| Ranking | School | City |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Savannah College of Art and Design | Savannah |
| 2 | University of Georgia | Athens |
| 3 | Kennesaw State University | Kennesaw |
| 4 | Georgia State University | Atlanta |
| 5 | Georgia Southern University | Statesboro |
Our 2024 ranking of the top graphic design school programs in Georgia. For an explanation of the ranking criteria, click here.
Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) has a Graphic Design program that provides the opportunity to collaborate with Fortune 500 companies such as Disney and BMW through the university’s in-house design studio SCADpro. Graphic Design students also have opportunities to study abroad for a quarter at SCAD’s Lacoste, France campus. During this experience students will take field trips to historic sites and museums, interact with visiting artists, and exhibit their work at a local gallery or museum.
Each year, Savannah College of Art and Design welcomes visiting artists and other professionals that provide workshops, panel discussions, master classes, and individual critiques. Examples of recent guests include Google's UX visual design team, Coca-Cola senior creative director Henry Kim, FontLab CEO Thomas Phinney, Grammy Award-winning graphic designer Stefan Sagmeister, and Pentagram partner DJ Stout.
The Graphic Design program at Savannah College of Art and Design provides four degree options: the BA and BFA in Graphic Design, and the MA and MFA in Graphic Design and Visual Experience. All options are available at the Savannah and Atlanta, Georgia campuses and through SCADnow Online. A Graphic Design Minor is also available at both U.S. campuses and online.
Across all programs, students benefit from courses taught by industry professionals from companies such as Google, Hasbro, and Airbnb; access to state-of-the-art equipment and facilities; mentoring by top professionals in the design industry; and access to events such as SCADstyle, which attracts the biggest names in global art, modern design, and fashion.
All SCAD Graphic Design options offer the opportunity to add a minor to enhance the degree. Examples include Advertising Copywriting; Mobile and Interactive Design; User Experience Design; and Advertising and Branding. Students may also add the Digital Publishing Certificate. Undergraduates may choose up to 20 hours of electives, which provides additional opportunities to develop skills in multiple areas of art and design.
Course examples across the BA and BFA programs include Digital Communication; Visual Design Systems; Typography I: Anatomy, Form, and Purpose; The Evolution of Graphic Design; Typography II: Brand Direction and Activation; Studio I: Production and Technique; Studio II: Language, Expression, Media; Speaking of Ideas; Typography III: Type Design and Implementation; Studio III: Discovery, Innovation, and The Human Experience; and Graphic Design Professional Portfolio.
MA students will take courses such as Design Research, Analysis, and Discourse; Typographic Voice and Visual Narrative; Methods of Contextual Research; Visual Analysis of Static Content; and Methods of Contextual Research. MFA students will complete the same courses listed above, as well as Curated Narrative for Dynamic Content; Experience Design for Physical Spaces; User-centered Strategy and Process; and Visual Design for Interactive Contexts.
MFA students will also compete the required graduate internship and three thesis courses including Graphic Design and Visual Experience MFA Thesis I: Research and Discovery; Graphic Design and Visual Experience MFA Thesis II: Synthesis and Insight; and Graphic Design and Visual Experience MFA Thesis III: Validation and Execution.
BA, BFA, and MA students have the option to complete an internship at a local, regional, national, or global company.
Graduates of the Graphic Design programs at Savannah College of Art and Design are prepared to pursue titles such as Art Director, UX/UI Designer, Graphic Designer, Brand Designer, Mobile App Designer, Publication Designer, Digital Designer, Creative Director, and Interactive Designer.
Program alumni have been hired at places such as Goodby, Silverstein & Partners, Disney, Google, Riot Games, IBM, Ralph Lauren, Apple, Verizon, Meta, Under Armour, Live Nation, Airbnb, Hulu, Reddit, and Hulu. SCAD alumni have gone on to launch their own design studios, while others have established successful freelance careers.
Savannah College of Art and Design has more degree programs and specializations than any other art and design college in the U.S. In 1979, the school opened in the renovated Savannah Volunteer Guards Armory with just one classroom, an administration building, and 71 students. Today, SCAD serves more than 17,500 students across campuses in Atlanta and Savannah, Georgia; Lacoste, France; and SCADNow.
