Graphic Design, B.Des.

Program Description

Mission: Penn State Graphic Design prepares creative designers and visionary leaders who build engaging experiences and sustainable relationships among people, places, services, and communities.

Vision: Designers of tomorrow anticipate an evolving context for professional practice through innovative problem-solving at different scales—from objects to systems—engaging with people-centered research and theory, ethical practices, and interdisciplinary collaboration.

Goal:

• Goal 1: Build transformative graphic design education and experiences.
• Goal 2: Advance innovative design practices in teaching and learning, research, creative activity, and professional practice.
• Goal 3: Develop strategic alliances, partnerships, and collaborations to broaden the impact of graphic design.
• Goal 4: Establish a culture of a diverse, equitable, and inclusive community for all students, faculty, and staff.

What is Graphic Design?

The Bachelor of Design in Graphic Design program at Penn State, is a four-year professional program accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD). Graphic design is a professional field of visual communication, creative thinking, and complex problem-solving. Practitioners connect people with ideas, products, environments, and experiences. Graphic design explores systems, technologies, methods, and strategies for integrating typography, imagery, and form into a visual language that informs, instructs, and persuades. It is an engaging and evolving knowledge for advancing the human experience.

You Might Like This Program If...

• You enjoy learning and playing with new ideas and emerging technologies.
• You are creative, focused, and engaged.
• You love typography and imagery.
• You want to make things that improve the world and our experience of it.

Entrance to Major

The admission process has two stages to provide opportunities for more students, including underrepresented groups, beyond GPA requirements.

• Stage 1: Apply online at https://admissions.psu.edu. The Admissions Office reviews applications to form a pool of qualified candidates. All students in this pool are invited to submit "Evidence of Creative Work (ECW)."
• Stage 2: Graphic Design Faculty reviews ECW submissions, focusing on creative thinking and personal reflection rather than prior art skills. Offers are extended on a rolling basis for entry in the fall semester.

Applicants who are not accepted into the major may re-apply the following year but must realize that this course of action could delay their graduation by at least one year.

The Undergraduate Admissions Office manages the entire application process for first-year applicants to the Bachelor of Design in Graphic Design.

Entrance Procedures

Students interested in pursuing Graphic Design (B.Des) should follow the appropriate first year, change of major, or transfer application instructions found under Graphic Design at https://arts.psu.edu/how-to-apply/#specific.

Degree Requirements

For the Bachelor of Design degree in Graphic Design, a minimum of 120 credits is required:

Requirements for the Major

To graduate, a student enrolled in the major must earn a grade of C or better in each course designated by the major as a C-required course, as specified by Senate Policy 82-44.

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
Prescribed Courses
Prescribed Courses: Require a grade of C or better
GD 1S	First-Year Seminar in Graphic Design	1
GD 101	Design Foundation I	4
GD 107	Graphic Design Studio - Components	4
GD 110	User Experience Design: Concepts and Principles	3
GD 115N	Visualizing Information	3
GD 201	Typography	4
GD 202W	The History of Graphic Design	3
GD 207	Graphic Design Studio - Products	4
GD 210	User Interface Design and Prototyping	3
GD 211	Design Photo and Motion	4
GD 307	Graphic Design Studio - Systems	4
GD 308	Graphic Design Seminar	3
GD 407	Graphic Design Studio - Communities	4
GD 409	Exhibition and Portfolio	4
GD 495	Internship	3
Additional Courses
Additional Courses: Require a grade of C or better
Select 12 credits from the following:		12
GD 300	Design Photography
GD 315	Humanizing Data
GD 320	Interaction Design
GD 400	Time and Sequence
Supporting Courses and Related Areas
Select 12 credits in consultation with an academic adviser. This category of coursework gives students the freedom to explore a range of academic interests, develop concentrations, or pursue minors.		12

University Degree Requirements

First Year Engagement

All students enrolled in a college or the Division of Undergraduate Studies at University Park, and the World Campus are required to take 1 to 3 credits of the First-Year Seminar, as specified by their college First-Year Engagement Plan.

Other Penn State colleges and campuses may require the First-Year Seminar; colleges and campuses that do not require a First-Year Seminar provide students with a first-year engagement experience.

First-year baccalaureate students entering Penn State should consult their academic adviser for these requirements.

Cultures Requirement

6 credits are required and may satisfy other requirements

• United States Cultures: 3 credits
• International Cultures: 3 credits

Writing Across the Curriculum

3 credits required from the college of graduation and likely prescribed as part of major requirements.

Total Minimum Credits

A minimum of 120 degree credits must be earned for a baccalaureate degree. The requirements for some programs may exceed 120 credits. Students should consult with their college or department adviser for information on specific credit requirements.

Quality of Work

Candidates must complete the degree requirements for their major and earn at least a 2.00 grade-point average for all courses completed within their degree program.

Limitations on Source and Time for Credit Acquisition

The college dean or campus chancellor and program faculty may require up to 24 credits of course work in the major to be taken at the location or in the college or program where the degree is earned. Credit used toward degree programs may need to be earned from a particular source or within time constraints (see Senate Policy 83-80). For more information, check the Suggested Academic Plan for your intended program.

Academic Advising

The objectives of the university's academic advising program are to help advisees identify and achieve their academic goals, to promote their intellectual discovery, and to encourage students to take advantage of both in-and out-of class educational opportunities in order that they become self-directed learners and decision makers.

