts (CADA) houses the School of Design, which offers a Bachelor of Design (BDes) and a Master of Design (MDes) in Graphic Design. The four-year BDes program highlights studio-based instruction, while the two-year MDes focuses on an independent master’s research project. In the BDES program, “emphasis is placed on perfecting hand skills and in developing proficiency with digital technology,” says the school. “Through exposure to design practice, design culture, and critical observation, students experience Chicago as a global design center.”

The two-year MDes program focuses on an independent master’s research project that offers students the opportunity to explore a topic of inquiry with the potential to inform and shape disciplinary knowledge. Course examples include Advanced Graphic Design, Research Seminar, Documentation Studio, and Research Studio. During the final year of the program, students will participate in the Book Design Masters Project Exhibition.

A third option is the MDes Prelim Program. Offered to applicants who do not hold a bachelor’s degree in design, the Prelim Program is a customized yearlong program that prepares students for the two-year MDes.

The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art (Cooper Union or CU) was founded in 1859 by inventor, industrialist and philanthropist Peter Cooper. The school offers programs in the areas of Art, Architecture and Engineering, and courses in the Humanities and Social Sciences. With nearly 900 students enrolled, the school’s art students account for 32% of the student population.

The School of Art at Cooper Union offers a flexible BFA in Art with a Specialization in Graphic Design. Students in the program may take elective studio classes and seminars, offered on a rotating basis, they may choose to focus their work in one or more areas of specialization, and they may enroll in advanced studio classes with the same course number multiple times. The school says that students are also “encouraged to follow an integrated approach by selecting from various areas while observing a prerequisite system designed to allow in-depth study in specific disciplines.” Other program highlights include internship and study abroad opportunities.

Portland State University (PSU) opened its doors in the summer of 1946 to just 220 students. Today, the school spans 50 city blocks, and it houses nine colleges and schools, 226 degree programs, and more than 25,000 students. The College of the Arts is home to the schools of Architecture, Art + Design, Music, and Theater + Film.

With around 1,400 students enrolled, the School of Art + Design offers BA, BS, BFA degrees and Minors in areas from Art History to Graphic Design. The Graphic Design Program has two options: the BFA and an eight-course Minor that includes Digital Design, Digital Imaging and Illustration, and Communication Design Systems, to name a few.

The BFA provides “a comprehensive education in design principles, applications, theories, history, and practice,” says the school. “The curriculum places particular emphasis on craft, concept, and research skills, as well as the development of effective design processes, the generation of meaningful narratives and story-telling techniques, and engagement with various community partners.” Students in the program work with faculty primarily through studio courses that introduce an increasing complexity of design problems and methodologies, combined with opportunities for independent development and interaction with professionals.

The first two years of the program culminate with a required Sophomore Portfolio Review, occurring once each year at the end of the Spring term. Only after successfully passing the Review are graphic design majors allowed to continue progression through the program. First and second year course highlights include Type & Communication Design, Digital Image and Illustration, Interactive Media, Communication Design Systems, and  Contemporary Design Projects. During the third and fourth years of the program students “choose courses of increasing specialization, have opportunities for engaging in professional internships, and work to develop a professional portfolio as the culmination of their design studies.”

Summer Study Abroad experiences such as Printmaking and Mixed Media in Guanajuato, Mexico, Art History in Rome, and Berlin: The Fall and Rise of an Art City, are also part of the program.

Minneapolis College of Art and Design (MCAD) was established in 1886. The school, which shares a block with the Minneapolis Institute of Art, serves more than 800 students from 45 states and 15 countries. Of these, 50% are enrolled in Design, 38% in Media Arts, 10% in Fine Arts, and the remaining 2% in MCAD's new Arts Entrepreneurship Department. More than 20 programs are available across several departments, including a BFA in Graphic Design, Post-Baccalaureate Certificates in Graphic Design and Interactive Design and Marketing, and an MFA in Visual Studies. A 30 credit hour MA in Graphic and Web Design (online) is also available.

Students in the 120 credit hour BFA program “will develop their own voice and produce original work, they will research, engage with, and create innovative concepts, content, and form, and learn to communicate ideas visually,” says the school. Students will also “refine their technical and conceptual design skills in preparation for a professional career in graphic design.”

The 60 credit hour MFA program allow students to pursue creative work in Graphic Design, Illustration, Interactive Media, Paper and Book Arts, Printmaking, and many others. Students will participate in opportunities “unique to MCAD’s MFA program” at art galleries, art centers, and nonprofits, designed to position students for success post-graduation. Most credits in the program are earned through one-on-one work with a faculty mentor who is an expert in the students chosen field. Optional internships are part of the program as well as a capstone thesis exhibition and paper in the final year. 

Designed for motivated working adults, the 30 credit MA in Graphic and Web Design takes place entirely online. Courses cover typography, research, design principles, programming, ideation, web design, workflow management, and more. Students can start in fall or spring, and take one or two classes per semester.

Students in all programs also have the option to study abroad in places such as Italy, Japan, Ireland, England or Germany, or elsewhere in the U.S.

Established in 1890, Columbia College serves more than 7,300 students from nearly every state and more than 60 countries. The school has over 100 academic majors or programs across several schools and more than 20 departments. Schools include the School of Media Arts, the School of Fine and Performing Arts, and the School of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Programs for aspiring graphic designers are offered in the School of Fine and Performing Arts. Options include BA and BFA degrees in Graphic Design. A second BA in Graphic Design is also available for students who have already earned a bachelor’s degree.

BA students take fewer credit hours in the major and are encouraged to choose a minor or double major in another program such as Fine Arts, Photography, Advertising, or Motion Graphics. BA students choose a concentration in one discipline such as Web Design, Publication Design, or a general concentration.

The BFA requires more advanced courses in graphic design than the BA. Students in this degree track do not choose a concentration and take courses across disciplines including Web Design, Publication Design, and Visual Identity. A second BA in Graphic Design is available if a student has already earned a bachelor’s degree.

Students in both programs have the opportunity to intern at firms such as Leo Burnett—one  of the largest advertising agencies in the world, and with clients like Procter & Gamble and Foote, Cone & Belding—a global advertising agency with clients around the world. Students have also interned at Pivot Design-an award-winning branding, marketing, and advertising agency, Pressley Johnson Design—one of the premiere design communications firms in the Midwest, and 50,000feet,Inc.—a firm that has worked with some of America’s top brands.

University of North Texas (UNT) was founded in 1890 as Texas Normal College and Teachers’ Training Institute. With around 39,200 students enrolled, UNT is the fourth-largest university in Texas. The school offers 105 bachelors, 88 masters and 37 doctoral degree programs across 12 colleges and one school. The College of Visual Arts and Design is home to the Design Department, which houses the Communication Design Program. Program options for aspiring graphic designers include BFA, MA, and MFA degrees in Communication Design.

The BFA program covers the basic principles of design, image making, color theory and typography. It is also designed to “help students learn to be effective conceptual thinkers and, most importantly, creative problem solvers in the disciplines of Advertising and of Graphic Design.” The 36 credit hour MA in Communication Design and the 60 credit hour MFA in Communication Design are both taught as concentrations in Design Research.

Students in all Graphic Design programs have the opportunity to complete an internship, study abroad, and access “valuable resources” consisting of over 1,000 reference books, magazines and paper/print samples of photography, illustration, typography, graphic design and advertising.

Established in 1861, University of Washington (UW) serves more than 57,000 students across three campuses in Seattle, Bothell, and Tacoma. The school offers more than 570 degree options across 300+ programs and 16 colleges and schools. The College of Arts & Sciences is home to the School of Art + Art History + Design (SoA+AH+D), which offers a Bachelor of Design (BDes) in Visual Communication Design and a Master of Design (MDes).

One of the largest undergraduate programs at the University of Washington, Visual Communication Design emphasizes “visual problem solving, organizational skills, and information theory.” Students in the programs engage in all phases of typography, information design, design systems, exhibition design, publication design, new media, and visual methods/processes. Sample courses for the BDes include Typography, Human Centered Design, Color + Composition, Interface Design, Motion Design, Visual Systems, Information Design, and Publication Design.

Sample MDes courses include advanced Design Foundations, Design Methods, Typography, Industrial Design, Interface Design, Case Studies in Corporate Identity, Exhibition and Installation Design, Interaction Design, Information Design, Design Graduate Studio, and Graduate Student Teaching Mentorship.

Students in both programs will have the opportunity to compete for more than 100 seats in the SoA+AH+D study abroad program to explore art, art history, and design in an international context. Past students have studied in Rome, Japan, Spain, and Tuscany.

The University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin) was founded in 1881. The school opened its doors in 1883 with one building, eight professors, one proctor, and 221 students. Today, UT Austin is home to nearly 52,000 students enrolled in over 500 degree programs and fields of study across 18 colleges and schools. The College of Fine Arts, School of Design and Creative Technologies has several programs for aspiring graphic designers. Options include BA, BFA and MFA degrees in Design.

BA and BFA Design students develop their research, problem-solving and critical thinking/making skills through studio-based courses, while elective courses and the university’s core curriculum emphasize the liberal arts. In their junior year, students must complete at least one professional internship, which may include working at major companies with offices in the Austin area. Just a few include Google, Dell, IBM, Apple, Samsung, Frog, Pentagram, and EA Games.

The BFA is a pre-professional degree program encompassing typography, image creation/manipulation, interaction design and 3-D design that is intended to prepare students for employment in the field of design. During the senior year, BFA Design students undertake a capstone design project and show their work in a public exhibition at the Visual Arts Center.

The Design BA is an “equally rich and rigorous exploration of design as a field,” says the school, “but is intended for students who prefer the flexibility and breadth of a liberal arts degree to the more studio-intensive, pre-professional BFA degree.” BA students enroll side-by-side with BFA students in rigorous introductory design studio courses. In the final two years of study, BA students take fewer upper-division studio courses.

The MFA in Design is a 60 credit hour program that accepts exceptional students with preexisting design skills. The program prepares students for “thought and organizational leadership in the field of design or in fields where design is being utilized strategically. In addition to advanced studio work in established design disciplines,” students have the “opportunity to study, explore and work in disciplines that intersect with design.”

All students in the program “will enjoy a formal curricular partnership with another discipline on campus and develop a thesis that thoughtfully intersects design with another field such as business, anthropology, engineering, or art.” In addition, the MFA Design program offers preparation for college teaching in the field of design through a series of classes exploring design pedagogy.

Massachusetts College of Art and Design (MassArt) was founded in 1873 as a training institution for aspiring drawing teachers, architects, artists, and designers. Today, the school offers more than 20 undergraduate art programs, nearly a dozen graduate programs, and around seven certificate programs to a population of nearly 2,100 students. Options for aspiring graphic designers include a BFA in Communication Design and a Graphic Design Certificate (GDC).

Students in the Communication Design BFA Program “gain a robust working knowledge of print design, information design, branding, and dynamic media (user experience design),” says the school. Program highlights include hands-on studio classes led by practicing designers and design educators, and internship opportunities. “Throughout the program, students are challenged to develop design solutions in the areas of package design, publication design, web and app design, interactive communication, and advertising, as well as the creation of graphic identities and brand systems.”

The 38 credit hour GDC is designed for working adults who are interested in advancing into a career in graphic design. Areas covered include branding, print and digital publication, interactive media, environmental graphics, and more. Graduates will leave the program with a portfolio of professional quality work.

Graduates of the Communications Design BFA and GDC work for ad agencies, in-house corporate design departments, design studios, and as freelance designers. Some graduates even go on to launch their own start-ups.

Established in 1867 as Illinois Industrial University, University of Illinois at Urbana – Champaign is one of the original 37 public land-grant institutions created after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Morrill Act. The school serves nearly 48,000 students through 15 colleges and instructional units. The College of Fine and Applied Arts, School of Art and Design offers a 122 credit hour Graphic Design program that leads to a BFA. A 64 credit hour MFA in Graphic Design is also available.

The Graphic Design BFA prepares students for entrance into the professional practice of design visual communications. The school says, “studio work addresses graphic design fundamentals (typography and image making), design history and contemporary practices, research methods, user experience, and social responsibility.” In addition, “students have the opportunity to develop their personal interests by taking advantage of a highly interdisciplinary selection of elective courses offered by the School of Art + Design, including Photography, Video, Traditional Printmaking, Sustainability, Advanced Interaction Design, and the design of Ninth Letter, a nationally-distributed and award-winning literary arts journal.”

The MFA prepares students to contribute to the field of design by entering into practice, academia or both. Specialized tracks of study for the program include Sustainable and Regenerative Design, Urban Sociology and Critical Race Design, Visual and Cultural Studies, and (student-proposed) Applied Research in Responsible, Innovation, Social Impact, and Engagement.

Students also have the opportunity to “explore responsible futures through research in traditional print media and emergent technologies including, but not limited to, data visualization, digital interaction, information design, systems thinking, and visual narrative.” Other program highlights include the opportunity to take courses at Siebel Center for Design, collaboration with PhD students in Informatics, who specialize in design, and networking through “world-class” Programs across campus. Students will also develop partnerships at the Research Park—a leading technology hub that cultivates start-ups and accelerates corporate innovation at companies such as Abbott Laboratories, ADM, Ameren, Capital One, and State Farm.

Established in 1870 as Ohio Agricultural and Mechanical College, The Ohio State University offers over 200 majors, minors and specializations from which more than 68,000 students can choose several paths to focus on graphic design in the College of Arts and Sciences’ Department of Design. Options include a Bachelor of Science in Design (BSD) in Visual Communication Design and a Design Thinking Minor.

Students in the BSD program use digital tools, “including advanced computing technology, to visualize and present translations of complex data and ideas,” says the school. Students will “study and explore research-based approaches to the visual design of information, the development of brand identities based on present and future conditions, and the creation of way-finding systems for navigating complex environments.”

The production of printed materials such as books, brochures, packaging, and posters is also part of the program. Sample courses include Design Media 1 for Visual Communication Design, Typographic Design, Materials + Processes for Visual Communication Design, Design Research, Collaborative Design, Professional Practices, Sustainability and the Built Environment, and Design Matters. In their senior year, designers will complete a final project “that demonstrates each student's comprehensive knowledge and ability to work independently.”

The Design Thinking Minor is a 15 credit hour program that introduces students to new and creative ways to solve problems. Courses include Design Practice, Design History, Exploring Design Thinking, Visualization as Thinking, and Presentation as Thinking.

Graphic design students who would like to pursue graduate study at OSU have two options: the MFA in Visual Arts offered through the Department of Art and the MFA in Digital Animation and Interactive Media offered through the Department of Design. The MFA in Visual arts offers emphases in seven studio areas: Art and Technology, Ceramics, Glass, Painting and Drawing, Photography, Printmaking, and Sculpture. The 66 credit hour, three-year program allows students to work across disciplines and with faculty from all seven studio areas.

The MFA in Digital Animation and Interactive Media allows students to select courses that cover visual design, technical skills for animation and interactive media, programming and algorithms, audio design, writing and scripting, and professional development. Students in all graduate art programs have 24/7 access to private and semi-private studio spaces as well as The Wexner Center for the Arts—a world-renowned contemporary art center located on campus; The Fine Arts and Cartoon Libraries; and the Urban Arts Space—an off-campus, OSU-run gallery in downtown Columbus. The Urban Arts Space is the location of the third-year thesis exhibitions.

Established in 1785, University of Georgia (UGA) serves 38,920 students enrolled in more than 370 fields and areas leading to the bachelor’s, master’s, specialist education, professional, or PhD degree. Programs are offered in 17 schools and colleges, including the Lamar Dodd School of Art—home of the Art Program. Options for aspiring graphic designers include a BFA in Art with Concentrations in Graphic Design, Printmaking & Book Arts, and ArtX: Expanded Forms. An Interdisciplinary Art & Design A.B. (BA), a Minor in Studio Art, and MFA degrees in ArtX and Printmaking are also on the menu.

The school says, “all BFA degrees include the Studio Art Core, comprised of a year-long survey of art history, introductory-level studio foundations, secondary-level ideation and methodologies, and upper-level interdisciplinary thematic studio and professional practice courses.” The Graphic Design pathway stresses “a strong grounding in design and communication fundamentals like typography, information hierarchy, concept development, and visual exploration.”

Students in this program can expect to take courses such as Graphic Systems, Type & Image, Visual Narrative Systems, Advanced Typography, Thematic Inquiry in Contemporary Art and Environmental Graphic Design. Electives include Data Visualization, Advanced Illustration, and Topics in Digital Platforms & Dynamic Media, to name a few.

Students seeking the BFA degree will enter the School of Art as Intended Art majors. “In most studio programs, students are required to present an exhibition or final portfolio that serves as a capstone experience before graduation, demonstrating their achievement in developing a mature and cohesive body of work.”

