Top 10 Graphic Design Schools For Success

Not all programs or majors have their own dedicated schools. While you don’t necessarily need to study at a design school to earn a graphic design degree, it can help you focus your education and learn from industry experts.

There are a number of graphic design schools out there that will give you all the tools you need to succeed as a graphic designer. Instead of studying graphic design at a university, consider the added benefits of studying at a specialized school.

Here, we’ll go over the best graphic design schools to consider and cover how you should select the right school for you. Keep reading if you want to learn more.

What is Graphic Design?

Graphic design is a creative profession where designers make visual content that serves a specific purpose. They can rely on different elements like images, media, and text to communicate their message.

Additionally, graphic designers might work on different visual projects, from creating visual ads, magazine layouts, website graphics, books, logos, exhibitions, and more.

Graphic designers use things like layout, typography, and imagery to get a message across. Part of their work is also to think about how a viewer would see their work, so they focus on creating a design that is not only visually appealing but also optimized to the user’s experience.

There are a lot of other elements that go into graphic design and many rules that govern it, such as emotion, symmetry, patterns, and a lot more. When looking at a design or an image, it may seem simple and straightforward, but there was a lot of thought from a graphic designer that went into it.

What is Graphic Design School?

In order to become a graphic designer, you’ll need to have a strong portfolio to start attracting clients. But, if you’re just getting started, how can you accomplish that?

One way to do this is to begin your graphic design career with a degree program. In school, you’ll learn all the ins-and-outs of graphic design, and you’ll work on projects that you can add to your portfolio later on. Not only that, but you’ll also build your network with industry connections while you study.

A graphic design school is a school that is specifically specialized in training designers. In other words, you won’t find a multitude of programs, like medicine or computer sciences, but rather focused courses that are related to visual arts and communication.

The advantage of this is that most students and staff in a graphic design school will also be graphic designers or some sort of visual artists. This will help you expand your network from the get-go. Not only that, but by going to a graphic design school you’ll likely have access to a greater variety of specialized courses and other resources to help you become a successful graphic designer.

How to Choose a Graphic Design School

Choosing a school really comes down to your personal preferences. Some students may be more concerned about the cost of tuition, while others will only focus on getting into a school with a good reputation.

Whatever your preference is, make sure you’re taking a good look into the graphic design program before determining where you’re going to study. You should look at the curriculum, staff, and professors, and see if they’re a fit for your career goals.

When considering whether to go to a graphic design school or a college or university, you might want to look at the logistics such as location, costs, and social aspects. While attending a specialized graphic design school is ideal, it might not be a good fit for everyone, especially if you want to study other subjects unrelated to visual arts as a minor.

Best Graphic Design Schools

There are a lot of graphic design schools in the US and around the world, but we’ve taken the legwork out of researching them for you by compiling a list of the best graphic design schools. Here are ten schools we recommend.

1. Parsons School of Design (The New School)

Location: Manhattan, New York

Program: Communication Design

Parsons is one of the most well-recognized names in graphic design schools and is ranked as one of the best schools in the US for arts and design. Parsons offers a four-year BFA in Communication Design and its alumni have landed jobs at companies like Facebook, New York Magazine, and Google.

2. Rhode Island School of Design (RISD)

Location: Providence, Rhode Island

Program: Graphic Design

RISD is considered to be one of the most recognizable art schools and counts some celebrities among its alumni, such as James Franco, Seth McFarlane, and the founders of Airbnb. However, they also offer both a BFA and MFA in graphic design. RISD is highly competitive and its graphic design program is well-known and one of the largest undergraduate departments at the school.

3. The Pratt Institute

Location: Brooklyn, New York

Program: Communications Design

The Pratt Institute is known for its belief in “poetic pragmatism,” which means that they believe artistic vision should accompany practical skills. Therefore, a lot of programs are interdisciplinary. For example, in the Communications Design programs, students can choose from three areas, such as advertising, graphic design, or illustration.

4. School of the Art Institute of Chicago

Location: Chicago, Illinois

Program: Visual Communication Design

The School of the Art Institute of Chicago is associated with the Art Institute Museum in Chicago. The BFA in Visual Communication Design program focuses on virtual and physical designs. In this school, you’ll participate in both internships and freelance work, and attend lectures from visiting designers.

5. Glasgow School of Art

Location: Glasgow, Scotland

Program: Communication Design

If you’re interested in studying in Europe, then the Glasgow School of Art is one of the best options you can choose. There is a range of courses and programs you can take related to graphic and visual arts. Within the BA in Communication Design, you can choose from three different specialties: illustration, photography, or graphic design.

6. Politecnico di Milano

Location: Milan, Italy

Program: Communication Design

The Politecnico di Milano is spread out over seven campuses around Milan and is one of the best colleges in Italy. It’s worth noting that programs at this school are three years long rather than four like most in the US. However, you may need to learn a new language since all courses are taught in Italian. Additionally, since it’s a technical school you’ll graduate with a degree in science rather than fine arts.

7. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

Location: Cambridge, Massachusetts

Program: Bachelor of Science in Art and Design

You might think of MIT as a school that’s strictly for engineers or more technical programs, but they also have a fantastic arts program as well. Still, being MIT, their arts program combines arts with hands-on technical skills, so if you’re interested in a more technical approach to communication or graphic design, this can be a good program for you.

8. ArtCenter College of Design

Location: Pasadena, California

Program: Graphic Design

Focusing on both new and old media, the ArtCenter College of Design provides students with the skills they’ll need in multiple areas of graphic design. The school encourages its students to take a socially conscious and experimental approach to learning.

9. California Institute of the Arts (CalArts)

Location: Valencia, Santa Clarita, California

Program: Graphic Design

If you’re a Disney fanatic, you might want to check out CalArts as it’s an art school founded by Walt Disney himself. He dreamed of creating a school where students could learn and develop their artistic skills in collaboration with others. There’s a small BFA in Graphic Design program and many students have graduated and landed careers in film and television.

10. Royal College of Art

Location: London, England

Program: Visual Communication

The Royal College of Art in London is widely considered to be one of the best design schools in the world and only offers postgraduate programs. There’s a great visual communication program that has graphic design as one of its focuses. The course is two years and students take part in workshops with professionals in their field. This program is ideal if you’re already a designer or have some experience and you’re looking to take your career to the next level.

To Wrap Up

There are plenty of options out there for great graphic design schools. The tough part is choosing one that fits your skills and career goals.

While we don’t offer a graphic design program, University of the People does have other great degree programs that can help you achieve the career you want. Combining unique learning methods with remote learning and tuition-free programs, our students enjoy studying at their own pace to further their education and improve their career options, without having to go into debt.