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Degrees and Certificates
Graphic Design
College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences
Great Design Changes Lives
Bachelor of Graphic Design Degree Program
Graphic designers communicate ideas that influence, inform, and captivate consumers. They are talented artists using a range of highly creative techniques in their graphic designs. Before they are out in the workplace, however, they need a place to grow, learn, and develop talent and perspective. That place is the BFA concentration in Graphic Design at AUM.
If you crave creativity and problem solving, you are just what this profession needs. Graphic Design increasingly uses Augmented Reality (AR), User Experience (UX) and User Interface (UI) in the construction of websites and mobile applications (apps). At AUM, faculty strive to put students at the forefront of design technique.
Visual and brand identity is very important to how a company is perceived by its consumers and the graphic design concentration teaches each student the importance of aesthetic principles, design methodology, and problem solving techniques aimed at helping a company create a unique identity in order to maintain a consistent brand across print, online, and television formats.
Companies inside and outside Alabama, recruit designers with talent and a formal graphic design education to create and maintain their public image. Students at AUM often enter internships that lead to permanent jobs after graduation.
Our professors are experts in the design field and are ready to inspire the next generation of artists in computer graphics, typography, and much more. The classes and studios at AUM are on the small side so you’ll have many chances for one-to-one learning and mentorships. You’ll master the skills you’ll need to take a project from conception to completion.
This program also emphasizes building a professional portfolio for websites, graphic animations, advertisement, logos, and branding. You’ll create visual concepts by hand and by using the most widely recognized computer software in the design industries, like:
As a BFA candidate pursuing a concentration in Graphic Design, you will have the opportunity to present your professionally prepared work as a part of your capstone project.
Other concentrations in this BFA degree program include Painting and Drawing, Sculpture, and Photography.
Get Your Degree
The Know How
What you will know with a Graphic Design concentration from AUM
We Prepare You To Be A Leader
Know how to blend creativity, forward thinking, and technical skills to forge a new path for design.
We Give You A Solid Foundation In Communication Design
Know how to use graphic design to positively influence social structures and cultural development.
We Set The Bar For The Future Of Design
Know how to elevate your thinking and expand your creative horizons to be competitive in the marketplace.
We Engage With The Design Community To Give You Real World Experiences
We encourage students to pursue internships and job opportunities while in school.
Points of Pride
Soaring Warhawks
Customize Your Concentration
We Have the Answers
Rewarding Occupations and Job Growth
Check out our Career Discovery Board on this page to begin exploring your options. Contact us by phone or email so we can get you the answers you need.
Any company, from small nonprofits to large corporations, that needs to communicate visually. Graphic design firms and ad agencies hire graphic designers to do project work for their clients in entertainment, healthcare, government, private business and other sectors.
Drawing talent would certainly be a plus, but not a requirement. The program curriculum is designed, step by step, to develop your skills as a graphic designer. That includes hand-drawing but also skills in digital typography, software, image editing, and photography.
The BFA is a specialized degree with professional instruction in areas such as graphic design, sculpture, painting and photography. The BA is more generalized and provides students with opportunities for interdisciplinary study.
Degree Options
Is a Concentration in Graphic Design right for me?
With this bachelor’s degree as your educational foundation, you have many career possibilities.
| Career/Job Title | Entry-level Education | Job Growth 2020-2030 | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Special Effects Artist and Animator | Bachelor’s Degree | 16% (Much faster than average) | $77,700 |
| Web Developer and Digital Designer | Bachelor’s Degree | 13% (Faster than average) | $77,200 |
| Graphic Designer | Master’s degree | 3% (Slower than average) | $53,380 |
| Film and Video Editor | Bachelor’s degree | 29% (Much faster than average) | $61,900 |
Note: Salaries vary depending on several factors including your level of experience, education, training, demographics, and industry. Here is a sampling of the future job growth and salaries according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Learn More
In-Class
Quick Facts
College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences
At AUM’s College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, you will have powerful learning experiences, working side by side with professors who have real-world experience.
Our academic departments include Communication and Theatre, Criminal Justice, Economics, English and Philosophy, Fine Arts, History and World Cultures, Political Science and Public Administration, Sociology, Anthropology and Social Work, and Army ROTC. To help you pay for college, you might qualify for one of our scholarships.
Official Name of the Graphic Design Concentration
Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art with a concentration in Graphic Design
Modality
This degree requires students to meet on campus. Students in these courses enroll in a program to connect in a campus setting and to collaborate using a variety of technological and educational tools. Professors play an inspirational role in building relationships among teams and individuals in this setting. The criteria for many programs can only be met with In-Class coursework. Be sure to check with your advisor to understand the best route to take.
Graphic Design
Required Courses
To complete this degree concentration, you will need to complete courses in the university core, fine arts, and electives. Contact the Department of Fine Arts for a current listing of courses required to complete this program.
The course listings below are only a few of the classes this concentration requires. For a full review of this program in detail, please see our official online catalog AND consult with an academic advisor.
| Course Number | Course Name | What you will know… |
|---|---|---|
| VISU 2702 | Digital Foundations | Know how to solve problems with digital artmaking. The main difference between the self-taught designer and an artist with a Bachelor’s degree lies in these foundations. You will know how to solve problems with Raster images that use an array of pixels and Vector images that use a mathematical formula which defines the shape of an image. |
| VISU 2722 | Typography I | Know the art of arranging a message. You work with type faces that already exist to arrange and aesthetically, pleasing composition. |
| VISU 4742 | Advertising Art | Know how to use creative skills and ingenuity to create a brand’s story. Create the best photos, illustrations, video and digital materials to promote the public image of a company. |
