Graphic Design Degrees in Wisconsin (A-U)
There are many accredited graphic design degree programs in Wisconsin, and it is no wonder since several large corporations have headquarters in the state. Michigan is home to Ashley Furniture and American Family Insurance, Harley-Davidson and other powerhouse industries. Graphic Design is used in advertising and in producing brochures, in fashion and other areas so graphic design students find Michigan a perfect fit. The schools in this list vary from small private schools to state universities. One of the colleges is a women’s school, although men can take not-for-credit classes there. The programs are housed in different departments as well, so they will have different personalities. Students will find this list a good tool to select a few programs for a more in-depth study. To see more graphic design degrees, visit Graphic Design Degrees in Wisconsin (U-Z).
Carroll University
Department of Visual and Performing Arts
This university is Wisconsin’s oldest college, founded in 1846. Carroll University is a private school and is ranked as #41 of Regional Universities Midwest by the U.S. News and World Report. Art students work in small classes with SOTA equipment and standard software, giving them experience in the tools they will use in real life applications. The university is located in a culturally dense area. The Department of Visual and Performing Arts boasts a modern gallery and the school hosts many exhibits.
Bachelor of Science in Art, Graphic Communication
This program teaches students to use artistic and marketing skills in a setting of technology. Graduates become web designers and desktop publishing professionals among other careers. Through the courses in this program students explore the digital interpretations of print, web, multimedia video and photography. The degree contains 128 credit hours, including 16 in the Graphic Communication concentration. The school requires an internship, and offers opportunities at Quad/Graphics, Comstar LLC, GE, Readers Digest and other well-known corporations. Students in this program must take the Pioneer Core program, which is the university liberal arts component. The hallmark of this group of classes is its cross-cultural aspect. Students completing the program are expected to have a high level of skill in using software applications and hardware to create projects for clients, accessing historical data and written communication. The Graphic Communication major contains 76 credits.
Accreditation
- Higher Learning Commission, North Central Association
Contact
Department of Visual and Performing Arts
Carroll University
100 N East Avenue,
Waukesha, WI, 53186
262-524-7366
dbecker@carrollu.edu
http://catalog.carrollu.edu/contentm/blueprints/blueprint_display.php?bp_listing_id=154&dont_show_done=1&blueprint_id=30&menu_id=1542
Carthage College (University)
Department of Communication and Digital Media
This private four-year school was founded in 1847 and is affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church. It is ranked #155 of National Liberal Arts Colleges by the U.S. News and World Report. About 64 per cent of classes have less than 20 students, and the student-to-faculty ratio is 13:1. Its four-year graduation rate is 54 percent. The school is in a rich cultural area with 27 art galleries and 12 museums within 25 miles of the campus.
Bachelor of Arts in Art, Studio Art and Communications with Graphic Design
Among the learning outcomes for this program are that students would develop problem-solving abilities, communication skills, creative thinking and organization competencies. All Carthage degree programs require 138 credits for graduation. A third of these are core classes, a third are major-specific and the last third are electives. All Carthage students must take two seminars called “Western heritage” and two religion classes. There are also foreign language requirements. Required classes for all art students are: Human Communication, Public Speaking, Visual Communication and Digital Cinema production. These four classes comprise 16 credits of the program. There are 40 credits in the Graphic Communication major in addition to the university liberal education requisites. Of these, 32 are required and the others are studio electives.
Accreditation
- Higher Learning Commission, North Central Association
Contact
Department of Communication and Digital Media
Carthage College
2001 Alford Park Drive
Kenosha, WI, 53140
https://www.carthage.edu/academics/majors-minors/art/
Lakeland College
Art Department
This school is ranked in the second tier of Regional Universities by the U.S. News and World Report. The private school, founded in 1862, is affiliated with the United Church of Christ. The school is community service oriented and all incoming freshmen must participate in a week of public service to up to two local non-profits. The school boasts small classes, and the student-to-faculty ratio is 15:1. Lakeland College has a student body of less than one thousand and the school website says this contributes to a family feel and ensures that all students can be known personally.