All art and design students have access to a large study abroad program that offers experiences on all seven continents and UGA campuses in Costa Rica, Central America, Cortona, Italy, and Oxford, England.

Founded in 1885, Arizona State University (ASU) serves more than 110,000 students across six campuses. The school offers more than 290 academic undergraduate programs and hundreds of graduate programs across 17 colleges and schools. The Tempe campus serves 51,585 students, making it the largest campus in the ASU system.

The ASU Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts houses the Design School, which offers programs in the areas of Architecture, Environmental Design, Industrial Design, Interior Design, Landscape Architecture, Urban Design and Visual Communication Design/VCD (Graphic Design). Visual Communication Design (VCD) options include a BSD in Graphic Design, an MSD with a Concentration in Visual Communication Design (VCD MSD), and a Master of Visual Communication Design (MVCD).

The BSD allows students to work on projects in the areas of Information Design, Interaction Design, Exhibition Design, Animation, Motion Graphics, Branding, Publication Design, Web Design, Interface Design and multiple contemporary facets of sensorial design. The MSD for individuals interested in “advanced studies in visual language, history, theory, criticism and methodology, design processes and technology.” The degree “develops an understanding of contemporary graphic design issues through specialized research and design skills. It also prepares the graduate student for a career in graphic design education.”

The MVCD has two options—a two-year studio-based program and a 3+ program. The two-year studio program is designed for students with a degree in VCD or Graphic Design and a 3+ program is designed to be a first professional degree for those students who do not have an undergraduate degree in VCD or Graphic Design.

Founded in 1819, the University of Cincinnati (UC) serves more than 46,300 students enrolled in 370 degree programs across 13 colleges and a graduate school. The College of Design, Architecture, Art and Planning (DAAP) houses the Myron E. Ullman Jr. School of Design, which offers a BS in Communication Design. The program, which takes five years to complete, offers three concentration areas including Graphic Design, Motion Design, and Interaction Design.

Students in the BS program will take a broad range of courses such as Foundational Drawing and Design, Kinetic Communication, Typography, Photodesign, and Design Ideation. Courses are supplemented with general education requirements, directed electives, design history, and interdisciplinary courses in design thinking and user-centered design. Studios “will refine and develop specific or general skills,” says the school “and be enhanced with further study in design history, methodology, research methods, and global studies.” Students in the program also reinforce their skills in the field through several co-ops.

Besides the BS in Communication Design, aspiring graphic designers might consider another program offered through UC’s Blue Ash College. The Art and Visual Communication Department here offers a two-year Associate Degree in Applied Graphic Communication. The program is designed for “students seeking foundational skills appropriate for further study in the design field or for employment in areas of design support.” Classes are small, so students receive considerable personal attention and direction from faculty. Though the program is a two-year degree, students may take up to three years to complete it.

Graduates of the Communication Design and Graphic Communication programs at UC have career opportunities in advertising, branding and corporate identity, digital product design, exhibit design, interface design, motion graphics and post-production design, package design, service design, user experience design, and web design. They may be found working in the “healthcare system or for governments and NGOs impacting society. Established designers may create their own firms or pursue entrepreneurial activities.

Founded in 1899, Texas State University, San Marcos (TXST) serves more than 38,000 undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in more than 200 bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programs — from biology to music to business to geography and more. With two campuses in San Marcos and Round Rock, Texas, TXST offers programs through 10 colleges, including the College of Fine Arts & Communication—home of the Communication Design Program, which offers both BFA and MFA pathways.

The school says that the Communication Design Program is “one of the largest public programs in the country.” BFA students have three areas of professional study to choose from including Graphic Design, Art Direction, and Interactive Media. Courses in art direction, brand experience, corporate identity, design research, environmental graphics, human centered design, interactive design, sustainable packaging and typography prepare students for professional practice within a designer/client relationship. Students may further their education with independent study courses and professional internships.

Communication Design courses are taught in a studio environment, with class sizes limited to approximately 16. Students have access to the Mitte Complex, which has Macintosh labs, an open lab for student use, digital color printing availability including RISO, digital still and video camera checkout, and a photography studio and a multidisciplinary innovation lab equipped with laser cutter, CNC router, 3D printer and die cutter.

The MFA curriculum is “designed to provide advanced study in the areas of corporate advertising art direction, graphic design, and digital media design. The graduate program will provide students with the following: advanced problem-solving methodologies, updating technological advancement relating to communication design, examination of historical events within the discipline, and emerging theoretical constructs.”

“Web-based delivery is heavily featured in course curriculum, as well as online video conferences, live chat, and blogging interfaces. In addition, the program offers courses via extended weekend seminars, evening courses, and independent directed study. This non-traditional structure allows active professionals to participate.” The MFA program also offers “limited graduate assistant positions for qualified students who wish to immerse themselves full time in their graduate studies.”

For students seeking a future career in higher education, the program provides the appropriate academic credential and the terminal degree in the discipline of visual communication design: the MFA.

“The exchange of ideas on an international basis is an important component of the MFA Communication Design program.” Guest professors from around the world visit the TXST campus to” lecture and share their unique perspective on communication design with graduate students. In addition, selected students are encouraged to participate in international field trips to expand their knowledge in the field of communication design.”

TXST Communication Design students have had their work published in CMYK, Step Inside Design, Graphis New Talent Annual, and PRINT. Students have also received recognition in national, regional, and local competitions such as The One Show, American Advertising Federation Awards, National DSVC Student Show, Creative Summit, Art Director's Club of Houston, Austin Addy Awards, and San Antonio Addy Awards.  

Founded in 1853, Washington University in St. Louis serves more than 14,500 students enrolled in more than 300 academic programs in a number of colleges and schools. The College of Art houses the Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts, which offers a BA in Design and BFA in Communication Design. The BA in Design is a 120 credit hour, collaborative program that allows students to experience design research and process through work in graphic design, interaction design, illustration, and fashion. Students can complete a broad design degree without a concentration, or choose a concentration in Communication or Fashion.

The BFA in Communication Design is a “collaborative program at the intersection of graphic design, illustration, and interaction design,” says the school. Students in this program can choose to design interfaces for mobile devices and the web, they can make pictures for games and motion graphics, or illustrate stories and create comics and design printed posters and books. Students can also choose to apply design skills to social problems in the community, including areas such as public health and urban education, or they may study the history of printed images, comics, and advertising through the Douglas B. Dowd Modern Graphic History Library.

The first year requires studio coursework in drawing, 2D and 3D design, digital design, and a weekly lecture course. Second year students explore disciplines across art and design, selecting from introductory courses in graphic design, typography, illustration, printmaking, painting, photography, sculpture, and fashion design.

Course highlights include Word & Image, Interaction Foundations, Interaction Design: User-Centered Applications, Illustration Concepts & Media/Visual Journalism, Content to Cover: The Design of Books, Design for Social Impact, and Art Practice. The program culminates in a Senior Capstone, which may be an illustrated book, zine, screen-based presentation, graphic novel/mini-comic, or digital experience. The final project is displayed in a public exhibition and reviewed by external design professionals.

Established in 1880, University of Southern California (USC) serves 47,500 students enrolled in more than 200 undergraduate programs, 300-plus graduate programs, and more than 150 minors. Program options for aspiring graphic designers are offered in the Roski School of Art and Design. First organized in 1883, the Roski School of Art and Design at USC is the oldest art school in Southern California.

“A supportive environment for experimentation in visual art of all media,” says the school, Roski “encourages interdisciplinary, progressive approaches to studio art, design, curatorial practice and critical studies.” The school offers a BFA and MFA degrees in Design and a Minor in Communication Design. The Design BFA requires 26 units of electives, which allows students to refine their focus. The program requires courses such as Art and Design Studio, Typography, Publication Design, Web Design, Drawing for Art and Design, Digital Tools in 3D Design, and 3D Design: Materials and Tools. A Professional Internship in the Arts, Special Projects in Design, and a Senior Thesis are also part of the program.

The Design MFA is a five-term program administered in collaboration with the Graduate School. A professional degree in the practice of design, the prorgam highlights mentored relationships with design faculty, participation in regular seminars, and discussions and studio visits with leading visiting designers, writers and theorists from around the world. The Roski School's partnership and affiliation with the contemporary design community in Los Angeles, such as American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA), is also critical component of the MFA Design Program.

Students will complete an MFA Design Thesis and the opportunity to gain experience as a teaching assistant is available on a competitive basis.

The Communication Design Minor requires courses in design, visual literacy and digital imaging. It also includes optional courses in business, communication, public relations and marketing, “allowing students to translate their design foundation in ways that are directly relevant to their career paths.” The total number of units required for the minor is 24.

Founded in 1829, Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) serves nearly 19,000 across eleven colleges and schools emphasizing career education and experiential learning. The school, which has global locations in China, Croatia, Dubai, and Kosovo, offers several programs for aspiring graphic designers. Programs include a BFA in Graphic Design and an MFA in Visual Communication Design.

Offered through the College of Art and Design, School of Design, the BFA integrates major courses, studio and free electives, and liberal arts, as well as aspects of business, professional practices, computer-based skills, collaborative projects, and workflow. Students can expect to take courses such as 2D and 3D Design, Time-Based Design, Interactive Media Design, Web and User Interface Design, Branding and Identity Design, Design Systems and Methodology, and Experiential Graphic Design. All students in the BFA program will complete a portfolio and Senior Capstone Project.

The MFA in Visual Communication Design (VCD) is a 60 credit hour program composed of courses in Communication Design, Interactive Design, and Motion and 3D Digital Design. In addition, students are required to take Design History Seminar, Design Theory and Methods Seminar, and Professional Practices. The school says, “seminars explore cross-disciplinary principles, theories and methods that can be used by designers. Through selected readings from current periodicals, critical writing, hands-on involvement, presentations and guest lectures, students will broaden their awareness of topics such as systems thinking, human factors, semiotic theory, and visual rhetoric.”

The MFA in VCD, which enrolls around 100 students, allows all eligible students to participate in an optional co-op program the summer between their first and second years. Some students may have the opportunity to participate during the fall and spring terms.

Graduates of the BFA and MFA programs at RIT will have career options such as Graphic Designer, Visual Designer, Art Director, Interactive Designer, UI/UX Designer, Digital Product Designer, Presentation Designer, Freelance Designer, Junior Designer, and many others.

Established in 1856 as the East Alabama Male College, Auburn University serves a co-ed population of 30,460 students enrolled in more than 140 degree options across 13 colleges and schools. The College of Architecture, Design and Construction is home to in the School of Industrial + Graphic Design. Program offerings for aspiring graphic designers include a BFA in Graphic Design (BFA GDES).

The program emphasizes Fine Arts, Exhibitions, Identity Development, Logos, Visual/Digital Interface, Packaging, and Magazine Design. In addition, the school says, “students have excellent opportunities for internship and cooperative education experiences as a result of well established relationships with regional, national and international companies and firms.” Career opportunities range from “the development of strategies to implement large-scale communications campaigns, to the design of effective communication products such as magazines, logo and identity development, interactive media, web design, packaging, exhibitions, illustration, and environmental graphics.”

Auburn GDES is the only Graphic Design Program in Alabama to receive NASAD accreditation.

Kent State University (KSU or Kent State) was founded in 1910. The school serves, which consists of an eight-campus system, serves approximately 43,457 students enrolled in more than 300 degree programs across dozens of colleges and schools. The College of Communication and Information, School of Visual Communication Design, offers several programs for aspiring graphic designers including BFA, MA, and MFA degrees in Visual Communication Design and a Design Minor.

The BFA program consists of approximately two-thirds of the coursework in the "creation and study of the visual arts," says the school, with the remainder in general studies. Because of the greater emphasis on upper-level studio courses, the BFA allows majors the opportunity to build greater expertise in a given area of the field.

The MFA is one of only three programs in the state to offer the Master of Arts degree in Visual Communication Design and was the first to offer the terminal degree in the field, the Master of Fine Arts. The MA is a 32 credit hour program that prepares students to work in emerging markets such as social media, branding, digital media and user experience design. The MFA “serves students with a strong undergraduate and/or professional experience in design who wish to advance into leadership roles.” Graduates “typically pursue careers in design education, but also stand out in the industry for their ability to solve problems from a research-based design perspective.”

The Design Minor provides students with “grounding in the fundamental elements of graphic design, including design research and history, graphic software, industry standards and professional ethics.” All School of Visual Communication Design students must complete 300 hours of internship before graduation. Most internships are paid, and students have the opportunity to work at major companies across Cleveland and in Chicago, San Francisco, and New York.

Brigham Young University (BYU) was founded in 1875 by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS). Serving around 33,500 students from all 50 states and 105 countries, BYU offers more than 400 undergraduate majors and minors, master’s programs and doctoral programs. The school houses dozens of colleges, schools, and departments that offer programs from Accounting to Visual Communications.

The College of Fine Arts and Communications serves nearly 5,700 students enrolled in programs in the Department of Art, the School of Communications, the Department of Dance, the Department of Design, the School of Music, and the Department of Theater and Media Arts. Students in the College “undertake research projects, pursue internships, and participate in study abroad programs across the globe,” says the school. Communications is one of the College’s top six majors by graduation.

Options for aspiring graphic designers include BA and BFA degrees in Graphic Design, a BFA in Art with a Focus in New Genres or Printmaking, and Minors in Design or Advertising Design. Other areas of study include Interaction Design, Motion Design, Visual Development, and Branding.

Because of the popularity of the Graphic Design Program, enrollment is limited to just 40 students. Course highlights for the program include Branding, Design Thinking, Motion, Media Design, Bookbinding, Interaction Design, Letterpress Studio, and Studio Practices for Designers. Students in the program will complete a BFA Capstone Project and a required Professional Internship.

Student interns have the opportunity to apply their design skills in a real working environment, they will learn how to meet the needs of the client while preserving the integrity of the design principles they have learned in class, and interact with team members from all areas of expertise on a real-world project.

Founded in 1839, Boston University (BU) serves more than With over 35,000 students from more than 130 countries, enrolled in 17 schools and colleges, and more than 300 programs of study. With three campuses and over 10,000 faculty and staff, BU is Boston’s largest employer. Programs for aspiring graphic designers are offered in the College of Fine Arts. Options include BFA, MFA, and Certificate Programs in Graphic Design.

The BFA program “provides a sequenced studio approach, preparing students to thrive in a dynamic, creative professional environment,” says the school. The program begins with Foundations , which introduces “visual concepts in two and three dimensions, with an emphasis on drawing from observation.” In the Sophomore year, students specialize in graphic design coursework, with yearlong graphic design and typography studios that emphasize form and communication. Third year students participate in graphic design and typography studios that “address authorship, audience, and medium.” The program culminates in the thesis project and end of year exhibition, where students “articulate a personally driven design methodology through an installation of their work in the Boston University Art Galleries.”

The MFA in Graphic Design “provides a sequenced studio approach to advanced design thinking and problem solving for visual communication, preparing students to thrive in a dynamic professional environment.” Graphic Design Studios form the programs core and electives complement the studios, providing the opportunity to specialize in areas of interest. Elective courses currently include Information Design, Design for the Web, Interactive Design, Experience Design, Motion Graphics, Design Theory, History of Graphic Design, Editorial Design and Exhibition Design.

MFA students also benefit from lectures by nationally and internationally distinguished designers and direct contact with the industry. The program culminates in a master’s thesis, which is presented in an exhibition format at the Boston University Art Galleries.

An ideal step towards an MFA in Graphic Design, the Graphic Design Graduate Certificate Program is a one-year, full-time rigorous and intensive study in graphic design. The program includes core studio and typography requirements and allows students to choose elective courses based on their specific interests and career goals. Students in this program will complete 30 credit hours of study.

Founded in 1889, Clemson University serves nearly 26,000 students enrolled in more than 280 undergraduate majors, minors, and graduate programs in seven colleges. The College of Business, Department of Graphic Communications offers a BS in Graphic Communications that the school says is “dedicated to hands-on learning experiences.” Students in the program are “placed in positions in a variety of printing, packaging, publishing, imaging and related industries in management, marketing, sales, customer service, creative, technical and scientific positions.” The school says that placement rates are “consistently high” with “competitive salaries.”

In addition to engaging in hands-on learning experiences, Graphic Communications students will take courses such as Digital Imaging and eMedia, Packaging Science, Ink and Substrates, Package and Specialty Printing, Commercial Printing, Technical Writing, Current Developments and Trends in Graphic Communications, and Marketing. Graduates of the program are prepared to enter the schools MS in Graphic Communications or seek positions in printing management, production planning and supervision, commercial and technical sales, and many others.

