The Rhode Island School of Design is the best graphic design school in the country, according to the "U.S. News & World Report's" rankings in 2008. Students can pursue a Bachelor's of Fine Arts or a Bachelor's of Graphic Design degree. Courses offered include communications theory, design history, color, systems thinking, visual form-making, typography and information design. The Rhode Island School of Design is located in in Providence, Rhode Island.
The Cranbrook Academy of Art is second-best graphic design school in America, according to "U.S.News & World Report's" 2008 rankings. The lion's share of the teaching at the Cranbrook Academy of Art is done in the studios rather than classrooms, which shows the school's emphasis on self-discipline. The school is located in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan.
"U.S. News & World Report" ranks Yale University, located in New Haven, Connecticut, as the No. 3 graphic design school in America. "U.S. News & World Report" also ranks the university as the No. 1 school for painting and drawing and photography, Students study courses such as visual thinking, sculpture, graphic design, basic drawing, photography, topography and lithography.
Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia, is another highly rated school for its art and graphic design programs. "U.S. News & World Report" rates the school as No. 4 in the country for graphic design. The university, established in 1968, has 32,436 students. In the School of the Arts, students study two-dimensional and three-dimensional art, photography, drawing and painting, film, architecture and art history.