Graphic Design Degrees in Florida (A-E)

Broward College

Department of Graphic Design

Initially founded as Broward Community College, today Broward College is able to grant both two-year and four-year degrees to students in a variety of fields. In addition to being one of the top-ranked colleges in the state for two-year degrees, Broward College’s Department of Graphic Design consistently receives high marks for its combination of doctoral faculty and hands-on experiences over the course of a student’s time at the institution. An emphasis is placed on practical skills, group collaboration and decision-making, and training in various software applications. Because the school is part of the broader Florida State College System and has connections with virtually all of the public, four-year universities in the state, students who wish to continue their studies can typically transfer their associate’s degree seamlessly into a bachelor’s degree program in graphic or digital design.

Associate’s Degree in Graphic Design

The Associate’s Degree in Graphic Design program at Broward College is designed to be a well-rounded and fully comprehensive program that covers the importance of graphic design in both print and digital formats. Furthermore, the curriculum focuses on giving students the skills they need to succeed in a wide range of careers where design is prominent. For this reason, they’ll gain both theoretical and practical experience in designing for advertising, websites, promotional materials, corporate communications, social media, and a series of other applications. They’ll learn popular computer programs for designing in these areas, including the Adobe Creative Suite, Apple’s popular Aperture offering, and more. In both group and individual settings, students will be taught to solve the most common problems and dilemmas that face today’s graphic designers. They’ll be given both the tools and the skills required to solve those problems in the best interest of their employer based on industry, demographics, interests, and other key considerations.

Contact
Broward College
111 East Las Olas Blvd.
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
Phone: 954.201.7350
Email: rmccawle@broward.edu
Website

Digital Media Arts College

Department of Graphic Design

Digital Media Arts College is one of the newest institutions in the state of Florida, with an exclusive focus on preparing students for careers in digital animation, graphic design, web design, and a whole range of other fields that require the right combination of career-focused education and hands-on experience. The college has held full accreditation since 2007 and has long employed one of the most seasoned faculties in all of Florida when it comes to teaching the various principles of sound graphic design. Most faculty members hold both a doctoral degree and a position at a local graphic or other design firm in south Florida. They use their ongoing professional experiences as an educational tool for students, who regularly compete in collaborative problem-solving projects as they learn the fundamentals of popular computer applications, the principles of each industry’s design guidelines, and the basics of sound decision-making when creating a new graphic or animation.

M.F.A. in Visual Effects Animation

Easily one of the most exciting graduate-level design programs in the state of Florida, DMAC’s Visual Effects Animation program is a great way to get into everything from motion capture to 3D effects animation, object modeling, and even character animation. Students in this program spend a great deal of time learning the basic technological foundations of their craft, studying extensively the software applications that make it possible to capture motion, produce animation, and turn ordinary scenes into special effects masterpieces. In addition, students will learn the fundamentals of physics and how those concepts affect the animation process. They’ll apply those concepts in one of several on-campus studio facilities that simulate real-world laboratories in the special effects industry. Complete with everything from multi-angle cameras to green screens and motion capture sensors, these studios are among the most high-tech classrooms in the state.

B.F.A., Game Art Concentration

A solid career in the growing gaming industry stats with a bachelor’s degree, and the Game Art Concentration program at Digital Media Arts College is a great way to start. The program’s primary focus is on the fundamentals of creating an exciting, visually stunning game. Students first learn about basic character sketching and outlining. They then learn how to translate a character’s personality and traits into an animation, focusing on both the bigger details of character design to the finer arts of smooth and realistic animation. Following this focus on character design and deployment, students in the BFA program will learn how to create exciting, realistic textures that provide a backdrop for all of the action that happens with their self-designed character. This program is a comprehensive one, and will prepare students for careers in special effects, game design, and more.

B.F.A. in Computer Animation

The BFA in Computer Animation at Digital Media Arts College could be considered a blending of the MFA in visual effects and the BFA in game art mentioned earlier. In this program, students will learn some of the fundamentals also taught to future game designers: Character design and animation, texturing and creating realistic environments that play well on computer screens. They’ll also learn how to capture animation and create special effects that exist outside of the game universe. Next, students will take courses that emphasize the importance of proper lighting and technical direction so that they can create realistic, immersive environments in computer games, television shows, and mobile applications. Finally, they’ll take elective courses that teach them the practical applications for these skills: Screen writing, modeling, storyboarding, and the use of cinematic tools for movie-quality effects.

