California State University-long Beach
In a nationwide survey of professional designers, Graphic Design at California State University Long Beach ranked in the top eight out of more than three hundred programs. Additionally, Novum Gebrauchgrafik, a top design magazine in Germany, has featured the program.
The curriculum includes graphic design, web design, motion graphics and advertising art direction. To complement the challenging graphics curriculum, students majoring in this field take a variety of liberal arts courses in order to develop an intellectual approach to solving problems.
The program emphasizes practical experience. Selected students in the CSULB Graphic Design Program will work for non-profit organizations to carry out real design jobs for these clients. Through the internship program, all majors have the opportunity to work with noted local graphic design, motion graphics and web design firms, as well as advertising agencies, with the possibility of an employment offer upon graduation. CSULB Graphic Design alumni are present at all levels of the western design and advertising sector, in such positions as owners or partners, creative directors, art directors, motion graphics or web design.
The Graphic Design program is the recipient of a number of awards, including the New York Art Directors Show, the Clio Awards, The One Show, Graphis, the American Institute of Graphic Arts Shows, Print, Art Direction and How magazines, the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education, Gilbert Paper Company, National Paper Box Manufacturers Association and Domtar Paper Company. Leading professional journals routinely include alumni work.
Four full-time design professionals, an art director, a creative director and fourteen part-time working design professionals make up the faculty.
Students complete 132 credits to receive the Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design, a degree which prepares them for careers in advertising, design studios, motion graphics firms, corporate design departments, web design firms, free-lance consulting or for positions as designer in industrial or interior design firms.