The MS in Graphic Communications includes 33 credit hours of graduate courses for the non-thesis option or 30 hours with a thesis. Within the total requirements, at least 17 hours will be in GC technical/managerial courses; seven will be research related; six credits will be from outside the Graphic Communications Department; and at least one-half will be at or above the 8000 level.

Graduates of the program are placed in positions in a variety of printing, packaging, publishing, imaging and related industries in management, marketing, sales, customer service, creative, technical, scientific, and academic positions.

Appalachian State University was founded in 1899. The school serves approximately 19,280 students enrolled in more than 220 academic programs through the College of Arts and Sciences, College of Fine and Applied Arts, Reich College of Education, Walker College of Business, Hayes School of Music, Beaver College of Health Sciences, and Cratis D. Williams School of Graduate Studies. App State also offers a Doctorate of Education.

The College of Fine and Applied Arts houses the Department of Art, which offers several programs for aspiring graphic designers. Options include a BFA in Graphic Design and BS degrees in Graphic Communications Management – Cross Media Production (GCM – CMP) or Print/Packaging Production (GCM – PPP). 

The program consists of 66 semester hours in Art Studio and related areas and 12 semester hours in Art History/Criticism and allows students to take a mix of both prescribed and elected courses in art, concentrating on individual strengths and interests. Sample courses for the program include Typography, Digital Imaging, Calligraphy, Interaction Design, Idea Lab, Motion Graphics, Sign, Symbol, Image, Design Methods, and Graphic Design Professional Practice.

Graduates of the BFA program “will be prepared to successfully contend for the rigorous and highly competitive careers in graphic design as well as for admittance into graduate level programs,” says the school.

The BS in GCM-CMP “focuses on applying graphic messaging across different channels/platforms such as web, email, print, cover wraps, etc. to communicate to various markets.” Sample courses include Digital Media Composition, Cross Media Production, Packaging Production, Web Development for Graphic Communications, and 3D Imaging and Animation. An industry internship is also part of the program.

The BS in GCM – PPP “covers a wide variety of processes and methods of production.” This includes flexography, digital printing systems, offset lithography, variable data printing and wide format printing “in addition to the design and production of packages that protect and promote products in channels of distribution.” Students in this program can expect to take many of the same courses required in the GCM – CMP program, as well as courses such as Advanced Packaging Production and Sustainability for Graphic Communication. This program also requires completion of an industry internship.

Founded as a night school by Russell Conwell in 1884, Temple University serves around 40,000 undergraduate, graduate and professional students enrolled in more than 500 academic programs across 17 schools and colleges. The largest university in Philadelphia, Temple has international campuses in Tokyo and Rome, and study abroad opportunities across six continents.

Tyler School of Art and Architecture at Temple University offers a BFA in Graphic & Interactive Design (GAID), a BFA in Graphic & Interactive Design with Entrepreneurial Studies, and an MFA in Graphic & Interactive Design. The BFA in GAID allows students to work closely with faculty who are practicing professionals with established international reputations in design for print and electronic media. Students will learn by working design projects for print and interactive media including logo and collateral design for corporate identities, packaging, promotional campaigns, books, periodicals, websites, web apps and animation. Advanced level courses are offered in a wide range of topics including corporate design, packaging, typography, publication design, promotion design, advertising, art direction, design authorship, illustration, digital narrative and interactive design.

The school says that the curriculum is enriched by visiting designers and illustrators and an exciting range of off-campus opportunities including an internship program for course credit, participation in national and international design competitions and exhibitions, community-oriented work for nonprofit organizations, tours of professional design studios, and portfolio reviews through professional design and advertising organizations. The program culminates in a final portfolio.

Graduates from the program land positions at design studios, in-house design departments and advertising and marketing agencies. Many alumni from the program go on to establish their own successful businesses as well.

The 126 credit hour BFA in GAID with Entrepreneurial Studies is offered in partnership with Fox School of Business at Temple and Tyler School of Art and Architecture. The program integrates the disciplines of art and entrepreneurship, preparing students with the requisite skills for entrepreneurship in their respective studio discipline and necessary preparation to pursue graduate studies in their studio discipline, in entrepreneurship, or in similar professions upon graduation.

Tyler’s MFA program in GAID is an intensive two-year immersion in the practice of design. The goal of the program, says the school “is to create a new generation of design entrepreneurs by providing them with real-world experience and the opportunity to be their own client.” Faculty identifies “specific MFA projects that have great entrepreneurial potential and guide students through the rigorous processes to make them real. Many of the MFA projects are now making their way into GAID’s design incubator, The Hatchery, a new initiative to promote entrepreneurship and transform student projects into marketable products.” Students work directly with the design incubator’s Director on marketing plans for graduate projects created at Tyler.

Graduate faculty “work closely with the MFA students in a program fueled by collaborative exploration. While faculty members guide students in defining and focusing on their unique projects, all students are engaged in supporting the development of each other’s work through regular group critiques and shared research.”

Founded in 1858 as Gainesville Academy, University of Florida (UF) serves more than 56,000 students enrolled in 30 certificate programs, 100 undergraduate majors and 200 graduate programs across more than a dozen colleges and schools. The College of the Arts houses the School of Art + Art History, which offers a BFA in Graphic Design, an MFA in Design and Visual Communications (MXD), and an Undergraduate Certificate in Graphic Design.

BFA students enjoy a “rich and intensive studio experience,” says the school, that allows them to “take art and design to the maximum depth possible in preparation to be an artist or designer, or to continue further study in art and design via a graduate program, or to even begin a career path directly related to the arts.” Students can choose from emphases in Ceramics, Art + Technology, Painting, Drawing, Printmaking, Sculpture, and Creative Photography.

The MFA has two- and three-year options that consist of 60 credits total (terminal degree). This includes 24 credits in graduate design courses (research seminars, studio and fieldwork practice), 15 credits of open elective, six credits of practicum, and 15 credits for the MFA project, which is self-directed and designed, allowing students to focus in any area of Design and Visual Communications.

When comparing the two- and three-year MFA options, the three-year option is for students funded with an assistantship or fellowship. Along with funding, the University of Florida provides tuition remission for nine credit hours per semester. The two-year option is for students who are self-funded or have other sources of funding and desire an accelerated path. Students should be mindful of the time commitment that four to five courses per semester and any part-time work will require.

University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) originated as Arlington College in 1895. The school began with roughly 75 students. Today, total global enrollment for UTA is nearly 60,000. The school offers more than 180 degree programs across nine colleges, including the College of Liberal Arts (CoLA), which houses the Department of Art and Art History. Here, students can earn a BA, BFA or MFA in Art that covers Visual Communication (Graphic Design, Web Design, App Design, Game Design and Illustration), Emerging Media, Intermedia, Film and Video, Printmaking, Drawing, and more. Course highlights include Sign and Symbol, Publication Design, Three-Dimensional Design, History of Graphic Design, Information Visualization, Digital Media, Advanced Typography, Web Typography, Sustainable Design, and Advanced Printmaking.

Students in Graphic Design will complete Graphics Portfolio Preparation, which concentrates on the creation, development, and evaluation of the graphic design portfolio. BFA students will complete the Senior Exhibition/Presentation course as well and internship opportunities are offered in all programs.

MFA students must take 60 semester credit hours over six semesters of the three-year program. The student will be required to spend a minimum of three semesters in the MFA program with one academic year in residency as a full-time student. Thirty-nine credit hours are reserved for the concentration, with the remainder dedicated to supporting studio courses, art history courses, and free electives.

Students are required to take courses such as Research in Visual Communication, Critical Perspective in the Visual Arts & Visual Communication, Research in Studio Intermedia, and Creative Strategies. Elective options run the gamut from Research in Printmaking to Research in Photography Digital Imaging. Independent Study is also part of the program as well as the Thesis Exhibition.

Graduates of the Art programs at UTA have career opportunities such as Graphic Designer, Illustrator, Photographer, Art Director, Exhibition Designer, Art Dealer, Printmaker, Animator, Web/App Designer, and many others.

Founded in 1855, Michigan State University (MSU) serves around 50,350 students from 142 countries, every state in the United States and every county in Michigan. MSU students have access to more than 200 programs across 17 degree-granting colleges. The College of Arts & Letters, Department of Art, Art History, and Design, offers an MFA that allows students to select a track such as Graphic Design, and a BFA in Graphic Design that offers the unique opportunity for students to gain real-world design experience by offering design services to the community.

The school says “MSU's Design Center in the Department of Art, Art History, and Design works with internal and external clients to effectively communicate the client's messages in a professional manner. From logos to packaging, and brochures to websites, Design Center has worked on a variety of projects, each specifically targeted to address the goal and personality of an individual client.”

Undergraduate students who “exemplify creativity, dedication, and professionalism in the Graphic Design Program” are selected to join the Design Center creative team each year.

Other program highlights include the opportunity to select concentration courses structured to address several career options within the discipline, internship opportunities, AIGA membership, and the Annual Visiting Artist & Scholar Lecture Series. Recent lecturers include Massimo Vignelli, Martin Venezky, Ben Fry, Nancy Skolos & Tom Wedell, James Victore, Andrew Blauvelt, Jim Sherraden of Hatch Showprint, Stuart Bailey, Jan Wilker, Cheryl Towler Weese, Hans Allemann, and Karen Cheng.

Graduates of the Graphic Design Program at MSU hold positions as creative directors, art directors, graphic designers, freelancers, and video editors with design firms, advertising agencies, production companies, publishing companies, and in-house design offices. Career concentrations include identity system, environmental signage and exhibition, magazine and book, web site, software interfaces, film titles and broadcast television graphics, typeface, packaging, poster, corporate branding, and retail design, etc.

Established in 1885, University of Arizona was the state’s first university. The school serves nearly 46,000 students enrolled in hundreds of bachelors, masters, and doctoral degrees, and first professional and specialist programs, in dozens of colleges and schools. The College of Fine Arts houses the School of Art, which offers BFA and MFA degrees in Studio Art with an Illustration and Design (I+D) Emphasis. Separate tracks in Illustration and Design are offered to undergraduates.

The Illustration Track provides “rigorous education in constructive anatomy,” says the school. Students will “learn to describe the human form realistically and expressively and find personal methodologies in traditional and digital media.” Graduates will leave the program with a professional portfolio and “knowledge of the history of Illustration as well as, the guidelines for ethical professional business practices in the field.”

The Design Track “provides a foundation in design principles and methodologies, creative problem solving and digital processes.” As students advance in the program, they will gain “knowledge and skills in professional practice including identity systems, web design, typography, motion graphics, history, contemporary criticism, and theory.” Graduates will leave the program with a professional portfolio and “a broad understanding of the business of design as well as its potential as a medium of critical inquiry and community involvement.”

The MFA is a 60 unit terminal degree comprised of interdisciplinary, graphic design and illustration courses as well as seminars, and independent studies “developing a body of self-authored work that contributes to the broad and expanding field of illustration, design and art.”

“Focused studio and course structures explore the theory, philosophy, and making of contemporary illustration, design and art. The program provides a range of opportunities for focus in visual narratives, community engagement, social practice, environmental projects, and technology, with a firm grounding in contemporary and historical contexts.”

Students in all Art Programs have access to studio spaces, computer labs with Wacom Cintiq Touch screens and animation stations, a digital imaging lab with large format printing, mounting and other services, letterpress equipment, photopolymer platemaking equipment, metal and wood type collections, binding equipment, darkrooms, wood and metal shops, sculpture foundry, and ceramics labs. Students also benefit from external resources such as the Center for Creative Photography, the University Museum of Art, and the Poetry Center, as well a library that houses an extensive book art collection.

Established in 1969, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) was created after Indiana University (est. 1891) and Purdue University (est. 1869) merged their numerous programs and schools. Today, across the system, the school serves more than 45,000 students from 50 states and 142 countries, enrolled in 350 undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs. Seventeen schools grant degrees in Engineering, Health Sciences, Liberal Arts, Life Sciences, and more.

The Herron School of Art + Design at Indiana University-Purdue University offers BFA and MFA degrees in Visual Communications Design (VCD). BFA program highlights include access to collaborative classrooms and eight VCD studios, the opportunity to enhance the degree with a Minor in Book Arts or Studio Art and Technology, and classes taught by faculty who are working professionals in the field. VCD students also have access to research and studio spaces including the Think It Make It Lab, woodshops, photo lighting studios, book arts studio, and the Herron Art Library.

The final semester of the BFA program culminates in a capstone project that students develop with a focus on either service experience or digital experience design. A shared senior exhibition is also part of the final semester.

The MFA in VCD “focuses on forms of inquiry and actions involved in designing,” says the school. The program is “experiential, involving both group and individual projects.” In seminars, methods, and action research studios, students will develop knowledge, skills, and practices that will be applied to the final thesis research project. Course highlights for the program include Methods for Design Research, Seminar: Leadership in Design Practice, Collaborative Action Research in Design, Thesis Writing, and Methods for Design Synthesis.

Herron VDC alumni have landed positions at “powerful” companies such as Google, Humana, Samsung Research America, and many others.

Louisiana State University (LSU) was founded in 1853 under the name Louisiana State Seminary of Learning and Military Academy. The school serves approximately 31,761 students enrolled in more than 220 programs through over a dozen colleges and schools. The College of Art and Design houses the School of Art, which offers two programs for aspiring graphic designers: a BFA in Studio Art with a Concentration in Graphic Design and an MFA in Graphic Design.

The 120 credit hour BFA program helps students develop skills in typography, print and editorial design, information design, digital imaging and motion graphics, packaging, environmental design, identity design, and branding. Course highlights include Graphic Abstraction, Two-Dimensional Design, Three-Dimensional Design, Digital Art, Prepress Production Techniques, Interactive Multimedia Design, Digital Imaging Techniques, and Applied Typography.

Per the school, the 60 credit hour, three-year MFA program includes “research and discourse of both modernist and postmodernist methods, strategies, and analysis of the practice of design and their implementation to contemporary graphic design.” Students in the program will take 27 graduate studio hours, 12 art history hours, 12 studio art/general elective hours, and a three-hour teaching seminar.

Courses are supplemented by workshops and lectures by national and international visiting artists, scholars, and design professionals. The final year of study is “dedicated principally to the master’s thesis—submitted as a thesis report and exhibition, for which it is anticipated that students will make original and comprehensive student-directed research investigations in graphic communications.” The thesis is worth six credit hours.

The University of Kansas (KU) was named as the official university for the State of Kansas when Gov. Carney signed the act to begin the university on March 1, 1864. Today, KU is a major public and teaching institution that serves approximately 28,423 students across all campuses, and from 50 states and 105 countries. Campuses include Lawrence, Kansas City, Overland Park, Wichita, Leavenworth, and Salina. KU has 13 schools, including the only schools of pharmacy and medicine in the state, and offers more than 370 degree programs.

Part of the School of Architecture and Design, the Department of Design offers a BFA in Visual Communication Design (Graphic Design). The program “prepares students for current professional demands and provides students with the fundamental design thinking, making and process skills required to build a rewarding career and facilitate life-long learning,” says the school. Course content “deals with a variety of visual communication design problems related to the community, society, industry, commerce, and advertising and attention is given to the development of a well-rounded, representative, and quality portfolio.”

Course highlights include Designer as Author, Design for Change, Design Understanding, Elements of Type, Publication & Editorial, Typographic Systems, and Visual Communication.  Other program highlights include internship and study abroad opportunities as well as the option to complete a Certificate in Book Arts. The Certificate requires 12 credit hours, and students learn production across the “whole book—papermaking, typography, printing, and binding, informed by the history of the book.”

Career options for graduates of the KU Visual Communication Design Program include traditional print media, magazine and book design, corporate marketing communications, branding, packaging design, exhibition and environmental design, motion graphic design, website design, interface design, and more. Job titles include Graphic Designer, Animator, Art Director, Commercial/Industrial Designer, Multimedia Specialist, Advertising Art Director, Public Relations Manager, Exhibition Designer, Marketing Manager, and many others.

Founded in 1863, Kansas State University (K-State) serves approximately 21,719 students enrolled in more than 250 undergraduate majors and options, 43 graduate certificates, 73 master's degree programs, 39 doctoral degree programs, and four educational doctoral programs. Programs are offered through 11 colleges and schools, including the College of Arts and Sciences, which consists of more than 20 departments, more than 7,000 students and more than 115 degree programs, study abroad experiences, and pre-professional options.

Housed within the College of Arts and Sciences is the Department of Art, which offers both BFA and MFA degrees with a Concentration (undergraduate) or Emphasis (graduate) in Graphic Design. The undergraduate program takes place in a laboratory-like studio setting where “where an active community, informal peer-interaction, and opportunities for collaborative output help inform students' preparation for professional practice,” says the school. “Through a mixture of training and experience in visual communication design centered on typography, the program develops students' abilities to shape and solve problems, while expanding technical and visual skill sets across industry-relevant media, materials, and environments.”

