Online Tools For Graphic Designers

Pursue your passion for graphic design

$320/credit (120 total)
Transfer up to 90 credits
Master advanced design software, such as Adobe Creative Suite

No application fee or SAT/ACT scores
Accredited by NECHE
Learn from accomplished instructors with real-world experience

Online Graphic Design Program Overview

Tap into your creative side and learn how to produce designs that inspire and influence with the online Bachelor of Arts in Graphic Design and Media Arts from SNHU.

Have you ever found a magazine ad that jumps off the page? A digital banner that cuts through the noise? How about a broadcast spot that's moved you to tears? A degree in graphic design can help develop the skills you need to inspire your audiences into action. You'll build a portfolio that demonstrates visual storytelling through various print, digital and video media platforms.

Whether you dream of the fast pace of an agency, the rigors of a design firm or the independence of running your own shop, our online graphic design degree program can teach you how to translate your ideas through concept, design and digital media.

Learn how to:

Design, develop, adapt and present professional quality work
Analyze and recommend media messaging strategies
Use the latest design tools and technologies
Work with an interdisciplinary team to solve design challenges
Apply ethical and culturally sensitive practices to visual media

Pursue Your Passion at SNHU

Graphic design is where art, storytelling and commerce converge. SNHU's online BA in Graphic Design and Media Arts offers the tools, feedback and support you need to master your craft — as well as one of the lowest online tuition rates in the nation.

Concentration Options

3D Modeling and Animation

Web Design

Graphic Design Career Outlook

With many employers continuing to grow their digital presence and the increasingly global marketplace for design talent, having a degree in design is now more important than ever.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, graphic design jobs in web development and digital design are projected to grow 13% through 2030², much faster than the average. In addition, job growth for special effects artists and animators is on pace with the national average, with a reported median annual wage of $77,700 in 2020.²

Jesus Suarez with the text Jesus Suarez

An online degree in graphic design is not only helpful for potential salary growth, but it's also a useful opportunity to build your portfolio, which is an essential component to professional success in the field.

"[My graphic design degree from Southern New Hampshire University] has only been beneficial for me in my career growth," said Jesús Suárez '21. "Once I put that I had gotten my degree and put SNHU on my resume and LinkedIn, I got so many other eyes looking at me. They're seeing what I can accomplish – not only that I'm committed but that I have a different skill."

John Reck with the text John Reck Graphic design student John Reck agrees that his education has changed the way people see him.

"People can sense my confidence – I'm infectious," he said. "My strategic goal is to do one thing: WOW the client. It takes incredible dedication and builds on repeat clients who recommend me for their services, but having a degree, I feel the sky is unlimited."

Here are a few roles you can pursue as a graphic design major:

Creative director. If your ultimate goal is to lead creative teams and develop big-picture brand strategies, this job is for you. Creative directors are the brand visionaries – the captains of the ship who manage teams of designers, copywriters, photographers and production staff to sell products and build brands. As a creative director, you'll pitch concepts for national ad campaigns, build relationships with executive leadership and help a team of creatives grow through direct feedback and support. Above all, you'll be the person people turn to when they're looking for creative solutions to their organization's biggest marketing challenges.
Multimedia designer. As a multimedia designer, you'll integrate multiple forms of media – such as art, sound and design – in a number of creative contexts. For example, you may work in the film industry as a prop or set designer. You may have a hand in designing a 3D environment for a video game or work with an ad agency to create a compelling animated video that grabs the attention of consumers. By pairing technical expertise and boundless creativity, you'll explore interactive and immersive visual storytelling techniques that engage audiences in new ways.
Web designer. Today's consumers live online. They're savvy enough to spot a bad website a mile away, which is why more and more organizations will devote marketing dollars to help build out their digital presence. Web designers play a major role in this, as they help develop the pages, layouts, navigational design and graphics for company websites. To succeed in web design, you'll need a solid understanding of design software such as Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator and Sketch, along with coding languages like HTML, CSS and Javascript.
UX designer. Perhaps more than any other role on this list, a UX designer (or user experience designer) dives deep into the ways a consumer interacts with a product. As a UX designer, you'll blend elements of psychology, computer science and creative storytelling to help create user-friendly experiences across various media. You'll use wireframing tools like Axure RP and Balsamiq, as well as design software like the aforementioned Photoshop and Illustrator. Additionally, you'll interpret research that can help you predict future consumer behaviors, identify pain points and develop relevant persona profiles.
Production artist. The production artist is responsible for day-to-day, hands-on production tasks. This is a perfect starting point for someone looking to grow their career in the field, as it gives you an opportunity to apply your skills in the final stages of creative development. You'll need a strong eye for detail, as you'll help crop, retouch, scale and finalize files before they go out into the world. Not only will you develop your technical abilities, you'll also have a chance to collaborate with teams of creative directors, web developers, copywriters and videographers who can help you fine tune your craft.
Product developer. If your game plan is to use graphic design as just one skill in your toolkit, you may consider a career as a product developer. Combining engineering and industrial design with 3D modeling and graphic design skills, product developers must demonstrate an ability to excel from both a technical and creative perspective. You'll be highly strategic – helping to ideate, lead and manage the creation of products from home appliances to sports cars. A background in industrial design, architecture or engineering is usually required for entry-level product developers, but proficiency in graphic design can help you develop some of the critical skills you need to flourish in this role.
Logo designer. Ask some of the biggest marketers in the world, and they can attest to the power of a great logo. As a logo designer, you'll be responsible for creating smart, simple, memorable visual representations of your brand. You'll work for a design firm, publishing house or ad agency to create graphics or typographical treatments audiences remember.
Marketing specialist. A marketing specialist is a Jack (or Jill) of all trades – someone who can collect and analyze consumer data, initiate marketing campaigns and create branded digital or print pieces for an organization. You may have a hand in building a brand's social media presence or managing a company website. In essence, you'll be a brand ambassador – combining storytelling with tech expertise to "sell" audiences on your company or product. Beyond design, marketing specialists usually require skills in data analytics, coding and written and verbal communication.

