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What are the top Kansas graphic design schools for 2024?
| Ranking | School | City |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Kansas | Lawrence |
| 2 | Kansas State University | Manhattan |
Our 2024 ranking of the top graphic design school programs in Kansas. For an explanation of the ranking criteria, click here.
1. University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas
The University of Kansas (KU) houses the School of Architecture and Design, home to the Department of Design. Accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD), the Design Department has a Visual Communication Design (Graphic Design) BFA and a Book Arts certificate.
All programs feature collaborations, lectures, and workshops led by industry professionals; access to state-of-the-art digital fabrication, bookmaking, print, and finishing labs; opportunities to complete a local and international internships; studios and photography facilities; and participation in the KU study abroad program.
The Book Arts certificate programs require 12 credit hours. The undergraduate certificate includes 6-7 credit hours of electives. The graduate certificate includes 6-7 credit hours in studio, cultural, and historical electives. Students in both programs will take the following cornerstone courses: Letterpress and Bookmaking. Common electives include Book Arts; Digital Letterpress; and Special Problems in Design.
Examples of other undergraduate electives include the Photobook; Publication and Editorial; and Fundamentals in Printmaking. Other graduate electives include Printmaking IV A (Intaglio); Writers Workshop; Advanced Special Topics in Printmaking: Papermaking or Japanese Woodblock; and Printmaking IV C (Serigraphy).
The Visual Communication Design (VisCom) BFA at KU is a studio-based, research intensive program with no more than 20 students. Consisting of 120 credit hours, the program requires participation in the KU Design Professional Lecture Series, which features accomplished national and international designers.
Course examples for the program include Elements of Type; Typographic Systems; Design Thinking and Research; Principles in Visual Communication; Branding; Fundamentals in UX Design; and Designing Social Interactions. In addition to adding the Book Arts certificate, students may enhance the degree through electives (16 credits). Elective examples include Emerging Technologies; Publication and Editorial; Motion Design; Dataviz and Digital Storytelling; Experiential Design; Digital Letterpress; Bookmaking; and Interaction Design.
In the junior year of the KU VisCom program, students will begin working on their final portfolios. In the final year of the program, students will complete two Professional Studies courses, Global Culture, Senior Problems, and the Final Capstone Project.
Graduates of the Visual Communication Design and Book Arts programs are prepared to pursue positions in advertising and marketing, branding, publishing, book design, public relations, industrial design, package design, UI/UX design, exhibition design, multimedia, motion graphic design, web design, and environmental design.
Potential job titles include Graphic Designer, Multimedia Artist, Communications Manager, Exhibition Designer, Art Director, Advertising Commercial/Industrial Designer, Visual Designer, Public Relations Manager, Advertising Art Director, and Marketing Manager.
University of Kansas welcomed its first class of 55 students on September 12, 1866. Classes began in an unfinished building on a hill known as Mount Oread. Today, KU is the state’s flagship institution, with nearly 30,000 students enrolled in more than 400 programs across five campuses and 13 schools. University of Kansas is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).
2. Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas
The College of Arts and Sciences at Kansas State University (K-State) serves more than 5,700 students enrolled in more than 80 degree programs across 32 areas of study and 20+ departments. This includes the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD)-accredited Department of Art.
For students looking to pursue a career in graphic design, the department has Art BFA and MFA programs with a concentration in Visual Communication Design (VCD). A VCD minor is also available. Course examples for the 18 credit hour minor include Graphic Design History/Theory/Criticism; Digital Illustration; Advanced Concepts in VCD; VCD Design Techniques I-II; Introduction to Printmaking; VCD Design Topics; and Digital Techniques. The K-State VCD minor can be added to any art or design major.
The Art BFA: VCD at Kansas State University is a professional degree program that requires 120 credit hours of study, with 78 credits in the VCD concentration. All students will complete the Art and Design Foundation requirement; Survey of Western Art I-II; and 18 credit hours of electives. Foundation course examples include Mixed Media Process and Exploration; Color, Light, and Perception Lab; and Visual Representation and Fabrication. Students must pass a portfolio review upon completion of Foundation courses.
Examples of required courses for the VCD concentration include Introduction to Digital Photography; VCD I: Typography and Design Principles; Design for Digital Media I-II; VCD II: Methods and Processes; VCD III: Storytelling in Design; and VCD IV: Design and Context. The program culminates with VCD Capstone I: Research; VCD Capstone II: Project; and VCD BFA Portfolio and Professional Practices.
The Art MFA: VCD program at Kansas State University is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD). Consisting of 60 credit hours, the program features small classes of just 10-12 students; assigned studio spaces in K-State’s collaborative design space—Willard Hall; internship opportunities in the junior and senior year; Graduate Teaching Assistantship (GTA) for qualified students; the visiting artist series; and participation in the AIGA student group, which hosts field workshops, field trips to national conferences, studio tours, visiting designers, and networking events.
Course examples for the program include Contemporary Art Theory and Criticism and Graduate Seminar. Students will complete 24-36 credit hours in the concentration; 3-15 credits in Studio Art Exploration; and nine elective credits at the 600-level or above. Electives can be taken within or outside the Department of Art.
The Art MFA at K-State culminates with a solo exhibition held in Mark A. Chapman Gallery, located on the first floor of Willard Hall.
Graduates of the Art BFA: VCD program at Kansas State University are prepared to pursue graduate studies or design roles across industries. MFA graduates are prepared to pursue leadership, teaching, research, and consulting roles across industries.
K-State alumni have been hired at companies across the region and the U.S. Examples include Google, Target, Lockheed Martin, Walt Disney Company, Hormel Foods, Amazon, Land O’Lakes, Koch Industries, Cargill, Banner Health, IBM, Whole Foods, Design West, Manhattan-Ogden USD 383, Little Bird Marketing, and Shamrock Trading Corporation.
Kansas State University was founded in 1863. The school serves approximately 19,745 students enrolled in more than 400 degree and certificate programs across nine colleges and a graduate school. Kansas State University is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).