The College of Fine Arts & Communication at Texas State University (Texas State) houses the School of Art and Design, home to the Communication Design Program (ComDes). Degree options include the BFA and MFA in ComDes. The 120 credit hour BFA provides mentoring, meetups, and internship opportunities through the Texas State’s relationships with local and national businesses. Students have also interned at companies in Europe.
Courses for the program are taught in a studio environment with access to the Mitte Complex, which houses state-of-the-art production facilities and equipment. Coursework explores corporate identity, brand experience, typography, environmental graphics, human-centered design, interactive design, art direction, sustainable packaging, and design research. Specific course examples include Branding Systems, Interactive Media, Trademark Design, Introduction to Printmaking: Intaglio and Lithography, Expanded Media, and Typography. The ComDes BFA Program culminates with the Senior Portfolio Presentation and Self-Promotion Capstone.
Before graduating from the program, many ComDes students have already earned publishing credits in journals such as PRINT, Communication Arts, Graphis New Talent Annual, Step Inside Design, CMYK, and Logo Lounge. Students in the program have also received recognition competitions such as the Austin Addy Awards, the San Antonio Addy Awards, AIGA Flux, Creative Summit, the American Advertising Federation Awards, Art The National Show, Director's Club of Houston, and The One Show.
Graduates of the Texas State University ComDes BFA Program have been placed at companies such as Microsoft, Disney, Verizon, IBM, Google, Indeed, DDB, Spotify, Vrbo, H-E-B Digital, Helm’s Workshop, GSD&M, and USAA, among others.
The Texas State University ComDes MFA (or MFA/CD) is a 60 credit hour program that can be completed online with one on-campus residency each year. During the residency, students will participate in workshops, critiques, and visiting designer lectures. Graduate assistantships are also offered in the School of Art and Design, and allow students to gain teaching experience through the ComDes BFA Program. Graduate assistantships are paid positions that require 20 hours of work per week.
The Texas State MFA/CD Program explores design history, visual communication, typography, and digital design. Course examples include Imaging, Alternative Printing Methods, Kinetic Typography, Design for Motion, Generative Design, Experience Design, Design for Motion, Corporate Identity Systems, Professional Practice, Design Futures, Entrepreneurial Design, Exhibitions, Corporate Marketing Materials, The Experimental Book, and Research Through Making. In the Professional Practice course, MFA students will work with regional and national advertising agencies, graphic design firms, or digital media studios to gain professional experience.
Potential careers for graduates of the Texas State University MFA/CD Program include, but are not limited to, Art Director, Senior Graphic Designer, Visual Designer, Creative Director, Design Manager, Typographer, Senior Interaction Designer, UI/UX Designer, and Professor.
Texas State University was established in 1899 as a teacher’s college known as Southwest Texas Normal School. With Lyndon B. Johnson as the school’s most famous alumni—and the only president to graduate from a Texas college—Texas State serves 38,000 students enrolled in more than 200 bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degree programs. Located on the banks of the San Marcos River, Texas State University has been a part of the Texas State University System since 1911.