Start Your Journey Toward an Online Graphic Design Degree

Why SNHU For Your Graphic Design Degree

Admission Requirements

How to Apply

Courses & Curriculum

Ben Van Beusekom with the text Ben Van Beusekom The online graphic design degree curriculum is taught by award-winning creative faculty using the most advanced technology available.

"[With the online graphic design program at Southern New Hampshire University,] you can be flying across the world and carry your computer with you," said SNHU student and Disney imagineer Ben Van Beusekom. "SNHU gives you this ability to carve out the best education, pull in all of your experiences, apply it to your homework and do it on your own time. For me, that was a big deal."

Student John Reck echoes that sentiment.

"The program touches upon real-life scenarios in the graphic design work field," he said. "I was a sponge and took everything in. It gives you credibility, confidence and a sense of pride."

SNHU's bachelor's in graphic design can help you build a number of key skills, including:

Design thinking
Digital media
Brand identity
Professional practice

"There is always something to take away no matter what class I took," said Mikki Mihalovic '21. "I do have a lot of industry experience and brought a lot to the table, but at SNHU, I was just as much of a student learning as all my other classmates were."

Jesús Suárez '21 also gained key skills and confidence through his degree.

"I felt that the coursework was relevant to the real world," he said. "I found a lot of value in what I was doing because it was making me better at my skill – my trade. It gave me assurance that, hey, you're on the right path, from enrollment all the way to graduation."

Curriculum Requirements & Resources

General education courses: All bachelor's students are required to take general education classes, if not obtained in prior coursework. Through these foundation, exploration and integration courses, students learn to think critically, creatively and collaboratively, giving you the edge employers are looking for.
Technology resources: We provide cloud-based virtual environments in some courses to give you access to the technology you need for your degree – and your career. Learn more about our virtual environments.
Earn credits for what you already know: Save time and tuition with our Pathways to Math Success assessments. Depending on your scores, you could earn up to 12 math credits – the equivalent of 4 courses – toward your degree for less than $50 per assessment.