Students in the undergraduate program will also have access to internship and study abroad opportunities and all K-State Graphic Design students will benefit from the local AIGA student group, which arranges studio tours, travels to national conferences and events, and attracts influential contemporary designers for speaking engagements.

The K-State MFA in Graphic Design consists of three years of study. Program highlights include independent study with departmental faculty and a cross-disciplinary graduate committee, dedicated studio space in Willard Hall and access to the rest of the Art Department facilities, and a third-year capstone design project and exhibition. Qualified students may also be eligible for a Graduate Teaching Assistantship (GTA), which provide financial support as well as valuable experience for future employment.

Mayors Imagining the Just City: Volume 4

From Drought to Flood: Solutions for Extreme Climate Events in Monterrey, Mexico

In 2022 and 2023, Monterrey, Mexico’s second largest city, experienced a critical shortage of water…

Feb 22, 2024

Photo Essay

A New Future for a Colonial Fort in Ghana

The village of Ada Foah sits on the coast of Ghana where the Volta River…

Feb 20, 2024

Boston Mayor Speaks at the GSD about Urban Forests, Community Resilience, and Environmental Justice 

Describing herself as an avowed “tree hugger” from her childhood as part of an…

Feb 16, 2024

Remembering George Baird, 1939–2023

The architect and scholar George Baird served on the faculty at the Harvard University Graduate…

Feb 8, 2024

Design and Time: An Interview with Offshore

The public program at the Harvard Graduate School of Design features speakers in the…

Feb 7, 2024

Disguised Density: An Excerpt from “The State of Housing Design 2023”

This essay is an excerpt from The State of Housing Design 2023, a book published…

Dec 19, 2023

Announcing the Harvard GSD Spring 2024 Public Program

The Harvard Graduate School of Design (GSD) announces its Spring 2024 schedule of public…

Jan 24, 2024

How Public Health Methods Can Bolster Socially Conscious Urban Development

Cities today are faced with complex challenges that require careful decisions about the future of…

Dec 13, 2023

Nexus Podcast: Mpho Matsipa and Antawan Byrd

Season 3, Episode 4: Mpho Matsipa and Antawan Byrd navigate Pan-Africanism and Counter-Cartographies in…

Jan 29, 2024

The Plan for a More Sustainable and Accessible Gund Hall

This fall, teams of workers at Harvard’s Graduate School of Design began the…

Dec 18, 2023

A Team of Harvard Researchers Develop a Prototype for a More Efficient and Eco-friendly Air Conditioner

Continuing a trend from this summer, September 2023 was the hottest September on record,…

Nov 3, 2023

“A Radical Obvious Idea”: “Carceral Landscapes” Confronts the Role of Design in Mass Incarceration

Melanie Newport delivers her presentation “A Bigger, Better Jail: Jail Overcrowding and the Making of…

Nov 9, 2023

Future of the American City: The Architecture of Disability

  Designer, historian, and theorist David Gissen joins Charles Waldheim to discuss his new book…

Nov 21, 2023

The Forest for the Trees (and the Birds, and the People, and the Planet)

As we continue to face the twin crises of rapidly accelerating climate change…

Oct 11, 2023

Harvard Design Magazine

Multihyphenate

Multihyphenation is a compound term referring to alternate modes of creative production: “Collab”…

By John May, Zeina Koreitem and Sean Canty

September 2023

• Graduate Programs

Whether you’re setting out on a course of academic study that will define your professional life, or seeking to build skills to help you land a better job, Santa Clara’s graduate programs offer a range of options to match your needs.

Many of our graduate students work while pursuing their degrees, so we offer both part- and full-time programs and some online courses, as well as certificate, license, and non-degree options.

Leavey School of Business

With the largest MBA program in Silicon Valley as well as specialized Masters degrees, the business school offers a range of options to professionals at different stages in their careers.

• 4+1 Master of Science Programs

School of Education and Counseling Psychology

Offering masters and credential programs and certificates to those serving their communities in education, counseling, health and human services, and ministry. 

Master’s Programs

• M.A.  Applied Psychology
• M.A.  Counseling
• M.A.  Counseling Psychology
• M.A.  Educational Leadership

Doctor of Education Degree Program

• Ed.D.  Social Justice Leadership

School of Law

In addition to J.D. and LL.M. degrees, the School of Law offers unique combined degree programs in J.D./MSIS.

• J.D.  Juris Doctor 
• Hybrid, Part-Time  Flex J.D.
• J.D./MBA  Master of Business Administration
• J.D./MSIS  Master of Science in Information Systems
• LL.M.  Intellectual Property
• LL.M.  International & Comparative Law
• LL.M.  United States Law

College of Arts and Sciences Graduate Program in Pastoral Ministries

Preparing graduates to enter professional ministries. 

• M.A.  Pastoral Ministries (Online & In-Person)
• Graduate Certificate in Restorative Justice & Chaplaincy  (Online & In-Person)

School of Engineering

Offering flexible graduate programs for working engineers in Silicon Valley, as well as traditional full-time programs.

M.S. Programs

• Aerospace Engineering
• Applied Mathematics
• Bioengineering
• Civil, Environmental and Sustainable Engineering
• Computer Science and Engineering
• Electrical Engineering
• Engineering Management
• Mechanical Engineering
• Power Systems and Sustainable Energy
• Robotics and Automation

Accelerated B.S./M.S. Program for Engineering

• Civil Engineering
• Computer and Software Engineering
• Electrical and Computer Engineering
• Engineering Management & Leadership

Accelerated B.S./M.S. Program for Arts & Sciences

• Mathematics
• Computer Science
• Engineering Physics

Ph.D. Programs

Certificate programs.

• Robotics and Automation (Online)
• Applied Bioengineering (Online)

Jesuit School of Theology

JST offers a range of Masters degrees (including M.Div.) to students interested in preparing for a broad range of ministries and service to the church and world.

• Master of Divinity (M.Div.)
• Master of Arts (M.A.)
• Master of Theological Studies (M.T.S.)
• Master of Theology (Th.M.)
• Combined Master of Divinity and Master of Arts (M.Div./M.A.)

Ecclesiastical Degree Programs

• Bachelor of Sacred Theology (S.T.B.)
• Licentiate in Sacred Theology (S.T.L.)
• Doctor of Sacred Theology (S.T.D.)

Hybrid and fully online programs that meet students where they are. SCU Online provides increased flexibility while still promising a holistic Santa Clara education.

• Online MBA
• Online M.S. Marketing
• Online M.S. Business Analytics
• Online M.S. Finance and Analytics

School of Education & Counseling Psychology

• Online Catholic M.A. Teaching and Teaching Credential (CATMAT)
• Online Certificate in Applied Bioengineering
• Online Certificate in Robotics and Automation 

College of Arts and Sciences - Pastoral Ministries

• Online M.A. Pastoral Ministries
• Online Graduate Certificate in Restorative Justice & Chaplaincy
• Online Master of Theological Studies (M.T.S.)

"Santa Clara University's location in the heart of Silicon Valley combined with our innovative, flexible graduate programs will help position your career for life-long growth and impact."  

For all programs, Santa Clara is committed to providing a graduate education in which students will:

Demonstrate academic competence

Graduate students will demonstrate broad content knowledge and the ability to integrate and apply concepts from their course of study to professional situations.

Engage in creative and collaborative learning

Graduate students will innovate, collaborate, and communicate effectively with professionals and others in their discipline.

Enhance professional development

Graduate students will exhibit professionalism, consistent with the university's Jesuit mission that includes attention to ethics, integrity, and responsible engagement with their communities—professionally, locally, or globally.

International Agreements

• NorthCap University, India - Application fee waivers for all applicants; two US$9,000 tuition scholarships for underrepresented candidates in Engineering; two $12,000 tuition scholarships in Business programs.
• Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies (NMIMS), India - Application fee waivers for all applicants; two US$9,000 tuition scholarships for underrepresented candidates in Engineering; two $12,000 tuition scholarships in Business programs.

The Office of Equal Opportunity and Title IX : Santa Clara University does not discriminate in its employment practices or educational programs or activities on the basis of sex/gender. SCU also prohibits retaliation against any person opposing discrimination or participating in any discrimination investigation or complaint process internally or externally. Reports of misconduct, questions regarding Title IX, and concerns about noncompliance should be directed to  The Office or Equal Opportunity and Title IX . For a complete copy of the university's policy and more information, contact the university Director of Equal Opportunity and Title IX Coordinator or the Assistant Secretary of Education within the Office for Civil Rights (OCR).

49 Best Colleges for Graphic Design – 2024

April 23, 2024

Graphic design is a field of study that takes artistically gifted, creative students and helps to mold them into highly-marketable candidates for employment in a number of careers including: public relations, advertising, publishing, or working for a large design firm or as a self-employed contractor. The best programs in graphic design give students a solid academic foundation in art history, design, drawing, typography, animation, and photography. Practical skills are honed through studio courses, co-ops, internships, and senior projects. Our top graphic design programs list includes colleges that are exclusively dedicated to the arts/design such as the Rhode Island School of Design and Savannah College of Art and Design as well as many traditional universities that house design programs on campus.

Methodology 

Click here to read our methodology for the Best Colleges for Graphic Design Majors.

Best Colleges for Graphic Design Majors

Here’s a quick preview of the first ten graphic design institutions that made our list. Detailed profiles and stats can be found when you scroll below.

1) Rhode Island School of Design

2) Pratt Institute-Main

3) Savannah College of Art and Design

4) Boston University

5) Carnegie Mellon University

6) Yale University

7) University of Southern California

8) Washington University

9) Northeastern University

10) University of California, Los Angeles

All of the schools profiled below have stellar reputations in the field of graphic design and commit substantial resources to undergraduate education. For each of the best colleges for graphic design, College Transitions will provide you with—when available—each school’s:

• Cost of Attendance
• Acceptance Rate
• Median  SAT
• Median  ACT
• Retention Rate
• Graduation Rate

We will also include a longer write-up of each college’s:

• Academic Highlights – Includes facts like student-to-faculty ratio, average class size, number of majors offered, and most popular majors.
• Professional Outcomes – Includes info on the rate of positive outcomes, companies employing alumni, and graduate school acceptances.

Rhode Island School of Design

• Providence, RI

Academic Highlights:  The student-to-faculty ratio at RISD is just 9:1 which means students get a ton of personalized attention from their professors. The average class size is just 15 students. Among the most popular majors are architecture, cinematography and video production, painting, sculpture, illustration, and computer graphics. In total, there are 44 full-time bachelor’s and master’s degree programs for students to choose from.

Professional Outcomes:  Recent graduates of the Rhode Island School of Design found their next positive career/educational step at a 97% clip. Companies hiring RISD grads include Athleta, Citigroup, Chewy, Deloitte, Coach, Barefoot Books, the New York Times, Nickelodeon, NVIDIA, NASA, Fidelity, Google, Paramount, Reebok, and West Elm. 46% of recent grads earned more than $40,000 as a starting salary.

• Enrollment: 2,044
• Cost of Attendance: $85,986
• Median SAT: N/A
• Mid-50% ACT: 28-34
• Acceptance Rate: 19%
• Retention Rate: 95%
• Graduation Rate: 89%

Pratt Institute

• Brooklyn, NY

Academic Highlights:  There are 1,200 faculty members at Pratt Institute that provide instruction to 48 academic programs. An enviable 74% of class sections enroll fewer than 20 students. Overall, 65% of all degrees conferred fall under the performing arts umbrella with illustration, painting, photography, sculpture, game design, and cinematography and video production all on the menu. 20% of Pratt students earn architecture degrees and 10% study communication technologies.

Professional Outcomes:  Looking at recent Pratt grads, 90% were gainfully employed or attending grad school within six months of earning their undergraduate diploma. Employers who scoop up Pratt alumni include Warner Media, NBC Universal, Gensler, David Zwirner, Apple, PepsiCo, IBM, and LVMH. Further, 78% of graduates are satisfied with their occupation and 85% report that their job is relevant to their field of study.

• Enrollment: 3,702
• Cost of Attendance: $80,993
• Median SAT: 1330
• Median ACT: 30
• Acceptance Rate: 45%
• Retention Rate: 89%
• Graduation Rate: 76%

Savannah College of Art and Design

• Savannah, GA

Academic Highlights: Savannah College of Art and Design offers more than 40 programs of study and close to half of all classes enroll no more than 19 students. The most commonly pursued degrees are Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, and Special Effects (21%), Illustration (14%), Digital Communication (13%), Cinematography and Film Production (9%), and Fashion/Apparel Design (6%).

Professional Outcomes:  A tremendous 99% of SCAD graduates report being employed or engaged in further study within ten months of graduating. Further, 91% state that they are working in a field/position related to their area of study. Many alumni are self-employed but sizable numbers also obtain employment with Amazon, Apple, Deloitte, Gensler, Google, Microsoft, Blizzard Entertainment, Epic Games, and Walt Disney Imagineering.

• Enrollment: 13,622
• Cost of Attendance: $65,574
• Median SAT: 1240
• Median ACT: 24
• Acceptance Rate: 82%
• Retention Rate: 75%
• Graduation Rate: 62%

Boston University

Academic Highlights: In total, the university offers more than 300 programs of study, 100+ of which are distinct undergraduate degrees spread across ten schools/colleges. Many classes at BU are reasonably small—60% contain fewer than twenty students; only 19% contain more than forty. The student-to-faculty ratio is 11:1. The greatest number of degrees are conferred in social sciences (16%), business/marketing (15%), communications and journalism (15%), biology (11%), engineering (9%), and health professions/related sciences (7%).

Professional Outcomes: Six months after graduation, 90% of BU grads have found their way into the world of employment or full-time graduate study. Across all graduating years, companies employing more than 350 BU alums include Google, Oracle, Accenture, IBM, and Amazon Web Services. Of the one-quarter of grads who move directly into graduate school, many are welcomed onto the campuses of elite graduate programs. For example, engineering students found new academic homes at MIT, Stanford, Carnegie Mellon, and Columbia.

• Enrollment: 18,459
• Cost of Attendance: $86,363
• Median SAT: 1430
• Median ACT: 32
• Acceptance Rate: 14%
• Retention Rate: 94%

Carnegie Mellon University

• Pittsburgh, PA

Academic Highlights: There are a combined 80+ undergraduate majors and 90 minors available across the six schools. Impressively, particularly for a school with more graduate students than undergrads, CMU boasts a 6:1 student-to-faculty ratio and small class sizes, with 36% containing single digits. In a given school year, 800+ undergraduates conduct research through the University Research Office. The most commonly conferred degrees are in engineering (21%), computer science (16%), mathematics (12%), business (10%), and visual and performing arts (9%).

Professional Outcomes: By the end of the calendar year in which they received their diplomas, 66% of 2022 grads were employed, and 28% were continuing to graduate school. The companies that have routinely scooped up CMU grads include Google, Meta, Microsoft, Apple, Accenture, McKinsey, and Deloitte. With an average starting salary of $105,194, CMU grads outpace the average starting salary for a college grad nationally. Of those pursuing graduate education, around 20% typically enroll immediately in PhD programs.

• Enrollment: 7,509
• Cost of Attendance: $84,412
• Median SAT: 1540
• Median ACT: 35
• Acceptance Rate: 11%
• Retention Rate: 97%
• Graduation Rate: 92%

Yale University

• New Haven, CT

Academic Highlights: Yale offers 80 majors, most of which require a one- to two-semester senior capstone experience. Undergraduate research is a staple, and over 70% of classes—of which there are over 2,000 to choose from—have an enrollment of fewer than 20 students, making Yale a perfect environment for teaching and learning. Among the top departments are biology, economics, global affairs, engineering, history, and computer science. The social sciences (26%), biology (11%), mathematics (8%), and computer science (8%) are the most popular areas of concentration.

Professional Outcomes: Shortly after graduating, 73% of the Yale Class of 2022 had entered the world of employment and 18% matriculated into graduate programs. Hundreds of Yale alums can be found at each of the world’s top companies including Google, Goldman Sachs, McKinsey & Company, Morgan Stanley, and Microsoft. The most common industries entered by the newly hired were finance (20%), research/education (16%), technology (14%), and consulting (12%). The mean starting salary for last year’s grads was $81,769 ($120k for CS majors). Nearly one-fifth of students immediately pursue graduate school.

• Enrollment: 6,590 (undergraduate); 5,344 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $87,705
• Acceptance Rate: 5%
• Retention Rate: 98%
• Graduation Rate: 98%

University of Southern California

• Los Angeles, CA

Academic Highlights : There are 140 undergraduate majors and minors within the Dornsife College of Arts & Sciences alone, the university’s oldest and largest school. The Marshall School of Business, Viterbi School of Engineering, and programs in communication, the cinematic arts, and the performing arts are highly acclaimed. Popular areas of study are business (22%), social sciences (11%), visual and performing arts (11%), communications/journalism (9%), and engineering (8%). Most courses enroll 10-19 students, and USC does an excellent job facilitating undergraduate research opportunities.

