Graphic Design
Make a powerful impression on people and the world.
Want to create designs that influence people and make a difference in the world? With a bachelor’s in Graphic Design from Columbus College of Art & Design, you can do just that. Here, you’ll develop technical skills, learn to consider design from a user’s perspective, and build your professional network as you learn in and outside of the classroom.
At CCAD, you’ll take on real-world assignments with real-world clients like Airstream and Red, White & BOOM!, and you’ll take part in events such as the American Advertising Federation-sponsored event “The Pitch,” which focuses on social change projects. Plus, you can join the AdGraph Collective, a group for students who love design (and pizza), and local professional organizations, such as the Columbus Society of Communicating Arts.
Our Graphic Design students win top awards in regional and national advertising and graphic design competitions, and our graduates make work that makes change around the world. Not to mention, our hometown, Columbus, is a growing design hub whose agencies actively recruit CCAD alumni.
Recent employers
- A&E Networks
- American Greetings
- Apple
- Arc Worldwide/Leo Burnett
- BBDO Worldwide
- E. & J. Gallo Winery
- IBM iX
- Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams
- JPMorgan Chase
- Ogilvy & Mather
- Procter & Gamble
- Saatchi & Saatchi
- Wondersauce
- Young & Rubicam
Graphic Design Student work
GQ Editorial Design
Corinne Henslee
Atwood Editorial Design
Benji Decker
dubble film
Jack Hanigan & Violet Larimer
Editorial Design
Olivia Indre
Tourism, Campaign, & Logo BrandGuide
Mance Ranne
Sub-brand promotion
Madison Getzendiner
Japanese Breakfast album redesign and collateral
Will Todd
Crimethinc zine
Violet Larimer
National Independent Venue Association small business promo
Nick Osborn
Journal Psyche editorial
Natalie Sheets
Spoonful Records website
Chelsea Cross, Chris Isham, Brooke Winegardner
Oneohtrix Point Never vinyl LP
Antonio Reyes
GQ Editorial Design
Corinne Henslee
2026
Adobe InDesign & Procreate
Atwood Editorial Design
Benji Decker
2026
Adobe Photoshop/InDesign/Procreate
dubble film
Jack Hanigan & Violet Larimer
2025
Adobe Illustrator/Photoshop/InDesign
Editorial Design
Olivia Indre
2024
Digital/illustration
Tourism, Campaign, & Logo BrandGuide
Mance Ranne
2024
Digital
Sub-brand promotion
Madison Getzendiner
2023
Digital
Japanese Breakfast album redesign and collateral
Will Todd
2024
Digital/photography
Crimethinc zine
Violet Larimer
2024
Digital
National Independent Venue Association small business promo
Nick Osborn
2024
Digital
Journal Psyche editorial
Natalie Sheets
2025
Digital
Spoonful Records website
Chelsea Cross, Chris Isham, Brooke Winegardner
2023
Digital
Oneohtrix Point Never vinyl LP
Antonio Reyes
2024
Digital
Spaces to Make
Our campus has the tools and the spaces to help you make your vision real.
Faculty
Meet the people who will help you along your creative and professional journey.
Adjunct Faculty
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Melissa Jackson[email protected]
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Christine Lee[email protected]
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Charles Parsons[email protected]
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Toia Rivera[email protected]
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Aaron Searles[email protected]
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Phil Weasley[email protected]
Course Spotlight
DESIGN CONCEPTS
Learn design principles and how to promote products and services through a user experience perspective. For your final project, you’ll create a portfolio that displays your advertising and graphic design work as well as your marketing strategies.
Graphic Design First Year Experience
Academic Year
Freshman Year - Fall
Course Title |
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2D Creative Practices |
Systems of Drawing |
Collaboration |
Art History |
Writing & the Arts |
Freshman Year - Spring
Course Title |
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Intro to Graphic Design |
What Can a Drawing Do |
3D Making with Care |
History of Design & Applied Arts |
Math Quantitative Literacy |
Graphic Design careers
After earning their BFA in Graphic Design, our graduates leave ready to take on such roles as:
- Art director
- Brand manager
- Creative director
- Digital designer
- Graphic designer
- Environmental graphic designer
Graphic Design News
Lucas Velazquez’s (Graphic Design, 2025) summer internship with the Cleveland Cavaliers shows you can land a job with the NBA without perfecting your jump shot.