Top 10 Illustration Schools and Colleges in the Southwest - 2023 College Rankings

The College of Fine Arts and Communications (CFAC) at Brigham Young University (BYU) provides a number of opportunities and experiences for all CFAC majors. Serving nearly 5,700 students, the CFAC hosts hundreds of student presentations, performances, and faculty presentations each year. CFAC students also have opportunities to pursue internships; exhibit at or access collections in the Brigham Young University Museum of Art (MOA); engage in research projects; and participate in experiential learning activities in the U.S. and abroad.

BYU’s College of Fine Arts and Communications houses the Department of Design. Within the Department is an Illustration BFA Program that requires 120 credit hours, with 72 credits in the Major. A Limited Enrollment Program (LEP) that accepts just 40 students per academic year, the Illustration BFA at BYU features courses led by industry professionals with years of experience in their respective areas of specialization. 

Course examples for the Program include Narrative Illustration, Environment Design, Painting the Human Head, Sketchbook, Three-Dimensional Illustration, Character Design for Illustrators, Design Theory and Visual Culture, Advanced Life Drawing, Interdisciplinary Motion, Printmaking Fundamentals, and Design Lecture Series.

In the final year of the BYU Illustration BFA Program, students will complete Senior Illustration Studio 1 and 2, Professional Practices for Illustrators, BFA Illustration Capstone Project: Research, and BFA Illustration Capstone Project: Implementation.

Graduates of the Illustration BFA Program at Brigham Young University work in a wide range of fields such as Advertising, Medical and Scientific Illustration, Mural Production, Architecture, Exhibition Design, Book, Magazine, and News Publishing, Entertainment, and Fashion Design. Some Program alumni go on to launch their own studios and freelance businesses.

Brigham Young University was founded as Brigham Young Academy (BYA) in 1875 by Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints President Brigham Young. With 34,390 students enrolled in more than 435 programs, BYU is the one of the largest private universities in the U.S. Brigham Young University is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU).

The College of Arts & Media at University of Colorado Denver (CU Denver) has a BFA Program with an Illustration Emphasis that prepares students for freelance careers or full-time positions within a wide variety of creative fields. An Illustration Minor is available for students in other creative Majors. Consisting of 18 credit hours, the Minor includes course options such as Digital Painting, The Graphic Novel Workshop, and Painting, Drawing and the Printed Image. Illustration I: Image Making and Two Dimensional Design are just a few required courses.

The Illustration BFA at CU Denver is a 120 credit hour program that provides access to state-of-the art digital labs, industrial equipment, and sculpture studios. Students also have opportunities to work on projects for places such as Pixar and the Denver Art Museum, as well as local art galleries and studios. Course examples for the Program include Illustration I: Image Making, Illustration II: Digital Media, Illustration III: Investigative Methods, Illustration IV: Thesis Development, 3D Design, The Graphic Novel Workshop, Typography, Painting, and The Business of Art.

The Illustration BFA Program at CU Denver culminates with the Illustration BFA Thesis course worth three credits. Graduates work in areas such as Advertising, Product Illustration, Editorial, Marketing, Children’s Book Publishing, Medical Illustration, Games, Interactive Illustration, Animation, Scientific Illustration, Comics, Magazine Illustration, and Graphic Novels.

University of Colorado Denver began in 1912 as an extension of the University of Colorado Boulder. The school became CU Denver in 1973 making it an independent campus. Organized into eight colleges and schools, CU Denver serves 15,000 students enrolled in more than 110 academic degrees. University of Colorado Denver is accredited by Higher Learning Commission (HLC).

Southern Utah University (SUU) is home to the College of Performing and Visual Arts (CVPA), which houses the Department of Art & Design. Within the Department is a Studio Art BFA Program with an Illustration Emphasis and an Illustration Minor. The Studio Arts BFA requires 120 credit hours, including 51 credits in Illustration and Illustration electives.

The Illustration Minor consists of 19.5 credit hours and explores Art History, Narrative and Conceptual Illustration, 2D Design, Color Theory and Applications, and Drawing. Course examples include Life Drawing and Anatomy, Introduction to Illustration, Drawing I-II, Visual Development, and Nineteenth-Century Art. Upon completion of the Illustration Minor, students are prepared for entry-level positions in the field or to enroll in a BFA program, such as the SUU Studio Art BFA.

Across programs, students benefit from participation in critiques and discussions, and the opportunity to exhibit student work. Studio Arts BFA students will also participate in workshops and seminars, and they have the option to complete an internship and/or study abroad experience.

SUU Studio Arts BFA students may focus in an area within Illustration or other creative area through required free electives. Students may choose up to 14 credit hours of free electives to include upper level courses numbered 3000-4999. Course examples for the Program include Art Insights, Narrative Illustration, Painting I-III, Visual Development Studio, 3D Digital Illustration, Motion Graphics, Conceptual Illustration, and Aqueous Media.

In the final year of the Studio Arts BFA Program at Southern Utah University, students will complete Senior BFA Studio I: Professional Practices and Portfolio Systems, and Senior BFA Studio II: BFA Exhibition and Portfolio Completion. This is the culminating experience for the program.

Graduates of the Studio Arts/Illustration BFA Program at Southern Utah University are prepared for careers in areas such as Publishing, Editorial, Advertising, Entertainment Art, and Licensing. Some Studio Arts alumni go on to launch their own studios or freelance careers. Program alumni have also gone on to graduate study at Southern Utah University and other top universities across the U.S.

