The College of Design at North Carolina State University (NC State University) houses the Department of Graphic and Industrial Design, which offers a Bachelor of Graphic Design (BGD) and a Master of Graphic Design (MGD). Both programs are recognized by the American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA) and accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD). The NC State MGD is one of the few graphic design graduate programs with STEM Classification (CIP).
At the undergraduate level, students will learn how to collaborate with computer programmers, software engineers, and ethnographers; implement human-centered research methods, communicate information and messages through digital platforms, images, and typography; and produce product packaging, applications, websites, identity systems, data visualizations, signage, books, and magazines.
Collaborative Research and Design Projects are a major component of the BGD Program. In the Department of Graphic and Industrial Design’s Collaborative Sponsored Studios, students have the opportunity to work on real-world projects with clients and developers, engineers, designers, and other business professionals. Companies that students have worked with include Hanes, Coca Cola, IBM, Caterpillar, Bosch Appliances, Lowe’s, Under Armour, North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, and John Deere.
In addition to working in Collaborative Studios, NC State BGD students have the opportunity to take an advanced studio in another College of Design discipline (a swing studio), study abroad for a semester or summer at the NC State Prague Institute, and gain professional experience through paid internships.
The NC State MGD Program has two-year and three-year options. The two-year program, MGD II, is designed for students with a BFA in Graphic Design and experience in the field. The three-year program, MGD III, is for students with a BA in another field or with a Concentration in Graphic Design. Students in this program will take two semesters of specialized coursework before entering the MGD II Program.
All students will participate in graduate studios, seminars, and workshops, they will have opportunities to take electives at affiliate universities such as Duke University and University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, and work on collaborative projects and research with major companies and institutes such as IBM, the Institute of Emerging Issues, SAS, NC State Laboratory for Analytic Sciences, and Red Hat. For the graduate project, MGD students will research an area of focus, record conclusions, design studies and mock-ups, and present the project to the public.
Graduates of the MGD Program at North Carolina State University are prepared for leadership positions in user experience and user interface design (UX/UI), with expertise in artificial intelligence (AI), research, data visualization, and digital typography. Graduates are also qualified to teach universities or pursue a PhD in Design or other related area.
NC State MGD alumni go on to establish successful careers at consulting firms, software companies, and colleges and universities. Examples include Adobe, Lenovo, IBM, Fjord, IDEO, Red Hat Software, Carnegie Mellon, University of Washington, Pratt Institute, and University of Michigan.
North Carolina State University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). Established in 1887 as a land-grant institution focusing in agriculture and engineering, NC State employs more than 9,000 faculty and staff members that serve 36,000+ students enrolled in more than 260 degree programs across 11 colleges.