Top 10 Graphic Design School Programs in Texas - 2023 College Rankings

The College of Fine Arts at the University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin) houses the School of Design and Creative Technologies. Within the School is the Design Department. Housed in the Doty Fine Arts Building (DFA) and the Art Building (ART), the Department has several pathways to study Graphic Design. At the undergraduate level, students have the option to enroll in the Design BA or BFA Program. Students seeking an advanced degree may enroll in the Design MFA Program.

For students who prefer a shorter program, The Center for Professional Education at UT Austin has a Graphic Design Certificate Program that may be completed 100% online. Over 13 sessions lasting three months, Certificate students will master industry software such as After Effects, Photoshop, In Design, and Illustrator. The program also explores design practices and the production of static and motion graphic designs.

At all degree levels, design students will explore graphic design, interaction design, and industrial design. All coursework is project-based and industry oriented, with the opportunity to create a specialization through courses across five areas: Graphic Design, Interaction Design, Industrial Design, Design History, and Design Research. Students in all UT Austin Design Programs also have plenty of opportunities to engage in experiential learning through the school’s internship and study abroad programs.

The Design BA at UT Austin combines liberal arts courses with courses in design techniques, aesthetics, theory, research methos, and history. While BA students will take fewer upper division design courses than BFA students will, the program offers the opportunity to explore other areas in additional departments across the university. Course examples for this 120 credit hour program include Sketching, History of Design, Introduction to 2D and 3D, Interaction Design, Typography, Design Research and Images in Communication. Internship and study abroad opportunities are also part of the program. Both are optional. 

The Design BFA is a pre-professional degree consisting of 120 credit hours. Around two-thirds of the courses for this program are in Design and related coursework. Course examples include Identity Systems, Typography I-III, Design and Social Environment, and Industrial Design. Students in the Design BFA Program will complete one or more paid internships along with a capstone design project that will be presented in UT Austin’s Annual Public Exhibition. Students have interned at places such as Apple, Google, Samsung, Dell, IBM, and EA Games.

The University of Texas at Austin Design MFA is a 60 credit hour program designed for exceptional students with solid design skills. The program consists of seminars, studios, electives, and a thesis project. Design MFA students have 24/7 access to shared studio spaces and as well as the Design, Computer, Materials, and Digital Fabrication Labs, the Wood Shop, Visual Arts Center, and Fine Arts Library, and the Harry Ransom Center and The Foundry.

Graduates of the Design Programs at UT Austin are Graphic Designers, Brand Designers, UI/UX Designers, Book Designers, Interaction Designers, Art Directors, Product Designers, Project Managers, Design Strategists, Visual Designers, Industrial Designers, an Entrepreneurs, among others. UT Austin Design graduates work at Walt Disney Imagineering, Razorfish, Deloitte, Meta, The New York Times, H-E-B Digital, Publicis Sapient, Serenity Forge, Droga5, Double A Labs, Gensler, and frog design (part of Capgemini Invent).

Founded in 1883, University of Texas at Austin serves approximately 52,385 students, making it one of the largest universities in Texas. UT Austin provides more than 155 undergraduate degree programs with 170+ fields of study, 139 graduate degree programs, and nearly 100 doctoral programs across 18 colleges and schools. University of Texas at Austin is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).

The College of Fine Arts & Communication at Texas State University (Texas State) is home to the School of Art and Design, which houses the Communication Design Program (ComDes). Degree options include the BFA and MFA in ComDes. The 120 credit hour ComDes 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 brand experience, sustainable packaging, typography, corporate identity, environmental graphics, human-centered design, interactive design, art direction, and design research. Specific course examples include Branding Systems, Expanded Media, Trademark Design, Interactive Media, Introduction to Printmaking: Intaglio and Lithography, and Typography. The ComDes BFA Program culminates with a 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  DDB, Google, Microsoft, Disney, Verizon, IBM, Spotify, Indeed, Vrbo, H-E-B Digital, GSD&M, USAA, and Helms Workshop.

The Texas State University ComDes MFA is a terminal degree that can be completed online with just one 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 consists of 60 credit hours including 18 credit hours of core curriculum, 30 credit hours of prescribed communication design studio electives, six credit hours of free electives, and six credit hours of thesis. Courses explore digital design, visual communication, typography, and design history. Course examples include The Experimental Book, Generative Design, Experience Design, Imaging, Alternative Printing Methods, Kinetic Typography, Design for Motion, Corporate Identity Systems, Professional Practice, Design Futures, Entrepreneurial Design, Exhibitions, Corporate Marketing Materials, and Research Through Making.

In the Professional Practice course, MFA students will work with regional and national advertising agencies, graphic design firms, and digital media studios to gain professional experience.

Potential careers for graduates of the Texas State University MFA/CD Program include Senior Graphic Designer, Design Manager, Visual Designer, Creative Director, Typographer, Senior Interaction Designer, UI/UX Designer, Art Director, and Professor.

Lyndon B. Johnson is the Texas State University’s most famous alumni, and the only president to graduate from a Texas college. Established in 1899 as a teacher’s college known as Southwest Texas Normal School, the school serves approximately 38,170 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 and it is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).

Texas Tech University (TTU) is home to J.T. & Margaret Talkington College of Visual & Performing Arts (TCVPA), which houses the School of Art. Within the school is an Art BFA Program with a Graphic Design Specialization. Program features include collaborative projects, workshops, guest speakers, and internship opportunities. Students also have access to state-of-the-art labs, studios, and equipment, and a study abroad program that provides opportunities to work and learn in more than 70 countries. 