B.F.A. in Graphic Design

The graphic design program at DMAC is one of the most intense in Florida. Students will work in group environments to learn the basics of troubleshooting and group-led graphic design projects that are common in today’s biggest agencies. Professors with real-world experience will help students learn both basic and advanced uses of the Adobe Creative Suite and related computer programs. In addition to learning how to design for various print and digital sources, students will learn how to properly plan their designs using timelines, outlines, storyboards, and slideshow presentations. Combined with a local internship, this gives graduates the resources they need to succeed almost immediately in the field.

M.F.A. in Web Design

Web design is becoming an increasingly sophisticated field, thanks to the proliferation of smaller devices like smartphones and tablets. Today, web designers need to know how to create a scalable design that looks good on desktops and laptops, smartphones, tablets, and any emerging devices that might require access to web-based resources. This is what they will learn in the DMAC web design program. Students will also learn how to use a combination of software tools and old fashioned computer programming to create interactive websites that keep users engaged with their favorite people or brands. Programming languages like PHP, HTML, CSS, ASP, and others, will be taught by seasoned professors who already work in the industry outside of the classroom.

A.S. in Graphic Design

The Associate’s of Science in Graphic Design has been designed by DMAC as a shorter program for career-focused students. To that end, those who pursue this program will take more courses designed to teach how the workplace functions and how their skills are put to use in today’s design agencies. They’ll learn computer applications, collaboration, and practical design skills that will allow them to hit the ground running immediately after graduation. Thanks to DMAC’s extensive BFA offerings, students can opt to translate this two-year degree directly into a four-year program that gives them even more skills for success in the workplace.

B.S. in Web Design and Development

By dropping the BFA designation for this program and opting for a Bachelor’s of Science, DMAC is able to give students a far more in-depth understanding of web programming and the development process for brand new websites. Those students will also learn the fundamentals of web design as mentioned for the BFA program, ranging form the importance and structure of popular programming languages to the necessity for highly scalable designs that look good at any screen resolution. The B.S. in Web Design and Development is one of the most sought-after degrees by today’s employers, because it translates so well to the full process of website conceptualization through deployment and long-term maintenance.

Contact
Digital Media Arts College
5400 Broken Sound Blvd NW
Boca Raton, FL 33487
Phone: (866) 255-DMAC

Eastern Florida State College

Department of Art, Graphics and Digital Media

Eastern Florida State College is one of the top-ranked community colleges in the state, offering a large number of two-year degrees that emphasize practical experiences directly transferrable to the workplace. The Department of Art, Graphics and Digital Media is highly regarded along the “Space Coast” region of Florida, and typically helps students land essential internships that boost their post-graduation credentials. The faculty members are almost entirely doctoral, and virtually all of them maintain an active career in graphic or web design while instructing students in the fundamentals of these fields.

A.S. in Graphic Design

The Associate’s of Science in Graphic Design is targeted to those students who are looking for a degree that places practical skills above liberal arts coursework and theoretical applications. Students get hands-on experience with common software applications almost immediately, and they spend their two years on campus developing more advanced proficiency with Adobe, Apple, and other application suites central to good design. On the theoretical side, students learn the differences in design considerations for print, video, and digital media, and engaging in collaborative problem-solving that can guide them toward better decisions for a given demographic group or corporate interest.

Contact
Eastern Florida State College
Department of Art, Graphics and Digital Media
1519 Clearlake Road
Cocoa, FL 32922
Phone: (321) 632-1111
Email: info@easternflorida.edu
Website

The future of design will be digitally created, highly scrutinized, and absolutely central to the success or failure of new products, websites, and initiatives. Students across Florida who want to be a part of that exciting future have a large number of programs available to them at all levels. Today’s numerous graphic design degrees in Florida will teach the fundamentals of designs and the more advanced concepts that students need in order to achieve sustainable, long-term success in the industry.

To see more Graphic Design Degrees in Florida, please see:

Graphic Design Degrees in Florida (G-R)
Graphic Design Degrees in Florida (S-Z)