List of Courses
Courses May Include
BA in Graphic Design and Media Arts Online
COM 128	Language and Practice of Media Arts	This is an introduction to the practice of media production and the study of visual media literacy. The course examines the fundamental components and structure of moving image texts, explores how dynamic relationships between those elements convey meaning, and then exercise that knowledge through media production. Production design, language, technology, and methods will be discussed enabling all students in the class to have a common language of image analysis and creation. Readings and discussions on topics such as cinematography, narrative meaning, image and sound design, editing, genres, and culture will be included. Creative interpretative and expression of ideas will be exercised in the production of media.
COM 230	Graphics and Layout in Print Media	This course is an introduction to the principles and practices of graphic design. Students are introduced through lecture, demonstration and hands-on computer work to the basic elements of graphic visual communication. Adobe Illustrator is used as a primary tool in exploring visual perception through a variety of creative exercises that familiarize the student with basic visual principles such as figure/ground manipulation, shape grouping, letterform shape creation, and grid and system creation. Formal elements of graphic design such as line, shape, color, texture, pattern, balance, symmetry, rhythm, space and unity are thoroughly explored by example and hands-on computer exercises; special topics included are: designing with type, layout strategies, logo design, symbol and pictogram development and stationery systems.
COM 232	Desktop Publishing	This course is an introduction to the software application Adobe InDesign designed for the novice user. Students are introduced to the creative and practical aspects of the desktop publishing program that is considered indispensable in the contemporary communications and design industries. This course is based on a series of introductory exercises and a regimen of hands-on practice that teaches software and design skills; students learn how to combine the use of professional graphic design and word-processing software applications.
GRA 101	Basic Design and Color Theory	This course examines the basic elements and principles of design, including balance, emphasis, proportion and rhythm. Students are introduced to visual designing systems that guide the student through the application of computer graphics tools. The basic visual design elements of line, space, texture and color are creatively explored as students complete a series of projects that relate to advertising layout and design and visual merchandising.
GRA 220	Introduction to Digital Imaging	Using Photoshop and Illustrator software, this course is an introduction to professional computer graphics creation and to the software and hardware typically used in the graphic design, video, photography and interactive Web/multimedia industries. Emphasis will be placed on the professional use of image-capturing devices, such as scanners, digital still cameras and video cameras. Image editing and color management systems will be discussed and demonstrated. The important differences between vector and bitmap graphics will be defined, as will the significant differences in preparing images for print, broadcast and Web distribution. Students will be encouraged to experiment with their own and pre-existing images using sophisticated digital editing techniques such as layering, channel masking, filtering, cloning and montaging. Special attention will be paid to copyright awareness in the age of digital image.
GRA 310	Digital Graphic Design for the Web	This course focuses on digital graphic design theory and its application to web design. Students learn about the technical requirements of professionally created digital web documents. Students will be focused on designing communication and marketing applications for the World Wide Web all the while considering user experience and functionality. Differences in designing for the desktop computer and mobile internet appliances will be a topic for discussion and incorporated in hands-on exercises and projects. Each student will develop several minisites and by the end of the semester will have produced at least one deployable site. Topics include design strategies, web authoring/editing environments, color calibration and aesthetics, web typography, style sheets, template use, graphics format selecting and optimization, and HTML coding and debugging.
GRA 340	Typography	Typography deals with the language of type, the history of typography, typeface and character recognition, legibility, appropriate uses of measure, manuscript specifications and the individual visual dynamics of letterforms. In this class students will learn how to work with type as a stand-alone design element. Students will also learn how to incorporate type successfully with imagery. The assignments will cover a broad range of type applications. Students will primarily focus their efforts towards developing a greater understanding of typographic form through exercises based on the setting of words, phrases, sentences and short paragraphs. Students will first focus on the appropriate setting of spaces in-between the letters that make up words and projects will gradually increase in scope and complexity up to the setting of pages of text with multiple levels of hierarchical meaning.
GRA 410	Advanced Digital Graphic Design for Web	This course engages upper-level design students in current industry standards used in designing content for multimedia and interactive communication. Emphasis is placed on designing for computers, tablets and phones. The course is divided into teaching modules emphasizing the integration of several software packages for design problem solving. Emphasis is placed on conceptualization and the mastery of professional site mapping and wire framing techniques. Exercises and projects provide challenging design problem-solving experience. Project themes involve self-promotion and client-based work. All projects rely on the student's ability to integrate previously mastered techniques in a broad range of software.
GRA 420	Advanced Digital Imaging	This hands-on computer graphics course combines skills from previous design courses to explore the history, process and essential skills required to develop successful brand identity systems. Topics such as logo design, selection of fonts and colors, and the development of branded marketing materials are covered in depth. In addition, the important techniques of imaging software integration and file format compatibilities are discussed and applied while preparing images for print, video and Web. At the conclusion of this course, students will have developed a complete branded identity system and assembled a portfolio presentation for public viewing.
GRA 491	Graphic Design Portfolio	Students create both digital and print portfolios that demonstrate competency in the graphic design and media arts program outcomes. Students showcase their professional design work, establish branded identities as working professionals, and engage in peer and professional critiques of design work in preparation for formal employment and contract interviews.
Total Credits: 120

Graphic Design & Media Arts (including Web Design) Required Hardware & Software

Minimum Hardware Requirements

Tuition & Fees

As a private, nonprofit university, we're committed to making college more accessible by making it more affordable. That's why we offer some of the lowest online tuition rates in the nation—and haven't raised our costs in a decade.

We also offer financial aid packages to those who qualify, plus a 30% tuition discount for U.S. service members, both full and part time, and the spouses of those on active duty.

Online Undergraduate Programs	Per Course	Per Credit Hour	Annual Cost for 30 credits
Degree/Certificates	$960	$320	$9,600
Degree/Certificates (U.S. service members, both full and part time, and the spouses of those on active duty)*	$675	$225	$6,750

Tuition Rates are subject to change and are reviewed annually. *Note: students receiving this rate are not eligible for additional discounts.

Additional Costs No Application Fee, $150 Graduation Fee, Course Materials ($ varies by course)

Frequently Asked Questions

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Ben Van Beusekom with an art piece he designed for a Disney theme park attraction.

A man sits and creates a graphic design portfolio

References

Sources & Citations (1, 2)