Majoring in Graphic Design
At Marietta College, our Graphic Design program is more than just a course of study—it's a warm, supportive community that prepares you for a rewarding career right from graduation. We understand that your journey in design is personal, and our curriculum is crafted to nurture your creative spirit while equipping you with the real-world skills you need to hit the ground running.
Through engaging classroom projects and hands-on work with real clients, you'll gain practical experience in design thinking, business practices, and building professional relationships. Our dedicated faculty—talented artists with national exhibitions and a roster of national clients—are here to mentor you, sharing their passion and expertise every step of the way.
You'll start by exploring fundamental studio art mediums and then smoothly transition to digital workflows using industry-standard tools, like Macintosh computers and cutting-edge equipment in our Deem Design Center at the Hermann Fine Arts Center. Plus, with courses in painting, printmaking, art history, and research, you'll discover diverse ideas and methods that further spark your creativity.
Our graduates leave with confidence and a strong job placement record, ready to excel as web and print designers, creative directors, art directors, and creative services managers across the nation. We’re excited to help you build not just a portfolio, but a vibrant, fulfilling career in graphic design—starting on the day you graduate.
What you'll learn as a Graphic Design major.
In the Graphic Design program, you learn to address such a range of topics and design obstacles that you gain a variety of skills that are applicable across disciplines.
Those skills include:
- Branding & Brand Management: Create a visual identity that effectively communicates the “vision” of a company and/or manages the public perception of all visual communication within a brand.
- Design Strategy: Implement user-centered “Design Thinking” strategies to solve any type of problem.
- Art Direction: Lead a team to achieve an effective and cohesive product.
- Illustration: Develop custom visual graphics for various applications and types of media.
- Information Design: Develop visual graphics that result in the effective communication of a complex subject.
- Publication Design: Develop graphic organizational systems that result in visual interest and consistency across media platforms.
- Interaction Design: Develop interface designs across media platforms that encourage user interaction while effectively communicating the objective of the product.
- Advertising Design: Create unique visual graphics that effectively communicate an objective, whether it be to purchase a product, attend an event, or agree with a point of view.
- Project Management: Coordinate all project components, including project creation, proposal process, client communication, and product production
Visual Story Telling
Connect your desire for originality with the skills necessary to build a successful and rewarding career. Marietta College’s Graphic Design program prepares students to tell visual stories — blending their creative vision with design skills to connect content with a message.
Guided by talented professors, students are trained in fundamental studio art mediums and learn to use those skills to excel in digital workflow. Marietta puts a modern spin on the classic liberal arts education. Our students hone their communication and critical thinking skills in the classroom — and they also complete extensive hands-on learning through research, professional opportunities, and integrated leadership training.
Deem Design Center
Students can access industry-standard equipment, including Macintosh computers with the latest design software programs. A new addition to the Art Department is the Deem Design Center, which provides students access to photographic equipment, as well as high-quality large-format printing, vinyl cutters, and laser cutters to bring a student’s idea into reality.
Design students can also access studio spaces for painting, printmaking, photography, and drawing and a large exhibition gallery to show and discuss their work. Majors build portfolios that show potential employers their experience in advertising, marketing, promotions, print production, and business.
More Info
Our graduates have many options and opportunities for post-graduate work and professional experiences.
- Outcomes — Internships
- Heritage Home
- Sam Porter/Porterhouse Productions
- Igloo Letterpress
- Woodcraft
- Advance Auto Parts
- GSW Worldwide
- Encompass Media
- Brand Muscle, Inc.
- KOLD-TV
- Outcomes — Graduate Programs
- Kent State University — UX Design
- School of Visual Arts — Social Design
- Outcomes — Professions
- Sotheby’s — Proposal Designer
- Ares Sportswear — Senior Graphic Designer
- Nikki Butler Design — Artist & Founder
- Trinity High School — Graphic Design Department Chair
- Crate & Barrel — UX Manager, Strategy & Research
- Nunez Community College — Development Coordinator
- Harvey-Cleary Builders — Graphic Designer
- Campus Living Villages — Marketing Manager
- Woodcraft Magazine — Art Director
- Discover Kalamazoo — Graphic Designer
- West Virginia Executive Magazine — Graphic Designer
- Columbus College of Art & Design — Senior Admissions Counselor
- Medical University of South Carolina — Graphic Designer
- Adventures on the Gorge Resort — Lead Graphic and Creative Designer
- Tech Elevator — Digital Designer & Marketing Coordinator
- CBC Companies — UX Designer
- Ohio University — Art Director
Powell
FAQs
- Do I need a portfolio to become a Graphic Design major?
Students do not need a portfolio to be accepted into the Graphic Design program. Prospective students who do have a well-developed portfolio of Studio Art or Graphic Design may wish to apply for the Art Scholarship. There is a formal review of student work during the sophomore year. This student presentation to the Studio Art and Graphic Design Faculty serves as a critical assessment of the student’s progress, and is aimed at evaluating the student's success, commitment, and future potential in the program.
- Do I need to have my own computer to be a Graphic Design major?
Students do not need to invest in their own personal computer — up to date hardware and software is offered and accessible to all enrolled students. Its use is encouraged for all underclassman. Upper class students who have gained both an understanding of Macintosh Computers and a dedication to graphic design may wish to acquire their own machine, as their academic demands grow.
- How much time will I spend outside of class in the Graphic Design major?
Everyone is different, so there is no specific time commitment we can share. However, a dedication and commitment to personal development is expected of students majoring in Graphic Design. Unique and original ideas are encouraged and fostered in the program. Students who are able to make time outside of the classroom to develop their skill, craft, and own independent sensibilities and styles will benefit the greatest.