| Ranking | School | City |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Washington | Seattle |
| 2 | Cornish College of the Arts | Seattle |
| 3 | Western Washington University | Bellingham |
Our 2024 ranking of the top graphic design school programs in Washington. For an explanation of the ranking criteria, click here.
The College of Arts and Sciences (ArtSci) at University of Washington (UW) is home to the School of Art + Art History + Design (SoA+AH+D), which houses one of the largest undergraduate programs at UW: Visual Communication Design (VCD). Featured in international design journals Art and Design (China), IDEA (Japan), and Novum (Germany), the VCD program leads to a Bachelor of Design (BDes). The School of Art also has a two-year Master of Design (MDes) for students with experience in design, and a three-year option for students from other disciplines with outstanding design potential. This option focuses on developing core design skills in preparation for advanced design coursework in the two-year MDes program.
The VCD BDes is an intensive program that encourages collaboration and experiential learning such as study abroad experiences in places such as Italy, Paris, and Amsterdam. The curriculum for this 180 credit program includes courses in general education, art history, studio, and electives. Course examples include Corporate Identity; Interface Design I-II; Visual Systems; Publication Design; Advanced Typography; Introduction to Motion Design; Visual Storytelling; and Exhibition Design.
In the Junior and Senior years of the UW BDes program, students will complete an internship, a Design Capstone, and Design Exhibition worth 1-3 credit hours.
The MDes at University of Washington is considered the terminal degree in the field. Consisting of 80 credits (minimum), the MDes emphasizes individualized and interdisciplinary studies. This provides opportunities to study Visual Communication. Also a research-based program, the MDes allows students to choose courses from and complete research projects with the Departments of Communication, Psychology, and Biomedical Informatics; the College of Engineering; and the Schools of Business and Nursing.
Throughout the UW MDes program, students will have opportunities to complete several special projects sponsored by major corporations and led by design faculty. Other program benefits include project-based studios, seminars, and independent study.
During the final year of the UW MDes program, students will work with their chair and committee to complete a thesis document and exhibition to be displayed at UW’s Henry Art Gallery. Past thesis topics include Urban Planning, Information Visualization, Healthcare, and Aviation.
Graduates are prepared to pursue roles in all areas of design across all industries. Some of the top employers for UW graduates include Amazon, Google, Microsoft, Boeing, Apple, Meta, Deloitte, KPMG, T-Mobile, Starbucks, Accenture, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Oracle, EY, Seattle Children’s Hospital, Nordstrom, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), ScribeAmerica, and Highspot.
Established in 1861, the University of Washington serves approximately 60,700 students across campuses in Seattle (main), Bothell, and Tacoma, Washington. UW provides approximately 475 programs and 845 degree options across 18 colleges and schools. The University of Washington is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) and is a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU). Engineering at UW is accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET).
Cornish College of the Arts (Cornish) has a 1:7 faculty to student ratio, and a 105-year history. Situated near museums, galleries, theaters, and music venues, Cornish provides a Design BFA program that prepares students for careers in areas such as graphic design, animation, game design, illustration, and user experience (UX) design.
Before selecting the Design option, all students will complete core courses in design fundamentals. Upon completion of introductory requirements, the curriculum becomes more project-based, immersive, and interdisciplinary. Upper level students will also have opportunities to collaborate with peers and faculty across departments at Cornish.
Upper level courses explore areas such as brand identity design, virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR), world building, user interface (UI) design, app development, and web design. Students will learn typography, product design, bookbinding techniques, packaging, drawing, letterpress, and printmaking. To enhance the degree, Cornish design students may select a minor in an area such as Experience Design or Game Art.
Other program features include access to the Film Studio; drawing, print, photo, and painting studios; and the Galleries at Cornish, which provide professional space for classroom critiques, filming performances, documenting artwork, and full exhibitions.
Graduates of the Design BFA program at Cornish College of the Arts are prepared to pursue graduate study or design positions across industries. Possible job titles include Graphic Designer, Storyboard Artist, Concept Artist, Book Artist, Brand Designer, Packaging Designer, Exhibit Designer, UI/UX Designer, Poster Designer, Interactive Designer, AR/VR Designer, Logo Designer, and Publications Designer.
Cornish College of the Arts was established in 1914 as The Cornish School for Drama, Music, Dance. The school serves 635 students enrolled in visual and performing arts programs leading to a BFA or Bachelor of Music. Cornish also provides year-round public programs and extension courses. Cornish College of the Arts has been accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) since 1977.
The College of Fine and Performing Arts (CFPA) at Western Washington University (WWU) houses the Department of Design. Within the department is a competitive Design BFA program limited to a maximum of 36 students per year. Consisting of 117 credits, the program focuses on graphic, production, and digital media design in relation to solving visual communication problems.
Program benefits include access to the Design Production Lab; the Annual Design Field Trip to visit studios in Portland or San Francisco; summer study abroad experiences in places such as Switzerland and Germany; and internship opportunities at places such as Disney, Starbucks, and Ten Gun Design.
All Design BFA students at WWU will also have the opportunity to build their portfolios through on-campus work experiences at The Planet Magazine; Viking Union (VU) Publicity Center; Klipsun Magazine; Labyrinth Literary and Fine Arts Magazine; and Jeopardy Magazine. The CFPA Department of Design provides additional opportunities to design for off-campus partners.
Course examples for the WWU Design BFA program include Graphic Design 1-3; Principles of Interaction; Design Technology; Print and Finish; Digital Design 1-2; Strategic Marketing for Designers; Motion 1-2; Graphic Design in the 20th Century; Visual Lab; Professional Practices for Illustrators; and Design View.
To enhance the degree, Design BFA students have the opportunity to add an Illustration certificate (the only one of its kind in the Northwest) or a minor in User Experience (UX) Design; Arts Enterprise and Cultural Innovation; Internet Resource Creation and Management; Sustainable Design; Computer Science; or STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics).
During the final year of the Design BFA program at Western Washington University, students will complete the Senior Seminar, BFA Workshop, and Design Portfolio courses. Graduates of the program enjoy a high success rate, with most finding employment in the industry within six months of graduation.
WWU alumni have been hired at places such as Nike, Pepsi, Nordstrom, Boeing, Microsoft, Amazon, Disney, Google, Starbucks, Fabletics, Alaska Airlines, Dropbox, Facebook, Pinterest, REI, Airbnb, Eventbrite, GLDN, the Seattle Sounders, Everlane, TenGun, Smashing Ideas, Ticketfly, and Ziba.
Western Washington University was established in 1893 as New Whatcom State Normal School. Serving approximately 14,750 students, the school provides more than 200 academic programs across seven colleges and dozens of departments. Western Washington University is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU).