Bachelor of Arts in Graphic Art
All art students at Lakeland begin with fundamental art courses in art theory and technique, with classes in design, drawing, color theory and art history. After completing that core, they can specialize. The Graphic Design emphasis is a concentration in the studio art option. The school features a Mac Lab with the latest software applications for the Graphic Design student. The 120-semester-hour degree program includes university liberal arts education and 43 semester hours of the Graphic Arts major. Required classes include: Drawing I, Digital Page Layout, Two -Dimension Design, Art History, Portfolio Preparation, Communication Graphics, Digital Illustration/ Illustrator and others, including the senior exhibit. There are also two electives to be chosen from a prescribed list.
Accreditation
- The Higher learning Commission, North Central Association
Contact
Art Department
Lakeland College
W 3718 South Drive,
Plymouth, WI, 53073
920-565-1000 ext. 2303
weidnerw@lakeland.edu
http://lakeland.edu/Majors-and-Minors/art#faculty-curriculum
Marian University
School of Liberal Arts
Marian University was founded in 1936 as a private school by the Sisters of St. Francis, who continue to support it. The U.S. News and World Report ranks it as number 95 of Regional Universities Midwest. It is a niche college, and receives favorable rankings for diversity. The school is small, with more than 73 per cent of classes having fewer than 20 students. The student-to-faculty ratio is 11:1. The six-year graduation rate is 49 per cent.
Bachelor of Arts in Graphic Design
This degree program marries knowledge and skill in graphic design with the values of traditional studio art. One of the focuses is in students developing their own personality and art style. Graphic Design students “receive instruction in the foundations of the fine arts combined with specialized instruction in layout, typography and computer-aided design.” There are 128 credits in the degree program. There are 46 to 49 general education courses, twelve required foreign language credits, six required in art history and three art history elective credits, fifteen in studio art, three in ceramics or sculpture and 16 to 18 in the Graphic Design major. There is an internship, and a portfolio review. In addition, all art students are required to attend exhibitions of student art sponsored by the university.
Accreditation
- Higher Learning Commission, North Central Association
Contact
School of Liberal Arts
Marian University
45 S National Ave.
Fond du Lac, MI, 54935
317-955-6000
jhiggs@marian.edu
http://marian.edu/Academics/school-of-liberal-arts/degrees-and-majors/visual-arts/graphic-design
Mount Mary University
School of Arts and Design
This private Roman Catholic women’s college was founded in 1913. It is ranked #91 of Regional Universities Midwest by the U.S. News and World Report. Over 90 per cent of classes have fewer than 20 students, and the student-to-faculty ratio is 10:1. Although this is a women’s college, men and women may take non-degree courses at the school. Each spring the school hosts CREO, a fashion, arts and design exposition featuring Mount Mary art students.
Bachelor of Arts in Graphic Design
This 128 credit hour degree program includes components to ensure a global perspective of the major. Students gain fundamental art competencies and develop professional skills. The students have access to Adobe Creative Suite software and work with real clients in internships. One of the primary goals of the program is ensuring graduates have communication skills, especially in the visual arts. The university core liberal arts component of the degree incudes philosophy and theology, communications and math, humanities, literature, fine arts and sciences and electives. These common core classes begin the first semester of the first year. There is a leadership course that may be waived under some conditions and a global requirement. The Graphic Design part of the degree contains 64 credits and includes a required portfolio, internship and senior exhibit.
Accreditation
- Higher Learning Commission, North Central Association
Contact
School of Arts and Design
Mount Mary Universality
2900 Menomonee River Parkway
Milwaukee WI, 53222
414-258-4810 ext. 233
berense@mymary.edu
https://my.mtmary.edu/ICS/icsfs/Graphic_Design_Major_.pdf?target=602e4ade-b1c2-44e3-ae87-777e6a73c59a
University of Wisconsin at Eau Claire
Department of Art and Design
The University of Wisconsin at Eau Claire is ranked # 31 of Regional Universities Midwest by the U.S. News and World Report. The Princeton Review also named it as one of 50 “Best Value” colleges. This public university was founded in 1916. Most classes have 20-49 students and the student-faculty ratio is 21:1. The four-year graduation rate is 27 per cent. The school is divided into four colleges: The College of Business, The College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Education and Hu8man Sciences and the College of Nursing.
Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art: Graphic Design
All art students at this school take the same foundation sequence the first year. Students then choose an emphasis from one of seven options. There are 75 credits in the BFA degree, excluding the university writing requirement and the liberal arts components of math, sciences, human sciences, humanities and communications which bring the degree to a minimum 120 credit hours. There are 18 required departmental credits, 12 foundation and 21 concentration. In addition, there is a foreign language requirement which can be satisfied by showing proficiency on an exam or by successfully completing a foreign language class. All art students must participate in a student exhibition as well.
Accreditation
- The Commission on Higher learning, North Central Association
Contact
Department of Art and Design
University of Wisconsin Eau Claire
105 Garfield Ave.
Eau Claire, WI 54702
715-836-4631
baol@uwec.edu
http://www.uwec.edu/Art/academics/degreereqs.htm
University of Michigan at Madison
School of Education
This school, founded in 1848, is ranked by the U.S. News and World Report as #47 of Nati0onal Universities. The University of Michigan at Madison is a large school; it has nineteen residence halls. Despite this, most classes have less than twenty students and the student-to-faculty ratio is 17:1. The art department, however, averages ten students per class. The school has a four-year graduation rate of 56 per cent.
Bachelor of Science in Art in Graphic Design
This degree program focuses on visual communication with students attending to the esthetic properties of art. All students at the university take Communication and Quantitative Reasoning. Art students take foundation courses, a mixture of studio and lecture classes, the first year which prepare them for further study. There are four parts to the Bachelor of Science degree in art. The first is Liberal Studies, intended to give students a broad education. Next is Aesthetics courses, then Major Requirements to develop in depth knowledge and skills and, finally, electives to build upon a student’s interests or develop a second major or a minor. Here are a minimum of 120 credit hours in this program. Of the 43 studio hours, 24 must be taken in residence. This degree program does not meet the qualifications for teacher certification.
Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art and Graphic Design
This is a 126 credit hour degree program. Students must complete Art 107, 104, 108, 112,208, one 2D, one 3D, one 4D and one Graphic Design course before being admitted to the Bachelor of Fine Arts program. This degree is intended for students who want to pursue professional careers in fine art or commercial design. Of the 72 hours of studio art required, 36 must be completed in residence. All art students take foundation courses the first year and then tailor their degrees through the use of the electives in addition to courses in their majors. However, the large number of studio hours required reduces the number of electives available in this major. Bachelor of Fine Arts majors must reach a high level of proficiency in at least two studio disciplines.
Master of Arts with Graphic Specialization
This department requires a grade of “B” in all courses taken at graduate level. All incoming students must take ART 700 Seminar: Intro to Graduate Studies and ART 908. They must complete a minimum of 30 credits, 15 of those from 941,942, 951 and 900 courses. There are nine to twelve art studio credits and three credits in history, anthropology or other subjects outside the department, and six to nine elective credits. There is a final examination, but there is no time constraint. Art student must present an exhibition of their creative art instead of completing a thesis project.
Master of Fine Art with Graphic Specialization
The department requires that students maintain a “B” grade in all graduate courses. Incoming students must take ART 700 Seminar; Intro to Graduate Studies and ART 908. MFA students must complete a minimum of 60 credits: 45 studio credits, six seminar, six art history and three credits taken outside the department. When students enter the MFA program they must pass a comprehensive exam. There is a final exam as well, and this must be taken within three years of the date of the entrance exam. The time limit for finishing the program is eight semesters. MFA students must present an exhibit of creative work instead of a written thesis and this may not be submitted before the end of the fourth semester.
Accreditations
- The Higher Learning Commission, North Central Association
Contact
School of Education
University of Wisconsin at Madison
Madison, WI 53706
608-262-1660
artinfo@eduction.wisc.edu
http://art.wisc.edu/docs/WebDispenser/art-documents/art-program-degree-requirements-for-art-majors.pdf?sfvrsn=0
The schools listed in this article offer similar courses in their graphic design programs. The biggest difference in the programs may be in the prerequisites needed for admittance and in the program length. It should be noted that the degree programs all have a significant liberal arts component but, in addition, require that students who are admitted to the degree are proficient in writing and certain other skills. Many of these can be taken as additional coursework but they will add to the credit hours needed to graduate. Students should check the schools in this list of accredited graphic design programs in Wisconsin to see what fluencies are needed for admission to the programs.