SCAD students come from all 50 states and more than 120 countries. Programs include 100+ degrees and more than 75 minors and certificates. Savannah College of Art and Design is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), the Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA), and the National Architecture Accrediting Board (NAAB).
Franklin College of Arts and Sciences at University of Georgia (UGA) houses the Lamar Dodd School of Art. Founded in 1937, the school serves more than 1,000 students across five different facilities on the UGA campus. Since 1969, the Dodd School of Art has also served over 4,000 students from 400 U.S. institutions at its year-round Studies Abroad Program in Cortona, Italy. International opportunities in Ghana, England, Australia, New Zealand, and Costa Rica are also provided thru the Dodd School.
In addition to state-of-the-art studios, galleries, lecture halls, and a visual resource center, the UGA Dodd School of Art houses the Fine Arts BFA with a concentration in Graphic Design. This interdisciplinary program features seminars; visiting artist lectures; classroom critiques and discussion; workshops; and exhibitions. Coursework explores layout, color techniques, three-dimensional design, typography, illustration, electronic design, photography, and graphic survey.
Course examples for the program include Graphic Systems; Advanced Typography; Type and Image; Topics in Digital Platforms and Dynamic Media I-II; Art and Design in the City Intensive Field Study; Data Visualization; Time-Based Media and Design; Data Visualization; Environmental Branding and Experiential Graphic Design; Special Topics in Graphic Design (examples: Letterpress and Book Arts, Character Design, and Trend Forecasting); Visual Narrative Systems; and Professional Practices: The Business Side of Art.
In addition to required courses, UGA Fine Arts BFA students must complete a certificate, minor, second major, or nine hours in an associated subject area. Examples include Marketing and Strategy; Cultural Studies; Interaction and Computing; or Communications and Media. The program also allows students to complete the Internship in Art; the Grady/Dodd Summer Studio; or Study Away in Cortona, Italy as electives.
The UGA Fine Arts BFA with a concentration in Graphic Design culminates with the GD Senior Capstone and participation in the Annual Bachelor of Fine Arts Exit Show. Graduates are prepared to pursue design roles across industries. Program alumni have been hired at places such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met), IBM Design, Aveda, Meta, Bustle, Gensler, and Free People.
Chartered by the state of Georgia in 1785, University of Georgia is the nation’s first state university.
The school serves approximately 40,120 students enrolled in nearly 400 degree programs across 17 colleges and schools. Established in 1910, the Graduate School houses 250 of the school’s degree programs. University of Georgia is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) and the National Association of Schools of Art and Design.
The School of Art and Design (SOAAD) at Kennesaw State University (KSU) serves more than 1,200 students enrolled over a dozen degree programs, concentrations, and minors. Part of the College of the Arts (COTA), the SOAAD also houses the Zuckerman Museum of Art (ZMA), which hosts public exhibitions, art education, and professional development activities for students.
Other SOAAD features include small class sizes; visiting artists; access to state-of-the-art studios, theaters, galleries, and instructional spaces; summer art intensives; internship opportunities; and the KSU partnership with ESA Saint-Luc in Bruxells, Belgium. This study abroad program provides unique opportunities such as the Comics curriculum at ESA St. Luc Brussels.
SOADD students also have access to state-of the-art studios, galleries, theaters, and classrooms. Examples include The Chastain Pointe facility, which houses four drawing and painting studios, and a large printmaking area; the Visual Arts Building which houses two new computer studios equipped with industry standard technology for Graphic Communications; Digital Animation; Illustration; and Comics and Sequential Art students; and the Marietta campus, home to two new studio spaces and computer labs for the Textile and Surface Design program.
The KSU School of Art and Design also houses an Art BFA program. In addition to Graphic Communications, Textile and Surface Design, Digital Animation, Comics and Sequential Art, and Illustration, the program has concentrations in Printmaking; Painting and Drawing; Art History; Art Education; Ceramics; and Sculpture. Students may study in one of more of these areas.
