California Baptist University

Graphic Design Programs Available at California Baptist University

California Baptist University appears in our ranking of the Top 13 Best Affordable Graphic Design Degree Programs.

The College of Architecture, Visual Arts and Design at California Baptist University offers several graphic design degree programs and majors in related fields. One option is a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Graphic Design and Visual Experience, which is open to transfer students. The university allows them to transfer up to 60 credits to cover the first two years of study in the program. They will then take two year or four semesters of classes that include Design Thought Foundations, Fundamental Image and Design Movements of the 21st Century. Students will take a class in the third semester to work with their advisors on the portfolios that they will use when applying for jobs. The final semester of the program includes a senior project requirement.

Students who do not have any college credits can earn a BA in Graphic Design and Visual Experience through a program that includes eight semesters of work. California Baptist University allows students to take Design Thought Foundations and similar courses in their first semester but recommends that they take intermediate and advanced courses in their second years. Those courses include Intermediate Design, Intermediate Typography, Fundamental Design, and Fundamental Typography. Graphic design majors in this program will take a course to work on their portfolios and a class called Design Thought Practicum. This gives them the option of working with a graphic design firm.

One of the unique features of the graphic design program is that it asks students to pick a concentration and take at least 12 credits of work from that subject. Students can choose the graphic design concentration or the web design concentration to focus on producing work for others. There are also concentrations available in photography, mobile design, and video and animation. Those who choose to minor in graphic design will take at least 21 credits of classes, most of which will fulfill the elective requirements of their majors. While the graphic design program is also available online, the online track requires that students take Composition, Intermediate Composition and Drawing I before they begin. They’ll have the option of taking other courses too such as History of Graphic Design.

About California Baptist University

California Baptist University is a private university that offers multiple degree programs. Founded in 1950, it has a strong affiliation with the California Southern Baptist Convention. Originally called California Baptist College, it did not form an affiliation with that organization until 1953, which was just one year before it received a state charter. Since becoming California Baptist University, the university adopted the nicknames of CBU and Cal Baptist. The campus is now home to multiple archives and other resources for students who want to study the work of former religious leaders and different religions. Located in Riverside, California, Cal Baptist encourages its more than 10,000 students to participate in the service-learning programs offered every year.

California Baptist University Accreditation Details

CBU can evaluate the transcripts that students provide when they transfer and give them credit for that work because it has regional accreditation. This accreditation is also why CBU students can get financial aid if they apply through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). It has regional accreditation from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). CBU also received accreditation from other organizations for its nursing, business, music, engineering and technology programs.

California Baptist University Application Requirements

More than 60% of the students who apply to CBU and its undergraduate programs receive acceptance letters every year. The university typically denies those who do not meet its minimum admissions standards and those the review board does not think would be a good fit. Some of the requirements for incoming students include an application, essay and application fee. When students fill out the CBU application, they will need to write an essay of up to five paragraphs on what they think they will get out of their time at the university. CBU asks students to write about the spiritual and religious features of the university as well as its academic programs. There is a priority deadline of December first and an application fee of $45.

The university requires that high school graduates submit official transcripts that come sealed from each school. Students with up to 60 college credits must submit their college transcripts too. Transfer students do not need to submit a standardized test score, but those who have not yet attended college will need to provide an ACT/SAT score directly from the testing board. CBU also asks that students file for financial aid but will not send out an award letter until it grants acceptance to the student.

Tuition and Financial Aid

Tuition at CBU ranges from $1,276 per credit hour for part-time students to $16,471 per year for full-time students. Those who wish to live on the CBU campus need to pay a $100 housing deposit prior to the start of the school year. The university will apply that deposit to the student’s total room and board costs. Students pay either $3,165 per semester to live in shared housing or $4,740 per semester to live in a private room. They will also purchase a meal plan, which starts at $1,665 per semester and gives students 135 meals that they can use on different days and for different meals. Unless students have health insurance, they need to buy a CBU plan for $991 per semester. The university also charges a $750 general fee each semester for any student taking at least six units of classes.

Scholarships and grants are among the more popular forms of financial aid for students because they do not need to repay any of the money that they receive. Academic scholarships of between $7,500 and $13,500 go to students who have a GPA of 3.0 or higher and a score of 990/19 on the SAT/ACT. Students can also qualify for two different federal grants and for the Cal Grant, but this only goes to California residents. There is also a CBU Grant that provides students with up to $6,000 a year when they show more need on the FAFSA. California Baptist University allows students in its graphic design programs to use all of the aid shown in their financial aid award letters.