Top 20 Graphic Design School Programs in California 2023 College Rankings

Table Of Content

• #2: Am I More Interested in the Artistic or Commercial Side of Design?
• Cypress College
• Best Colleges with Graphic Design Degrees in the Los Angeles Area
• Still Looking for the Right Fit? Discover Similar Programs
• What are the top California graphic design school programs for 2022?
• Top 50 Graphic Design Schools and Colleges in the U.S. – 2022 Rankings

California Institute of the Arts traces its roots back to 1961, when Walt and Roy Disney formed the school through a merger of the Los Angeles Conservatory of Music and the Chouinard Art Institute. Today, CalArts serves nearly 1,200 students enrolled in more than 70 degree 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, and the School of Theater. Course examples at the undergraduate level include Design Issues, Digital Design Lab, Graphic Design I-IV, Motion, Web Design,  Typography I-III, and Professional Practice for Graphic Design. To enhance the degree, BFA students may add the Digital Arts Minor, which consists of 18 units of study.

#2: Am I More Interested in the Artistic or Commercial Side of Design?

More than 400 degree and certificate programs are offered in 13 schools, including the only schools of pharmacy and medicine in the state. The 24-unit Communication Design Minor includes coursework in graphic design, advertising, marketing, and business. Other program highlights include intensive studio courses and the opportunity to complete a professional internship. The focus during the junior and senior years is typography along with advanced coursework in everything from illustration to digital drawing. The senior year of the program culminates with the capstone portfolio course and a variety of electives are offered each semester to provide students the opportunity for specialized study. The MFA Tracks provide the same opportunities as the BFA does, but the program allows students to tailor individual courses of study through cross-disciplinary electives.

Cypress College

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Graduates of the program will enter the job market with solid design skills from internships and other experiential learning experiences, overseas travel experience, and a professional portfolio of their best work. Chapman Graphic Design alumni are prepared to pursue positions in all industries that require a background in Graphic Design. All students will complete Professional Practices in Visual Communication Design—culminating experience (Capstone) for the program. The Final Portfolio Review for the Cal Poly Pomona VCD Program will be conducted by alumni who are design professionals and leaders in the industry. Consisting of 180 units of study, with 29 units in the Concentration, the Cal Poly GrC BS requires 60 units of upper-division courses and support courses such as Statistical Concepts and Methods, Physics, and World of Chemistry. Course examples for the major include Consumer Packaging, Digital Printing and Emerging Technologies in Graphic Communication, Applied Graphic Communication Practices, Digital Photography and Motion Graphics, Contemporary Print Management and Manufacturing, and Digital Typography.

Best Colleges with Graphic Design Degrees in the Los Angeles Area

All UCLA DMA students have access to an endless number of labs, spaces, and other facilities. Graduates of the programs have landed positions at places such as Fjord (part of Accenture Interactive), Google, Leo Burnett, and Modern Luxury. The idea for the College for Creative Studies (CCS) dates back to 1906 when a group of local civic leaders established the Detroit Society of Arts and Crafts. Members began teaching informal classes in basic design, drawing, and woodcarving and in 1911, and they opened a gallery where student and prominent modern artists could display and sell their work. Students in the program will have the opportunity to complete immersive options such as the Course Assistantship, Design Research, Independent Study, and an Internship.

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. The BFA program covers the basic principles of design, image making, color theory and typography. 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. Students in this degree track do not choose a concentration and take courses across disciplines including Web Design, Publication Design, and Visual Identity.

Other program features include small class sizes, courses taught by industry professionals, hands-on design projects, access to  advanced software applications, equipment, and facilities, mentorships, internships, and partnerships with companies such as Nike and Sony Music. Course examples include Fundamentals of Digital Imaging – Illustrator, Graphic Design 1-2, Computer Imaging, Animation for Motion Graphics, Typography, Communication Design 1-2, Motion Graphics + Visual Effects, and History of Graphic Design. Accredited by the National Schools of Art and Design (NASAD), the Communication Design BFA explores digital communication technologies, print and screen media, and traditional studio methods. The program provides the opportunity to participate in the AIGA-affiliated student graphic design group, as well as workshops, seminars, portfolio reviews, and the internship program. San Francisco State University is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC).

Still Looking for the Right Fit? Discover Similar Programs

Today, School of Visual Arts serves approximately 4,110 students enrolled in dozens of BFA, MA, MFA, and MPS programs. SVA is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE), with individual program accreditation by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD) and the Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA). Design BA students will complete a Design Internship, Professional Practice in Design, and the Senior Design Project. In addition to the Design Internship, BA students can obtain experience through the Exhibition Design Practicum, which encompasses the curation, design, organizing, and launch of an exhibition in the University of San Francisco Thacher Gallery. The College of Arts & Sciences at University of San Francisco (USF) houses the Department of Art + Architecture, home to the Design BA Program.

What are the top California graphic design school programs for 2022?

The second oldest public school in the state, UIUC serves 55,000 students from 50 U.S. states and 126 countries. More than 150 undergraduate programs and more than 100 graduate and professional programs are offered across 16 colleges and instructional units. Graduates of the Design Programs at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign work in areas such as publication design, advertising, interaction design, consulting, photography, type design, art direction, and environmental design. Program alumni work for advertising agencies, design studios, start-ups, and on in-house design teams in a variety of settings. Founded in 1865, University of Kansas opened on September 12, 1866 with one building and 55 students.

Top 50 Graphic Design Schools and Colleges in the U.S. – 2022 Rankings

From public sector marketing to environmental graphics, from app design to improving user experience, the BFA program in Graphic Design prepares graduates for the myriad challenges of a design career. As with many other programs at Yale, the graphic design program is very focused on the craft and theory of design as opposed to its more practical and commercial applications. Therefore, this program is best for students whose interests are academic and artistic as opposed to technical and/or commercial. If you want an Ivy League education as well as excellent preparation to work as a graphic designer, Yale is the dream school for you! Students major in art with a specialization in graphic design and receive a BA degree. Interested students should be aware that they will need to apply for admission to the major in their sophomore year.

Both lead to a terminal degree, equivalent to the MFA, which qualifies graduates to pursue a Design PhD or teach at the university level. The two-year program (MGXD II) is designed for students with a Graphic Design BFA (or equivalent) and experience in design, visual communication, interaction design, or related field. The three-year program (MGXD III) is for students who have earned a BA in another field or a Graphic Design Concentration.

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The program is research-based and interdisciplinary, allowing students to choose courses from and complete research projects with the Departments of Communication, Psychology, and Biomedical Informatics, the Schools of Business and Nursing, and the College of Engineering. Past thesis topics include Information visualization, Healthcare, Urban Planning, and Aviation. The University of Cincinnati is an urban research university that has been accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) since 1919. In addition, as an Ohio Public Institution, every program at UC is approved by the Ohio Department of Higher Education (ODHE).

A second BA in Graphic Design is available if a student has already earned a bachelor’s degree. 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 more than 400 start-ups to the school’s credit, Carnegie Mellon University also has over a dozen locations that provide degree programs, as well as 20+ research partnerships in Silicon Valley, Australia, Africa, and Qatar. For the graduate project, MGD students will research an area of focus, record conclusions, design studies and mock-ups, and present the project to the public. Today, as one institution known as The New School Parsons, this art and design college serves more than 5,000 students enrolled in 130 degree and diploma programs. Around 275 additional students attend Parsons Paris, which offers undergraduate, graduate, minor, and summer programs.