The College of Arts and Sciences at Oklahoma State University (OSU) houses the Department of Art, Graphic Design, and Art History, which has two paths to study Graphic Design. At the undergraduate level, the Department has an Art BFA Program with a Graphic Design Option. At the graduate level, students can earn a Graphic Design MFA. Students in both programs have access to the Visual Resource Center (3D Printing Lab), and 24/7 access to design studios and computer labs in the Bartlett Center for the Visual Arts.
The OSU Art BFA/Graphic Design Program requires 120 credit hours with both upper- and lower-division sequences. Lower division course examples include Graphic Design, Studio Art Digital Survey, Printmaking, Typography, Photography, and Drawing. Upper division course examples include New Genres in Studio Art, Alternative Photography, Interaction Design Studio, Electronic Communication, Mass Media Style and Structure, Information Graphics, Graphic Design for Strategic Communication, Brand Marketing, Motion Design Studio, and Marketing Design Essentials. A Professional Internship and Portfolio Capstone are also part of the program.
Graduates of the Oklahoma State University BFA Program go on to enroll in top graduate programs or they have established careers at advertising agencies, design studios, marketing firms, creative agencies, and in-house design departments. Examples of potential job titles include Graphic Designer, Advertising Artist, Creative Director, Package Designer, UI/UX Designer, Publications Designers, Brand Manager, Typographical Artist, Magazine Designer, Environmental Designer, Interactive Designer, Exhibit Designer, Layout Artist, Art Director, Motion Graphics Designer, and Web Designer.
Recent OSU BFA graduates have been hired at places such as the Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition, Masterwork Artistry, the Museum of East Texas, and Matchfire.
The Graphic Design MFA Program at Oklahoma State University is a three-year, sixty credit hour terminal degree that emphasizes writing, research, and presentation skills. Three focus areas are available including Visual Communication, Interaction Design, and Motion Design. Students in all areas will complete 27-30 credit hours of graduate level studio courses, 9-12 credit hours of electives (within and outside the department), an off-campus Internship, a Teaching Practicum, and a Thesis.
Course examples for the MFA include Graphic Design Graduate Studio, History/Theory/Critical Analysis, Interaction Design Graduate Studio, Special Topics in Graphic Design, Motion Design Graduate Studio, and Graphic Design History.
Recent Oklahoma State University graduates have been hired at Amazon, Dallas Morning News/Belo Corporation, Walmart, JPMorgan Chase, Merck, Halliburton Industries, IBM, Lockheed Martin, ConocoPhillips, Tyco, FDIC, and Dell.
Oklahoma State University was established on Christmas Day in 1890 as Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical College. Today, this five-campus system houses seven academic colleges, a veterinary school, an osteopathic medical school, and several centers and institutes. Serving approximately 26,650 students, OSU offers 200 undergraduate majors and options, more than 75 master’s programs, and 45 doctoral programs. Oklahoma State University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).