| Ranking | School | City |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michigan State University | East Lansing |
| 2 | College for Creative Studies | Detroit |
| 3 | Ferris State University | Big Rapids |
| 4 | Wayne State University | Detroit |
| 5 | University of Michigan-Flint | Flint |
Our 2024 ranking of the top graphic design school programs in Michigan. For an explanation of the ranking criteria, click here.
Michigan State University (MSU) houses the College of Arts and Letters (CAL), home to the Department of Art, Art History, and Design (AAHD). Within the department is a Graphic Design program with BFA and minor options. The Graphic Design minor is open to students all bachelor’s degree students outside of the Studio Art program. Consisting of 15 credit hours, the program includes courses such as Digital Graphic Design: Tools and Methods; Concepts of Graphic Design; and Design Thinking for Entrepreneurs.
The Graphic Design BFA at Michigan State University provides the opportunity for exceptional students to gain real-world experience by joining the Design Center creative team. Housed in the AAHD, the Design Center creates everything from logos and brochures to packaging and websites for local businesses in a real-world agency-like setting.
Other program benefits include AIGA membership; the Annual Visiting Artist and Scholar Lecture Series; and internship opportunities at a local or national company. All students also have access to state-of-the-art facilities labs and studios such as the Letterpress facility, four computer labs, and Kresge Art Center, which houses visual resource library, wood shop, Form From Thought digital fabrication lab, two exhibition galleries, and two installation project spaces.
The Graphic Design BFA requires courses from the following areas: Two-Dimensional, Three-Dimensional, Photography, and Electronic Art and Intermediate. Course examples include Graphic Design I: Graphic Form; Experimental Design Practices; Digital Graphic Design: Tools and Methods; Cartographic Design and Production; Motion Design; Graphic Design II: Visual Communication; History of Graphic Design; Interaction Design; Design Thinking for Entrepreneurs; and Concepts of Graphic Design.
Graduates of the MSU Graphic Design BFA program are prepared to pursue design roles across industries. They hold titles such as Graphic Designer, Communications Coordinator, User Experience Designer, Art Director, Media Manager, Web Designer, and Creative Producer.
Program alumni have been hired at places such as Leo Burnett, Domino’s, General Motors, Quicken Loans, Shift Digital, Campbell Ewald, and TechSmith Corporation.
For students seeking a graduate degree, Michigan State University has a Create Your Own Pathway MFA. Students may select courses from any area of interest to build a focus area. This includes Graphic Design. In addition to selected courses, MFA students will take studios and seminars such as Integration in Studio Art; Theory and Writing for Artists; History of Art; Exploration and Research in Studio Art; and Professional Practice. Students will also participate in five formal Graduate Critiques worth one credit each.
Other program benefits include dedicated studios; opportunities for external study; individual studio visits with approximately 45 visiting artists throughout the degree; internships; and study abroad experiences. The MSU MFA is also 100% fully funded, meaning every student receives a full tuition waiver and generous stipend.
In the last year of the MFA program at Michigan State University, students will complete a final research project (thesis). Graduates are prepared to pursue leadership roles at major design studios, advertising agencies, non-profit organizations, retail giants, corporations (in-house design teams), museums, and academic institutions.
Founded in 1855, Michigan State University is a land-grant, public research university serves 51,315 students enrolled in more than 400 academic programs across 17 degree-granting colleges. One of the largest and greenest campuses in the U.S., MSU houses more than 100 institutes and centers including the Institute of Global Health and the Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute. Michigan State University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).
The College for Creative Studies (CCS) has a Communication Design BFA (CD BFA) that features an interdisciplinary curriculum that covers coding, video capture, audio, photography, and interaction, motion, and graphic design. This STEM-designated program also allows students to add the Business concentration or a minor in Product Design; Illustration; Advertising Design: Digital; Entertainment Arts; or Creative Entrepreneurship.
Students in the CD BFA program at CCA will complete 84 credits in studio; 42 to 43 credits in liberal arts; and projects that allow students to develop advanced skills in creating books, movie title sequences, packaging, way-finding systems, exhibition spaces, websites, magazines, brand identities, mobile apps, and user experiences.
