Top Colleges with a Graphic Design Bachelor’s Degree Program
Higher Education Articles April 20, 2015Get information about the top two schools that offer Graphic Design Bachelor’s degree programs and their rankings and undergraduate offerings.
School Overview
In this article, we take a look at the top colleges that offer a Graphic Design Bachelor’s degree program in the United States:
Maryland Institute College of Art – Baltimore, MD
As one of the oldest art schools in the country, art history programs, 11 master’s degree programs, and 14 undergraduate art and design majors are available at the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA), which was founded in 1826. Students enrolled in the B.F.A. in Graphic Design program have to complete a three-year sequence that begins in their sophomore year and includes courses in typography and graphic design. The school offers advanced design electives and studio time to both seniors and juniors. A concentration in book arts may be obtained by graphic design majors through completion of the Printmaking Department’s requirement of 15 credits.
Contact Information
•Postal Address: 300 Mount Royal Ave, Baltimore, MD 21217
•Phone: (410) 669-9200
Rhode Island School of Design – Providence, RI
Sixteen undergraduate art and design majors are offered at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) in areas such as textiles, interior design, ceramics, and film and animation. More than 200 visiting artists and critics, 2,200 students and 350 faculty members, and museum curators are hosted at the campus every year.
A five-year Bachelor of Graphic Design (B.G.D.) and a four-year B.F.A. program are among the undergraduate offerings in graphic design. An additional year of studio projects sponsored by partnering organizations or firms and professional practice instruction are available in the B.G.D. program. Courses in color theory, media practice, and typography are taken by students of both programs.
Contact Information
•Postal Address: Two College St, Providence, RI 02903
•Phone: (401) 454-6100
Good Schools that offer Graphic Design Programs
| Name of School | Distinction | Campus Location |
| Arizona State University | Arizona State University’s Design School provides students with access to over one thousand performances, lectures, and exhibitions each year | Tempe, AZ |
| Boston University | Students enrolled in visual arts program may attend a study abroad program to Venice | Boston, MA |
| California College of the Arts | California College of the Arts was ranked eleventh as the top graphic design school in 2012, by the U.S. News and World Report | Oakland, CA |
| Maryland Institute College of Art | In 2012, the U.S. News and World Report ranked Maryland Institute College of Arts seventh with the top graduate school for fine arts program | Baltimore, MD |
| Pennsylvania State University | Graphic design program are usually small with approximately twenty students in the class | University Park, PA |
| Pratt Institute | In 2012, the U.S. News and World Report ranked this school twelveth with the top graphic design program | Brooklyn, NY |
| Rhode Island School of Design | Every year, Rhode Island School of Design hosts 350 museum curators and faculty members, and more than 200 visiting critics and artists | Providence, RI |
| Texas Tech University | Students organizations include a tech artist society and print club | Lubbock, TX |
| University of Illinois – Urbana-Champaign | Students enrolled in graphic design programs can access the Krannert Art Museum that has over 8,000 works of art | Champaign, IL |
| University of Michigan – Ann Arbor | In 2014, the U.S. News and World Report ranked University of Michigan fourth for top public schools | Ann Arbor, MI |
| University of Minnesota – Twin Cities | Students will be able to access ten design centers, such as those dedicated to design thinking, metropolitan design, and rural design | Minneapolis, MN |
