Top 25 Graphic Design MFA Programs in the U.S. – 2022 College Rankings

Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) houses the Graphic Design Department, which an MFA Graphic Design. One of the school’s largest departments, RISD Graphic Design serves 165 students.

The MFA in Graphic Design has two tracks: a two-year pathway for students with an undergraduate degree in graphic design or related degree, and a three-year option for individuals with liberal arts, sciences or fine arts degrees. Both tracks allow students to customize the curriculum through cross-disciplinary electives. The first year of the two-year track consists of graduate seminars, graphic design studies, electives, and studios. During the second year, students will complete the Graduate Thesis.

In the three-year track, students will take electives, a seminar and graduate level Type Design, Form, Typography and History of Graphic Design courses during the first year. The second and third year consists of studios, seminars, electives and the thesis.

All Graphic Design MFA students share individual workspaces in a large design studio in RISD's Center for Integrative Technologies (CIT), which houses several graduate programs and the graduate student gallery. MFA students will have opportunities to interact with Digital + Media, Teaching + Learning in Art + Design, Interior Architecture, and Textiles graduate students.

Around 96% of Rhode Island School of Design graduates are employed one year after graduation, with 70% employed in positions directly related to their major. RISD Graphic Design alumni are Senior Graphic Designers, UX Designers, Product Designers, Industrial Designers, Textile Designers, Creative Designers, Art Directors, and Brand Identity Designers, among others.

Yale School of Art (Yale SoA) offers an MFA In Graphic Design that takes two years to complete, full-time. Consisting of 60 credit hours, the program accepts just 12 students each year and up to six students into the preliminary-year program, which appeals to students with relevant experience in an area outside of design.

The Yale SoA Graphic Design Program consists of lectures, presentations, workshops, and exhibitions, along with immersive studio work group thesis meetings, and one-on-one sessions with editing and writing tutors. MFA students have access to more than 2,000 courses offered each year, the Sterling Memorial and Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Libraries, art and natural history museums, conferences, and films.

Other MFA program perks include designated workspaces in the design studio loft, motion capture and VR tools at the Center for Collaborative Arts and Media, and unlimited access to equipment such as the RISO Digital Duplicator, Vandercook presses, bookbinding materials, and wide format printers.

To graduate, students must complete a thesis and a portfolio. Yale SoA Graphic Design graduates are prepared to seek positions at advertising agencies, print and online publishing companies, design firms, manufacturing companies, computer systems design, web design studios, marketing companies, and public relations firms, among others.

The School of Design at Pratt Institute (Pratt) launched in 2014. The school houses the Communications Design Program, which offers an MFA in Communications Design consisting of 60 credit hours that may be completed in two years, full-time. Courses are taught by renowned professionals in the field.

Students in the program will complete several studio courses, attend seminars, and complete a thesis and exhibition. Graduates of the program are prepared for academic careers, as well as leadership positions in identity systems and branding, user experience design, typography, information design, and environmental design, design strategy, print and digital media, social media and interaction design, and data visualization.

Students in all programs and schools at Pratt Institute have the opportunity to enroll in one of more than 20 study abroad programs and international exchange programs in over a dozen locations such London, Milan,  Florence, Tokyo, and Copenhagen.

ArtCenter College of Design (ArtCenter) has a Graphic Design (Gx) Program that leads to an MFA (MGx). The program has two options: two-year and three-year. The two-year option consists of 75 units completed across four full terms, plus one ArtCenter Lite (ACL) summer term. Consisting of 86 units, the three-year option is for students who need to develop additional design skills in order to complete the graduate degree. This program consists of two additional terms. Upon successful completion of both terms, the student can enter the traditional graduate track.

Course examples across options include LinkedIn Learning, Typography 3, Design Research/Strategy, Graduate Visual Interaction Design, and Professional Leadership. MGx students will complete a number of labs, including the Portfolio Lab, and a thesis is required to graduate.

Students in all ArtCenter College of Design programs have the opportunity to intern, network, and interview with the school’s industry partners including Amazon, Google, Microsoft, Warner Bros., Meta (formerly Facebook), Apple, Ford, Mattel, Nike, Netflix, BMW, DreamWorks, Blizzard Entertainment, Walt Disney Imagineering, Riot Games, and Honda.

ArtCenter Graphic Design alumni work in branding and corporate identity, printing and poster design, package design, motion graphics, film title design, publication design, environmental graphic design, transmedia design, exhibition design, web design and development, interface ceding, visual interaction design, art direction, production management, information architecture, app design, and broadcast graphics.

Many ArtCenter graduates have been hired at Google, Meta, design and consulting firm IDEO, and Local Projects—a exhibition and media design firm for museums and public spaces.

