Graphic Design

Program Statement

This program provides a strong foundation in drawing, design and typography, preparing students for transfer into a BFA program and a career in graphic design, advertising design, user interface design, motion graphics and related disciplines, including illustration, photography and art education. Students focus on the design process, utilizing both analog and digital media within a structured curriculum. Studio courses emphasize visual language, creative thinking, and technical skills, centered on the connections to professional practice.

Program Information

• Students develop their creative and technical potential while building a strong portfolio for use in transferring or directly towards the job market. 
• Classes use industry-standard software and hardware in dedicated design computer labs and studios. Faculty are all designers and artists whose current professional practice informs their teaching.
• The program offers a strong personalized support system for students with a program-specific advisor and the opportunity to begin building a professional network with classmates and faculty.

Additional information

Full-time students should take 3 studio courses per semester. ART 101 should be taken in your first semester; ART 201 should be taken in your final year as you prepare for transfer and the workforce. Advanced studio courses require prerequisites or faculty permission to enroll.

Consult with your program-specific advisor when developing your course schedule each semester for sequencing and selecting courses to best support your goals. Your advisor can also help with dual enrollment as appropriate to prepare you to transfer for a related discipline.

After Bristol

Graduates transfer to four-year BFA programs in graphic design, communication design, and advertising design, as well as related disciplines including illustration, art education, photography, and industrial design. Recent graduates have transferred to Massachusetts College of Art and Design, Rhode Island School of Design, School of Visual Arts, UMass Dartmouth, Minneapolis College of Art and Design, and others. Alumni have gone on to work at advertising agencies, design and marketing firms, as well as in-house creative departments.

Infused General Education Competencies

Ethical Dimensions, Historical Awareness, Multicultural Perspective, Oral Communication