| Ranking | School | City |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Louisiana State University | Baton Rouge |
| 2 | Tulane University | New Orleans |
| 3 | Loyola University New Orleans | New Orleans |
| 4 | Louisiana State University-Shreveport | Shreveport |
| 5 | University of Louisiana at Lafayette | Lafayette |
Our 2022 ranking of the top graphic design school programs in Louisiana. For an explanation of the ranking criteria, click here.
The College of Art & Design at Louisiana State University (LSU) houses the School of Art, which has a Graphic Design Program with BFA and MFA pathways. Students in all School of Art programs have access to the Arts, Visualization, Advanced Technologies and Research (AVATAR) Initiative and the Art Building, which houses classrooms, studio spaces, the Design Shop, Fabrication Factory, IDEA Hub, and teaching labs. Students may also join the Digital Art and Design Association (DADA), participate in design competitions and join the Graphic Design Student Organization (GDSA), which hosts field trips to local design firms and lectures.
The curriculums for both programs explore graphic design, packaging design, branding, print and editorial design, information design, environmental design, motion graphics, typography, illustration/digital imaging, and identity design. Specific course examples for the 120 credit hour BFA include Letter Forms, Graphic Design I-III, Color Design, Graphic Abstraction, Prepress Production Techniques, Interactive Multimedia Design, Applied Typography, and Digital Imaging Techniques.
The LSU Graphic Design MFA is a 60 credit hour program that combines workshops and lectures by visiting artists with graduate studio courses, studio art electives, and art history. A Teaching Seminar is part of the program as well as two Thesis Research courses worth six credits. The Graphic Design MFA culminates with the MFA Thesis Report and Exhibition.
LSU graduates have been hired at companies such as Disney, Pixar Animation Studios, Travel + Leisure, The Washington Post, DreamWorks, Lucasfilm, Sony Picture Entertainment, Leftfield Entertainment, New Orleans Tourism Marketing Corporation, Hunter Museum of American Art, Nissan North America, Halliburton, Modern Art Museum (Fort Worth, Texas), Bluebonnet, Baltimore Museum of Art, SVAD-NYC, KPMG LLP., Modern Media, and Trace Labs.
Louisiana State University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). The three areas of concentration in the School of Art are accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD). Louisiana State University was founded in 1860 as the Louisiana State Seminary of Learning and Military Academy. The flagship institution of the Louisiana State University System, LSU serves nearly 36,000 students enrolled in more than 330 programs across 18 colleges, schools, and centers, and LSU Online.
The School of Professional Advancement (SoPA) at Tulane University (Tulane) has BA and Post-Baccalaureate (PABC) Certificate Programs in Digital Design with Concentrations in Graphic Design and Interactive UX/UI Design. The BA in Digital Design consists of 42 major hours, 18 elective hours, and 60 hours in general requirements. The Digital Design PABC requires 30 major hours and an additional UX/UI Design Concentration.
Course examples across programs include Typography Studio, Intro to UX Design, Letterpress Studio, Poster Design, Packaging Design, Interactive Technologies, Motion Design Studio, Social Media Studio, Designer as Author, Digital Illustration, SEO SEM, and Portfolio & Professional Practices.
Worth three credits, Portfolio & Professional Practices is a studio course that prepares students for entry into the workforce through mock interviews, portfolio reworking, personal branding, and developing presentation techniques.
Other program highlights include 16 flexible elective credits, the option to study in other tracks, and access to symposiums, social events, professional conferences, and internship opportunities.
Graduates of the Tulane University Digital Design Program work in-house for specific brands or companies, and in advertising, book publishing, marketing, app design, web design, public relations, entertainment, museums, and magazines and newspapers, among others. Job titles include Creative Director, Publication Designer, Packaging Designer, Brand Manager, Front-End Web Developer, Type Designer, Art Director, Illustrator, Print Designer, and Environmental Designer.
Tulane University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). Founded in 1834, Tulane was the first major research institution to require public service for graduation. Serving more than 14,500 students, Tulane University offers more than 275 programs in 10 colleges and schools.
The Graphic Design Program at Loyola University of New Orleans is part of the College of Music and Media’s School of Communication & Design, Department of Design. Housed in the newly renovated Monroe Hall with fully equipped state-of-the-art labs and darkrooms, the Department of Design has its own AIGA chapter which hosts guest artists and fundraising events. The Department also offers internship opportunities at places such as the New Orleans Museum of Art and Peter Mayer Advertising, and study abroad experiences in the UK, Italy, France, New Zealand, and Morocco.
Program options for Graphic Designers include a 120 credit hour Graphic Design BDes and a 21 credit hour Design Minor. Both programs explore typography, design history and theory, print, and narrative. Upper division BDes coursework covers topics such as publication design, motion graphics, interactive design, and type design. Course examples across programs include Design History 1-2, Typography Lab 1-2, Print Design & Narrative, Interactive Design & Narrative 1-2, Motion Design & Narrative 1, Design Topics, Business of Design, Social/Political Design, and Illustration Design. GDes students will complete a Design Internship and Design Capstone course.
Graduates of the Design Programs at Loyola University New Orleans are prepared for graduate study, teaching positions, and positions such as Graphic Designer, Creative Director, Package Designer, Motion Graphics Designer, Publications Designer, Web Designer, Book Designer, UI/UX Designer, Brand Manager, and Exhibition Designer, among others.
Loyola University New Orleans is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). Established in 1904, Loyola University New Orleans is a private, Jesuit university that serves around 4,550 students enrolled in nearly 150 programs in five colleges and through Loyola Online.
Louisiana State University-Shreveport (LSUS) is home to the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, which houses a Digital Arts Program leading to a BFA. Topics explored include Graphic Design, Digital Illustration, Photoshop, 3D Animation, Game Design, Modeling, and Interactive Design.
Digital Arts BFA students will complete 33 core credit hours and 30 in the concentration. An optional internship at a local company or studio is part of the program as well as a Capstone Project.
Graduates of the LSUS Digital Media Program can pursue careers in Advertising, Graphic Design, Branding and Logo Design, Packaging Design, Animation, and Game Design, among other areas.
Louisiana State University Shreveport is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). Founded in 1967, LSUS serves nearly10,000 students enrolled in dozens of degrees and majors in the Colleges of Arts and Sciences, Business, and Education and Human Development.
The College of the Arts at University of Louisiana at Lafayette (UL Lafayette) is home the Department of Visual Arts, which houses the Graphic Design BFA Program. This professional degree pathway explores both print production and digital design. Course examples include Visual Communications, Design Production Processes, Typography I-II, Interactive Design, and Studio Practices I-II.
The UL Lafayette Graphic Design BFA Program culminates with the Senior Capstone Art Project and Senior Exhibition. Program graduates are prepared to pursue titles such as Art Director, Brand Identity Developer, UI/UX Designer, Advertising Graphic Designer, Layout Artist, Corporate Designer, Production Artists, TV Graphic Designer, Magazine Designer, Book Designer, Web Designer, and Creative Director.
University of Louisiana at Lafayette is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). Founded on July 4, 1898 as the Southwestern Louisiana Industrial Institute, UL Lafayette serves around 19,200 students enrolled in more than 150 programs in more than a dozen colleges and schools. University of Louisiana at Lafayette is the second largest university in the state.
