Graphic Design Degrees in Arizona (A-M)

Arizona State University

Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts

Multiple applicable designed and well-appointed facilities make up The Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts. Herberger Institute was established in 2009 when it became the joint home of ASU’s College of Design and the College of Fine Arts. The department was originally founded in 1964 under a different name. The institute is also home to the outstanding ASU Art Museum with its more than 12,000 pieces of art. Today, Herberger Institute includes The School of Art, The Design School, The School of Film, Dance and Theatre, The School of Music and The School of Arts, Media + Engineering.

The Design School offers degree programs in architecture, environmental design, industrial design, interior design, landscape architecture, urban design, visual communication and graphic design.

BSD Bachelor of Science in Design in Graphic (Visual Communication) Design

This degree will provide the student self-confidence and eloquence in evolving multimedia communication technologies. The graduate of this degree will have established a solid foundation of visual and technical expertise that is in high-demand by advertising agencies, design firms and business communities today.

The Visual Communication Design program’s graduate possesses a solid skills set and sound knowledge of the design process from research through analysis and planning to realization. Graduates are proficient in development of design strategies as well creative problem-solving. They have a firm grasp of design theory and methodology, visual literacy and aesthetics, traditional and multimedia technologies, concept context and culture as well as influencing human and environmental components.

This degree also emphasizes practical application of these proficiencies in the creation of books, brochures, packaging, digital media, websites, CD-ROM, video games, animation/film, kiosks, interface, exhibits, sign systems and more.

MVCD – Master of Visual Communication Design

The MVCD is a two-year studio-based graduate degree. It requires an undergraduate degree in graphic design or visual communications. Students holding undergraduate degrees in other fields may pursue the MVCD3+, which will require a total of three years plus one semester to complete.

Graduates of the MVCD degree will be fully prepared to embark on professional careers as digital media designers, visual communicators and graphic designers for global corporations and business. In fact, the opportunity for an international studio is designed into the final year of this degree program.

Doctor of Philosophy in Design, Environment and the Arts

The Ph.D. in Design, Environmental and the Arts offers concentrations in Design, Digital Culture, History, Theory and Criticism or Healthcare and Healing Environments. This degree program integrates individualized, institute-wide, multidisciplinary graduate courses and the development of research expertise through experience in micro and macro-scale arts and design.

Accreditations

BSD Graphic Design, Industrial Design accredited through National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD)

MSD, Design (with concentrations in Industrial Design, Interior Design and Visual Communications accredited through NASAD

Ph.D. Environmental Design and Planning accredited through NASAD

Contact Information
ASU Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts The Design School
PO Box 871605
Tempe, AZ 85287-1605

Alfred Sanft, Coordinator for the Visual Communication Design Program
Design South 212
480.965.3238
Alfred.Sanft@asu.edu
Website

Arizona Western College

Fine Arts Department

The Fine Arts Department of Arizona Western College offers certificate and degree programs in Graphic Art, Computer Graphics, Media Arts, Studio Art, Music, Theatre, Broadcasting and Television Production.

Arizona Western College was established in 1963 in Yuma, Arizona, which provides this community college a large-sized town setting with all the conveniences of a metropolis college. Included are amenities such as an extensive variety of restaurants and cuisines, access to outdoor activities as well as a wide selection of entertainment and shopping.

AWC is one of the rare community colleges with on-campus housing, meal service and a state-of-the-art student success center. It also features a balanced athletic department with four men’s teams; football, baseball, soccer and basketball, as well as three women’s teams including softball and volleyball. The college’s population is diverse with students from 20 different countries.

Associate in Arts (A.A) Graphic Design

The Associate in Arts – Graphic Design degree was created to serve as a transfer degree to a 4-year institution and as the groundwork toward a Bachelor degree. The AA in Graphic Design is two year program requiring the completion of 64 credits. The Arizona General Education Curriculum comprises 35 required credits. The remaining 29 credits will be comprised of courses from your major such as Survey of World Art, Graphics Communications 1 and 2, 2-Dimensional Basic Design, 3-Dimensional Basic Design and Drawing. Six of the credits in your major must be at the 200 level courses.

Accreditations

Institutional Accreditation – North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCAHLC)

Contact Information

Arizona Western College
Main Campus
P.O. Box 929
Yuma, AZ 85366-0929
(888) 293-0392 – Toll free
(928) 317-6000-Administration
(928)344-7591- Fine Arts Department
Website

Brad Pease
Computer Graphics and Fine Arts Arizona Western College – Main Campus
P.O. Box 929
Yuma, AZ 85366-0929
(928)344-7707
brad.pease@azwestern.edu

Eastern Arizona College

Fine Arts Division

The Fine Arts Division of Eastern Arizona College has nine academic divisions. The divisions are Business, Communicative Arts, Fine Arts, Health and Physical Education, Industrial Studies, Mathematics, Science and Allied Health and Social Sciences.
Eastern Arizona College is reputed for having one of the most distinguished Fine Arts Divisions in the state.