Professional Outcomes: 96% of undergrads experience positive postgraduation outcomes within six months of earning their degree. The top five industries entered were finance, consulting, advertising, software development, and engineering; the median salary across all majors is an astounding $79k. Presently, between 300 and 1,500 alumni are employed at each of Google, Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, KPMG, Goldman Sachs, and Meta. Graduate/professional schools enrolling the greatest number of 2022 USC grads include NYU, Georgetown, Harvard, Stanford, Pepperdine, and UCLA.

• Enrollment: 20,699 (undergraduate); 28,246 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $90,921
• Median SAT: 1510
• Median ACT: 34
• Acceptance Rate: 12%
• Graduation Rate: 93%

Washington University in St. Louis

• St. Louis, MO

Academic Highlights : WashU admits students into five schools, many of which offer nationally recognized programs: Arts & Sciences, the Olin School of Business, the School of Engineering & Applied Sciences, and the Art of Architecture programs housed within the Sam Fox School of Design and Visual Arts. The most commonly conferred degrees are in engineering (13%), social sciences (13%), business (13%), biology (11%), and psychology (10%). 66% of classes have fewer than 20 students, and over one-quarter have single-digit enrollments. 65% double major or pursue a minor.

Professional Outcomes: The Class of 2022 sent 52% of grads into the workforce and 28% into graduate and professional schools. Companies employing the highest number of WashU grads feature sought-after employers such as Amazon, Bain, Boeing, Deloitte, Google, IBM, Goldman Sachs, and Microsoft. Of the employed members of the Class of 2022 who reported their starting salaries, 79% made more than $60k. The universities welcoming the largest number of Bears included the prestigious institutions of Caltech, Columbia, Harvard, Penn, Princeton, and Stanford.

• Enrollment: 8,132 (undergraduate); 8,880 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $83,760
• Median SAT: 1530
• Retention Rate: 96%

Northeastern University

Academic Highlights: Northeastern offers 290 majors and 180 combined majors within nine colleges and programs. Experiential learning is had by virtually all graduates, thanks to the school’s illustrious and robust co-op program. The D’Amore-McKim School of Business is a top-ranked school and offers one of the best international business programs anywhere, and both the College of Engineering and College of Computer Science are highly respected as well. Criminal justice, architecture, and nursing are three other majors that rate near the top nationally.

Professional Outcomes: Nine months after leaving Northeastern, 97% of students have landed at their next employment or graduate school destination. Huskies entering the job market are quickly rounded up by the likes of State Street, Fidelity Investments, IBM, and Amazon, all of whom employ 500+ Northeastern alums. Between 200 and 500 employees at Wayfair, Google, Amazon, Oracle, IBM, and Apple have an NU lineage. Starting salaries are above average (55% make more than $60k), in part due to the stellar co-op program.

• Enrollment: 20,980 (undergraduate); 15,826 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $86,821
• Median SAT: 1500
• Acceptance Rate: 7%
• Graduation Rate: 91%

University of California, Los Angeles

Academic Highlights: UCLA offers 125 majors in 100+ academic departments, and more than 60 majors require a capstone experience that results in the creation of a tangible product under the mentorship of faculty members. The most commonly conferred degrees are in the social sciences (25%), biology (16%), psychology (11%), mathematics (8%), and engineering (7%). Departmental rankings are high across the board, especially in computer science, engineering, film, fine and performing arts, mathematics, and political science.

Professional Outcomes: UCLA grads flow most heavily into the research, finance, computer science, and engineering sectors. High numbers of recent grads can be found at Disney, Google, EY, Teach for America, Amazon, and Oracle. Hundreds also can be found at Bloomberg, Deloitte, Mattel, Oracle, and SpaceX. The average starting salary exceeds $55,000. 16% of recent grads enrolled directly in a graduate/professional school, with other CA-based institutions like Stanford, Pepperdine, USC, Berkeley, and Loyola Marymount being the most popular.

• Enrollment: 33,040 (undergraduate); 15,010 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $38,517 (in-state); $71,091 (out-of-state)
• Median SAT: Test Blind
• Median ACT: Test Blind
• Acceptance Rate: 9%

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

• Champaign-Urbana, IL

Academic Highlights: Eight of UIUC’s fifteen schools cater to undergraduate students. There are 150 academic programs offered, including those at the acclaimed Grainger College of Engineering and Gies College of Business. In sheer volume of degrees conferred, engineering and business/marketing are tied at 19%, followed by the social sciences (9%) and psychology (6%). 39% of sections are capped at 19 students. 29% of undergraduates work with a faculty member on a research project; another 22% have some type of fieldwork, practicum, or clinical experience.

Professional Outcomes: 95% of the members of the Class of 2022 landed at their next destination within six months of graduation, with 38% matriculating directly into an advanced degree program. 57% were employed full-time; the most popular sectors were finance, consulting, healthcare, electronics, and education. Corporations landing the most recent Illini grads were KPMG, Deloitte, Epic Systems, EY, PwC, and Amazon. The average salary across all Class of 2022 majors was an extremely solid $75,000.

• Enrollment: 35,120 (undergraduate); 21,796 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $35,926-$41,190 (in-state); $55,386-$63,290 (out-of-state)
• Median SAT: 1440
• Acceptance Rate: 79%
• Retention Rate: 93%
• Graduation Rate: 85%

University of Minnesota–Twin Cities

• Minneapolis, MN

Academic Highlights: There are 150 majors available across eight freshman-admitting undergraduate colleges. 65% of class sections enroll 29 or fewer students. The most commonly conferred degrees are in biology (13%), business & marketing (11%), engineering (10%), the social sciences (10%), computer science (9%), and psychology (8%). The College of Science and Engineering and the Carlson School of Management have strong national reputations, and the chemistry, economics, psychology, and political science departments are also well-regarded.

Professional Outcomes: The top seven companies snatching up the largest number of recent grads are all companies headquartered in the state of Minnesota: Medtronic, Target, 3M, United Health Group, US Bank, and Cargill. Google, Apple, and Meta all employ hundreds of Twin Cities alumni. The mean starting salary for recent grads was $50k. With 130 graduate programs in science, art, engineering, agriculture, medicine, and the humanities, the University of Minnesota retains many of its graduates as they pursue their next degrees.

• Enrollment: 39,248 (undergraduate); 15,707 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $33,032-$35,632 (in-state); $54,446-$57,046
• Median SAT: 1370
• Median ACT: 29
• Acceptance Rate: 75%
• Retention Rate: 90%
• Graduation Rate: 84%

Ringling College of Art and Design

• Sarasota, FL

Academic Highlights:  Over 70% of the Ringling College of Art and Design’s classes take place in a small learning environment of no more than 19 students. There are no large lecture hall classes at this school that caters primarily to Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, and Special Effects (34%), Illustration (31%), Art (13%), and Cinematography and Film/Video Production (11%) majors.

Professional Outcomes:  A good number of Ringling College of Art and Design alumni are currently self-employed and/or doing freelance work in a creative field. Those who have more formal employment arrangements are most frequently hired by DreamWorks Animation, Pixar Animation Studios, Hallmark Cards, Meta, Blizzard Entertainment, Walt Disney Animation Studios, Electronic Arts, Amazon, and Feld Entertainment.

• Enrollment: 1,705
• Cost of Attendance: $73,110
• Median ACT: N/A
• Acceptance Rate: 65%
• Retention Rate: 82%
• Graduation Rate: 75%

The New School

• New York, NY

Academic Highlights:  A 14:1 student-to-faculty ratio at the New School allows for 89% of course sections to enroll under 20 students. This means students in all academic programs receive a great deal of personalized instruction and attention. The most popular majors at the New School all fall under the umbrella of the visual arts (62%). A smattering of students also concentrate in computer science (11%), journalism (7%), liberal arts (6%), and English (4%).

Professional Outcomes:  Within the first year after earning their bachelor’s degree, 82% of graduates have already found their first employment opportunity or elected to continue their studies. 70% of recent grads entered the working world and another 12% entered an advanced degree program. Employers of 15 or more alumni include the United Nations, JP Morgan and Co., Amazon, The New York Times, Meta, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

• Enrollment: 7,208
• Cost of Attendance: $85,668
• Acceptance Rate: 57%
• Retention Rate: 71%
• Graduation Rate: 70%

University of Florida

• Gainesville, FL

Academic Highlights: With 16 colleges and 100 undergraduate majors to choose from, educational experiences are exceptionally diverse. The Warrington College of Business and the Wertheim College of Engineering are highly respected, so it’s no surprise that those two programs confer the greatest percentage of degrees—12% and 14%, respectively. Biology (11%), the social sciences (11%), and health professions (8%) are next in popularity. 53% of sections enroll fewer than 20 students, and 33% of students partake in an undergraduate research experience.

Professional Outcomes: By graduation day, 66% of the Class of 2022 had already procured a first job. The top occupational areas were engineering (13%), health care (13%), computer science (5%), and marketing (4%). 200+ Gator alumni can be found at top corporations like Google, EY, Raymond James, Deloitte, Apple, Amazon, Microsoft, Oracle, and PwC. The average salary for all 2022 grads was $69k, with a high of $100k for computer science majors. Of those pursuing advanced degrees, a master’s degree was the most popular pursuit (63%) followed by law school (11%).

• Enrollment: 34,552 (undergraduate); 20,659 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $23,530 (in-state); $45,808 (out-of-state)
• Median SAT: 1400
• Median ACT: 31
• Acceptance Rate: 23%
• Graduation Rate: 90%

California Institute of the Arts

• Santa Clarita

Academic Highlights:  Students come to the California Institute of the Arts for very specific reasons. The most commonly pursued majors include animation, interactive technology, video graphics and special effects (28%),  acting (8%), fine/studio arts (8%), music theory and composition (8%), graphic design (8%), and technical theatre/theatre design and technology (8%). Classes are small and personalized instruction is available thanks to a 7:1 student-to-faculty ratio.

Professional Outcomes:  Many graduates go on to do freelance work or are self-employed, but large numbers of students are scooped up by the Walt Disney Company, Pixar Animation Studios, Netflix, Apple, Nickelodeon Animation, and DreamWorks Animation. Some also work in the tech industry for the likes of Google and Apple. The vast majority of alumni settle in Los Angeles, but many others travel to New York City and San Francisco.

• Enrollment: 965
• Cost of Attendance: $67,502
• Acceptance Rate: 29%
• Retention Rate: 79%
• Graduation Rate: 72%

University of Michigan

• Ann Arbor, MI

Academic Highlights: There are 280+ undergraduate degree programs across fourteen schools and colleges, and the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts (LSA) enrolls the majority of students. The Ross School of Business offers highly rated programs in entrepreneurship, management, accounting, and finance. The College of Engineering is also one of the best in the country. By degrees conferred, engineering (15%), computer science (14%), and the social sciences (11%) are most popular. A solid 56% of classes have fewer than 20 students.

Professional Outcomes: Within three months of graduating, 89% of LSA grads are employed full-time or in graduate school, with healthcare, education, law, banking, research, nonprofit work, and consulting being the most popular sectors. Within three months, 99% of Ross grads are employed with a median salary of $90k. Top employers include Goldman Sachs, Deutsche Bank, EY, Morgan Stanley, PwC, Deloitte, and Amazon.  Within six months, 96% of engineering grads are employed (average salary of $84k) or in grad school. General Motors, Ford, Google, Microsoft, Apple, and Meta employ the greatest number of alumni.

• Enrollment: 32,695 (undergraduate); 18,530 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $35,450 (in-state); $76,294 (out-of-state)
• Median SAT: 1470
• Median ACT: 33
• Acceptance Rate: 18%

Temple University

• Philadelphia, PA

Academic Highlights: Temple offers 100 undergraduate programs, including those at the well-regarded Fox School of Business. Other programs with strong national reputations include criminal justice, public health, and kinesiology. The most undergraduate degrees are conferred in business (22%) followed by communication/journalism and health professions (tied at 11%), the visual and performing arts (8%), biology (7%), psychology (6%), and computer science (5%). 42% of classes have an enrollment of 19 or fewer students, and 71% contain no more than 29 undergraduates.

Professional Outcomes: 51% of recent grads quickly secured employment and another 18% were enrolled in graduate school. Hundreds of Owl alumni can be found at big-time companies such as Merck, Comcast, Vanguard, GlaxoSmithKline, Johnson & Johnson, JPMorgan Chase, and Bristol Myers Squib. Within six months of graduating, 91% of Fox School of Business 2021 graduates were employed or had started their own businesses. The median salary for all graduates of that school was $57,000.

• Enrollment: 24,106 (undergraduate); 9,124 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $41,828-$46,866 (in-state); $56,092-$65,618 (out-of-state)
• Median SAT: 1245
• Median ACT: 27
• Acceptance Rate: 80%
• Retention Rate: 84%
• Graduation Rate: 78%

Drexel University

Academic Highlights: There are 80+ undergraduate majors to choose from at Drexel and they offer a reasonable 9:1 student-to-faculty ratio with commensurately reasonable class sizes. Fifty-two percent of sections contain 19 or fewer students, and just a sliver under 9% of sections contain fifty or more. Looking at the number of degrees conferred by discipline, the big three at Drexel are business (25%), health professions (21%), and engineering (17%). Visual and performing arts (9%), and CS (8%) round out the list of majors with a sizable representation.

Professional Outcomes: One year after graduating, 97%, Dragons have arrived at their next destination; 81% were employed, and 13% had matriculated into graduate or professional school. The largest employers of Drexel alumni are Comcast, Merck, Vanguard, and Johnson & Johnson. The average starting salary for Drexel grads with a full-time job was $64,774. Drexel’s medical school acceptance rate was 60%, roughly 20 points higher than the national average. It offers an accelerated BS/MD program with its own Drexel University College of Medicine.

• Enrollment: 13,881
• Cost of Attendance: $81,508
• Retention Rate: 87%

Rochester Institute of Technology

• Rochester, NY

Academic Highlights: There are nine undergraduate colleges at RIT, including the top-ranked Gleason College of Engineering and the Golisano College of Computing and Information Sciences. The co-op program is the fourth oldest in the country; most students complete a one- or two-semester paid learning experience. The most popular majors are engineering & engineering technologies (34%), computer and information sciences (20%), visual and performing arts (10%), and business (9%). RIT’s game design program is the best on the East Coast, and programs in film, art, and design are also quite strong.

Professional Outcomes: Within six months of graduation, 95% of recent grads had found employment or a full-time graduate program. Major companies presently employing more than 500 RIT alums include Xerox and Paychex, both with offices in Rochester. Between 200 and 450 employees of IBM, Microsoft, Apple, Intel, Amazon, Google, and Cisco were educated at RIT. Starting salary figures vary greatly by major with College of Business grads landing a median starting salary of $63k and computer science majors of $102k right out of school.

• Enrollment: 13,940 (undergraduate); 2,675 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $75,390
• Median SAT: 1350
• Acceptance Rate: 67%
• Retention Rate: 85%
• Graduation Rate: 74%

University of Illinois at Chicago

• Chicago, IL

Academic Highlights: Undergrads pursue one of 95 bachelor’s programs offered through the 11 (of 16) colleges that grant undergraduate degrees. The most popular majors are business/marketing (16%), health professions (13%), and engineering (13%) followed by biology (12%), psychology (9%), and the social sciences (5%). The business, engineering, and computer science programs all have a solid national reputation. Close to two-thirds of classes enroll fewer than 29 students.

Professional Outcomes: The Class of 2022 had a 97% success rate six months after graduation, with 14% enrolling directly in graduate school. Students on the engineering, applied sciences, and public health tracks found employment or a graduate school home at the highest rates. By volume, the largest employer of UIC grads is Chicago Public Schools. More than 100 alumni can also be found employed by Allstate, Amazon, Accenture, Microsoft, IBM, Google, Deloitte, and Meta. The average salary for a 2022 grad was a solid $64k.

• Enrollment: 21,807 (undergraduate); 11,940 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $37,572-$40,986 (in-state); $53,118-56,532 (out-of-state)
• Median SAT: 1220
• Retention Rate: 78%

Maryland Institute College of Art

• College Park, MD

Academic Highlights: The oldest degree-granting college of art and design in the country, MICA offers 14 undergraduate majors and 23 minors. In addition to classic fine arts majors like painting, fiber, sculpture, and photography, MICA also offers innovative degrees in areas like Ecosystems, Sustainability, and Justice and Studio and Humanistic Studies. 40% of undergrads are fine arts majors while 60% are design and media arts majors. The student-to-faculty ratio is 8:1.