Both advisers and advisees share responsibility for making the advising relationship succeed. By encouraging their advisees to become engaged in their education, to meet their educational goals, and to develop the habit of learning, advisers assume a significant educational role. The advisee's unit of enrollment will provide each advisee with a primary academic adviser, the information needed to plan the chosen program of study, and referrals to other specialized resources.

READ SENATE POLICY 32-00: ADVISING POLICY

University Park

Sarah Watson
Stuckeman School Undergraduate Academic Adviser
121 Stuckeman Family Building
University Park, PA 16802
seb246@psu.edu

Nate Schierman
Stuckeman School Undergraduate Academic Adviser
121 Stuckeman Family Building
University Park, PA 16802
nxs541@psu.edu

Suggested Academic Plan

The suggested academic plan(s) listed on this page are the plan(s) that are in effect during the 2025-26 academic year. To access previous years' suggested academic plans, please visit the archive to view the appropriate Undergraduate Bulletin edition.

Graphic Design, B.Des. at University Park Campus

The course series listed below provides only one of the many possible ways to move through this curriculum. The University may make changes in policies, procedures, educational offerings, and requirements at any time. This plan should be used in conjunction with your degree audit (accessible in LionPATH as either an Academic Requirements or What If report). Please consult with a Penn State academic adviser on a regular basis to develop and refine an academic plan that is appropriate for you.

*

Course requires a grade of C or better for the major

‡

Course requires a grade of C or better for General Education

#

Course is an Entrance to Major requirement

†

Course satisfies General Education and degree requirement

¹

ADDITIONAL COURSE FOR MAJOR SELECTION (12 credits)
-Select 6 credits from History of the Arts coursework, which may be counted toward General Education Arts requirement.
-Select 6 credits from GD 297(3); GD 304(3); GD 310(3); GD 397(3); GD 401(3); GD 404(3); GD 495(3); GD 497(3) (Sem: 5-8)

University Requirements and General Education Notes:

US and IL are abbreviations used to designate courses that satisfy Cultural Diversity Requirements (United States and International Cultures).

W, M, X, and Y are the suffixes at the end of a course number used to designate courses that satisfy University Writing Across the Curriculum requirement.

General Education includes Foundations (GWS and GQ), Knowledge Domains (GHW, GN, GA, GH, GS) and Integrative Studies (Inter-domain) requirements. N or Q (Honors) is the suffix at the end of a course number used to help identify an Inter-domain course, but the inter-domain attribute is used to fill audit requirements. Foundations courses (GWS and GQ) require a grade of 'C' or better.

All incoming Schreyer Honors College first-year students at University Park will take ENGL 137H/CAS 137H in the fall semester and ENGL 138T/CAS 138T in the spring semester. These courses carry the GWS designation and satisfy a portion of that General Education requirement. If the student’s program prescribes GWS these courses will replace both ENGL 15/ENGL 30H and CAS 100A/CAS 100B/CAS 100C. Each course is 3 credits.

Career Paths

Penn State Graphic Design develops a pathway for placement in the nation's top creative firms and companies. The undergraduate B.Design program prepares students for broad opportunities in today's global marketplace. In addition to providing students with a robust foundation in technical skills, key concepts, methods, and knowledge, the program fosters and prepares students’ overall creative and intellectual capacity. This degree prepares students for employment in design studios, advertising agencies, publishing, corporate design, and more — creating motion graphics, data visualization, packaging, print products, websites, apps, user experience design, and interactive media. Students may also choose to undertake specialized graduate studies.

Careers

All graphic design students at Penn State complete at least one summer internship with leading creative agencies worldwide or study abroad. This provides real-world experience and global perspectives to help students build a professional network even before they graduate. Graphic design students enjoy an excellent job placement rate in top agencies and companies. In addition to gaining active faculty and alumni connections nationwide, Penn State graphic design students benefit from an in-house career adviser who can connect them with professional opportunities. Graphic designers are in high demand across industries, and graduates of the Penn State program are active in such diverse fields as branding design, motion design, web design, publishing, and environmental design.

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT POTENTIAL CAREER OPTIONS FOR GRADUATES OF THE GRAPHIC DESIGN PROGRAM

Opportunities for Graduate Studies

While graduates of Graphic Design programs may opt to pursue Master of Fine Arts (MFA) programs in specialized topics or focus areas, professional practice opportunities are readily available to Bachelor of Design graduates.

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT OPPORTUNITIES FOR GRADUATE STUDIES

Professional Resources

• American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA)
• Graphis New Talent Annual
• College Art Association (CAA)

Accreditation

The Penn State Graphic Design program is accredited through the National Association of Schools of Art and Design. NASAD is an association of approximately 323 schools of art and design, primarily at the collegiate level, but also including postsecondary non-degree-granting schools for the visual arts disciplines. It is the national accrediting agency for art and design and art and design-related disciplines.

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT ACCREDITATION OF THE GRAPHIC DESIGN PROGRAM

Contact

University Park

DEPARTMENT OF GRAPHIC DESIGN
30 Borland Building
University Park, PA 16802
814-865-0345
cml34@psu.edu

https://arts.psu.edu/academics/department-of-graphic-design/