| Ranking | School | City |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Colorado State University | Fort Collins |
| 2 | University of Colorado Denver | Denver |
| 3 | Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design | Denver |
Our 2024 ranking of the top graphic design school programs in Colorado. For an explanation of the ranking criteria, click here.
The College of Liberal Arts at Colorado State University (CSU or Colorado State) enrolls more than 6,900 students served by 300+ faculty. With roots dating back to 1880, the college provides 19 majors, 54 concentrations, 23 graduate and PhD programs, and 35 minors across 19 departments. This includes the Department of Art and Art History.
Housed in the Visual Arts Building (VAB) and one of the largest academic departments at Colorado State, Art and Art History provides programs leading to a Studio BFA or MFA. The Art Studio program has a Graphic Design concentration at the undergraduate level, and a graphic Design specialization at the graduate level.
The BFA program begins with the CSU Foundations Program, which consists of coursework and projects that allow students to gain skills and techniques in different areas of design. The program explores emerging practices in art and design, experimentation, and research methods. After this introductory year, students will advance to coursework and projects that explore illustration, design systems, typography, printmaking, and electronic art.
Course examples for the program include Introduction to Graphic Design; Drawing Materials and Techniques; Introduction to Printmaking; Advanced Typography and Design Systems; Photo Image Making I; Advanced Illustration; Introduction to Electronic Art; and Global Art History I-III.
All Studio BFA students will work and learn in labs and state-of-the-art facilities in the VAB. This includes 4,000 square feet of studio space; the Digital Fabrication Lab; a dedicated computer lab; and Mac workstations equipped with Adobe Creative Suite and other industry-standard software. Near the VAB is the Nancy Richardson Design Center—CSU’s only interdisciplinary space focused on Design Thinking. The Center is open to students from all disciplines.
Other CSU Studio BFA benefits include internship opportunities; the Travel Abroad-Art History in Italy course; and the biennial Colorado International Invitational Poster Exhibition (CIIPE). This event allows students to help organize and participate in the event.
The Colorado State University Studio BFA: Graphic Design culminates with a final project and portfolio of the student's best work. Program alumni are prepared to pursue positions in all areas of design. Potential job titles include Graphic Designer, Storyboard Artist, UX/UI Designer, Brand Designer, Advertising Graphic Designer, Publication Designer, Creative Director, Environmental Designer, Production Artist, Marketing Designer, and Environmental Designer.
The Studio MFA: Graphic Design program at Colorado State University requires 60 credit hours. This immersive program focuses on research and experimentation in studio media. Throughout the program, students have opportunities to exhibit work and give presentations at regional venues and across the U.S. Studio MFA students also benefit from access to semi-private studios; faculty mentorship; open-studio tours; group critiques; and the Masters of Visual Arts Association (MoVAA), which provides access to artis talks and workshops.
Course examples for the program include Studio Problems: Graphic Design; Printmaking Research Art, Craft, and Design; Advanced Study in Art History: Baroque and Rococo Art; Advanced Typography and Design Systems; Studio Problems: Printmaking; Advanced Illustration; Independent Study: Graphic Design; Studio Problems: Drawing; Independent Study: Printmaking; and Group Study: Multiple Media.
During the final year of the CSU MFA program, students will complete the Graphic Design Thesis course. Projects will be presented during the Spring Graduate Exhibition at the Gregory Allicar Museum of Art.
Graduates of the CSU MFA: Graphic Design program are prepared to pursue leadership roles across industries. Examples include advertising, print publishing, web design, marketing, game design, public relations, entertainment, corporate branding, packaging, manufacturing, social media, printmaking, museums, fashion, and user experience design.
Founded in 1870 as the Colorado Agricultural College, Colorado State University is a land-grant university that spans three campuses including CSU Fort Collins (the system’s flagship campus), CSU Pueblo, and CSU Global. The CSU system serves approximately 33,650 students enrolled in more than 300 academic programs across eight colleges. Colorado State University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).
The College of Arts & Media (CAM) at University of Colorado Denver (CU Denver) houses a Digital Design program leading to a BFA or a minor. This option consists of 21 credit hours including courses such as Typography Studio; Interactive Media; Design Studio; 3D Motion Design; and History of Modern Design: Industrial Revolution-Present. The Digital Design minor can be added to any creative major.
The Digital Design BFA program at CU Denver operates as a design laboratory with hands-on projects in graphic design, motion graphics, interactive media, user experience (UX) and user interface (UI) design, and branding design. Led by professionals in the industry, course examples for the program include Fostering Creativity; 3D Motion Design; Typography I-II; Design Studio I-III; Art History; Interactive Media I-III; Introduction to Photography; and History of Modern Design.
The CU Denver Digital Design BFA culminates with a thesis completed across two courses: Design Thesis Research and Design Theiss Project.
Graduates of the Digital Design BFA at University of Colorado Denver are prepared to pursue titles such as Graphic Designer, Brand Designer, Creative Director, Packaging Designer, UI/UX Designer, Video Editor, Exhibit Designer, Motion Graphic Artist, and Publications Designer.
Program alumni have been hired at places such as IBM, Crispin Porter + Bogusky, Mozilla, Craftsy, Mercedes-Benz, JILA, Hewlett Packard, Unity, Fruition, Dire Wolf, and JILA.
University of Colorado Denver opened in 1912 as an extension of University of Colorado Boulder. The school became CU Denver in 1973, making it an independent campus. Today, University of Colorado Denver serves 15,000 students enrolled in more than 110 degree programs across eight colleges and schools. University of Colorado Denver is accredited by Higher Learning Commission (HLC).
The Graphic Design BFA program at Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design (RMCAD) features hands-on projects for real-world clients. Consisting of 123 credit hours, the program also highlights workshops, presentations, and teaching engagements led by design professionals; the opportunity to gain work experience through the RMCAD Graphic Design Internship Program; and the option to complete the program on campus or online.
Students in the program will explore user experience (UX) design, typography, branding, advertising concepts, and digital illustration. Course examples include Visual Sequencing; Experimental Typography; Information Visualization; Vector Illustration; Web Design I-II; Sign + Symbol; User Prototyping; Raster Image Processing; Layout Design; 3D Packaging; and Interaction Design.
In the third year of the RMCAD BFA program, students will participate in the Graphic Design Junior Portfolio Review. The culminating experiences for the program include the Senior Graphic Design Seminar, Graphic Design Senior Portfolio Review, and the Graphic Design Graduation Portfolio.
Graduates of the Graphic Design Program at RMCAD are prepared to pursue design roles across industries. Potential job titles include Graphic Designer, Logo Designer, Brand Designer, User Experience/User Interface (UX/UI) Designer, Advertising Designer, Visual Communication Designer, Web Designer, Art Director, Motion Graphics Artist, Digital Project Manager, Interactive Media Designer, Production Art Manager, Package Designer, Multimedia Designer, and Creative Lead.
Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design began in 1963 as Rocky Mountain School of Art. Serving over 1,000 students, RMCAD provides 16 degree and certificate programs delivered either on campus, online, or a combination of the two (hybrid). Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) and it is an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD).
