Graphic Design Schools in CA

As the most populated state in the US, there is a lot of everything. The offering of graphic design schools in California is no exception. Students can choose between a wide range of educational establishments ranging from fully-fledged university and college departments to specialized graphic design schools that aim to offer a niche experience. Among the latter group, we can include the Art Institutes with campus offerings in Los Angeles, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Francisco, Santa Ana, and Santa Monica. The program range is extensive but varies by location, so it’s always best to request information, letting them know where you live. Nonetheless, students can find available
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As the most populated state in the US, there is a lot of everything. The offering of graphic design schools in California is no exception. Students can choose between a wide range of educational establishments ranging from fully-fledged university and college departments to specialized graphic design schools that aim to offer a niche experience.

Among the latter group, we can include the Art Institutes with campus offerings in Los Angeles, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Francisco, Santa Ana, and Santa Monica. The program range is extensive but varies by location, so it’s always best to request information, letting them know where you live. Nonetheless, students can find available programs covering Advanced Graphic Design, Advertising Design, Art & Design Technology (Graphic Design), Design Management, Graphic Design Production, Graphic & Desktop Design , Graphic Design , and Graphic Design & Foundation for Design among many others. The Art Institute Online is a separate division of the Art Institutes offering an online campus. Here too there is a graphic design option at Diploma, Bachelor, Associate and Master Degree level.

In a similar vein is Westwood College, which offers, among other design programs at associate and bachelor level, Graphic Design & Multimedia. Westwood has campuses in Anaheim, Long Beach, Torrance and Upland and well as an online campus option.
The School of Graphic Design at the Academy of Art University offer s a BFA graphic design program that encompasses the entire range of visual communication. Graduates should have gained an understanding of the synthesis of form and content, typographic excellence, a command of materials and technical proficiency.

California Institute of the Arts in Valencia, CA, or CalArts as it likes to be known, offers BFA and MFA programs in Graphic Design which aim to prepare the student for professional options such as Web design, motion graphics, editorial design, environmental graphics, film title and broadcast design, exhibitions and careers in education. The programs stress both practical and conceptual skills and should enable the young designer to combine a command of visual language with his or her imagination, theory and the new technologies.

Of the former group is California State University, at Long Beach, CA. The program covers graphic design, advertising art direction, motion graphics and web design. According to CSU, it has been ranked among the top eight of over three hundred programs in a national survey of professional designers. Apart from the curriculum in graphics, majors should obtain a basic liberal arts education, providing an intellectual base to problem solving. In-state students can expect to pay a little over $3,100 in tuition and fees per year and out-of-state students, just under $13,300.

Meanwhile UCLA, their BA in Design begins with a study of basic design elements and processes: form, color, drawing, typography and letterforms, motion graphics, and the introduction of interactivity and media arts. At the upper division level, studio courses look at the current usage of interactive media, new directions in visual communication design, including the study of time and motion, virtual form and space in computer generated environments. Californian students can expect to pay approximately $7,000 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students will pay a little over $26,100.

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