Top Illustration School in Indiana - 2020 College Rankings

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) can trace its roots back to 1891, when Indiana University offered classes in Indianapolis for the very first time. In 1969, Indiana University and Purdue University merged to create IUPUI, becoming Indiana’s premier urban research university. Today, the school serves more than 29,530 students enrolled in more than 450 undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs in 17 schools.

The Herron School of Art + Design offers a BFA Drawing + Illustration. The school also offers MFA programs. BFA program highlights include access to the latest equipment and technology in students’ choice of studio spaces, the opportunity to enhance the degree with a Minor in Book Arts or Design Production, and classes taught by faculty who are working professionals in the field.

The program, which consists of extensive studio experience in both drawing and illustration, requires completion of courses such as Advanced Drawing & Illustration, Building & Making, Digital Rendering, Image & 4D Studio, Narrative Drawing, and Studio Art & Technology. The curriculum “provides broad exposure to both traditional and contemporary techniques in all media including digital technology,” says the school. “Students develop skills from both fine and applied arts perspectives.”

Graduates of the program are prepared to pursue positions such as Animator, Children's book illustrator, Comic Artist or Graphic Novelist, Editorial Illustrator, Packaging Designer, Scientific or Technical Illustrator, Set or Exhibition Designer, Storyboard or Concept Artist, or Toy or Product Designer. Some graduates go on to work as freelance artists or designers, while others start their own businesses.