EAC provides students plenty of opportunities to showcase their talent. Moreover, class credits are transferable to four-year universities. At Eastern Arizona College, the student hones their skills and creativity under the guidance of extremely supportive, top professionals. Refining a student’s creativity needs freedom to experiment, which is also encouraged at EAC.

The Art Division provides additional ways to enhance student creativity through many shows and exhibitions where students can display their work.

Graphic Design (AAS)

The Fine Arts Division offers a Graphic Design Associate of Applied Science degree. This is an intense two-year degree program that builds traditional knowledge, marketable skill sets and computer-based familiarity for employability in the field of graphic design. The program combines both traditional and computer-based experience as well as the skill sets necessary to become employed in the graphic design field. It focuses on supporting the student in building a competitive portfolio.

The program is designed sequentially with tracks for print and web, typography, design theory, computer software familiarity, illustration, problem-solving, and more.

Accreditations

The Higher Learning Commission North Central Association

Contact Information

Eastern Arizona College 615 N Stadium Ave Thatcher, AZ 85552 Attn:Tom Cicchelli
Graphic Design Department
(928) 428-8470
tom.cicchelli@eac.edu
Website

Glendale CC – Arizona

Art Department

The Art Department at Glendale Community College is committed to create environments that stimulate learning, inspire creativity, and challenge students to experiment. It further promotes self-confidence in and development of a student’s visual literacy. Contemporary high-tech facilities encourage students to investigate two and three-dimensional art and helps them to stay goal oriented.

Degree programs in art are designed to lay a solid foundation in design and color theory, electronic color, and computer technology as well as software programs. Students learn to improve upon traditional visual and problem solving skills through the use of 3D computer modeling, web art, animation and digital imaging. Students learn all the skills necessary to present themselves in a thoroughly professional way to the business world. Graduates will also be in possession of their accumulated portfolio with which to promote themselves for entry-level employment upon graduation.

Associate in Applied Science (AAS) in Digital Media Arts

Students in the Associate in Applied Science (AAS) in Digital Media Arts program are instructed in animation, multimedia production and design. The program encourages visual literacy, design methodology, problem-solving and production flow.

AAS Digital Media program students will gain practical experience in creating business and product logos, design creation, print materials, as well as project management from sketch through to layout.

Graduates of this program will have accumulated a portfolio with which to represent themselves in the job market or to secure a transfer to a four-year Bachelors program. This degree qualifies graduates for entry level work as a web or graphic designers, animators or video producers. They will have marketable skills that are in high-demand by advertising agencies, printing companies, publishers and graphic design companies.

Accreditations

The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA)

Contact Information

Glendale Community College, Main Campus,
6000 W. Olive Ave., Glendale AZ 85302
(623) 845-3000
info@gccaz.edu

GCC North Campus
5727 W. Happy Valley Rd., Phoenix, AZ 85310
(623) 845-4000
gcn@gccaz.edu

ITT Technical Institute Phoenix

School of Drafting and Design

There are three convenient Arizona ITT Technical Phoenix East- Tempe and Tucson.
The ITT Technical Institute of Phoenix offers education that is geared toward arming the student with marketable skills with which to enter the workforce. Convenient year-round class schedules are available for helping you achieve your goals faster.

Thanks to computer drafting and design software as well as technology, what was once two separate fields, drafting or design, is now one. The focus of this program will be centered on the ever-evolving technology tools.

The ITT Technical Institute’s School of Drafting and Design offers associate degree programs in drafting and design technology, computer drafting and design, graphic communications and design, industrial engineering technology, multimedia information technology and visual communications.

The school of drafting and design also offers bachelor’s degree programs in graphic design, construction management and digital entertainment and game design.

Associate Degree Graphic Communications and Design

This is a two-year degree program prepares students for entry-level positions in the workforce as graphic designers, print media specialists, interactive multimedia producers among others.

The program emphasizes the planning, analysis, problem-solving, designing, production and presentation of graphic communications. Students will learn to gear their work toward various audiences. Students are encouraged to creatively problem-solve, experiment, expand visual literacy and communicate with an audience through both printed materials and interactive media productions.

The Associate Degree Graphics Communication and Design will provide marketable skills to an array of industries such as publishing and printing companies, software development companies, advertising agencies, design firms and the entertainment industry to name just a few.

