| Ranking | School | City |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brigham Young University | Provo |
| 2 | Utah State University | Logan |
| 3 | Weber State University | Ogden |
Our 2019 rankings of the top graphic design school programs in Utah. For an explanation of the ranking criteria, click here.
1. Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah
Brigham Young University (BYU) was founded in 1875 by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS). Home to approximately 33,633 students from all 50 states and more than 100 countries, BYU offers more than 370 undergraduate majors and minors, master’s programs and doctorate programs. The school houses dozens of colleges, schools, and departments that offer everything from Accounting to Visual Communications.
The College of Fine Arts and Communications serves nearly 5,700 students enrolled in programs in the Department of Art, the School of Communications, the Department of Dance, the Department of Design, the School of Music, and the Department of Theater and Media Arts. Communications is one of the College’s top six majors by graduation.
Programs for aspiring graphic designers can be found in several departments and schools. Options include BA and BFA degrees in Graphic Design, a BFA in Art with a Focus in New Genres or Printmaking in the Department of Art, and Minors in Design or Advertising Design in the Department of Design. Other areas of study include Interaction Design, Motion Design, Visual Development, and Branding. Note that because the Graphic Design Program is so competitive, enrollment is limited to just 40 students.
2. Utah State University, Logan, Utah
Utah State University (USU) was founded in 1888 as the Agricultural College of Utah. Today, the school serves nearly 28,000 students across the main campus, three regional campuses (Brigham City, Tooele, Uintah Basin), a Comprehensive Regional College (USU Eastern with campuses in Price and Blanding), and extension offices in 28 of 29 Utah counties and at the Ogden Botanical Center, Thanksgiving Point, and Utah Botanical Center.
USU offers around 400 undergraduate, graduate, and minor programs through eight colleges. Caine College of the Arts houses the Department of Art + Design, which offers a BFA in Graphic Design. Per the school, Graphic Design students “receive training in collaboration, innovation, theory, professional practice, technical competence, history, creative processes and sustainability.”
Program highlights include the Hashimoto Communication Arts Seminar (lecture seminars by professional guest artists in illustration and graphic design) and the opportunity to take an Advanced Internship/Coop designed for students needing “complexity and a more professional level of experience in the workplace.” Sample courses for the program include Brand Identity Design, Typography, Type, Image, and Visual Continuity, Motion Design, Illustration Concepts, and Graphic Interface Design.
This “competitive program culminates in the creation of a professional portfolio that helps” USU BFA graduates land positions “in prestigious national and international design studios and advertising agencies.”
3. Weber State University, Ogden, Utah
Founded in 1889, Weber State University serves 26,000 students from 29 Utah counties, 48 states, and 46 nations. The school offers more than 225 programs through seven colleges. The Telitha E. Lindquist College of Arts & Humanities houses the Department of Visual Art & Design (DOVAD), which offers a BFA in Graphic Design. Program highlights for the 75 credit hour include workshops with visiting artists, study abroad opportunities and public exhibition of student work.
Students will also engage in studio projects that the school says, “include a stimulating mix of the practical and experimental, leading students towards professional self-discipline and strong problem-solving abilities.” Course highlights for the program include Motion Design, Experimental Typography, Web Design for Visual Arts, Advanced Illustration, Printmaking, and Interaction Design.
Employment options for graduates of the DOVAD Graphic Design BFA include advertising, brand management, design for web/interactive media, exhibitions, packaging, publishing, and other forms of graphic communication.