Graphic Design

  • Bachelor of Arts
  • Bachelor of Fine Arts

In-Person Plus at:

  • Castleton, VT
  • Lyndon, VT

In Person Plus programs are In Person with options for cross-campus classes and flexibility for remote study.

The Graphic Design B.A. is available on both the Castleton and Lyndon Campuses. The Graphic Design B.F.A. is available only on the Lyndon Campus.

Vermont State University’s Graphic Design program teaches you fundamentally good design and how to excel in a professional setting with project-oriented coursework and experiential learning opportunities. Boost your competitive edge in the creative market and work with professors who will know you personally from our small classes. Internships, practicum courses, and community-based projects are integrated directly into your coursework, so you will work with professional clients and build a portfolio before graduating.

Why Study Graphic Design at Vermont State?

  • Exciting job opportunities: Vermont State Graphic Design students have gone on to work at Keurig, Hark Marketing Agency, Killington/ Pico Ski Resort, State of Vermont, and even to found their own companies. They hold graphic design jobs as designers, app developers, web designers, art directors, multimedia artists, animators, interior designers, advertising designers, public relations professionals, broadcasters, and marketers.
  • Become certified: In the B.F.A. program, you’ll have the opportunity to achieve the Adobe Certified Professional in Visual Design credential through courses at the Lyndon campus. This is an industry credential that will impress employers, clients, and collaborators with proof of your must-have skills for on-the-job success.
  • State-of-the-art design labs: You’ll have 24-hour access to professional facilities, including a state-of-the-art graphic design lab on our Castleton campus which features iMacs, Adobe Creative Cloud software, large-format printers, and flatbed scanners. Our Lyndon campus holds a dedicated Mac lab for graphic design majors with a large-format scanner and 3D printer. You’ll also have access to DSLR cameras, Wacom tablets, art studios, an animation lab, and a photo lab.
  • A promising future: The McClure Foundation listed graphic design as one of Vermont’s promising jobs, with a projected 1,200 openings in the next 10 years and an average salary of $51,000.
  • Career readiness: A Graphic Design degree helps you prepare for real-world projects and gives employers and clients more confidence in your skills and dedication. Earning your B.A. or B.F.A. from Vermont State means that your qualifications will be front-and-center when you apply for graphic design jobs.

Financial Aid for Graphic Design Students

Vermont State University is providing a high-quality, affordable degree in Graphic Design to students across Vermont and beyond. More than 80 percent of Vermont State students are awarded financial aid, including new students, transfer students, international students, out-of-state students, and first-generation students. Our financial aid team is here to help you explore all your options.

Internships & Experiential Learning

At Vermont State, you’ll gain leading-edge skills for graphic design jobs through internships, co-ops, career coaching, and more.

  • The Content Lab, a student-led, student-run creative agency, provides you with an opportunity to develop portfolio pieces for real clients. Content Lab members work with professional clients and community-based projects that prepare students to become successful leaders, professionals, and entrepreneurs. Through the Content Lab, students get to flex their graphic design and marketing muscles while supporting community and regional organizational needs.
  • Students also create professional work within their courses, including event posters, graphics for local news broadcasts, event promotion for music festivals, EP and album covers, and branding packages.

Minor in Graphic Design

Interested in adding a minor to your degree program? You can minor in Graphic Design.

See Full List of Vermont State Minors

Student Stories

A dark haired man with a beard smiles at the camera while sitting in the woods wearing a scarf.

“Small class sizes made the professors more approachable, as opposed to being in an auditorium with 400 students. The professors are flexible. They want to work with you. That was something I really appreciated, as well as how flexible they were in accepting my associate degree. Seeing them as professors and also designers on the side was inspiring. That really motivated me and opened my eyes to new possibilities. It told me that this is a really fun field in general.”

Diego Melendez ‘12