| Ranking | School | City |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Auburn University | Auburn |
Our 2023 ranking of the top graphic design school program in Alabama. For an explanation of the ranking criteria, click here.
The College of Architecture, Design, and Construction at Auburn University houses the School of Industrial and Graphic Design—home to Alabama’s only Graphic Design Program to receive accreditation by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD). Leading to a BFA, the Graphic Design (GDES) Program consists of 123 credit hours that focus on branding, packaging, wayfinding design, UI/UX, illustration, app design, typography, motion design, and publishing. Course examples include Graphic Design I-II, Interactive Media, Typographics, Graphic Processes, Photo Design, and Graphic Design History.
Besides a variety of in-demand courses, BFA students benefit from the program’s professional studio environment, hands-on design instruction, cross-disciplinary collaborations, guest lecturers, exhibitions, and design symposiums. Students also have access to internship opportunities and access to Auburn University’s Study Abroad Program, with work and learn experiences in places such as Scotland, England, Hong Kong, Ireland, and Taiwan.
During the final year of the Auburn GDES BFA Program, students will complete a professional portfolio of their best work.
Auburn GDES graduates go on to secure positions with advertising agencies, publishers, design studios, magazines, marketing firms, web design companies, and more. They work in areas such as branding and packaging, illustration, environmental graphics, web design and development, interactive media, and exhibition design, among others.
Chartered in 1856 as the East Alabama Male College, Auburn University became the first land-grant college in the South in 1872. Today, Auburn serves a diverse population of approximately 31,765 students, making it one of the largest universities in the region. The school offers 150 majors and programs across more than a dozen colleges and schools. Auburn University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
