Colleges That Specialize in Graphic Design

School of Visual Arts

• Located in New York City, the School of Visual Arts offers both graduate and undergraduate graphic design programs. The four-year undergraduate program leads students towards a bachelor of fine arts degree and includes a first year focused solely setting a solid artistic foundation, while the last three years focus on graphic design. The two-year graduate program in design tailors its curriculum specifically for students who studied as graphic design majors in undergrad. The second year of the master of fine arts program involves thesis work and a series of mini-workshops.

  School of Visual Arts
  209 East 23 Street
  New York, NY 10010
  212-592-2000
  sva.edu

Rhode Island School of Design

• The Rhode Island School of Design, ranked at the top of US News & World Reports top graphic design schools, offers both graduate and undergraduate courses in graphic design. Undergraduate students pursue either a four-year bachelor of fine arts degree or the five-year bachelor of graphic design degree. The BGD degree requires students complete a professional internship and 30 more credits than a BFA degree. The graduate course work includes a two-year or three-year track where students earn a master of fine arts degree. The final year of both tracks focuses primarily on thesis work.

  Rhode Island School of Design
  2 College Street
  Providence, RI 02903
  401-454-6300
  risd.edu

Maryland Institute College of Art

• The masters of fine arts program in graphic arts at MICA provides another level of study and training for students who have already earned their bachelors degree in graphic design. The program also accepts students entering the field from a related discipline such as photography, digital media or fine arts. The curriculum last two years, requires 60 credits to complete and includes studio work as well as courses in art history, art theory, design and culture. Undergraduate students also have the opportunity to specialize their bachelor of fine arts degree in graphic design. The curriculum lasts four years and 126 credits.

  Maryland Institute College of Art
  1300 West Mount Royal Avenue
  Baltimore, MD 21217
  410-669-9200
  mica.edu