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Penn State's Bachelor of Design in Graphic Design is a NASAD-accredited four-year professional degree program. This discipline focuses on visual communication, innovative problem-solving, and creative expression, bridging connections between people and concepts, products, spaces, and interactions. The curriculum examines methodologies, technologies, and systematic approaches for combining typography, visuals, and composition into compelling visual narratives that educate, guide, and influence. It represents a dynamic field of study dedicated to enhancing human experiences.
This program equips students with professional graphic design competencies, blending technical expertise with creative and analytical abilities. Graduates are prepared for diverse career paths including design firms, advertising, packaging, corporate branding, media graphics, and digital/interactive design.
The majority of Penn State’s applications come from traditional, first-year students. The following types of students are considered first-year applicants (or freshman applicants, as some refer to them): Current high school student in his or her senior year; Student who has earned a high school diploma or a GED and has no post-secondary coursework; Student who has attempted 17 or fewer credits (semester hours) of college coursework at a regionally accredited college/university before attending Penn State; Current high school student who may have enrolled in another institution(s) before graduating from high school (dual enrollment); Student who may have attended Penn State on a nondegree basis.
English Language Proficiency
The following are ways in which you can satisfy the language proficiency requirement: TOEFL: A minimum TOEFL score of 80 on the Internet-based TOEFL or 550 on the old paper exam and a minimum of 20 in each section of the new paper exam (code #2660); IELTS: A minimum IELTS score of 6.5 on the academic test.