The 2D Design Department at Cranbrook Academy of Art (Cranbrook) houses the Graphic Design MFA Program, which emphasizes critical studies, writing, theory, criticism, and critiques. The program consists primarily of collaborative studio work and mentoring. Studio spaces provide 24/7 access for working on projects and displaying works.

Graphic Design MFA students also have access to Cranbrook’s Professional Practices Program, which consists of workshops, discussions, seminars related to applying for jobs, local tours, and more.

The MFA Thesis and Graduate Degree Exhibition is the culminating event for graduating students. Attended by journalists, collectors, visiting critics, and the Cranbrook community, the Exhibition is held in the Eliel Saarinen-designed Cranbrook Art Museum and in several locations across the museum campus.

California College of the Arts (CCA) has an MFA in Design Program with a focus on Graphic, Interaction, and Industrial Design. Students have two options. The two-year option is designed for students with experience in one or more areas of design. The three-year option is for students with an undergraduate degree in an unrelated area. The first year of this program allows students to develop design skills in preparation for the traditional two-year curriculum.

While the CCA MFA in Design provides the opportunity to explore Graphic, Interaction, and Industrial Design, students may concentrate in either area. Course examples for the program include Contemporary Design practice, Expanded Tools, Business of Design, Scripting Graphics, The Studio 1 and 2, and Thesis Studio 1 and 2. Examples of electives include Digital type Design, Sound, Music & Technology, and Interaction Theory.

Students in all CCA Design Programs benefit from the lecture series, workshops, visiting designers, the annual Headlands Center for the Arts Retreat, exhibitions for studio and year-end work, and access to the Materials Library.

Graduates of the Design Programs at California College of the Arts go on to become Graphic Designers, Project Managers, Product Designers, UI/UX Designers, Curators, Research and Development Technologists, Entrepreneurs, and Educators, among others.

Companies and organizations that have hired CCA graduates include Google, Apple, Meta (formerly Facebook), The New York Times, and Adobe, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, IDEO, and Headlands Center for the Arts, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.

The Visual Communication Design (VCD) Department at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) has a VCD Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Studio. This one-year, 30-credit program consists of art history courses, seminars, and studio seminars. Upon completion of the Certificate Program, students may enter the MFA in Studio Program.

The 60 credit hour MFA in Studio is an interdisciplinary pathway that allows students to explore other SAIC departments such as Film, Video, New Media, and Animation (FVNMA), Designed Objects, Intermedia, Writing, Architecture, Photography, and Interior Architecture. Besides interdisciplinary studies, a major component of the MFA in Studio is the opportunity to complete a graduate project every semester.

Students will work one-on-one with a faculty member and they may sign up with artists, writers, and other academics from other SAIC departments. Graduate seminars, such as Form-Configuration-Content and Narrative Architectures, are also part of the program. Successful completion of a thesis is required to graduate.

SAIC Design students have access to the VCD AIGA (American Institute of Graphic Arts) chapter, which hosts local visiting designers, tours of Chicago studios, the annual Town Hall AIGA event, and a biannual portfolio preparation seminar. The VCD Department also offers the opportunity for students to  participate in juror-led student workshops, entry jurying, and jurors’ lectures through the Chicago International Poster Biennial (CIPB).

The Graphic Design MFA at Otis College of Art and Design (OTIS) features an accelerated curriculum running four consecutive semesters over 14 months. The program, which typically begins in the summer semester, consists of courses in history and design theory, studio projects, round table discussions, and workshops led by visiting artists and designers. Course examples for the program include Models of Practice, Seminar Studio I-IV, Contemporary Graphic Design Issues, and Entrepreneurship.

Graduates of the OTIS MFA Program have been hired at Amazon, Capitol Records, Apple, Ogilvy Worldwide, Google, GUESS, Anthropologie, Disney Consumer Products, Young & Rubicam, Deutsch Inc., L.A., Hallmark, Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), Interscope Records, Metro, Conde Nast Publications, Gehry Partners, the Southern California Institute of Architecture (SciArc), and WB Network, among others.

University of Southern California (USC) is home to the USC Gayle Garner Roski School of Art and Design. First organized in 1883 and founded in 1895, USC Roski is one of Southern California’s oldest art and design schools. Besides a long history in the arts and design, Roski students benefit from an experimental and collaborative approach to learning, cross-disciplinary curriculums, hands-on studio courses, internship opportunities at places such as DreamWorks, National Geographic, MTV and Lego, and study abroad experiences in Italy, London, Australia, and South Africa.

USC Roski has a Design MFA that requires at least 56 units of study, including 26 elective units. Eighteen elective units must be from Roski School of Art and Design, and eight can be from departments and schools outside Roski. Suggested electives include Design Studio Co-Lab, Design Pedagogy, Directed Research, Design Study Tour, and Field Internship Experience. Examples of required courses for the program include Design Theory, Contemporary Issues in Design, Designers in Residence Forums, Individual Studies, and Advancement. MFA students will also complete a Master’s Thesis.

