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Graphic Design, Bachelor of Fine Arts

The St. John’s University Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) degree in Graphic Design is a 132-credit program that provides aspiring graphic designers like you with the techniques, tools, and intellectual skills you need to develop your talents.

Graphic designers create the visual world around us, designing everything from the logos of global corporations, posters for the hottest films, high-end fashion magazines, and captivating interactions on the websites and apps we use every day. This competitive field continues to grow rapidly.

The St. John’s University Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) degree in Graphic Design is a 132-credit program that provides aspiring graphic designers like you with the techniques, tools, and intellectual skills you need to develop your talents. You gain a full understanding of the theory and applications of graphic design principles, along with how to use color, photography, text, and composition to communicate powerfully and effectively in print and electronic media. You also develop your understanding of layout, design, and production principles.

Our program connects you to high-profile internships at organizations ranging from advertising agencies and design firms to non-profits. You also have the advantage of study abroad opportunities in cities rich with artistic tradition and vibrant contemporary design. Many of our graduates stay in New York City, where there is an extensive alumni network at companies such as NBC Universal, Nickelodeon, the NBA and WNBA, Fox News, Pentagram, BBDO Advertising, Grey Advertising, Nike, and Google.

The Department of Art and Design has attained the prestigious National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD) accreditation, held by selective art schools nationwide.

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Degree Type
BFA
Area of Interest
The Arts
Associated Colleges or Schools
Program Location
  • Queens Campus
Required Credit Hours
132

Program Mission Statement

The Bachelor of Fine Arts program in Graphic Design prepares students for a career in the fields of creative media by:

  1. Teaching the core competencies of research, writing, critical and thinking through the continual observation and analysis of the visual and social world.
     
  2. Instructing students in the tools, techniques, vocabulary, traditions and history of their chosen profession so as to make informed career decisions.
     
  3. Providing the technical and intellectual preparation students need to develop their creative work, while they learn the problem-solving processes that are standard in their industry.

Admission

You can apply directly to the B.F.A. in Graphic Design by completing the St. John's Undergraduate Application.

Please contact the Department Chair directly at [email protected] with any questions regarding this process.

For more information about admission to this and other acclaimed undergraduate programs at St. John's University, please visit Undergraduate Admission.

Courses

To earn a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design, you will complete 132 credits in core courses, major requirements, and elective courses as outlined below. For more information about courses, please see the St. John’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences section of our Undergraduate Bulletin.

CourseCourse #Course Title
ART1110Foundation Design
ART1130Color Theory
ART3350Mixed Media Concerns
ART1105Introduction to Graphic Design
ART1115Graphic Design II
ART2115Graphic Production
ART2125Typography
ART2130Motion Graphics
ART3110Professional Portfolio
ART3125Advanced Typography
ART3120Web Design
ART3130Advanced Web Design
ART3135Junior Design
ART4120Senior Design

Choose three from among the following courses:

CourseCourse #Title
ART1120Social Media for Artists and Designers
ART1200Drawing I
ART1280Digital Illustration
ART1510Printmaking I: Relief & Intaglio
ART1630Digital Photography
ART1640Intro to Video Art
 ART2120Three-Dimensional Design
ART3015Special Topics in Design
ART3115Book Arts

*Please note that studio art courses meet for six hours per week. 

CourseCourse #TItle
ART1710History of Art I
ART1720History of Art II
ART2750Historical Modernism 1848-1945
ART2145History of Visual Communications

 Choose one of the following: 

CourseCourse #TitleCredits
ART4125Creative Thesis9
ART4909Internship9

In addition, you must select four art electives (12 credits total). 

  • DNY 1000C
  • ENG 1000C
  • ENG 1100C
  • HIS 1000C
  • MFL Electives (2)
  • MTH 1000C
  • PHI 1000C
  • PHI 2200C
  • PHI 3000C
  • SCI 1000C
  • One social science elective from: ANT, ECO, GEO, GOV, LIN, PSY, or SOC
  • SPE 1000C
  • THE 1000C
  • THE 2000-level
  • THE 3000-level

Student Stories

Department Contact

Elizabeth DeLuna

Professor

Chair

St. John Hall B11

Tel: 718-990-6249

Interested in The Arts, but not sure if Graphic Design, Bachelor of Fine Arts is right for you?

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