Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design
The Graphic Design program at New Paltz is based on our strong conviction that broadly-educated individuals make good designers. Our program integrates the college’s liberal arts core courses with a rigorous design curriculum. We position design as a cross-disciplinary practice with a skill set drawn from areas including communication and media, psychology, sociology and anthropology, and fine art. Not only do students “do” design, but they also think, read, write, and talk about it.
Professional design practice involves the ability to engage in lifelong learning. With this in mind, our program emphasizes process and research methods, and prepares students for both independent and collaborative work. We respond to rapid advancements in design tools and practices by teaching design techniques that span the range of low to high technologies. Classes are taught in a hybrid studio-seminar format, in which demonstrations, lectures, discussions, and critiques alternate with work periods. Projects are often undertaken in collaboration with other campus programs.
Recent field trips include student and faculty participation in Massaging Media 2, an AIGA (American Institute of Graphic Arts) conference in Boston, and visits to museums, galleries and design studios in NYC. Visiting artists include Martin Venezky, Mikon Van Gastel, Ellen Lupton, The Reverend Billy, Jessica Helfand and William Drentel. Design students are involved in the Student Art Alliance, an organization that supports visiting artists, travel and student project proposals.
Students graduating from the SUNY New Paltz Graphic Design program have met with success in the field. Graduates work professionally in established design studios; while others have founded and run their own design businesses. Many go on to attend nationally regarded graduate school programs.
Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science with a Concentration in Graphic Design
Visual Arts majors may pursue Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degrees with a concentration in Graphic Design: please refer to Visual Arts for more information about the BA/BS Plan of Study. Please refer to the Undergraduate Studies Catalogue for specific information about the Plan of Study, course descriptions and admission requirements. Contact Admissions for application information.