The Graphic Design BFA at TTU is a limited access program that explores branding, emerging technologies, interactive design, publication design, and identity design.  Consisting of 123 credit hours, the program includes the TTU Core Curriculum, 42-45 credit hours of Graphic Design courses, and 21-24 credit hours of studio art and art history electives. Major course examples include 2D and 3D Design, Publication,  Visual Systems, Graphic Design Process, Symbols, Computer Design Methods, Typography, Design in the Community, and Web Media.

During the final semester of the TTU BFA Program, students will complete the Portfolio Development and Professional Practice courses, which prepare students for entry into the job market through mock interviews, self-promotion strategies, and more. 

Graduates of the Graphic Design Program at Texas Tech University are Brand Managers, Visual Communication Designers, UX/UI Designers, Packaging Designers, Freelance Designers, Exhibit Designers, Creative Directors, and Web Designers. They for advertising agencies, web and interactive design studios, social media and marketing firms, magazines, publishing companies, museums, non-profit organizations, and on teams within design departments at companies across all industries.

TTU alumni have worked with The New York Times, Southwest Airlines, IBM, Fidelity, Paul Mitchell, Conde Nast Traveler, Dwell Magazine, H-E-B, Nike, Wired, AT&T, JC Penny, Fossil, M.A.C. Cosmetics, Southwest Airlines, Refinery 29, and Texas Monthly.

Texas Tech University opened in 1925 as Texas Technological College (TTC) with six buildings and 914 students. Today, TTU serves approximately 40, 655 students, making it the largest comprehensive higher education institution in the western two-thirds of the State of Texas. Texas Tech University offers more than 150 academic programs in 13 colleges and through the eLearning Division. Texas Tech University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).

The College of Fine Arts at Texas Christian University (TCU or Texas Christian) houses the Department of Design, home to the Graphic Design Program. A major component of this BFA program is the TCU internship requirement during the third year of study. The Design Internship provides the opportunity for students to work at ad agencies or design studios in the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area, anywhere in the U.S., and overseas. TCU Design students have completed internships in places such as New York, Chicago, Miami, Los Angeles Kansas City, Austin,  St. Louis, Houston, Peru, England, Panama, and Taiwan. Many Design students receive offers to remain with the studio or agency part-time during their senior year, while others have been recruited for full-time positions.

Consisting of 124 credit hours (120 beginning Fall 2024), the Graphic Design BFA Program at Texas Christian University explores advertising, packaging, branding, corporate identity, web and interactive media, typography, and publications. Students in the program will complete 51 credit hours in Graphic Design. Course examples include Advanced Design, Typography, Package Design, Corporate Identity, Advertising Design, Computer Applications to Graphic Design, 2D Design, Creative Practice, and Publication Design. Portfolio and Marketing, Senior Thesis in Visual Communication, and The Digital Portfolio courses are also part of the program.

Graduates of the Graphic Design Program at Texas Christian University have enjoyed a 100% employment rate over the past four years. Program alumni are Graphic Designers, Creative Designers, and Art Directors at design studios, advertising agencies, and more in just about every major city in Texas, across the U.S., and abroad. They work in New York, Los Angeles, Miami, San Francisco, Chicago, Seattle, London, Peru, Germany, Guatemala, Panama, and Nicaragua with companies such as Warren Douglas Advertising, Twilio, Pentagram, Loyalkaspar (LK), Deep Focus, and Pace Communications.

Established in 1873 as one of the Southwest’s earliest coed universities, Texas Christian University serves approximately 12,275 students enrolled in more than 200 degree programs across 10 colleges and schools. With more than 60 faith traditions represented, TCU students come from 50 states and 76 nations. Texas Christian University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).

The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) houses the College of Liberal Arts (CoLA), home to the Art and Art History Department. Within the Department is a Visual Communication Design (VCD) Concentration, which serves more than 300 students, making it the largest program in the Art and Art History Department. The Art Programs at University of Texas at Arlington are accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art & Design (NASAD).

The VCD Concentration is available at the BA, BFA, and MFA levels. Consisting of 120 credit hours, the BA includes an 18 credit hour Minor in Film/Video-Animation/Gaming), 55 credit hours in Art, and advanced studio classes. The BFA Program requires 124 credit hours of study, with 79 in Art. Course examples across programs include Digital Media, 3D Studio, Advanced Drawing, 2D and 3D Design, Web Typography, Art History Foundation, Sign and Symbol, Printmaking, Water Media, Advanced Typography, Digital Imaging, and History of Graphic Design. The VCD BA and BFA Programs culminate with a Portfolio and Presentation.

The MFA Program at University of Texas at Arlington consists of 60 credit hours, with 39 in Visual Communication Design. Course examples include Research in Visual Communication, Topics in the History of Art & Design, and Creative Strategies. The VCD MFA culminates with the Thesis Exhibition.

Students in all CoLA Art and Art History Programs have access to advanced digital studios and printing labs, the Corrugated Prototype Design and CAD Production Lab, over 40 Mac Computers, and the Studio Createc Gaming Studio. All VCD studios are equipped with Adobe Suite and other industry programs.

UTA VCD students and graduates routinely receive local, state and national awards. Since 2001, VCD students have won over 130 state, regional, and national awards. Our students are employed by top design agencies/studios in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex and throughout the nation.

Graduates of the Visual Communication Design programs at UTA have career opportunities such as Graphic Designer, Printmaker, Book Designer, App Designer, Art Director, Exhibition Designer, Brand Manager, Packaging Designer, Animator, Exhibit Designer, Illustrator, and Web Designer, among others.

Founded in 1895 as a private liberal arts college, University of Texas at Arlington is a Carnegie Research 1 institution that serves approximately 45,950 students. The largest university in North Texas and the second largest in the University of Texas System, UTA provides more than 180 degree programs across nine colleges. University of Texas at Arlington is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).