| Ranking | School | City |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Savannah College of Art and Design | Savannah |
| 2 | University of Georgia | Athens |
| 3 | Kennesaw State University | Kennesaw |
| 4 | Georgia Southern University | Statesboro |
Our 2019 rankings of the top graphic design school programs in Georgia. For an explanation of the ranking criteria, click here.
1. Savannah College of Art and Design, Savannah, Georgia
Founded in 1978, Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) is home to more than 14,000 students from all 50 states and more than 100 countries. The school offers more than 40 majors and 75 minors, as well as certificate and online programs. With campuses in Atlanta, Hong Kong, and Lacoste, France, SCAD has plenty of opportunities to study at domestic and international locations and it offers more graphic design programs than just about any other school on our list. Options include BA, BFA, MA, and MFA degrees in Graphic Design and a Design Management MA. A Minor and a Certificate are also available.
All programs highlight Product Packaging, Entrepreneurship, Mobile Technology, Interface Design and User Experience. Students have the opportunity to declare a double major in the areas of Advertising, Branded Entertainment, Illustration, Motion Media Design, Sequential Art and more, and access to Minors such as Mobile and Interactive Design and Advertising Copywriting. Students may complement their degree with Certificates in Digital Publishing or Interactive Design as well.
The BA degree is offered in Atlanta, Savannah and online and the BFA, MA, MFA, and Minor programs are offered in Atlanta, Hong Kong, Savannah, and online. The Certificate program is offered in Atlanta, Savannah and online.
2. University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia
Established in 1785, University of Georgia (UGA) is home to more than 37,600 students enrolled in 170 majors and academic programs across 17 schools and colleges. The Lamar Dodd School of Art offers a BFA in Art with Concentrations in Graphic Design, Printmaking & Book Arts, and ArtX: Expanded Forms. An Interdisciplinary Art & Design A.B. (BA), a Minor in Studio Art, and MFA degrees in ArtX and Printmaking are also on the menu.
Per the school, “all BFA degrees include the Studio Art Core, comprised of a year-long survey of art history, introductory-level studio foundations, secondary-level ideation and methodologies, and upper-level interdisciplinary thematic studio and professional practice courses. Students pursuing the BFA degree enter the School of Art as Intended Art majors. In most studio programs, students are required to present an exhibition or final portfolio that serves as a capstone experience before graduation, demonstrating their achievement in developing a mature and cohesive body of work.”
All art and design students have access to a large study abroad program that offers experiences on all seven continents and UGA campuses in Costa Rica, Central America, Cortona, Italy, and Oxford, England.
3. Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, Georgia
Kennesaw State University (KSU) was chartered by the Board of Regents on October 9, 1963. The school serves more than 35,000 students enrolled in more than 50 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees through 13 colleges. The school, which has two metro Atlanta campuses, is the third-largest university in the state, one of the 50 largest public institutions in the country, and a member of the University System of Georgia.
The School of Art and Design serves more than 800 majors and is the largest unit in the College of the Arts. Here, students can earn a BFA in Art with a Concentration in Graphic Communications. Key courses for the program include Advertising and Packaging, Electronic Illustration, Interactive Media and Design, Motion Graphics, Pre-Press, Publication Design, Typography I and II, and Web Design for Artists.
Also part of the program is the Design Practicum, which allows students to gain exposure to the professional workplace by visiting sites and meeting guest speakers from the industry. The Practicum also provides the opportunity to work with actual clients on design problems.
4. Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, Georgia
Founded in 1906, Georgia Southern University serves around 27,460 students from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and 102 countries. With three campuses (Statesboro, Armstrong in Savannah and Liberty in Hinesville), Georgia Southern is the state’s largest and most comprehensive center of higher education south of Atlanta, offering 141 degree programs at the bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral levels.
The College of Arts and Humanities offers a BFA in Graphic Design and a Minor in Graphic Communications. Course highlights for the BFA include Animation, Design Systems, Digital Art and Design Foundations, Digital Dimensions, Graphic Design Methods, New Media Design, Print, Paper, Book Arts: Introduction, Professional Practices, Typography, and Visual Thinking in Graphic Design.
In addition to coursework, the school says, “students will focus on professional opportunities and practical experience, building a portfolio that will enable [them] to enter the industry.” Students will also have access to several Mac computer labs, a photography studio with green screens, SLR digital cameras, and plotters and printers — all housed in the Arts Building.