Bachelor Degree Graphic Design

The Bachelor Degree Graphic Design from the School of Drafting and Design at ITT Technical Institute will provide graduates with the ability to communicate concepts through both electronic and print media.

The program underscores and encourages a student’s critical thinking and visualization skills as well as their analytical and problem-solving skills, which, in turn, enable a student to create visually pleasing designs.

The program stresses the importance of creativity; visualization and critical thinking to help each student create technologically sound, manageable and visually attractive graphic design.

This four-year program provides a solid foundation in graphic design tools, computer software programs, and design theory as well as multimedia and traditional print production.

Accreditation

The Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools.

Contact Information
ITT Technical Institute Phoenix
10220 N. 25th Avenue, Suite 100
Phoenix, AZ 85021
602-749-7900
Toll Free: 877-221-1132
Website

ITT Technical Institute Tempe
5005 S.Wendler
Tempe, AZ 85282
602-437-7500
Toll Free: 800-879-4881
Website

ITT Technical Institute Tucson<

Mesa Community College

Art Department

The Art Department of Mesa Community College focuses on encouraging a student’s creative potential and honing their skills whether their educational goals are in design, art history, photography, computer graphics, drawing, painting or ceramics. MCC’s Art Department is fully accredited and takes great pride in its extremely competent and dedicated professors.

Mesa Community College’s Art Department offers two-year degree programs in either Digital Arts or Fine Arts. The Art Department also hosts annual events such as Student Art Exhibition Showcases where students can exhibit their art to the public. A variety of guest artist lectures and workshops are also hosted by the department.

Associate in Applied Science (AAS) Digital Arts Track IV Graphic Design

The Associate in Applied Science in Digital Arts Track IV Graphic Design is a two-year degree. It provides students the necessary job marketable skills and ample opportunity to hone their skill in graphic design through the creation of multimedia projects, animation, software design, video production and more. Students will engage in plenty of hands-on projects such as creating brochures, ads, and layouts, videos and art prints. They will develop websites, design interactive graphics and create animation. This degree will provide the student the self-confidence and knowledge to create, design and present conceptual and technically sound art.

Both day and evening classes are available for the convenience of the working and non-working student. All students in this degree program will have assigned lab hours and access to Adobe Master Suite as well as other media design software.

Accreditations

The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) North Central Association (NCA)

Contact Information
Mesa Community College Southern and Dobson Campus
1833 West Southern Ave
Mesa, AZ 85202
480-461-7000

Phoenix College

Fine and Performing Arts Department

Phoenix College was established in 1920. The campus is an intriguing mix of old and new, fusing modern state-of-the-art buildings with historic ones that speak of the college’s long and respected history. Included in this captivating synthesis of architecture and design are a performing arts theatre, gymnasium, athletic fields, a culinary cafe, a contemporary computer lab, fitness center and library.

The Fine and Performing Arts Department of Phoenix College is proud of its varied curriculum, which is as unique as each individual student. This department offers Associate degrees and certificates in Studio Art, Comic/Sequential Art, Computer Art and Illustration Media Arts, Web Design Media Arts, Digital Animation Media Arts, Music, Music Business, Theatre, Audio Production Technologies, Computer Graphic Design and Photography.

Associate in Applied Science in Computer Graphic Design

The Associate in Applied Science in Computer Graphics Design program promotes the expansion of proficiencies in the principles of art as well as computer graphic design and layout. The degree is designed to prepare students who will be new to the workforce for employment in the field of graphic design. It also assists those already employed in the field the opportunity to augment and refine their skills and experience.

Graduates of this degree program will be able to meet and exceed the demands of careers as advertising designers, art directors, animators, photograph-retouchers, desktop publishers, illustrators, product designers and more.

The Associate in Applied Science in Computer Graphics Design is a stand-alone degree that was not intended for transfers to a four-year institution. The degree has a minimum requirement of 64 credits in order to graduate, and it takes 2 years or less to complete.

Accreditations

Phoenix College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, a commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.

Contact Information
Phoenix College
1202 W. Thomas Road
Phoenix, AZ 85013
602.285.7800
pc-info@phoenixcollege.edu
Website

Phoenix is ideal in every way for inspiring creativity, conscientious study,healthy lifestyle and unforgettable new experiences of all kinds. Come enjoy the larger than life scenery, the diverse cuisines, the exhilarating outdoor activities, the 300 days of sunshine per year while you earn one of the many prestigious Graphic Design Degrees in Arizona.

Graphic Design Degree in Arizona (N-Z)

For information on earning your graphic design degree online, take a look at “Top 10 Online Graphic Design Degree Programs“.