In addition to all USC Roski has to offer, MFA students benefit from the school’s partnership with organizations such as the American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA) and the opportunity to participate in discussions, seminars, and visits from leaders in the design industry.

Graduates of USC Roski School of Art and Design have been hired by hundreds of top companies, studios and other organizations. Examples include Conde Nast, Cisco, Pinterest, American Apparel, PETA, NBCUniversal, DreamWorks Animation, J. Crew, Disney Interactive, MTV Networks, BCBGMAXAZRIA, Skechers, Vogue, L’Oreal, Paramount Pictures, DirectTV, 20th Century Fox, Fandango, Macy’s, E! Entertainment, Harper’s Bazaar Magazine, The Walt Disney Company, Marvel Studios, Mattel, Oliver Peoples, American Express, and Beats.

The Ohio State University (OSU) MFA in Visual Art is a three-year, 66 credit hour interdisciplinary program that explores Art and Technology, Painting and Drawing, Printmaking, Photography, Film/Video, Glass, and Sculpture. Housed in the College of Arts and Sciences (est. 1968), the program allows students to specialize in a variety of design disciplines through electives and other coursework. Additional program benefits include visiting artists, critics, and curators, 24/7 access to private and semi-private studio spaces, internship opportunities, and access to state-of-the-art facilities, exhibition spaces, the Wexner Center for the Arts, and the Fine Arts and Cartoon Libraries.

The OSU Visual Art MFA Program culminates with the MFA Thesis Exhibition, which demonstrates the student’s expertise in their area of specialization. Exhibitions are displayed at the OSU-run, Urban Arts Space, located in downtown Columbus.

The College of Fine Arts & Communication at Texas State University (Texas State) houses the School of Art and Design, home to the Communication Design Program (ComDes), which has an MFA in ComDes  (MFA/CD) that requires 60 credit hours to graduate. Courses for the program are taught in a studio environment with access to the Mitte Complex, which houses state-of-the-art production facilities and equipment.

The MFA Program explores design history, visual communication, typography, and digital design. Course examples include Imaging, Alternative Printing Methods, Kinetic Typography, Design for Motion, Generative Design, Experience Design, Design for Motion, Corporate Identity Systems, Professional Practice, Design Futures, Entrepreneurial Design, Exhibitions, Corporate Marketing Materials, The Experimental Book, and Research Through Making. In the Professional Practice course, MFA students will work with regional and national advertising agencies, graphic design firms, or digital media studios to gain professional experience.

The Texas State University MFA/CD can be completed online with one on-campus residency each year. During the residency, students will participate in workshops, critiques, and visiting designer lectures. Graduate assistantships are also offered in the School of Art and Design, and allow students to gain teaching experience through the ComDes BFA Program. Graduate assistantships are paid positions that require 20 hours of work per week.

Potential careers for graduates of the Texas State University MFA/CD Program include, but are not limited to, Art Director, Senior Graphic Designer, Visual Designer, Creative Director, Design Manager, Typographer, Senior Interaction Designer, UI/UX Designer, and Professor.

The School of Visual Arts (SVA) at Boston University (BU) is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD). Established in 1954, the School provides immersive studio experiences, internship opportunities, workshops, seminars, unique electives, and  minors that complement any design program. All SVA students also have access to state-of-the-art facilities such as the Engineering Production Innovation Center (EPIC), the Visual Arts Resource Library, Darkrooms, Computer Labs, and the Media Center. Graduate students have 24/7 access to individual private studios.

Consisting of 60 credit hours, the BU MFA Program hosts visiting artists and designers, workshops, and  group critiques. Through BU’s partnership with AIGA Boston, MFA students have opportunities to network with industry leaders through campus events and visits to area studios. Of the 60 required credit hours, 32 are in Graduate Graphic Design courses. Other requirements include Graphic Design Theory I-II, History of Graphic Design, and Graduate Typography. Twelve required elective credit hours allow students to explore additional areas within and outside of design.

Graduates of the Boston University Graphic Design Program have held positions at Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia (MSLO), Converse, and Free People, to name a few. Some program alumni have launched their own design studios or creative firms, while others have found success as freelance designers.

The University of Houston (UH) is home the Kathrine G. McGovern College of the Arts. Within the McGovern College is the School of Art, which offers an MFA in Studio Art with a Concentration in Graphic Design. The program consists of 60 semester hours including 24 hours in related arts, 18 hours in the concentration, 12 hours in art history, and six hours in graduate seminars.

Course examples include Graphic Design Studio and Writing Seminar. Upon completion of all coursework and projects for the program, MFA students will present their work in a thesis exhibition at Blaffer Art Museum at the University of Houston.