Last updated on November 18th, 2022
Art is the freedom that allows artists to bend things when most people see in a straight line. Today, where any skill can be in the mainstream, degree in art and design can be fulfilling for your career.
Graphics design degree / program helps students to learn the fundamental principles of design and equip them with the skills they need to create artwork by hand, text and design & images. After the completion of the selected program, graphic designers are able to get employed to create various forms of art materials, like drawing sketches, comic book sequences, web designs, design logos, custom shirts, billboards, etc. They can nourish their career as an Art Director, video game developer, special efforts artists and much more.
If you are a beginner and looking for art schools or colleges to enhance your skills and start your graphic design career, then here’s the list of top 10 graphic design schools and colleges that have cut our list.
Have A Look At The List Of Top 10 Graphic Design Schools
01. Boston University
Boston University is the sister school of The Newbury Biblical Institute with roots in Massachusetts. This private school has more than 35000 students and it ranks among the top universities and colleges. Students can complete the courses in tiers starting with foundation skills such as drawing, painting, and sculpture in the first year.
Second year follow the principles of graphic design include extended studio experiences. For the remaining years, students can select disciplines based on their styles and get expertise that reflects their professional goals or personal preferences.
02. Rhode Island School Of Design
Rhode Island School of Design is a private university that started in 1877. More than 2500 students have attended this university where candidates got benefited from an interactive 9-to-1 student-to-faculty ratio and classes with an average of 14 learners. For the year of 2018-19, they only admitted 20% of fresh applicants.
The school offers four years bachelor of fine arts in graphic design that emphasizes on technical and aesthetic concepts of graphic design for creating projects to understand the client’s needs. The department also encourages learners to build unique styles for careers as freelance artists and business owners.
03. The New School
The New School began in 1919, located in New York where it started as the New School for Social Research. It has 10,000 students from approximately 116 nations and is accredited by the Middle States Commission for Higher Education.
It ranks as one of the Top National Universities and Colleges, as per the US News & World Report. It’s branch named The School of Art, Media and Technology from Parsons School of Design delivers a bachelor of fine arts in communication design.
The degree provides classes in typography, imaging and design history followed by studios, lectures, and seminars. Students can also attend artistic events and displays through the school, such as the yearly Parsons Festival during their tenure.
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04. George Washington University
George Washington University is a private institution that includes 10 colleges and schools, 15 honours societies with over 450 student groups. The enrollment represents over 100 nations which has exceeded to 26,000. Started in 1821, it’s one of the best schools in America that holds accreditation through the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
It also offers a bachelor of fine arts in graphic design that addresses technology and aesthetics for building designs that reflect their purposes and audiences. Students can explore concepts such as typography, branding, motion graphics, and publication styles for business and cultural needs.
Candidates need to take classes on design fundamentals, art history, and digital media culture, along with completing studio components that address drawing, lighting, and project materials, followed by completing a thesis.
05. University Of Miami
The University of Miami started in 1925 in Coral Gables, Florida with almost 700 students. The private school boasted the retention rate of 92% and conferred 2,661 bachelor’s degrees during 2017-18. UM offers a bachelor of fine arts and master of fine arts in illustration and multimedia that ranks among the top Universities and Colleges that prepares beginners to work in print and digital design.
Students also explore theoretical and aesthetic principles to develop unique styles for art pieces embraced by cross-disciplinary approaches and build teamwork skills for group projects. Seven concepts are prioritized by the program that includes entertainment, applied science, video art, design and craft, cultural theory, public interaction, and painting and sculpture.
06. California Institute Of The Arts
California Institute of the Arts, also called as CalArts, officially started in 1970, during the days when Walt Disney imagined as an art institution that embraced multiple fields. In 2018, this private school educated more than 1,500 students and awarded nearly 400 degrees for the 2017-2018 school year, including 193 bachelors of fine arts degrees.
This school offers a four-year bachelor of fine arts in graphic design that prioritizes technical knowledge, artistic theory, and personal style across different media. The program explores the latest design concepts for books, film graphics, and branding through courses such as skills for visualization, design issues, typography, and digital photography. Classes often include group conversations and appraisals of artistic pieces and concepts.
07. Pratt Institute
Pratt Institute is one of the few US schools that started in 1887. Today, this private school is in New York, campuses in Brooklyn Utica and Manhattan with more than 4,500 students. It offers a four-year bachelor of fine arts in communication designs that train students to consider their audiences and intended messages to create clear designs in storytelling.
The program introduces students to emerging media and technological tools for art projects. Students learn about topics such as typography, film graphics, publishing, and product usability through classes like digital prototyping and themes in art and culture.
Along with that, Candidates complete labs, studios, projects, and internships for this degree. Graduates from Pratt Institute can consider related master’s programs including creative arts therapy, fine arts, and digital arts and animation.
08. Chapman University
Chapman University ranks at 40th for the best value school, 5th for regional universities in the West and 3rd for the most innovative schools. Started in 1861 in Orange (California), it boasts approx 50,000 alumni with more than 8,000 students and over 175 students groups.
The institution offers a bachelor of fine arts in graphic design from one of the best degrees through the Wilkinson College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences that prioritizes techniques and individual styles for designing digital and print projects.
Students can also explore specific courses include book arts, four-dimensional design, visualization, web design, color, and branding and advertising design. The curriculum also involves an internship and a graphic design portfolio where 42% of Chapman students participate in study abroad experiences.
09. The University of Southern California
The University of Southern California ranks 28th for the most innovative schools, 37th for best value schools, 22nd for national universities, and fifth for best colleges for veterans. The university started in 1880 with 53 students which later accounted to 47,500 students in the year 2018-19.
USC boasts nearly 400,00 alumni and awarded more than 15,000 degrees in June 2018. The university offers a four-year bachelor of fine arts in design that involves explorations of two-dimensional and three-dimensional artistry, along with workshops, seminars, internships, and a thesis project. Junior-level students may enter the BFA/MFA degree path adds up with research and artistic skills related to different media.
10. Ringling College of Art & Design
Ringling of Art and Design started in 1931 that boasts around 16,999 students in Sarasota, Florida. This private school is accredited through the Southern Association of Colleges and School and the National Association of Schools of Art and Design where students learn through an interactive 11-to-1 student-to-faculty ratio.
Students can pursue a degree in a bachelor of fine arts in graphic design where students study the graphic design process, including material and technique selection, examines various media, including two-dimensional and three-dimensional options. The institution’s Collaboratory Commitment provides all degree-seekers with in-field learning opportunities, and the Career Services Center directs candidates on obtaining internships.
Once you complete your degree and ready for the next level, start looking for career paths that are open to holding these degrees. It may vary industry to industry, but the following are the job profiles are open after completing the degrees:
i. Web designer
ii. Type designer
iii. Advertising specialist
iv. Marketing specialist
v. Motion graphics designer
vi. Art director
vii. Creative director
viii. Brand specialist
ix. Illustrator
x. Animator
xi. Freelancer
You can also start your design setup. Or you can be an Entrepreneur.
After all, life begins at the end of your comfort zone.