You’re creative and the world needs your expertise and innovative ideas, so what are you waiting for?
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE
Stevenson's career-focused Graphic Design program will teach you the technical and critical-thinking skills to position you for a successful career in today's design fields.
This major is designed to prepare students for professional practice and graduate study in graphic design, advertising, marketing communications, electronic or print publishing, web and interactive design, digital imaging, motion graphics, or related fields. As students prepare for a career in Graphic Design, they develop a research-based design process and produce a portfolio.
Stressing manual skills and applications of evolving technologies, the curriculum is characterized by a high-level of problem-based learning that encourages risk-taking and critical-thinking, immerses students in real-world scenarios, includes academic experiences and professional activities outside of the classroom, and allows for significant collaboration between students and between students and faculty.
You can also choose from one of three tracks to further your educational experience: Interactive Design, Motion Graphics, or Photography.
Graduates of the Graphic Design program will:
- Solve design problems by thinking creatively and critically.
- Observe and produce media critically.
- Apply communication and design theory to design practice.
- Justify solutions using research, through written and verbal communication.
- audience, cultural, ethical, human, media, material, and market factors.
- Produce a design portfolio to professional standards.
- Exhibit behaviors consistent with the professional and ethical standards of the discipline both within and beyond the classroom.
Connection to Career
Graphic Design students take unique courses such as letterpress to understand the foundations and principles of design and how that has influenced current work within digital spaces.
Study Graphic Design at Stevenson
Career Opportunities
Career Paths for Graphic Design Majors
If you are a creative person who's interested in art and design, you may be interested in a degree in Graphic Design. A background in graphic design will cover creative practice in disciplines such as print design, Web design, advertising, art direction, branding, and more. This can lead to careers such as:
- Advertising Design
- Art Direction
- Corporate Identity/Brand Design
- Exhibition or Environmental Design
- Special Effects Artist
- UX/UI: User Interface/User Experience Design
- Web/Graphic/Interactive Design
Curious about internships and job placement after you graduate? Visit our Office of Career Services.
Courses
The courses listed below are required for completion of the bachelor’s degree in graphic design. Students must also complete the requirements for the Stevenson Educational Experience (SEE).
Specific pre- and co-requisites for each course are listed in the course descriptions.
Major Requirements
| FYS 100 | First Year Seminar | 1 credit |
| ART 106 | Introduction to Art History | 3 credits |
| ART 110 | Fundamentals of Design I | 3 credits |
| ART 113 | Fundamentals of Design II | 3 credits |
| ART 116 | Drawing I | 3 credits |
| ART 117 | Drawing II | 3 credits |
| ART 205 | Graphic Design History | 3 credits |
| ART 305 | Topics in Art History | 3 credits |
| FMI 101 | Cinema I: Storytelling | 3 credits |
| PHOTO 141 | Basic Digital Photography | 3 credits |
| GDES 125 | Fundamentals of Digital Media | 3 credits |
| GDES 208 | Web Design I | 3 credits |
| GDES 210 | Graphic Design I | 3 credits |
| GDES 211 | Graphic Design II | 3 credits |
| GDES 230 | Typography I | 3 credits |
| GDES 290 | Internship Preparation | 1 credit |
| GDES 308 | Web Design II | 3 credits |
| GDES 310 | Graphic Design III | 3 credits |
| GDES 330 | Typography ll | 3 credits |
| GDES 390 | Internship | 3 credits |
| GDES 410 | Portfolio & Professional Development | 3 credits |
| GDES 450 | Senior Capstone | 3 credits |
| Studio Elective (3 credits)* | ||
| Studio Elective (3 credits)* | ||
| Studio Elective (3 credits)* |
*Studio electives include 200-400 level courses in ANIM, ART, GDES, IAD, PHOTO, or SOD 395. Students must choose courses from at least two different course prefix designators.
Minors
The minor in Graphic Design requires successful completion of a minimum of six courses and 18 credits of courses in graphic design and related disciplines. Graphic design courses encompass a variety of media from print design to screen-based applications. Students in the minor may participate in collaborative work, client-based projects, interactive development, user-experience design, branding strategies, rich-media experiences, visual storytelling, and problem solving through the design thinking process.
GDES, IAD, and ANIM courses count towards the minor in graphic design. The following courses may also be taken for a minor in graphic design.
All course prerequisites must be met to be eligible to take the selected course for a minor. Please see the chair of the Department of Graphic Design for more information. General information regarding minor requirements may be found in the Minors section of the catalog.
Other Options
BA Option
Students also have the option of completing a Bachelor of Arts degree in Graphic Design. The student must fulfill all SEE requirements, program requirements, and complete two semesters of a foreign language from the point of placement or completion of 202 level.
Visual Arts and Design Portfolios
Students planning to major in Fashion Design, Film & Moving Image, and Graphic Design are allowed to submit a portfolio of work to enhance their application and to be considered for talent-based scholarships.
Graphic Design News
Undergraduate Admissions
Owings Mills Campus
Garrison Hall North, Second Floor
1-877-468-6852