Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) provides several paths to study graphic design. At the undergraduate level, students can earn a Graphic Design BFA. At the graduate level, MICA has MA (GDMA) and MFA (GD MFA) degrees in Graphic Design.
The Graphic Design BFA begins with the First Year Experience (FYE). A requirement for all undergraduates, the FYE allows students to explore various MICA’s programs and build foundation-level art and design skills. The FYE is also designed to prepare students for upper-level study within the school’s Undergraduate Studies (UGS) programs. FYE courses include Ways of Writing; Form I-II; Color Design (2D); Drawing (Fundamentals); Fabrication (3D); Modernisms; and New Media (4D).
After completing the FYS, students will move into the major, where they will have the opportunity to customize an area of specialization through electives and thesis projects in environmental graphic design, branding, UI/UX design, motion graphics, advertising, product design, package design, visual design, and font design. To enhance the degree, BFA students may also choose a minor from more than 20 options or focus in an additional area.
Minor examples include Illustration, Animation, Sequential Art, Printmaking, Interactive Arts, Creative Entrepreneurship, Photography, Film and Video, Game Design, and Sustainability and Social Practice.
Courses for the program are led by 25 faculty from all areas of design. Major course examples include Advanced Design I-II; Graphic Design I-IV; Flexible Design Studio; Typography I-II; and Senior Seminar. Upon completion of the program, graduates are prepared to pursue positions in fields such as publishing, UI/UX design, advertising, marketing, entertainment, public relations, retail, app design, multimedia, architecture, and social media.
The graduate programs at Maryland Institute of College and Art serve more than 300 students from nearly every state and 20 countries. Housed in a loft-style studio space with dedicated computers and workspaces, the 60 credit hour Graphic Design MA prepares students for career advancement or entry into an MICA GD MFA program. Course examples include Design Theory and Practice; Transmedia Type Lab; Typography Intensive; and Graphic Design MA Studio I-II.
Program features include courses taught by industry professionals; participation in seminars; internship opportunities; and the GDMA Workshop. This three credit hour workshop provides the opportunity to create and exhibit a self-directed design project and professional portfolio.
Also consisting of 60 credit hours, the GD MFA program at MICA features studio courses, seminars, and independent work. Elective options in print, digital media, and video allow students to create an area of specialization. Course examples include Advanced Publication Design; Visiting Designers I-II; Design Studio I-IV; Visiting Thesis Critics; and Thesis Writing.
The graduate Graphic Design programs at MICA can be completed in two years, full-time. Graduates are prepared for leadership roles across industries. MICA alumni have been hired at places such as Google, Adobe, Morehouse College, Netflix, and Under Armour. Program alumni have also presented their work at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), Baltimore Museum of Art (BMA), The Smithsonian Institution (Smithsonian), and The Whitney Museum of American Art (The Whitney).
Founded in 1826, Maryland Institute College of Art is the nation’s oldest independent, continuously degree-granting college of art and design. The school serves nearly 3,500 undergraduate, graduate, and open studies students from 49 states and 52 countries. Programs at MICA lead to a BFA, MA, MFA, MBA, MPS degree, or post-baccalaureate certificate. Maryland Institute College of Art is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) and the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD).