| Ranking | School | City |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Carolina State University | Raleigh |
| 2 | Appalachian State University | Boone |
| 3 | University of North Carolina at Charlotte | Charlotte |
Our 2024 ranking of the top graphic design school programs in North Carolina. For an explanation of the ranking criteria, click here.
The Graphic and Experience Design (GXD) program at North Carolina State University (NC State University) is one of less than 350 programs accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD). The program is also recognized by the American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA).
Housed in the College of Design’s Department of Graphic and Industrial Design, the program has options at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Degrees include the Bachelor of Graphic and Experience Design (BGXD) and Master of Graphic and Experience Design (MGXD). The MGXD is one of the few graphic design graduate programs in the U.S. with STEM Classification (CIP).
The undergraduate Graphic and Experience Design program at NC State consists of 120 credit hours. Students in the project-based program will take specialized courses such as Image and Tech Tinkering; Branding, Interaction, and Service Design; Typography and Technology; Designing for Settings, People, and Use; Information and Publishing Design Systems; and Typographic Language, Writing, and Reading. BGXD students will also complete a graphic and experience design practicum studio; three advanced graphic and experience design studios; and design electives that focus on individual interests.
Other BGXD program features include the opportunity to study abroad for a semester or summer at the NC State Prague Institute, Greece, or other study abroad locations; professional paid internships at major design firms; and participation in sponsored studios as part of the GXD curriculum. Examples of past sponsors include Coca Cola, The National Civil Rights Museum, Hanes, Bosch, North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, John Deere, Under Armour, Lowe’s, Caterpillar, BD Medical, and SAS.
Graduates of BGXD program at North Carolina State University are prepared to pursue positions across industries. Program alumni have been hired at design firms and technology companies such as Lenovo, IDEO, R/GA, IBM, Red Hat, SAS, Pentagram, IQVIA, Willowtree, and Citrix.
The graduate Graphic and Experience Design program at NC State has two-year and three-year options. Both lead to a terminal degree, equivalent to the MFA, which qualifies graduates to pursue leadership roles across industries, teach at the university level, or pursue a Design PhD.
The two-year program (MGXD II) is designed for students with a graphic design BFA (or equivalent) and experience in visual communication, design, interaction design, or related field. The three-year program (MGXD III) is for students who have earned a BA in another field or a Graphic Design concentration.
All MGXD students will participate in studios and seminars such as MGXD Studio I-III; Theoretical Frameworks in Design Seminar; Advanced Graphic Design Studio; Tech Tinkering Seminar; and Design Research Methods Seminar. Electives allow students to enhance the degree. Elective examples for the MGXD II pathway include Environmental Communication; Film Production; Advanced Technical Writing and Education; Enterprise Design Thinking with Emerging Tech for Social Good (w/IBM); and Cognitive Processes.
Elective examples for the MGXD III pathway include Responsible AI and Society; Graphic Design History; Typography I-II; Special Topics in Social Innovation; and Enterprise Design Thinking with Emerging Tech for Social Good (w/IBM). Across pathways, students will have opportunities to take additional electives at affiliate universities such as Duke and UNC Chapel Hill.
In addition, MGXD students will have opportunities to work on collaborative projects and research with major companies and institutes such as IBM, NC State Laboratory for Analytic Sciences, Red Hat Software, SAS, and the Institute of Emerging Issues.
For their final graduate projects, MGXD students will research an area of focus, record conclusions, design studies and mock-ups, and present the project to the public.
Graduates of the Master of Graphic and Experience Design program at North Carolina State University have gone on to establish successful careers at consulting firms, software companies, and universities. Examples include Adobe, Carnegie Mellon University, IDEO, University of Michigan, Lenovo, Pratt Institute, IBM, University of Washington, Red Hat Software, and Accenture.
North Carolina State University employs more than 10,000 faculty and staff that serve approximately 38,440 students. This makes NC State the largest university in the University of North Carolina System and one of the largest employers in the state. Established in 1887 as a land-grant institution focusing in agriculture and engineering, NC State provides more than 250 degree programs across 11 colleges, 68 departments, and The Graduate School. North Carolina State University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
Serving approximately 3,540 students, the College of Fine and Applied Arts (CFAA) is the third largest college at Appalachian State University (App State). Program options are organized across seven departments including Applied Design; Technology and the Built Environment; Art; Sustainable Development; Communication; Military Science and Leadership; and Theatre and Dance.
Within the App State Department of Art is a Graphic Design program that features trips to New York’s major museums and design studios. Students in this BFA program also benefit from internship opportunities with companies such as Warner Bros. Discovery, Package Design Media, and Home Magazine; study abroad experiences in places such as Italy, Germany, South Africa, the UK, and Spain; and the option to join organizations and clubs such as the Student Art League (SAL), the American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA), the Art History Club or the Arts Management Organization (AMO).