Other program features include access to state-of-the-art studios, labs, and production facilities; internships at places such as Foote Cone & Belding, Reebok, Microsoft, Urban Outfitters, Chrysler, Whirlpool, Quicksilver, and FUSE; and semester- or year-long study abroad programs Paris, Germany, Australia, Mexico, and Austria.
The Communication Design BFA program at College for Creative Studies culminates with a design project and the completion of a professional portfolio. With one of the highest employment rates in the country, graduates work in industries such as advertising, industrial design, publishing, public relations, retail, marketing, entertainment, manufacturing, museums, government, and education.
College for Creative Studies alumni have been hired at companies and creative agencies such as IDEO, Wieden + Kennedy, Razorfish, Google, Adidas, Microsoft, General Motors, Apple, Meta, Adobe, Nike, Rivian, Ford Motor Co., Mercedes Benz, Whirlpool, Converse, Nokia, Buzzfeed, eBay, Carhartt, Lego, Moosejaw, and Herman Miller.
Some CCS alumni have gone on to launch their own design studios in places such as Detroit, New York, Los Angeles, and The Netherlands.
Founded in 1906 as the Detroit Society of Arts and Crafts, College for Creative Studies is a private, nonprofit institution that serves approximately 1,495 students. The school provides more than 50 art and design programs leading to a degree, minor, or certificate. College for Creative Studies is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) and the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD).
The College of Business at Ferris State University (Ferris State) houses the Marketing Department. Within the department are several paths to study graphic design including the Design BS; Graphic Media Management BS; Graphic Communication AAS; and the Graphic Design certificate. Students in all programs will work and learn in a hands-on, collaborative environment featuring real-world projects.
Other features across programs include access to latest software and technology through the school’s state-of-the-art production facilities and labs; courses taught by industry professionals; workshops and seminars; visiting artists; design or media management internships; and faculty-led study abroad experiences.
Students in the Design BS will complete 57 credits in the major. Course examples include Visual Communication; Type and Technology; Branding Experience Design 1-2; Producing Design Systems, Interactivity and Development; Principles – Experience Design; Type and Visual Interfaces; Interaction Design Development; Image and Technology; Motion Design; and Public Relations Principle.
The program culminates with the Portfolio Preparation (PP) course and final design project. The PP course prepares students to enter the job market with a professional portfolio. Students will also assemble a final book and digital presentation. This will also prepare students for job interviews and portfolio reviews in the industry.
The Graphic Media Management BS at Ferris State University requires 55 credits in the major. The Graphic Communication AAS requires 35 credits in the major. Across programs, students will take courses such as Introduction to Packaging; Web Design and Planning; Photography; Media Imaging and Production; Substrates, Inks, and Coatings; Building Professional Digital Docs; and Digital Color Reproduction.
Graphic Media Management students will also take courses and electives such as Advertising and Integrated Marketing Communication; Color Management; Imaging and Finishing Project Management; Digital Marketing; Production Planning; and Current Topics in Media Management. The AAS and BS programs culminate with a final project and portfolio.
The Graphic Design certificate program at Ferris State University can be added to most majors with approval. Consisting of 12 credit hours, the program includes Visual Communication; Type and Technology; Design Foundations; and Image and Technology.
Graduates of the Design programs at Ferris State University are prepared to pursue design roles across industries. Possible job titles include Graphic Designer, Front-end Developer, Interaction Designer, Production Designer, User Experience (UX) Designer, Packaging Designer, User Interface (UI) Designer, Creative Director, Web Designer, Product Designer, Publications Designer, and Art Director. Program alumni are in demand places such as Microsoft, Amazon, Google, Herman Miller, and Haworth, Inc.
Ferris State University was founded in 1884 by Woodbridge N. and Helen Gillespie Ferris as Big Rapids Industrial School. When it opened as a private school in September 1884, the school had just 15 students. Today, the school is a state institution that serves more than 10,000 students enrolled in more than 190 programs across seven colleges. Ferris State University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).
Wayne State University (WSU) is a public research university that houses six federally funded research centers. This center of excellence for urban and community-based research also has partnerships with the City of Detroit, local companies such as Quicken Loans, and Fortune 500 companies such as Microsoft, General Motors, Amazon, and Ford Motor Company. These coveted partnerships provide a variety of internship and career opportunities for students in all WSU programs. This includes the Design BFA.
This program is housed in the James Pearson Duffy Department of Art, Art History, and Design, which is part of the College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts. Students may choose from four concentrations including Graphic Design, Industrial Design, Fashion Design, and Interior Design.
The Graphic Design concentration consists of major, core, and departmental requirements. Major course examples include Graphic Design I: Principles and Problem Solving; Introduction to Interactivity in Graphic Arts; Interactivity; Graphic Design II: Word, Image, and Visual Organization; History of Graphic Design; Typography; Senior Seminar, and Senior Studio. Students may also choose electives from any courses within the Digital Arts.
A major component of the Design BFA at Wayne State University is the opportunity to gain work experience through the WSU Internship Program. Students also have opportunities to work on campus-based publications such as Expressions Magazine. Internships at Wayne State University may be completed during the junior or senior years.
Graduates of the Design BFA at Wayne State University are prepared to pursue creative roles in design departments across industries, and in areas such as advertising, package design, corporate branding, marketing, exhibit design, and publishing.
Recent graduates of the Pearson Department of Art, Art History, and Design have been hired at places such as Amazon, Vera Wang, Carhartt, 96.3 WDVD-FM Detroit, Electronic Data Systems (EDS), the National Gallery of Art, Detroit Parade Company, College for Creative Studies (CCS), and Ella Sharp Museum.
Wayne State University was founded in 1868 as The Detroit Medical College. Today, the school serves 24,000 students making it one of the 50 largest public universities in the United States. With nearly 375 academic and certificate programs, Wayne State houses across 13 colleges and schools, and dozens of departments. Wayne State University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).
The College of Arts, Sciences and Education at University of Michigan-Flint (UM-Flint) has an Art and Design BFA program with a specialization in Graphic Design. A 21 credit hour Graphic Design minor is also available. Course examples for the minor include History of Graphic Design; Design I: Type and Image Design; Introduction to Typography; and Design III: Spatial and Temporal Design.
The Design BFA at University of Michigan-Flint 124 credit hour program that consists of the Design Core, foundations, art history and theory, and specialization courses. The Design Core consists of Design I: Type and Image; Design II: Image and Motion Design; Design III: Spatial and Temporal Design; and Design IV: Information and Experience Design. Examples of art history and foundations courses include Introduction to the Visual Arts: Methods and Materials; History of Graphic Design; Introduction to Typography; Design Thinking; Drawing I for Studio and Design; and History of Photography and New Media.
The Graphic Design specialization requires 18 credit hours. Students will select from eight 300- and 400-level course options. These include Typography II; Branding Design; Motion Graphics; Business of Art and Design; Community Design Studio; Web Design; Portfolio Development; and Internship in Art.
Potential internship opportunities include Flint Institute of Arts, the Mott-Warsh Collection, the Flint Public Art Project, the Buckham Gallery, the Greater Flint Arts Council, and other community organizations and UM-Flint partners.
Students in the Design program also have opportunities to get involved with Riverbanks Arts; participate in the school’s annual Student Art Exhibition at the Greater Flint Arts Council Gallery in downtown Flint; create designs for Qua—UM-Flint’s biannual student-run literary and fine arts magazine; join student clubs such as the Anime Club or Cinema’s Finest; and help with the layout, design, and website for The Michigan Times and M-Times online student-run newspaper and website.
UM-Flint also offers paid volunteer roles with faculty in the Undergraduate Research Study Program or the Summer Undergraduate Research Experience, which offers full-and half-time research positions.
Graduates of the Design BFA program at UM-Flint are prepared to pursue design roles across industries. Typical job titles for program alumni include Graphic Designer, Promotions Marketing Coordinator, Visual Designer, Product Designer, Associate Art Director, Identity Designer, Exhibit Designer, Packaging Designer, Illustrator, Social Media Director, Digital Motion Designer, Publications Designer, UI/UX Designer, Presentation Designer, and Digital Product Designer.
University of Michigan-Flint began as Flint Senior College on September 23, 1956. When it opened, the school had 167 students. Today, UM-Flint serves approximately 6,130 students enrolled in more than 100 programs across five colleges and schools. University of Michigan-Flint is a public institution accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).
