BFA in Studio Art with Concentration in Graphic Design

Our Graphic Design program is grounded in integrative design—an amalgamation of thoughtful process and creative execution understood as a dynamic, adaptive system. The curriculum brings together critical thinking and making, with an emphasis on technologies and tools that support students in developing their own design sensibility while learning to approach design across contexts, systems, and scales.

Our studio culture puts this holistic approach into practice through the exchange of perspectives, critique, visual literacy, experiential learning, and experimentation. Upper-level studios and Special Topics build on this foundation through visual systems, motion, interactivity, branding, experience design, and sustainability.

Program Objectives

• Diverse Design Challenges: through a sequentially structured coursework in design, students are exposed to a range of experimental and applied design problems, including typography, publication, identity/branding, web design, packaging, information graphics, interactive design and design for the environment.
• Critical Thinking: the coursework enhances critical thinking abilities, enabling students to define, research, investigate, and create unique and effective solutions to complex design problems.
• Interdisciplinary Approach: students are encouraged to integrate skills from fine arts areas and other disciplines into their work, appreciating the value of a well-rounded education. They draw upon knowledge from various intellectual areas to solve unique design challenges.
• Experiential Learning: the program encourages students to take advantage of real world experiences, internship opportunities and guided independent studies to expand their learning and explore specific interests within graphic design.
• Professionalism: the program focuses on developing students' professional presentation skills, including verbal and visual communication, as well as building their resumes and portfolios each semester.
• Career Awareness: as a result of the program, students gain awareness of diverse career possibilities and design applications, both traditional and digital. Graduates are well-prepared to work in design studios, advertising agencies, in-house design departments, and some have even started their businesses or online merchandising platforms for their work. 

We believe designers should be aesthetically and technically fluent, while also able to think systemically: to understand relationships, navigate complexity, collaborate across perspectives, and consider the communities and environments affected by their creative decisions. 

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Student Work Highlights