Graphic Design
Program Details
Graphic designers are artists who use technology to create images that inspire and inform audiences. They’re part visual artist, part marketer and part problem solver. And, because they understand both visual and technical perspectives, they’re in demand in many fields including web design, social media, marketing, communications, advertising and more.
As a graphic design major at Xavier University, you’ll dive into the world of art, technology and marketing while developing a dynamic portfolio needed to succeed as a graphic designer. Here, you’ll take advantage of countless internship and mentorship opportunities in and around Cincinnati, Ohio, a city known for its flourishing art and business communities. You’ll also have access to studio and gallery spaces on campus, where you can create and display your work and discover other local artists.
Degree Awarded
Bachelor of Arts in Graphic Design
Graphic Design Scholarships
The McAuley Art Scholarship is awarded through a juried process to incoming first-year students majoring in art or graphic design with good academic achievement and outstanding artistic talent as exemplified by their high school portfolio. Feb. 1 submission deadline.
Curriculum
The sample course sequence below illustrates class offerings for the Graphic Design major. Consult the official Xavier University course catalog for detailed registration and advising information.
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.
Sample Courses
Sample courses within the graphic design curriculum:
- 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.
Career Outcomes
99% of Xavier students in Xavier's undergraduate programs, including the graphic design major, are working, volunteering, or in graduate school within six months of graduating (Class of 2022).
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.
More: Xavier's Career Development Office assists students in their search for employment by offering individual career counseling sessions, conducting workshop series on interviewing and resume writing techniques and maintaining an educational, vocational and employer information resource center. More than 100 nationally known companies visit the campus annually to interview graduating seniors for positions in business and industry.
Student Clubs
- 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.
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Kickstart Your Graphic Design Career in Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati, Ohio is home to numerous advertising agencies, marketing firms and corporate design departments that rely on graphic design. As a student in the graphic design major, you'll have access to internship opportunities and collaborate on real-world projects with local businesses.
Studio and Gallery Space for Graphic Design Majors
As a student in the graphic design major, you'll have access to individualized studio spaces. You'll also showcase your final pieces in the Xavier University Art Gallery, located in the A.B. Cohen Center on Xavier's campus.
Study Abroad for a Summer in Rome, Italy
Immerse yourself in the rich artistic heritage of Rome and the Vatican City through the Rome Summer Study Abroad program, tailored for art majors like yourself. Additional travel opportunities to Florence, Assisi and Siena are also available.
Graduate With Honors
Are you looking for an academic challenge? The University Scholars Honors Program offers incoming students a more challenging curriculum and close support from professors while completing their undergraduate degree. Acceptance into the program is highly selective and includes a $2000 travel grant.
Graphic Design Major 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."