Founded in 1897, Southern Utah University serves approximately 14,330 students enrolled in than 150 undergraduate programs, 32 graduate and certificate programs, and a professional doctorate degree. Programs at SUU are housed across seven academic colleges and dozens of departments. Southern Utah University has been continually accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) since 1933.

The School of the Arts (SOA) at Utah Valley University (UVU) provides more than 20 programs to over 1,800 students, making it one of the largest art schools in the state. Programs are housed across four departments including Theatrical Arts for the Stage and Screen, Music, Art and Design, and Dance. Students in all departments have opportunities to intern with places such as The Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met), Paramount Pictures Studios, and Utah Museum of Contemporary Art (Utah MOCA). Students also have opportunities to complete in international internship in places such as Italy, Germany, the UK, and South Korea.

The SOA Department of Art and Design at Utah Valley University has two paths to study Illustration including the Art and Design AAS and the Art and Design BFA. The Art and Design AAS has a Design/Illustration Emphasis that requires 63 credit hours to graduate. Students in this program will take courses such as Illustrative Media and Techniques (I-II), Gestural Drawing, 3D Computer Modeling, 2D and 3D Design, Spatial Drawing, Digital Painting for Illustration, and Graphic Computer Applications.

This two-year degree program prepares students for entry-level jobs in Advertising Illustration, Illustration for Design Studios, Publishing and Printing Firms, In-House Design Departments, and Freelance Consulting.

Consisting of 120 credit hours, the Art and Design BFA Program at UVU has an Illustration Emphasis that explores Traditional Illustration, Animation, and Digital Illustration, and Animation. Electives options allow students to focus in an area of interest within Illustration. Course examples include Conceptual Illustration, Figure Drawing I-III, Sequential Illustration, Environment Design, Children’s Book Illustration, 3D Texturing and Rendering, 2D Animation for Illustration, Graphic Computer Applications, Advanced Illustration, Narrative Illustration, and Graphic Design.

The Art and Design BFA includes a variety of projects. Among them are the BFA Project and Senior Studio. The BFA Project will be completed over the course of two consecutive semesters, and focuses on the development and execution of a gallery exhibition or professional portfolio. This includes collaborative work with a gallery/museum professional in preparation of the exhibition's public viewing.

Graduates of Art and Design BFA Program at Utah Valley University are prepared for mid- to upper-level positions at Advertising Agencies, Magazines, Publishing Firms, Printing Companies, Graphic Design Studios, Film and Animation Studios, Game Design Companies, and in Design Departments. Some UVU Art and Design alumni go on to launch their own studios or freelance careers, while others continue on to graduate school.

Utah Valley University (UVU) was established in 1941 as Central Utah Vocational School (CUVS).The school’s primary function was to provide war production training. Today, the UVU serves approximately 43,100 students from all backgrounds, making it the largest public university in the state. UVU students have access to more than 200 degree and certificate programs housed across eight colleges and schools. Utah Valley University is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.

University of Central Oklahoma has two paths to study Illustration. At the graduate level, students with a degree in a creative field can enroll in the Illustration MFA Program. Housed in Jackson College of Graduate Studies and the NASAD-accredited School of Design, this competitive 60 credit-hour program is designed for students interested in Commercial Illustration or Teaching. Students will explore Storytelling, Design History, Illustration, Teaching Methods, Illustration History, Branding, and Marketing.

Course examples include Graduate Illustration I-IV, History of Illustration, Business of Illustration, Design Theory, ClockTower Studio, Contemporary Illustration Practice, Criticism Seminar, and Teaching Practicum Design. In the final year of the program, students will complete the Portfolio Development, Thesis Development, and Thesis Exhibition courses.

Graduates of the UCO Illustration MFA Program are prepared for leadership positions such as Creative Director, Advertising Manager, Senior Illustrator, Lead Exhibition Designer, Creative Consultant, Production Manager, and Art Educator. Some program alumni go on to launch their own studios or freelance businesses.

At the undergraduate level, University of Central Oklahoma has a Design BFA that allows students to develop solid skills in Illustration through Design electives and the required 18 credit hours of Professional Preparation coursework. Cures examples include Illustration I-III, Illustration for Children’s Books, History of Illustration, Bookmaking & Prototyping, Character Design, Advertising Design, and Advanced Bookmaking. Other opportunities include the Advanced Portfolio Development course, the Study Tour in Design, and a Design Internship.

Graduates of the Design BFA Program at University of Central Oklahoma are prepared to pursue careers in areas such as Advertising, Magazine Illustration, Book Cover Art, Graphic Novels, Book and Magazine Publishing, Illustration for Animation and Games, Brand Management, Comics, Graphic Design, Storyboard Art, Scientific and Medical Illustration, and Poster Art.

Founded in 1890 as the Territorial Normal School, University of Central Oklahoma serves nearly 14,000 students enrolled in 100+ undergraduate areas of study and more than 70 graduate areas of study. Programs are housed across six colleges and the W. Roger Webb Forensic Science Institute. The school also houses UCO Connected Campus, which provides a variety of online degree programs; the Academy of Contemporary Music in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; and downtown campuses at Carnegie Center and Santa Fe Plaza. University of Central Oklahoma is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).