All Art BFA concentrations require 120 credit hours of hands-on coursework. The Graphic Communications concentration explores publication design, motion graphics, advertising and packaging UX/UI design, and interactive media design. Course examples include 2D Design and Color Theory; Concept, Creativity, and Studio Practice; Typography I-II; Computer Applications in Art; User Experience; Advertising and Packaging; Interactive Media Design; Motion Graphics; and Drawing II.
In the senior year of the Graphic Communications program at Kennesaw State University, students will complete the Design Practicum course, and the Senior Portfolio and Project course, culminating in a resume and professional portfolio of the student's best work.
Graduates are prepared to pursue design roles across industries. More than 7,100 companies routinely recruit KSU graduates each year. KSU alumni have been hired at companies such as Microsoft, Turner Broadcasting Company, Nike, Coca-Cola, Apple, Macy’s, Cartoon Network, Walt Disney, Amazon, Starbucks, Cox Communications, Target, KPMG, Warner Media, Delta Airlines, Kroger, and the Atlanta Braves.
Kennesaw State University was founded in 1963 as a junior college. Today, the school is part of the University System of Georgia, including 26 public colleges and universities. Serving nearly 45,000 students, Kennesaw is the third largest university in Georgia, and one of top 50 largest public universities in the U.S. The school provides more than 190 undergraduate, master’s, doctoral degree, and certificate programs across 11 colleges, and KSU Journey Honors College. Kennesaw State University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
The College of the Arts at Georgia State University (GSU) houses the Ernest G. Welch School of Art and Design. Within the school are nine studio art concentrations and emphases leading to a BFA or MFA. Accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD), all programs feature 24-hour access to private and semi-private studios; the Visiting Artist and Scholas Lecture Series; participation studio critiques and workshops; access to the Creative Media Center (CMC), which houses camera equipment, Wacom tablets, and other electronic items; and participation in panel discussions in the Welch School Galleries.
For students seeking a path to study graphic design, the School of Art and Design has BFA and MFA programs in Graphic Design. The BFA requires 120 credit hours, with 51 credit hours in the Graphic Design concentration. Course examples include Print and Editorial Design; Motion and Time-Based Media; Graphic Design in Popular Culture; Corporate Identity Design; Specialized Applications of Graphic Design; Interactive Design; and Graphic Design Through Digital Media.
Electives allow students to develop skills in additional areas. Elective examples include Book Arts; Computer Animation; Screen Print and Experimental Printmaking; Advanced Computer Graphics Programming; Film and Darkroom; Illustration: Concepts Through Images; and Digital Video for Artists.
In their final year of the program, GSU Graphic Design BFA students will complete Senior Workship in Graphic Design and the Graphic Design Portfolio course. The program culminates with Senior BFA Exit Portfolio Review and participation in the BFA Senior Group Exhibition.
Graduates of the program are prepared to pursue design roles in areas such as advertising, book publishing, film and video, web design, magazine publishing, newspaper publishing, branding, packaging, public relations, exhibit design, and illustration. Program alumni may also pursue graduate studies at Georgia State or other top university.
The Graphic Design MFA at Georgia State University is a 72 credit hour, multidisciplinary terminal degree program that consists of graduate studios, design seminars, art history coursework, electives, professional practices, a teaching practicum, and a thesis. Full tuition waivers and monthly stipends are available as part of assistantships. Students also benefit from one-on-one mentorship with faculty, and the opportunity to compete for premium Welch fellowships, which fund students for the entire three years of study.
Upon completion of the thesis, MFA students will present their work during an exit show at a campus gallery. Graduates of the Graphic Design MFA program at Georgia State University are prepared to pursue leadership roles in areas such as advertising and marketing, art education, consulting, contemporary art, research, museums, and more.
Program alumni Senior Graphic Designers, Creative Directors, Senior Multimedia Artists, Managing Advertising Designers, Brand Managers, Curators, Senior Packaging Designers, Art Directors, Exhibit Designers, Senior Web Designers, Art Administrators, Senior Book Designers, Art Educators, Consultants, Creative Directors, and Senior Production Managers.
