Housed within the College of Architecture, Texas A&M University's Department of Visualization aims to "1) educate students in the visual arts and technology, and 2) prepare them for leadership careers in graphic design, game design and the movie industry," according to Associate Professor Terry Larsen. The Visualization academic program acquaints students with the role of digital visualization in digital communication. Texas A&M also offers a Masters of Science in Visualization.
Texas State University's School of Art and Design is a part of the College of Fine Arts and Communication. Students majoring in communication design can earn a Bachelor of Fine Arts as well as a Master of Fine Arts degree. The 90,000 square foot Art and Design building features laboratories, lecture halls, exhibition galleries and symposium rooms. The school is located in San Marcos, 30 miles southwest of Austin.
The University of Houston offers a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Communication degree for undergraduate students through its School of Art. According to the program overview, the school sees graphic designers first and foremost as communicators who use "language, type, imagery and symbols" to reach others. To graduate, students must pass a portfolio review. Those interested in graduate-level work can pursue a Master of Fine Arts degree with a concentration in graphic communication, tailoring the curriculum to their needs.
The University of North Texas bills its College of Visual Arts and Design as one of the nation's most comprehensive public visual arts schools. Undergraduates can pursue a bachelor's degree in communication design. Students entering the program must have completed specified design and drawing courses, as well as art appreciation. They must also submit a portfolio for review to qualify for the program, and additional portfolio reviews are required to stay in the program.
The University of Texas at Austin offers Bachelor of Fine Arts and Master of Fine Arts degrees in Design. Associate Professor David Shields, Assistant Chair of Design, notes that, "Designers studying in this program are taught to observe and respond to the cultural, socio/economic, material, political, geographic and temporal environment." Within the undergraduate program, students can choose to focus on graphic design among a number of other options. Graduate students have a hand in planning their own curriculum.
The University of Texas-Pan American offers a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design. Located in Edinburgh, Texas, the school's Department of Art has ties to Mexico; Rio Bravo is about 70 miles directly south. While program courses include practical work in graphics, studies at the university focus on design theory and the development of each student's artistic methodology.