Graphic Design
Bachelor of Arts
Fall
- ARTS 100: Seminar............ 1cr.
- ARTS 101: 2D Design............ 3cr.
- ARTS 102: Drawing............ 3cr.
- CORE 100 or THEO 111............ 3cr.
- Second Language I............ 3cr.
- CSCI 170: Computer Science I ............ 3cr.
- CORE 101: GOA Co-Curriculum Program I............ 0cr.
Spring
- ARTS 105: 3D Design............ 3cr.
- ARTS 142: Graphic Design I............ 3cr.
- ENGL 101 or ENGL 115............ 3cr.
- CORE 100 or THEO 111............ 3cr.
- CORE 102: GOA Co-Curriculum Program II............ 0cr.
- Second Language II............ 3cr.
- CSCI 180: Computer Science II............ 3cr.
Fall
- ARTS 104: Printmaking I............ 3cr.
- ARTS 242: Layout & Print Production............ 3cr.
- ARTS 227: History of Graphic Design............ 3cr.
- ENGL 205............ 3cr.
- PHIL 100............ 3cr.
- ARTS 215: Web Design............ 3cr.
Spring
- ARTS 342: Package Design............ 3cr.
- ARTS 214: Technology for Artists............ 3cr.
- ARTS 271: History of Art II............ 3cr.
- ARTS 493: Internship............ 3cr.
- PHIL 200: Philosophical Perspectives............ 3cr.
- THEO 200+ Theological Perspectives............ 3cr.
Fall
- ARTS 441: Junior Seminar............ 3cr.
- ARTS 108: Photo I............ 3cr.
- History of Art Elective............ 3cr.
- Oral Communications Flag............ 3cr.
- Natural Science Elective............ 3cr.
Spring
- ARTS 442: Advanced Typography............ 3cr.
- ARTS 493: Internship............ 3cr.
- Mathematical Perspectives Elective............ 3cr.
- DCR Flag Elective............ 3cr.
- Social Science Elective............ 3cr.
- Humanities Elective............ 3cr.
Fall
- ARTS 315: Advanced Web Design............ 3cr.
- ARTS Elective (204 or 208)............ 3cr.
- ARTS 493: Internship............ 1cr.
- E/RS Flag............ 3cr.
- Quantitative Reasoning Flag............ 3cr.
- Writing Intensive Flag............ 3cr.
Spring
- ARTS 490: Senior Concentration............ 3cr.
- Historical Perspectives Elective............ 3cr.
- Scientific Perspectives Elective............ 3cr.
- General Elective............ 3cr.
- CORE 499............ 3cr.
Top Jobs: Web Designer, Motion Graphics, Information Graphics, Environmental Design, Illustration Design, Marketing Coordinator, Social Media Specialist
Top Companies: Possible, LPK, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Lemongrenade, Pivot Design, Upshot, and many others.Technology For Artists (ARTS 214)
Students are introduced to the fundamental technological skills and programs. This class is for both designers and artists in general to prepare them with basic technological skills. Some of these skills include digital creation and manipulation using the latest computer applications. Students learn vector-based design as well as pixel-based technologies. Other technical skills focus on making presentations, creating digital artwork, using digital tablets, archiving projects, scanning and creating multiple-page pdfs.
Web Design (ARTS 215)
An introduction to researching, planning and producing websites for a range of clients. Students use different tools to conceive, develop, layout, design and implement their website and related media. Students are expected to have a beginning proficiency in Adobe Photoshop or Adobe Illustrator. Emphasis will be on the design and aesthetic aspects of web design, not just the technical aspects. Students will creatively produce a website including considerations of typography, color, branding, and layout. Students also install and modify a blog utilizing skills in HTML and CSS. Topics studied will also include: Page Ranking, Web Advertising, Video and Domain names and Hosting. This course should interest various disciplines: computer graphics, photography, video, film, the visual arts and education.
Track Courses
Students take 6 credit hours of electives that are specific to the design field they are interested in. Many of these classes are interdisciplinary in nature: DIFT 104 Video Production, COMM 247 Understanding New Media, MKTG 300 Principles of Marketing, ENGR 173 Explorations in Engineering, COMM 433 Social Media Strategies to name just a few.
Xavier Art Society
Art students visit exhibits and organize group art programs like bookbinding, figure drawing and framing. Trips include visits to the Cincinnati Art Museum, the Contemporary Arts Center and the Taft Museum of Art.
American Marketing Association at Xavier
Xavier's collegiate chapter of the American Marketing Association is a group of dedicated aspiring professionals who work in and study the marketing field. The club provides students with networking resources, nation-wide experiential opportunities and on-campus exposure to local professionals to expose members to the marketing industry.
Program Features
Master industry-standard software like Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign), Figma, Sketch and other essential tools, gaining the practical skills vital for a successful career in graphic design.
Through 6 credit hours of specialized electives, you can develop expertise into areas that truly interest you, like web design, video production, new media, marketing principles or social media.
Our curriculum, guided by our Jesuit values, emphasizes ethical decision-making, social justice and using design talents to create meaningful impact.
Students in the graphic design major have access to individualized studio and gallery spaces, providing the perfect setting for you to develop your unique artistic voice and bring your designs to life.
Hear firsthand why students love Xavier, life in Cincinnati and their chosen academic majors.
Cincinnati's vibrant design industry, rich with advertising agencies and marketing firms, offers abundant internships and real-world project collaborations for building your professional network before graduation.
Graphic Design Program at Xavier University
Graphic Design is an academic major with a long and proud tradition at Xavier University. The Bachelor of Arts in Graphic Design provides students the techniques, processes, aesthetics, and creative approaches of Graphic Design, all from a fine arts perspective. Students are prepared with dynamic portfolios that show a range of innovative thinking, technical prowess, and aesthetics sensibility. Real-world experiences in the form of mentoring, portfolio reviews, and internships enable the students to be competitive designers.
Xavier University’s College of Arts and Sciences challenges students to develop an integrated understanding of humanity, the world, and God by pursuing the questions raised in Xavier's core and departmental curricula. The College of Arts and Sciences is the oldest and largest college at Xavier University. The college provides an excellent liberal arts education in the Jesuit tradition that prepares students for careers, professional or graduate school, and life in a global society.
Xavier University is a private university located in Cincinnati, Ohio, providing a liberal arts education in the Jesuit Catholic tradition. Founded in 1831, the University is the sixth-oldest Catholic university in the nation. It has been ranked among the top 10 master's-level universities in the Midwest by U.S. News & World Report for the past two decades. The Princeton Review names it one of the "Best 385 Colleges in America."