The School of Art offers a four-year, professional degree program leading to the Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Graphic Design.
Graphic Design communicates information and ideas through the strategic use of layout, typography, image, and color. Students learn visual communication skills while developing critical design competencies and problem-solving abilities using traditional and digital media.
Students begin in our First-Year Foundations Program which nurtures their interests and skills through classes in drawing, 2D, 3D, and 4D. Our introductory Graphic Design course prepares students for the portfolio continuance review at the end of the first year. Intermediate courses dive deep into the theories, techniques, and strategies of Graphic Design and advanced courses explore publication design, motion graphics, and UI/UX.
BFA in Graphic Design students complete an internship and can work with real clients to create dynamic, targeted visual communications projects as a member of our in-house graphic design team, Studio 165+. In their senior year, students complete a design campaign that demonstrates the connection between academic theory and design practice on a topic of their choice.
Students learn to connect content with design to convey a significant message, individually and through collaboration with others. Students acquire technical knowledge, practical professional experience, and an awareness of relevant ethical issues.
Our small classes give students the opportunity to receive focused, one-on-one attention from professors as they develop research-based, conceptual, process-driven, and creative projects in a studio environment. Our studios are cooperative learning spaces that provide students with a strong sense of community.
Our Graphic Design graduates are prepared for careers in both print and digital design in areas such as branding, advertising and marketing, publishing, motion graphics for film and television, packaging design, web design, game design, user experience design (UX), and user interface design (UI).
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If you’d like to learn more about our Graphic Design major, complete our online form. One of the best ways to get a true feel for Ball State is to see it for yourself, so schedule a visit today! And if you’re ready to apply, review our admission requirements and complete our online application.