Graphic Design
Design your future, influence the world
As a Graphic Design major at DePaul, you will learn to communicate visually by studying foundational, conceptual, creative and technical graphic design principles and then applying them to illustrate real world ideas. Graphic design majors create advertisements, execute interactive and web designs, animate, and create content for social media and film title design.
DePaul’s cutting edge facilities include a graphic design lab for print-based and introductory learning; Mac and PC computer facilities, as well as an interactive design lab; and gallery and critique spaces for displaying student work—both for private class-based reviews and public exhibition.
The Jarvis College of Computing and Digital Media (CDM) is located in downtown Chicago, in the heart of the city’s technology and business districts, providing you many opportunities to work professionally with leading companies in graphic design. Many CDM faculty members are working professionals, allowing you to learn first-hand from leaders in the industry.
Classes
Coursework
- Animation
- Digital Illustration and Photography
- Drawing
- Motion Graphics
- Production Design
- Semiotics and Visual Design
- Typography
Resources
Career Options
Common Career Areas
- Advertising
- Art design
- Book and Web design
- Motion graphics
- Photography
- Title design (in cinema, games, interactive media and television)
- Visual design
85%
of Graphic Design graduates were employed, continuing their education or not seeking employment after graduation.
Curriculum Requirements
Displaying Winter 2022-2023 Course Availability
First Year
- GD 101 Creative Studio Methods
- GD 105 Intro to Visual Design
- GD 109 Web Design Tools Workshop (2 quarter hours of credit)
- GD 150 Illustrator Workshop (2 quarter hours of credit)
- GD 200 Graphic Design: Form
- GD 230 Typography: Form
- UXD 101 Design Principles for User Experience Design (Formerly Ism 101)
or ANI 101 Animation for Non-Majors - FILM 265 Digital Still Photography (Formerly DC 225)
or ART 224 Beginning Digital Photography - ART 106 Beginning Drawing
Liberal Studies Requirements
Second Year
- GD 151 Photoshop Workshop (2 quarter hours of credit)
- GD 152 Indesign Workshop (2 quarter hours of credit)
- GD 110 Web Design
- GD 210 Digital Illustration I
- GD 220 Histories of Design
- GAM 240 Playgramming
- GD 201 Introduction to Visual Design Research
- GD 205 Graphic Design: Concept
- 2 Major Electives
Liberal Studies Requirements
Third Year
- GD 215 Web Design for Commercial Projects
or GD 216 Web Design for Artists - GD 270 Semiotics and Visual Design
- GD 300 Graphic Design: Projects
- GD 221 Trends in Contemporary Graphic Design
- GD 330 Typography:Projects
- ANI 260 Motion Graphics
or UXD 210 Introduction to User Experience Design (Formerly Ism 210)
or POST 110 Editing I (Formerly DC 220) - GD 232 Typography: Systems
- 3 Major Electives
- 2 Open Elective
Liberal Studies Requirements
Fourth Year
- GD 340 Publication Design
- GD 360 Advertising Design
- GD 381 Graphic Design Portfolio Development
- GD 356 Logo, Branding, and Visual Identity
- GD 394 Capstone Project I
and GD 395 Capstone Project II - 2 Major Electives
- 2 Open Electives
Liberal Studies Requirements
Major Electives
Students must complete 28 Major Elective credit hours from any undergraduate courses in CDM or the College of Business, or from PRAD in the College of Communication. Students must earn a grade of C- or higher in all major elective courses.
Students must earn a grade of C- or higher in all major elective courses.
Open Electives
Open Electives may be taken from any unit at DePaul. These are the only courses that may be taken under the pass/fail option. Students must earn a grade of D or higher in all open elective courses. Courses that satisfy a CDM minor or other minors are normally credited as open electives.
Liberal Studies
The Liberal Studies program is the general education portion of the curriculum at DePaul University. Students must earn a grade of D or better in all courses taken to satisfy these requirements. The only exception is the Capstone course which is considered also a major requirement and WRD 103 and WRD 104 in which students need to earn a C- or better.
Students may choose to take some CDM courses that carry Liberal Studies credit but they cannot double count them if they are part of the major requirements. A complete list of courses that carry Liberal Studies credit can be found on the Liberal Studies website along with an overview of the Liberal Studies requirements for this program. Students can search for courses that satisfy a particular Liberal Studies requirement on campusconnect.
Although students are free to take course requirements in any order they choose, provided they have mastered the course-specific prerequisites, it is strongly recommended that students follow these year-by-year suggestions, especially regarding the first-year major courses.
Courses offered in the student's primary major cannot be taken to fulfill LSP Domain requirements.
Degree Requirements
Students in this degree must meet the following requirements
- complete a minimum of 208 credit hours (generally 54 courses)
- Earn a grade of C- or higher in WRD 103, WRD 104, and all Major and Minor courses
- Earn a grade of D or higher in all other Liberal Studies and Open Elective courses
- maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher
Students who earn a cumulative DePaul University GPA
- between 3.500 and 3.699 will graduate cum laude
- between 3.700 and 3.849 will graduate magna cum laude
- of at least 3.850 will graduate summa cum laude
For DePaul's policy on repeat courses and a complete list of academic policies see the DePaul Undergraduate Handbook in the Course Catalog.