Professional Outcomes: The Class of 2022 experienced overwhelmingly positive outcomes with 95% employed. 96% were working in a field related to their area of study and 5% were pursuing graduate coursework. Over the past five years, the most alumni have gone on to the arts and design, business development, and education sectors. Top employers include the Maryland Institute College of Art, Towson University, Google, Baltimore City Public Schools, Johns Hopkins, Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, and the Pratt Institute. A large number are also self-employed.

• Enrollment: 1,694 (undergraduate); 396 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $72,255
• Acceptance Rate: 86%
• Retention Rate: 72%
• Graduation Rate: 67%

Iowa State University

Academic Highlights:  With more than 100 majors available across six undergraduate colleges, Iowa State has no shortage of academic pathways to explore. The student-to-faculty ratio is 19:1, yet, courses are a mix of large and small. 31% of sections enroll fewer than 20 students and 22% enroll more than 50. In terms of sheer popularity, engineering wins the day accounting for 23% of degrees earned in 2022. Business (18%), agricultural fields (10%), biology (5%), and education (5%) also see high volume.

Professional Outcomes: Graduates of the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences are employed in fairly large numbers by the likes of John Deere, Principal Financial Group, and Amazon. Overall, the most alumni work for Wells Fargo, Bayer, Corteva Agriscience, Collins Aerospace, Cargill, and Microsoft. Most remain in Iowa after graduation but many also move to Minnesota, Chicago, California, or Texas. The average starting salary for an engineering grad was $74,716 in 2023.

• Enrollment: 25,241
• Cost of Attendance: $24,204 (In-State); $41,390 (Out-of-State)
• Acceptance Rate: 90%
• Retention Rate: 86%

University of Utah

• Salt Lake City, UT

Academic Highlights : The university’s 16 colleges and schools house 100 undergraduate programs, including the top-ranked engineering, business, and computer science departments. Forty-four percent of courses enroll 19 students or fewer while 17% are on the larger side, enrolling 50 or more students. Popular majors include the social sciences (14%), business (13%), engineering (8%), computer science (8%), psychology (8%), communication/journalism (6%), and health professions (6%).

Professional Outcomes: Within six months of graduating, 63% of recent grads planned to enter full-time employment while 25% jumped directly into an advanced degree program. Employers hiring the greatest number of Utes include Intermountain Healthcare, Goldman Sachs, Amazon, Microsoft, Adobe, Pluralsight, and Lucid. The average starting salary is $65,786, and the median is $58,240.

• Enrollment: 26,355 (undergraduate); 8,379 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $32,000 (in-state); $53,704 (out-of-state)
• Median SAT: 1290
• Median ACT: 25
• Acceptance Rate: 89%
• Graduation Rate: 65%

Arizona State University

Academic Highlights: The faculty-to-student ratio is a fairly high 19:1, but not all classes call for stadium seating. In fact, 40% of course sections seat fewer than twenty students. Business is the concentration in which 22% of total bachelor’s degrees are conferred. Engineering (9%), biology (9%), and the health professions (7%) are the next three most popular. The WP Carey School of Business offers many highly ranked programs as does the Fulton Schools of Engineering.

Professional Outcomes: A healthy 83% percent of ASU graduates looking for work are employed within six months of earning their degrees. The median salary for an ASU grad is roughly $55,000. Among the school’s top fifty employers are Amazon, Apple, Intel, The Vanguard Group, and Walt Disney Company. Approximately one-fifth of recent grads enrolled in graduate school. Similar to employment, the size and scope of the university lead to many graduate pathways. Many grads continue at ASU itself, but some continue at various prestigious institutions.

• Enrollment: 65,492
• Cost of Attendance: $28,142 (in-state); $48,284 (out-of-state)
• Median SAT: 1250
• Median ACT: 23
• Graduation Rate: 69%

The Ohio State University — Columbus

• Columbus, OH

Academic Highlights: There are 200+ undergraduate majors and 18 schools and colleges housed within OSU. Business sees the greatest percentage of degrees conferred at 18% followed by engineering (15%), health professions (10%), and the social sciences (9%). It makes sense that so many flock to the business and engineering schools as they are among the highest-rated undergraduate programs in their respective disciplines. 40% of sections enroll fewer than 20 students, and approximately 20% of students gain research experience.

Professional Outcomes: Upon receiving their diplomas, 56% of Class of 2022 graduates were entering the world of employment while 17% were already accepted into graduate or professional school.  Hordes of Buckeyes can be found at many of the nation’s leading companies. More than 2,000 alumni work for JPMorgan Chase, more than 1,000 are employed by Amazon, and more than 600 work for Google and Microsoft. Of the grads who directly matriculate into graduate or professional school, many continue in one of OSU’s own programs.

• Enrollment: 45,728 (undergraduate); 14,318 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $27,241 (in-state); $52,747 (out-of-state)
• Median SAT: 1340-1450
• Median ACT: 29-32
• Acceptance Rate: 53%
• Graduation Rate: 88%

Chapman University

Academic Highlights:  Chapman offers 50 majors in STEM, humanities, communication, the arts, and business. Overall, 46% of classes enroll fewer than 20 students and the student-to-faculty ratio is 13:1. One-third of all degrees earned are in the area of business; the next most pursued are the visual and performing arts (21%), journalism (9%), and psychology (6%). In addition to the famed film program, the school gets acclaim for its innovation and the quality of undergraduate teaching.

Professional Outcomes: The Walt Disney Company, Amazon, Deloitte, Apple, Microsoft, Netflix, Google, and NBCUniversal are the most common employers of Chapman graduates. Students in the Argyros College of Business and Economics earned an average starting salary of $77,164 in 2023. 62% of that cohort had already secured employment by graduation day. Most graduates remain in the state of California, with Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, and Irvine attracting particularly high numbers of alumni.

• Enrollment: 7,869
• Cost of Attendance: $90,370
• Median SAT: 1300
• Acceptance Rate: 73%
• Retention Rate: 91%

North Carolina State University

• Raleigh, NC

Academic Highlights: NC State offers more than 100 majors and 120 minors. 64% of sections enroll 29 or fewer students. Engineering is the most popular area of concentration as 24% of Class of 2022 graduates earned a degree in that field. Business/marketing comes in second at 17% followed by biology (10%) and agriculture (7%). NC State has an exceptional regional reputation and an expanding national one with the College of Engineering near the top of many rankings. Programs in design, architecture, and animal science are also very strong.

Professional Outcomes: 54% of students graduating in 2022 had already accepted full-time jobs before exiting; 27% were heading to graduate/professional school. Members of that class reported an average starting salary of $62,024 (with a slightly higher median). Including all graduating years, the companies employing the largest number of alumni are Cisco, Red Hat, SAS, IBM, Lenovo, Amazon, Microsoft, Intel, Google, Deloitte, Facebook, and Salesforce. Many recent grads also work for the university itself and for the Wake County Public School System.

• Enrollment: 26,254 (undergraduate); 10,446 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $27,451 (in-state); $51,662 (out-of-state)
• Median SAT: 1340
• Median ACT: 28
• Acceptance Rate: 47%
• Graduation Rate: 86%

Cal Poly – Pomona

Academic Highlights:  Cal Poly Pomona is a massive institution with 1,076 faculty members at over 25,000 undergraduate students. The average size for an undergraduate class section is 32 students and the student-to-faculty ratio is 25:1. While a polytechnic institute, the most commonly conferred degree in 2022 was actually business (29%). Next up are engineering (18%), the social sciences (9%), science technologies (6%), and agriculture (4%).

Professional Outcomes:  An excellent 91% of the Class of 2023 had already achieved positive outcomes within six months of leaving campus. The employers locking down the largest number of recent Cal Poly Pomona grads were Accenture, Bain & Company, Boston Consulting Group, Bloomberg, DraftKings, Meta, Morgan Stanley, NIH, Nike, PwC, and Tesla Motors. The graduate destinations of Class of 2023 members included Harvard, Brown, Duke, Stanford, Oxford, Yale, USC, UPenn, and Georgia Tech.

• Enrollment: 25,181
• Cost of Attendance: $29,226 (In-State); $41,406 (Out-of-State)
• Acceptance Rate: 55%
• Graduation Rate: 66%

Texas Christian University

• Forth Worth, TX

Academic Highlights: TCU offers 116 undergraduate majors. The most popular are housed in the Neely School of Business, including the highly-rated BBA in Entrepreneurship. 27% of all degrees conferred in 2022 fell under the business umbrella. The engineering program is also well-regarded. Other commonly conferred degrees include communications/journalism (15%), health professions (11%), and the social sciences (9%). 39% of its class sections have 20 or fewer students, and only 5% of courses seat more than 50.

Professional Outcomes: Upon graduating, 48% of recent diploma-earners were employed and 18% had their graduate school placement lined up. American Airlines, Deloitte, IBM, Lockheed Martin, and Medical City Hospitals employ the greatest number of recent alumni. Other companies with a large TCU presence include Microsoft, CBRE, Goldman Sachs, and AT&T. The most recent median starting salary was $58,900. For those who enrolled in an advanced degree program, the most commonly pursued areas of study were medicine/health (27%), business (21%), and psychology (13%).

• Enrollment: 10,523 (undergraduate); 1,750 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $85,051
• Median SAT: 1260
• Acceptance Rate: 56%
• Retention Rate: 92%
• Graduation Rate: 83%

University of Denver

Academic Highlights : There are 200 total degree programs at the University of Denver, with small class sizes being the norm as 55% of sections contain no more than 19 students, and 80% enroll a maximum of 29 individuals. The Daniels College of Business is highly respected by employers and attracts the greatest number of undergraduates. 32% of the degrees conferred in 2022 were in business/marketing, 16% were in the social sciences, 9% in biology, 9% in psychology, 8% in communication/journalism, and 7% in the visual and performing arts.

Professional Outcomes: 90% of 2022 Pioneer grads successfully entered the world of employment or graduate school within six months of earning their bachelor’s degree. 59% were employed full-time with a mean starting salary of $62k. Top employers included KPMG, Brown Brothers Harriman, Lockheed Martin, Epic, and Oracle. Other corporations employing 70 or more DU alums include CenturyLink, Charles Schwab, Comcast, Deloitte, Amazon, Google, and Microsoft. 27% of 2022 graduates elected to continue their education in a graduate program.

• Enrollment: 6,160 (undergraduate); 7,583 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $80,614
• Median SAT: 1310
• Acceptance Rate: 78%
• Retention Rate: 88%
• Graduation Rate: 77%

Michigan State University

• East Lansing, MI

Academic Highlights: This highly regarded state institution boasts over 200 programs—undergraduate, graduate, and professional—across 17 degree-granting colleges. A 17:1 student-to-faculty ratio rates in the average range for public universities of MSU’s size and scope. Class sizes are a genuine mix of small seminars and giant lecture halls. 16% of the degrees conferred in 2022 were in the business/marketing category. The next most common degrees were earned in communication/journalism (12%), engineering (11%), and the social sciences (8%).

Professional Outcomes: Within months of strutting across the graduation stage, 56% of Class of 2022 members had landed full-time employment, 27% were pursuing advanced degrees, and 6% were still looking for a job. The top employers of this group included big names like General Motors, Ford Motor Company, Deloitte, Epic Systems, Target, PepsiCo, and Microsoft. The median starting salary earned was $60,000. Among the grads schools favored by recent alumni are the University of Michigan, New York University, Columbia University, and Boston University.

• Enrollment: 39,201
• Cost of Attendance: $27,805 (In-State); $55,189 (Out-of-State)
• Acceptance Rate:
• Graduation Rate: 82%

Purchase College (SUNY)

• Purchase, NY

Academic Highlights: At SUNY Purchase, which is considered a liberal arts college, you are free to pursue one of 47 majors and 32 minors. In typical liberal arts fashion, most courses are in small settings, with 74% of all sections enrolled fewer than 20 students. No one major is wildly popular at Purchase College; rather there is a fairly even spread of students across psychology (7%), dance (6%), playwriting/screenwriting (6%), drama (4%), fine arts (4%), communications (4%), and painting (4%).

Professional Outcomes:  The rate of positive graduate outcomes is a spectacular 92% when measured 8-12 months outside of graduation. 86% have landed employment and 13% are enrolled in graduate school (with some overlap). 22% of 2022 grads work in the field of the arts/entertainment while 24% work in business and 17% work in each of education/human services and public services and law.

• Enrollment: 3,145
• Cost of Attendance: $28,131 (In-State); $38,041 (Out-of-State)
• Retention Rate: 63%
• Graduation Rate: 79%

DePaul University

Academic Highlights:  There are more than 300 undergraduate majors and graduate programs at the nation’s largest Catholic research university. The student-to-faculty ratio is 17:1 and 42% of courses enroll fewer than 20 students. A hefty 32% of all degrees awarded in 2022 were in the discipline of business/marketing. The next most popular areas of study were the visual and performing arts (13%), journalism (11%), and computer science (10%). The University rates well in the areas of overall value and facilitating social mobility.

Professional Outcomes:  92% of 2022 graduates found their next positive step in life within six months of being awarded their diploma. 81% were employed earning a modest median salary of $45,000. Sample employers included Epic. Xerox Business Solutions, UBS, KPMG, and a number of nonprofit entities. Less than 10% of DePaul graduates directly enter graduate or professional school right after completing their undergraduate education.

• Enrollment: 14,134
• Cost of Attendance: $66,798
• Median SAT: 1190
• Acceptance Rate: 70%

University of Georgia

Academic Highlights: UGA boasts seventeen distinct colleges and schools that offer 125+ majors. Business is the most commonly conferred undergrad degree, accounting for 29% of diplomas earned. It is followed by biology (10%), social sciences (8%), communication & journalism (8%), and psychology (7%). Top-ranked programs include animal science, business, communications, and public and international affairs. 49% of sections enroll fewer than 20 students, and no matter your major, UGA encourages you to conduct research with a member of the school’s faculty.

Professional Outcomes: 96% of the Class of 2022 was employed or continuing their education six months after graduation. Popular employers include Accenture, PricewaterhouseCoopers, the Walt Disney Company, and Deloitte. Salaries vary between colleges; engineering grads had a median starting salary of $65k while journalism and communication grads reported a $50k median. In 2022, 24% of graduates enrolled directly into a graduate/professional degree program, with the most commonly attended schools including Columbia, Duke, Emory, Georgia Tech, Penn, and UVA.

• Enrollment: 30,714 (undergraduate); 9,893 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $28,142 (in-state); $48,538 (out-of-state)
• Acceptance Rate: 43%

University of Kansas

• Lawrence, KS

Academic Highlights: The University of Kansas is comprised of 14 academic schools that offer over 190 undergraduate majors. Its programs in nursing, psychology, business, and engineering are particularly strong. Popularity-wise, the most degrees are conferred in psychology (7%), journalism (5%), finance (5%), nursing (5%), marketing (4%), and accounting (4%). 49% of classes enroll fewer than 20 students. As a top research institution, there are an incredible number of research opportunities for undergraduates across all majors.

Professional Outcomes: Within six months of graduating, 54% of alumni were employed full-time while 35% were continuing their education. For those employed, the average salary was $55k; top employers included University of Kansas, University of Kansas Medical Center, Shawnee Mission School District, Kansas City Public Schools, Burns & McDonnell, and Kiewit. For those pursuing graduate or professional degrees, the most popular area of study was accounting followed by pharmacy and law; the top institution attended was the University of Kansas itself.

• Enrollment: 20,696 (undergraduate); 7,710 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $28,280 (in-state); $45,486 (out-of-state)
• Median SAT: 1160
• Acceptance Rate: 88%

University of Massachusetts Lowell

Academic Highlights: More than 100 undergraduate majors are offered across five colleges: the College of Fine Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences, the College of Engineering, the College of Sciences, the School of Business, and the College of Health Sciences. Programs in engineering, computer science, business, and health sciences are particularly strong. Popularity-wise, the most degrees are conferred in business (22%), criminal justice (8%), psychology (7%), computer science (6%), and mechanical engineering (5%). 48% of classes enroll fewer than 20 students.

Professional Outcomes: 98% of the Class of 2022 experienced positive outcomes, with 61% employed and 38% continuing their education. Additionally, over the past five years, alumni have gone on to the engineering, operations, education, research, information technology, healthcare services, and sales sectors in the largest numbers. Top employers include UMass Lowell itself followed by Raytheon, Lowell General Hospital, Fidelity, BAE, Analog Devices, Pfizer, the US Air Force, Massachusetts General Hospital, and TJX Companies.