Founded in 1913, Georgia State University serves 50,000 students enrolled in more than 250 degree programs across 100 fields of study. This is the widest variety of academic programs in the state. Georgia State also spans six campuses across Metro Atlanta, and 11 colleges and schools. Georgia State University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
The Betty Foy Sanders Department of Art (BFSDoArt) at Georgia Southern University (Georgia Southern) is an accredited member of the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD). Part of the College of Arts and Humanities (CAH), the department provides career-focused degrees in art, art education, studio art, and graphic design. Degree programs lead to a BA, BFA, or MFA.
The department also provides six minors including Graphic Communications, Graphic Design, Animation, Photography and Digital Imaging, Studio Art, and Art History. Minors are 15-18 credit hours, with Graphic Commucations and Graphic Design being the ideal options for students in other majors who are interested in studying graphic design.
Both options explore typography, imagery, interactivity, and new media design. Common courses include Typography and Imagery; New Media Design; and Experience and Interactivity. Other course examples for the 15 credit hour Graphic Communications minor include Print, Paper, Book Arts: Printed Matter; Web Development and Graphic Communications; and Digital and On-Demand Publishing.
Other course examples for the 18 credit hour Graphic Design minor include 2D: Digital Applications and Technology; Branding and Visual Identity; Advanced Typography; Graphic Design Methods; User Interface and User Experience; and Professional Practice.
The Graphic Design degree programs at Georgia Southern University provide opportunities to complete individual and collaborative projects in the Georgia Southern Arts Building. Students will have access to Mac computer labs with 24-7 access; a 2D design studio; bookbinding tools; plotters and printers; a photography studio with green screens; 3D printing; lithography and intaglio; a 3D digital studio; screen and specialty printing; SLR digital cameras; graduate studios; animation production facilities; a print and prototype center; drawing studios; print, paper, and book arts studios and equipment; adobe suite; and a student resource center.
The Graphic Design BFA requires 124 credit hours of study consisting of art history, studio art, the major, and electives. Course examples include Branding and Visual Identity; Graphic Design Art History; Advanced Typography; Data and Information Visualization; Graphic Reproduction Process; Animation I; User Interface and User Experience; Art History I-II; Typography and Imagery; and 2D; Digital Applications and Technology.
Although it is not a requirement, the ART 3731 course (Graphic Design Internship) is highly recommended. For a semester or a summer, students will have opportunities to apply what they’ve learned to projects in a professional environment. The internship is worth three credit hours.
In the final year of Graphic Design BFA program at Georgia Southern University, students will complete the Graphic Design: Senior Portfolio course and Graphic Design: Professional Portfolio course. Student work will be presented to the public during an exhibition.
The MFA program at Georgia Southern University is a terminal degree program that consists of 60 credit hours and optional concentrations in Studio Art or Graphic Design. All students have access to private studio space for working on graduate projects and developing a professional portfolio. Students also have the opportunity to participate in the programs annual visit to the premier international Art Fair in Miami. International exhibition and presentation opportunities are also part of the program.
Throughout the BFSDoArt MFA program at Georgia Southern, students will have opportunities to pursue interdisciplinary media, participate in group critique experiences, and work individually with a professor. Course examples for program include Graduate Studio Practice; Readings and Research in Art; Contemporary Art; Art Theory and Criticism; Professional Practices in Art; and Selected Topics in Art.
The MFA program at Georgia Southern University culminates with the Thesis Exhibition and Support Paper.
Graduates of the Graphic Design programs at Georgia Southern University are prepared to pursue design roles across industries. MFA graduates are also prepared for leadership, consulting, research, and teaching positions. Georgia Southern alumni have been hired at places such as Amazon, Deloitte Consulting, General Motors, Lockheed Martin, Cisco, Kohl’s, Memorial University Medical Center, Boeing, DoorDash, United States Forest Service, Duke Health, Elite Resort Group, Baker Hughes, and Manhattan Associates.
Serving approximately 26,100 students, Georgia Southern University is the largest and most comprehensive center of higher education south of Atlanta. Founded in 1906, the school spans three campuses including the main campus in Statesboro, the Armstrong campus in Savannah, and the Liberty campus in Hinesville. Across eight colleges, Georgia Southern provides 132 different degree programs at the bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral levels. Georgia Southern University is accredited by the Commission on Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