Students in all CFAA art and design programs have access to fully equipped facilities and labs, with opportunities to create environmental graphics; perform layout and design duties for print publications; build screen-based experiences and identity programs; and engage in interactive design projects. Course examples for the program include Foundations I-II; Printmaking: Screenprinting; History of Graphic Design; Digital Imaging; Typography I-III; Interaction Design I; and Ideal Lab.
The BFA program allows students to develop skills in different areas of graphic design through electives and professional development courses. Examples include Branding and Visual Identity; Illustration; Hand-Lettering; Design Thinking and Entrepreneurial Mindset; Technical Writing; Design Methods; Video Production and Story; Interaction Design II; Exhibitions Practicum; and Special Topics in Graphic Design.
An optional Graphic Design Professional Practice course features lectures; opportunities to create self-promotional packages; research and writing skills development for job search preparedness; and portfolio development. Students in this course will also visit design studios and printing facilities in North Carolina and across the region.
Although it is not a requirement, BFA students can add a minor to further enhance the degree. Examples include Graphic Communications Management; Commercial Photography; Sustainable Technology; Art History; Communication; Apparel Design and Merchandising; and Somatic Sustainability.
The Graphic Design BFA program at Appalachian State University culminates with a two-course sequence, leading to a final project (capstone) and portfolio. Capstone projects will be presented at an exhibition.
Graduates of App State Graphic Design BFA program are prepared to pursue design roles across industries. Most program alumni are hired right after graduation, while others pursue graduate study at places such as Pratt Institute, Massachusetts College of Art and Design (MassArt), and Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU).
Graduates have been hired at places such as Amazon, Gap, Skyline Films, McCall Publishing Company, Red Hat, Tiffany and Co., Footbridge Media, Oculus Studios, Public Theater (NYC), COCG, Fifty&Fifty, CreateSpace, Beanstalk Data, Raizlabs, McKinney, Registered Creative, and Metrostar Systems.
Founded in 1899 as Watauga Academy, Appalachian State University is one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System. The school serves approximately 21,255 students enrolled in more than 200 degree programs across eight colleges and schools. Appalachian State University is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACSCOC).
University of North Carolina at Charlotte (UNC Charlotte) houses the College of Arts + Architecture (CoA+A). Serving 1,000 students, the CoA+A provides 33 degrees and concentrations across five departments. This includes the Department of Art and Art History—home to the Graphic Design Program.
Accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD) and leading to a BFA, the program provides 24/7 access to state-of-the-art facilities in the Macy and Rowe Buildings; a project-based, interdisciplinary curriculum; participation in student organizations such as Midas Magazine, NinerDesigner, and the literary arts magazine Nova; and professional internships at places such as NASCAR, Goodwill Industries, Krispy Kreme, Saturday Brand, Charlotte Hornets, and Bechtler Museum.
All BFA students have opportunities to participate in faculty-led and other study abroad experiences such as the Creative Pilgrimage to Ireland Summer, with excursions to Dublin, Cliffs of Moh, and the Aran Islands; the Semester at E. Geppert Academy of Fine Arts & Design in Poland; the Exploration of Historical and Contemporary Ceramic Art in Limoges and Paris Spring Break Program; and the Biennial Summer Art/Art History Program in Rome.
Consisting of 120 credit hours, the Graphic Design BFA at UNC Charlotte provides immersive study with 2/3 of required coursework in the major. Areas explored include advertising, design methods, branding, motion design, UX/UI, digital design, typography, web design, layout, design research, and print design. Elective courses allow students to explore other studio related disciplines such as animation, video editing, time-based media, and photography.
Course examples for the program include Graphic Design I-II; 3D Design; UX/UI Design Strategies; 4D; Typography I-II; Print Production; Communication Design; Art History Survey I-II; and Design Thinking. All students will also complete capstone courses that focus on the development of a semester-long thesis project, a public presentation, the creation of a personal portfolio, and self-promotion materials.
Graduates of the Graphic Design BFA program at UNC Charlotte are prepared to pursue careers in areas such as advertising, publications design, book design, web design, exhibit design, UI/UX design, public relations, animation, multimedia design, film and video, computer systems design, and digital photography.
Some top employers of UNC Charlotte alumni include Amazon, Lowe’s, IBM, Novant Health, Wells Fargo, Atrium Health, Passport, and Duke Energy.
Founded in 1946, University of North Carolina at Charlotte serves approximately 30,300 students, making it the third largest school in the 16-campus UNC System. This public research university provides more than 200 undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs across nine colleges. University of North Carolina at Charlotte is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