• Enrollment: 12,885 (undergraduate); 4,978 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $34,564 (in-state); $53,390 (out-of-state)
• Acceptance Rate: 85%

Miami University – Oxford

Academic Highlights: Miami University sports a reasonable 15:1 student-to-faculty ratio, lower than Ohio State. As at most publics, classes certainly aren’t tiny, but Miami U. keeps the majority of courses—65% to be precise—at an enrollment of 29 or fewer. Almost one-quarter of graduates earn a degree in business/marketing, making it the most popular area of academic concentration. Other commonly pursued majors include the social sciences (9%), health professions (9%), journalism (8%), biology (6%), parks and recreation (6%), and education (6%).

Professional Outcomes: The overall success rate for the Class of 2022 was 99%, roughly the same as for the previous two cohorts. Fifty-five percent of recent Miami grads were employed and by mid-career, alumni enjoy a median salary of $118k. Over one-quarter of recent grads elected to continue their education in graduate or professional school. Miami boasts a strong premed program that resulted in 63% of medical school applicants gaining acceptance over the last four years.

• Enrollment: 16,865
• Cost of Attendance: $34,342 (In-State); $56,558 (Out-of-State)
• Median SAT: 1270
• Graduation Rate: 81%

Thomas Jefferson University

Academic Highlights: Offering 160+ undergraduate and graduate degrees combined with Philadelphia University in 2017. Sporting an excellent 12:1 student-to-faculty ratio, this private university keeps 59% of its class sections at under 20 students. 30% of all degrees conferred are for registered nursing, followed by family practice nursing (12%), health services (12%), allied health diagnostic (6%), architectural technology (4%), and fashion merchandising (4%).

Professional Outcomes:  Shortly after earning their undergraduate degrees, 60% of recent alumni had already found their first job and 37% were pursuing an advanced degree. The top employers included JP Morgan Chase & Co., Saks Fifth Avenue, Fox Chase Cancer Center, BLT Architects, and Thomas Jefferson Hospital. Graduate school enrollments included Hofstra, Temple School of Dentistry, University of Maryland, UPenn, and Penn State.

• Enrollment: 3,771
• Cost of Attendance: $60,889
• Median SAT: 1210
• Acceptance Rate: 87%
• Graduation Rate: 68%

Appalachian State University

Academic Highlights: Students can select from 150 bachelor’s degrees and 80 graduate programs at App State. A reasonable 16:1 student-to-faculty ratio leads to 39% of all course sections having fewer than 20 students and just 8% enrolling 50 or more. 20% of all 2022 grads earned their degree in business/marketing followed by health professions (10%), education (9%), parks & recreation (9%), journalism (8%), and psychology (7%).

Professional Outcomes: Within one year of graduating, 86% of those surveyed have arrived at their next destination. Undergrads benefit from nine annual career fairs and the 16,000 employers that are approved to recruit on campus. Further, 99% of students find the Career Development Center to be helpful. Alumni go on to work in large numbers for Wells Fargo, Atrium Health, Novant Health, Bank of America, Red Hat, Cisco, and Duke Energy Corporation.

• Enrollment: 18,558
• Cost of Attendance: $20,339 (In-State); $37,335 (Out-of-State)
• Median SAT: 1180
• Acceptance Rate: 83%
• Retention Rate: 83%

Virginia Commonwealth University

• Richmond, VA

Academic Highlights:  A large public institution with 200 academic offerings, VCU still manages to keep 48% of its class sections capped at an enrollment of 19 thanks to a manageable 16:1 student-to-faculty ratio. Popular majors include the visual and performing arts (12%), business (11%), psychology (10%), biology (9%), education (7%), and homeland security (7%). The university is highly rated for innovation, value, and its stellar nursing program.

Professional Outcomes:  After earning their diplomas, 48% quickly landed their first job and 22% entered an advanced degree program. The top industries were healthcare, internet & software, higher education, government, and retail. Overall, 87% of grads were satisfied with their employment outcome and 78% remained in the state of Virginia. Massive numbers of alumni can be found in the offices of Dominion Energy, VCU Health, Capital One, CarMax, Deloitte, and Apex Systems.

• Enrollment: 20,958
• Cost of Attendance: $29,516 (In-State); $52,100 (Out-of-State)
• Median ACT: 26
• Acceptance Rate: 91%

Fashion Institute of Technology

Academic Highlights:  FIT is a public institution that attracts students from 46 nations and offers programs in Art & Design, Liberal Arts & Sciences, and Business and Technology. The most popular majors at the Fashion Institute of Technology are fashion merchandising (24%), fashion & apparel design (18%), communication management (16%), international marketing (16%), and design and visual communications (5%).

Professional Outcomes:  78% of those who earned a bachelor’s in 2022 were employed six months after graduation and 18% were looking for work. Most fresh alumni (85%) were employed by a company and 13% were freelancers. Employers of more than 100 FIT alumni include L’Oreal, Ralph Lauren, Macy’s, Nike, Amazon, Coach, Victoria’s Secret & Co., the Estee Lauder Companies, CHANEL, Louis Vuitton, and the Style Shop.

• Enrollment: 7,872
• Tuition: $6,170 (In-State); $16,750 (Out-of-State)

University of Houston

• Houston, TX

Academic Highlights: Nearly 100 undergraduate majors are offered across 11 different colleges. Programs within the College of Business and College of Engineering are particularly strong, especially petroleum engineering, entrepreneurship, and marketing. The most degrees are conferred in business/management/marketing (28%), psychology (7%), computer science (7%), engineering (7%), biological sciences (7%), and social sciences (6%). 34% of classes enroll fewer than 20 students, and

Professional Outcomes: By graduation day, 29% of recent grads had already accepted a full-time position and 11% had been accepted to graduate school. For those who entered the workforce, top employers were Houston ISD (as well as several other school systems), JPMorgan Chase, Houston Methodist, and Walgreens. Of those continuing their education, the highest percentage stayed at the University of Houston followed by the University of Texas, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas A&M, Texas Woman’s University, and Rice.

• Enrollment: 37,946 (undergraduate); 8,730 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $24,268 (in-state); $39,868 (out-of-state)
• Median SAT: 1230

University of South Florida

Academic Highlights:  USF has an astounding 200 undergraduate majors and concentration areas available and despite a fairly high 22:1 student-to-faculty ratio, is able to enroll fewer than 20 students in 42% of their course sections. The most popular major is health professions (19%) followed by business (17%), biology (13%), the social sciences (11%), and psychology (8%). An increasingly competitive university, USF’s nursing and psychology programs are top notch and the business, engineering, and computer science majors are great values.

Professional Outcomes:  Employers that gobble up significant numbers of University of South Florida alumni include Citi, Moffitt Cancer Center, BayCare Health System, Tampa General Hospital, Raymond James, Centene Corporation, Deloitte, Microsoft, AWS, and Kforce. Therefore it’s little surprise that a study by the Florida Board of Governors revealed that USF is a highly-rated contributor to the local economy, represents excellent value, and facilitates social mobility.

• Enrollment: 38,046
• Cost of Attendance: $20,005 (In-State); $30,919 (Out-of-State)
• Acceptance Rate: 44%

SUNY New Paltz

• New Paltz, NY

Academic Highlights: Undergrads can choose from nearly 100 different majors across five colleges: the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, the School of Business, the School of Education, the School of Fine & Performing Arts, and the School of Science & Engineering. The most popular undergraduate programs include psychology, early childhood and childhood education, sociology, digital media production, visual arts, communication studies, English, biology, mechanical engineering, and communication disorders. 41% of classes have fewer than 20 students.

Professional Outcomes: Within six months of graduation, 60% of recent alumni were employed and 28% were heading to graduate school. Top sectors for recent alumni include education, operations, community & social services, administrative, engineering, healthcare services, arts & design, and media & communication. Popular employers included SUNY New Paltz itself, the NYC Department of Education, IBM, Target, Amazon, Hudson Valley Credit Union, and Northwell Health.

• Enrollment: 6,090 (undergraduate); 874 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $27,388 (in-state); $37,298 (out-of-state)
• Acceptance Rate: 58%
• Graduation Rate: 73%

University of Tennessee – Knoxville

• Knoxville, TN

Academic Highlights:  With 360 undergraduate programs, 14 degree-granting colleges and schools, 500 study abroad programs, and 1,700 instructional faculty, nothing is small at the University of Tennessee. With an 18:1 student-to-faculty ratio, this university offers 28% of courses in a more intimate setting of fewer than 20 students; the bulk of courses enroll 20-49 students (57%). Business (24%) is easily the most popular major with engineering (11%), biology (7%), the social sciences (7%), and parks and recreation (7%) next in line.

Professional Outcomes:  Six months after receiving their diplomas, 64% of UT-Knoxville alumni have found jobs and 27% have started their graduate school careers. The top employers of the Class of 2023 were the UT Medical Center, PepsiCo, and Axle Logistics. Among those headed to graduate/professional school, the five most commonly attended institutions were the University of Tennessee, UT Health Science Center, Lincoln Memorial University, East Tennessee University, and Belmont University.

• Enrollment: 27,039
• Cost of Attendance: $33,910 (In-State); $52,400 (Out-of-State)
• Median SAT: 1235
• Acceptance Rate: 68%

University of Nebraska – Lincoln

• Lincoln, NE

Academic Highlights: There are more than 150 majors at the University of Nebraska and students enjoy a mix of smaller classes (34% have fewer than 20 students) and larger ones (18% have more than 50). Overall, 23% of the undergraduate degrees conferred are in business and 11% are in engineering. The next most common disciplines are agriculture (9%), journalism (8%), and family & consumer sciences (7%). Business, computer science, engineering, and psychology all receive their share of acclaim.

Professional Outcomes: Nine months after graduating, alumni have entered the workforce at a 63% clip and 35% have matriculated into graduate/professional school. Employers hiring more than a few recent graduates included Microsoft, Deloitte, Amazon, Epic, Union Bank & Trust Company, and Ameritas Life Insurance Corporation. Multiple grads enrolled at the following graduate/professional schools: the University of Nebraska College of Law, Johns Hopkins, Notre Dame, University of Michigan, and Boston University.

• Enrollment: 19,189
• Cost of Attendance: $28,594 (In-State); $46,234 (Out-of-State)

San Diego State University

• San Diego, CA

Academic Highlights: SDSU has nearly 160 undergraduate majors, minors, and pre-professional programs. Classes tend to be on the large side—28% of course sections enroll more than 40 students, and only 31% of sections contain fewer than 20 students. Business/marketing accounts for 21% of the degrees conferred, making it the school’s most popular area of study. Next in line are engineering (9%), psychology (8%), and the social sciences (7%). Engineering and computer science majors tend to fare quite well in the booming local tech and startup scene.

Professional Outcomes: At the time of receiving their degrees, roughly 75% of newly minted SDSU graduates already have their next phase of life planned. 34% of recent grads had secured full-time employment, 21% were engaged in military service/volunteer work/part-time employment, and 17% were entering graduate or professional school. Qualcomm is the largest employer of Aztec alumni, and it is followed by Apple, Amazon, Google, and a number of other Silicon Valley-based tech companies.

• Enrollment: 31,724 (undergraduate); 4,913 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $34,072 (in-state); $46,952 (out-of-state)
• Acceptance Rate: 39%

University of Nevada Las Vegas

• Las Vegas, NV

Academic Highlights:  UNLV allows undergraduates to choose from 76 majors and 70 minors, all with an 18:1 student-to-faculty ratio. In total, 43% of course sections take place in a smaller setting capped at 19 students. The academic area attracting the most attention is business (23%), although psychology (9%), health professions and related programs (8%), the social sciences (7%), homeland security & law enforcement (7%), and the visual and performing arts (6%) are also quite popular.

Professional Outcomes:  Remaining in the Las Vegas Area after graduating is the most common move for UNLV alum, but sizable numbers also flock to Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York City, and Dallas. The companies employing the greatest number of alumni are the Clark County School District, MGM Resorts International, Caesars Entertainment, Amazon, Wynn Las Vegas, the Venetian Resort Las Vegas, and Resorts World Las Vegas.

• Enrollment: 25,365
• Cost of Attendance: $26,591 (In-State); $47,351 (Out-of-State)
• Median SAT: 1120
• Median ACT: 21
• Retention Rate: 77%
• Graduation Rate: 47%

We hope you have found our list of the Best Colleges for Graphic Design to be useful and informative as you continue your college search process. We also invite you to check out some of our other resources and tools including:

• AP Score Calculators 
• SAT Score Calculator 
• ACT Score Calculator
• Best Summer Programs 
• College List Building Tool
• Best Colleges by Major

Andrew Belasco

A licensed counselor and published researcher, Andrew's experience in the field of college admissions and transition spans two decades. He has previously served as a high school counselor, consultant and author for Kaplan Test Prep, and advisor to U.S. Congress, reporting on issues related to college admissions and financial aid.

• 2-Year Colleges
• Application Strategies
• Best Colleges by State
• Big Picture
• Career & Personality Assessment
• College Essay
• College Search/Knowledge
• College Success
• Costs & Financial Aid
• Dental School Admissions
• Extracurricular Activities
• Graduate School Admissions
• High School Success
• High Schools
• Law School Admissions
• Medical School Admissions
• Navigating the Admissions Process
• Online Learning
• Private High School Spotlight
• Summer Program Spotlight
• Summer Programs
• Test Prep Provider Spotlight

“Innovative and invaluable…use this book as your college lifeline.”

— Lynn O'Shaughnessy

Nationally Recognized College Expert

College Planning in Your Inbox

Join our information-packed monthly newsletter.

I am a... Student Student Parent Counselor Educator Other First Name Last Name Email Address Zip Code Area of Interest Business Computer Science Engineering Fine/Performing Arts Humanities Mathematics STEM Pre-Med Psychology Social Studies/Sciences Submit

• JEE Main 2024
• MHT CET 2024
• JEE Advanced 2024
• BITSAT 2024
• View All Engineering Exams
• Colleges Accepting B.Tech Applications
• Top Engineering Colleges in India
• Engineering Colleges in India
• Engineering Colleges in Tamil Nadu
• Engineering Colleges Accepting JEE Main
• Top IITs in India
• Top NITs in India
• Top IIITs in India
• JEE Main College Predictor
• JEE Main Rank Predictor
• MHT CET College Predictor
• AP EAMCET College Predictor
• GATE College Predictor
• KCET College Predictor
• JEE Advanced College Predictor
• View All College Predictors
• JEE Main Question Paper
• JEE Main Cutoff
• JEE Main Answer Key
• JEE Main Result
• Download E-Books and Sample Papers
• Compare Colleges
• B.Tech College Applications
• JEE Advanced Registration
• MAH MBA CET Exam
• View All Management Exams

Colleges & Courses

• MBA College Admissions
• MBA Colleges in India
• Top IIMs Colleges in India
• Top Online MBA Colleges in India
• MBA Colleges Accepting XAT Score
• BBA Colleges in India
• XAT College Predictor 2024
• SNAP College Predictor
• NMAT College Predictor
• MAT College Predictor 2024
• CMAT College Predictor 2024
• CAT Percentile Predictor 2023
• CAT 2023 College Predictor
• CMAT 2024 Registration
• TS ICET 2024 Registration
• CMAT Exam Date 2024
• MAH MBA CET Cutoff 2024
• Download Helpful Ebooks
• List of Popular Branches
• QnA - Get answers to your doubts
• IIM Fees Structure
• AIIMS Nursing
• Top Medical Colleges in India
• Top Medical Colleges in India accepting NEET Score
• Medical Colleges accepting NEET
• List of Medical Colleges in India
• List of AIIMS Colleges In India
• Medical Colleges in Maharashtra
• Medical Colleges in India Accepting NEET PG
• NEET College Predictor
• NEET PG College Predictor
• NEET MDS College Predictor
• DNB CET College Predictor
• DNB PDCET College Predictor
• NEET Application Form 2024
• NEET PG Application Form 2024
• NEET Cut off
• NEET Online Preparation
• Download Helpful E-books
• LSAT India 2024
• Colleges Accepting Admissions
• Top Law Colleges in India
• Law College Accepting CLAT Score
• List of Law Colleges in India
• Top Law Colleges in Delhi
• Top Law Collages in Indore
• Top Law Colleges in Chandigarh
• Top Law Collages in Lucknow

Predictors & E-Books

• CLAT College Predictor
• MHCET Law ( 5 Year L.L.B) College Predictor
• AILET College Predictor
• Sample Papers
• Compare Law Collages
• Careers360 Youtube Channel
• CLAT Syllabus 2025
• CLAT Previous Year Question Paper
• AIBE 18 Result 2023
• NID DAT Exam
• Pearl Academy Exam

Animation Courses

• Animation Courses in India
• Animation Courses in Bangalore
• Animation Courses in Mumbai
• Animation Courses in Pune
• Animation Courses in Chennai
• Animation Courses in Hyderabad
• Design Colleges in India
• Fashion Design Colleges in Bangalore
• Fashion Design Colleges in Mumbai
• Fashion Design Colleges in Pune
• Fashion Design Colleges in Delhi
• Fashion Design Colleges in Hyderabad
• Fashion Design Colleges in India
• Top Design Colleges in India
• Free Sample Papers
• Free Design E-books
• List of Branches
• Careers360 Youtube channel
• NIFT College Predictor
• UCEED College Predictor
• NID DAT College Predictor
• IPU CET BJMC
• JMI Mass Communication Entrance Exam
• IIMC Entrance Exam
• Media & Journalism colleges in Delhi
• Media & Journalism colleges in Bangalore
• Media & Journalism colleges in Mumbai
• List of Media & Journalism Colleges in India
• Free Ebooks
• CA Intermediate
• CA Foundation
• CS Executive
• CS Professional
• Difference between CA and CS
• Difference between CA and CMA
• CA Full form
• CMA Full form
• CS Full form
• CA Salary In India

Top Courses & Careers

• Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com)
• Master of Commerce (M.Com)
• Company Secretary
• Cost Accountant
• Charted Accountant
• Credit Manager
• Financial Advisor
• Top Commerce Colleges in India
• Top Government Commerce Colleges in India
• Top Private Commerce Colleges in India
• Top M.Com Colleges in Mumbai
• Top B.Com Colleges in India
• IT Colleges in Tamil Nadu
• IT Colleges in Uttar Pradesh
• MCA Colleges in India
• BCA Colleges in India

Quick Links

• Information Technology Courses
• Programming Courses
• Web Development Courses
• Data Analytics Courses
• Big Data Analytics Courses
• RUHS Pharmacy Admission Test
• Top Pharmacy Colleges in India
• Pharmacy Colleges in Pune
• Pharmacy Colleges in Mumbai
• Colleges Accepting GPAT Score
• Pharmacy Colleges in Lucknow
• List of Pharmacy Colleges in Nagpur
• GPAT Result
• GPAT 2024 Admit Card
• GPAT Question Papers
• NCHMCT JEE 2024
• Mah BHMCT CET
• Top Hotel Management Colleges in Delhi
• Top Hotel Management Colleges in Hyderabad
• Top Hotel Management Colleges in Mumbai
• Top Hotel Management Colleges in Tamil Nadu
• Top Hotel Management Colleges in Maharashtra
• B.Sc Hotel Management
• Hotel Management
• Diploma in Hotel Management and Catering Technology

Diploma Colleges

• Top Diploma Colleges in Maharashtra
• UPSC IAS 2024
• SSC CGL 2024
• IBPS RRB 2024
• Previous Year Sample Papers
• Free Competition E-books
• Sarkari Result
• QnA- Get your doubts answered
• UPSC Previous Year Sample Papers
• CTET Previous Year Sample Papers
• SBI Clerk Previous Year Sample Papers
• NDA Previous Year Sample Papers

Upcoming Events

• NDA Application Form 2024
• UPSC IAS Application Form 2024
• CDS Application Form 2024
• CTET Admit card 2024
• HP TET Result 2023
• SSC GD Constable Admit Card 2024
• UPTET Notification 2024
• SBI Clerk Result 2024

Other Exams

• SSC CHSL 2024
• UP PCS 2024
• UGC NET 2024
• RRB NTPC 2024
• IBPS PO 2024
• IBPS Clerk 2024
• IBPS SO 2024
• CBSE Class 10th
• CBSE Class 12th
• UP Board 10th
• UP Board 12th
• Bihar Board 10th
• Bihar Board 12th
• Top Schools in India
• Top Schools in Delhi
• Top Schools in Mumbai
• Top Schools in Chennai
• Top Schools in Hyderabad
• Top Schools in Kolkata
• Top Schools in Pune
• Top Schools in Bangalore

Products & Resources

• JEE Main Knockout April
• NCERT Notes
• NCERT Syllabus
• NCERT Books
• RD Sharma Solutions
• Navodaya Vidyalaya Admission 2024-25
• NCERT Solutions
• NCERT Solutions for Class 12
• NCERT Solutions for Class 11
• NCERT solutions for Class 10
• NCERT solutions for Class 9
• NCERT solutions for Class 8
• NCERT Solutions for Class 7
• Top University in USA
• Top University in Canada
• Top University in Ireland
• Top Universities in UK
• Top Universities in Australia
• Best MBA Colleges in Abroad
• Business Management Studies Colleges

Top Countries

• Study in USA
• Study in UK
• Study in Canada
• Study in Australia
• Study in Ireland
• Study in Germany
• Study in China
• Study in Europe

Student Visas

• Student Visa Canada
• Student Visa UK
• Student Visa USA
• Student Visa Australia
• Student Visa Germany
• Student Visa New Zealand
• Student Visa Ireland
• CUET PG 2024
• IGNOU B.Ed Admission 2024
• DU Admission 2024
• UP B.Ed JEE 2024
• LPU NEST 2024
• IIT JAM 2024
• IGNOU Online Admission 2024
• Universities in India
• Top Universities in India 2024
• Top Colleges in India
• Top Universities in Uttar Pradesh 2024
• Top Universities in Bihar
• Top Universities in Madhya Pradesh 2024
• Top Universities in Tamil Nadu 2024
• Central Universities in India
• CUET Exam City Intimation Slip 2024
• IGNOU Date Sheet
• CUET Mock Test 2024
• CUET Admit card 2024
• CUET PG Syllabus 2024
• CUET Participating Universities 2024
• CUET Previous Year Question Paper
• CUET Syllabus 2024 for Science Students
• E-Books and Sample Papers
• CUET Exam Pattern 2024
• CUET Exam Date 2024
• CUET Syllabus 2024
• IGNOU Exam Form 2024
• IGNOU Result
• CUET Courses List 2024

Engineering Preparation

• Knockout JEE Main 2024
• Test Series JEE Main 2024
• JEE Main 2024 Rank Booster

Medical Preparation

• Knockout NEET 2024
• Test Series NEET 2024
• Rank Booster NEET 2024

Online Courses

• JEE Main One Month Course
• NEET One Month Course
• IBSAT Free Mock Tests
• IIT JEE Foundation Course
• Knockout BITSAT 2024
• Career Guidance Tool

Top Streams

• IT & Software Certification Courses
• Engineering and Architecture Certification Courses
• Programming And Development Certification Courses
• Business and Management Certification Courses
• Marketing Certification Courses
• Health and Fitness Certification Courses
• Design Certification Courses

Specializations

• Digital Marketing Certification Courses
• Cyber Security Certification Courses
• Artificial Intelligence Certification Courses
• Business Analytics Certification Courses
• Data Science Certification Courses
• Cloud Computing Certification Courses
• Machine Learning Certification Courses
• View All Certification Courses
• UG Degree Courses
• PG Degree Courses
• Short Term Courses
• Free Courses
• Online Degrees and Diplomas
• Compare Courses

Top Providers

• Coursera Courses
• Udemy Courses
• Edx Courses
• Swayam Courses
• upGrad Courses
• Simplilearn Courses
• Great Learning Courses

Access premium articles, webinars, resources to make the best decisions for career, course, exams, scholarships, study abroad and much more with

Plan, Prepare & Make the Best Career Choices

Top Ph.D in Design Colleges in India

Gender diversity.

WUD | Design Admissions 2024

International tie-ups | Project based learnings | Attractive Scholarships | State of the art infrastructure | Last Date to Apply: 23rd May'24

Somaiya Vidyavihar University B.Des Admissions 2024

Placements in Top MNCs

MIT World Peace University B.DES Admissions 2024

Highest CTC: 20 LPA | 1600+ recruiters | 100% Placement Assistance | 75+ Granted Patents

Chandigarh University Admissions 2024

NAAC A+ Accredited | Scholarships worth 170 CR

O.P. Jindal Global University Admissions 2024

Ranked #1 Private University | Institute of Eminence | NAAC Accredited | AACSB & AIU member | Apply Now

Pimpri Chinchwad University B.Design Admissions

1000+ Recruiters | 450+ Patents | 50000+ Alumni network

Abanindranath Tagore School of Creative Arts and Communication Studies, Silchar

Abhyuday university, khargone.

• Fees : ₹ 2.40 Lakhs

Agra College, Agra

Top institutes accepting applications.

Mark presence in the Modern Architectural field with Bachelor of Architecture | Highest CTC : 59 LPA | Accepts NATA Score | Applications Closing Soon

No. 1 Design & Fashion Institute by ASSOCHAM, India Today, Outlook and The Week rankings

Ranked #52 amongst Universities in India by NIRF | Ranked #9 in India by QS University Rankings 2023 | Last Date to Apply - 30th April

Ranked amongst top 3% universities globally (QS Rankings)

No. 1 Design & Fashion Institute by ASSOCHAM, India Today, Outlook and The Week rankings |

India's youngest NAAC A++ accredited University | NIRF rank band 151-200 | 2200 Recruiters | 30 Lakhs Highest Package

Amity School of Fashion Technology, Noida

• Fees : ₹ 3 Lakhs
• Ph.D ( 1 Course )
• B.Des ( 5 Courses )

Filter by State

• Uttar Pradesh
• Madhya Pradesh
• Maharashtra

Amity School of Film and Drama, Noida

Amity university gurgaon - amity university, gurugram.

• Fees : ₹ 2.43 Lakhs
• Ph.D ( 2 Courses )
• B.Des ( 2 Courses )

Amity University, Jaipur

• Fees : ₹ 2.52 Lakhs
• B.Des ( 1 Course )

Amity University, Mumbai

• Fees : ₹ 1.92 Lakhs
• B.Des ( 6 Courses )

Filter by City

Amity university, noida.

• Fees : ₹ 3.12 Lakhs

Anant National University, Ahmedabad

Aau jorhat - assam agricultural university, jorhat, auro university, surat.

• Fees : ₹ 4.85 Lakhs

Filter by Exam

Avantika university, ujjain.

• Fees : ₹ 3.93 Lakhs

Avinashilingam Institute for Home Science and Higher Education for Women, Coimbatore

• P.G.D ( 1 Course )

Bengaluru City University, Bengaluru

Bpsmv sonipat - bhagat phool singh mahila vishwavidyalaya, khanpur kalan, filter by branch.

• Fashion Design
• Visual Arts
• Interior Design
• Textile Design
• Industrial Design
• Communication Design
• Product Design
• Furniture and Interior Design

Bharathiar University - Bharathiar University, Coimbatore

• Fees : ₹ 3.31 K
• M.Phil. ( 2 Courses )

Bhupal Nobles University, Udaipur

Birla institute of technology, mesra, jaipur campus (bit mesra) - birla institute of technology, mesra, jaipur campus, bir tikendrajit university, imphal, filter by ownership, career point university, kota.

• Fees : ₹ 72 K

CUK Karnataka - Central University of Karnataka, Gulbarga

• Fees : ₹ 1.26 Lakhs

CCSHAU Hisar - Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar

Csjmu kanpur - chhatrapati shahu ji maharaj university, kanpur.

• Diploma ( 4 Courses )

Filter by Study Mode

Chikkanna government arts college, tirupur, college of community science, dharwad, college of home science, gb pant university of agriculture and technology, pantnagar, csi bishop appasamy college of arts and science, coimbatore, ct university, ludhiana, davangere university, davangere, dayanand girls pg college, kanpur, dtu delhi - delhi technological university, delhi, garden city university, bangalore, gls university, ahmedabad, government arts college, kota, government college of art and craft, kolkata, government hamidia arts and commerce college, bhopal, government kamla raja girls post graduate college, gwalior, government pg college, tonk, govind ballabh pant university of agriculture and technology, pantnagar (gbpuat pantnagar) - govind ballabh pant university of agriculture and technology, pantnagar, gulbarga university, gulbarga, guru kashi university, talwandi sabo.

• Diploma ( 2 Courses )

HITS Chennai - Hindustan Institute of Technology and Science, Chennai

• B.Des ( 3 Courses )

IILM University, Gurugram

• Fees : ₹ 6 Lakhs

IIS University, Jaipur

• M.Phil. ( 1 Course )

IIT Bombay - Indian Institute of Technology Bombay

• M.Des ( 5 Courses )

IIT Delhi - Indian Institute of Technology Delhi

Iit gandhinagar (iit gn) - indian institute of technology gandhinagar, iit guwahati (iitg) - indian institute of technology guwahati, iit hyderabad - indian institute of technology hyderabad, upcoming animation and design exams, ( aieed ) all india entrance examination for design.

• Eligibility Criteria
• Application Process
• Counselling Process

( NIFT Entrance Exam ) National Institute of Fashion Technology Entrance Examination

( upesdat ) upes design aptitude test.

Application Date - Phase-2 (last date to apply)

Online Mode

• Exam Pattern

( SMEAT ) Srishti Manipal Entrance and Aptitude Test

Application Date - Round - 2 for UG (B.Voc, B.Des & BFA)

( CEED ) Common Entrance Examination for Design

Pearl academy entrance exam.

Admit Card Date - April Cycle: (Personal Interview)

( NID DAT ) NID Design Aptitude Test

Exam Date - B.Des

Offline Mode

• Preparation Tips

Explore on Careers360

• Top Design Exams
• Explore Colleges
• NIFT Application Form
• NIFT Exam Dates
• Nift Admit Card
• NIFT Syllabus
• NIFT Result
• NIFT Cutoff
• NIFT ANswer KEY
• NIFT Eligibility Criteria
• NID DAT Exam Dates
• NID DAT Admit Card
• NID DAT Syllabus
• NID DAT Exam Pattern
• NID DAT Result
• NID DAT Cutoff
• NID DAT Prepration Tips
• NID DAT Answer Key
• NID DAT Eligibility Criteria
• NID DAT Application Form
• CEED Application Form
• CEED Important Dates
• CEED Admit Card
• CEED Syllabus
• CEED Exam Patter
• CEED Result
• CEED Cutoff
• CEED Prepration Strategy
• CEED Answer Key
• CEED Eligibility Criteria
• UCEED Application Form
• UCEED UEED Important Dates
• UCEED Admit Card
• UCEED Syllabus
• UCEED Exam Pattern
• UCEED Result
• UCEED Cutoff
• UCEED Prepration
• UCEED Answer Key
• UCEED Eligibility Criteria
• FDDI AIST Exam Dates
• FDDI AIST Admit Card
• FDDI AIST Syllabus
• FDDI AIST Exam Pattern
• FDDI AIST Result
• FDDI AIST Eligibility Criteria
• FDDI AIST Application Form
• FDDI AIST Counselling
• AIEED Application Form
• AIEED Important Dates
• AIEED Admit Card
• AIEED Result
• AIEED Eligibility Criteria
• AIFD WAT Result
• AIFD WAT Important Dates
• AIFD WAT Admit Card
• AIFD WAT Exam Pattern
• AIFD WAT Eligibility Criteria
• AIFD WAT Application Form
• SMEAT Application Form
• SMEAT Admit Card
• SMEAT Exam Pattern
• SMEAT Result

Pearl Academy

• Pearl Academy Application Form
• Pearl Academy Eligibility Criteria
• Pearl Academy Exam Pattern
• Pearl Academy Admit Card
• Pearl Academy Important Dates
• Pearl Academy Result
• UPES DAT Result
• UPES DAT Admit Card
• UPES DAT Syllabus
• UPES DAT Exam Pattern
• UPES DAT Eligibility Criteria
• UPES DAT Application Form

IICD Entrance Test

• IICD Entrance Test Application Form
• IICD Entrance Test Exam Pattern
• IICD Entrance Test Syllabus
• IICD Entrance Test Admit Card
• IICD Entrance Test Result

Collages by Exam

• Top Commerce Colleges in India Accepting UCEED Score
• Top Commerce Colleges in India Accepting CEED Score
• Top Commerce Colleges in India Accepting NID DAT Score
• Top Commerce Colleges in India Accepting NIFT Score
• Top Commerce Colleges in India Accepting Pearl Academy Exam Score

Collages by State

• Top Design Colleges in Gujrat
• Top Design Colleges in Karnataka
• Top Design Colleges in Maharashtra
• Top Design Colleges in Punjab
• Top Design Colleges in Rajasthan

Collages by City

• Top Design Colleges in Ahmedabad
• Top Design Colleges in Bangalore
• Top Design Colleges in Mumbai
• Top Design Colleges in Pune
• Top Design Colleges in Jaipur

Colleges by Ownership

• Top Private Design Colleges in India
• Top Government Design Colleges in India

Download Careers360 App's

Regular exam updates, QnA, Predictors, College Applications & E-books now on your Mobile

Cetifications

We Appeared in