College Life

Private Schools That Are Well Known for This Major

• Carnegie Mellon University
• California Institute of the Arts
• Maryland Institute College of Art
• Yale University
• Pratt Institute

State Schools That Are Well Known for This Major

• University of Florida
• University of Miami
• University of Illinois at Urbana—Champaign
• Pennsylvania State University

Classes in the Major

Design Principles. These courses will have you shouting "CRAP." Relax, it's an acronym for the principles of design: Contrast, Repetition, Alignment, Proximity. You'll cover how to use these principles and what they look like in real life. Typefaces, images, colors, and layout will be covered, too. So much of design relies on what you're saying when you're not saying anything, and you'll figure out how to be heard loud and clear.

Visual Communication. Disclaimer: Shmoop does not condone being shallow. We don't believe in love at first sight, but more like love at first, say, deep conversation. However, it's true that we humans are pretty partial to aesthetically pleasing imagery, even if we don't like to admit it. This is why we don't generally see conventionally unpretty people in advertisements. Visual communication generally relies on what we consider pleasing—whether it be for humor or aesthetics. After all, visual communication courses are usually applied to advertisements or company image of some sort. But hey, maybe you're making a horror film and you want to evoke terror, disgust, or existential dread. We don't know what you're into…

Advertising and Marketing. Since a lot of graphic design students head off into the world of advertising and marketing, it's important for them to know the basics. These courses will ask you to explore different branding techniques. There are many different forms of advertising—print, digital, commercial—and you'll take a look at which concepts are best used in each one. You'll also learn how to interact with different users. You'll most likely have to choose some electives in advertising, depending on which mediums you want to work with.

Independent Projects/Internship. Majoring in any applied art is a little like baking. Sure, you can read and understand a cheesecake recipe. Simple, you think. Yeah, you have the supplies, and when you think about it, you feel like you won't mess up. You can theoretically bake a really good cheesecake. But then you try, and you can't understand why your mixture isn't "fluffy," and you're starting to think you overbeat your eggs. This is why practice is important. This is why the graphic design major might require you to take independent studies and internships—they're great career practice. After all, employers don't give jobs to slightly tilted cheesecakes with a huge crack down the center. They want the perfect, Martha Stewart cheesecake.

Art History. You can't exactly go for a certain look or concept if you're not familiar with it. It's really hard to come up with original ideas, and most of the ideas we produce today are recycled. Maybe you want to go for some pop art-surrealism influenced by Warhol and Dali. Taking art history courses can help get the creative juices flowing, and it's just a basic requirement if you're planning on being some kind of artist. Knowing the new and old names and concepts of art is all about becoming a smarter, more knowledgeable graphic designer. Don't skip this class.