Skip to main content
Graphic Design student reviewing her latest piece

Campus-Based Undergraduate Major Graphic Design & Media Arts (BA)

SNHU's Graphic Design and Media Arts program

Turn Your Passion into a Career with a Major in Graphic Design & Media Arts

Learn how to turn your artistic interests into a profession with a Bachelor of Arts in Graphic Design and Media Arts from Southern New Hampshire University.

Unlike fine arts schools, SNHU can expand your career options by enhancing your arts degree with courses in advertising, business, communication, marketing, psychology, technology and many other areas. You'll learn a range of valuable, career-oriented skills, including how to create:

  • Logos, logotypes and symbols
  • Advertisements and posters
  • Brochures and marketing materials
  • TV commercials and documentaries
  • Web sites
  • Interactive designs

In this program, you’ll be on a more structured, career-focused pathway to your degree. Designed to incorporate industry experience and prepare you for the workplace more rapidly, a number of your credits will be earned through experiential learning - which may include studio work, lab work, project-based courses, internships, or industry certifications.

You’ll also learn through a mix of face-to-face classroom and online formats. That means less seat time in traditional classroom settings, and more time engaging with faculty members as project leads, internship advisors, or coaches.

See Yourself Succeed with a Major in Graphic Design & Media Arts

While creativity may come naturally to many, the process of applying it to tangible projects may not. At SNHU, we'll help you create against deadlines, workplace challenges and other parameters professionals in the "real world" encounter every day.

As a private, nonprofit university, SNHU has one mission - to help you see yourself succeed. The benefits of majoring in graphic design and media arts at SNHU include:

  • Supportive community. Join the SNHU campus community of students who are closely connected with faculty and staff dedicated to your success.
  • Affordability. It’s our mission to make higher education more accessible. That’s why, SNHU is one of the most affordable private, nonprofit universities in New Hampshire. 
  • Accessible faculty. Learn from highly credentialed faculty who are experts in their fields and interact with you in the classroom, dining hall, fitness center and the stands.
  • Opportunity. Tap into our nationwide network of alumni and strong connections with employers for internship and career opportunities.
  • Campus experience. Enjoy more than 50 student clubs, champion Division II athletics and fun events on our 300-acre campus in Manchester, NH, named a "Best Place to Live" by Money magazine.

Internships & Outcomes

Graphic design majors can find opportunities in a wide variety of industries, including print and web design, multimedia design, newspapers, magazines, internet-hosting companies, broadcast television production studios, and corporate and nonprofit marketing departments.

Graphic design majors will network with professionals through a multitude of interactive settings from professional conferences, program affiliations and projects.

Curriculum

Begin your undergraduate degree with required courses from our General Education program. Then, as you complete your hands-on graphic design courses, you can also choose from a variety of minors that can help expand your career options, such as:

  • Digital Media Video Production
  • Game Art and Development
  • Social Media Marketing
  • Business Analytics

Using the latest design technologies, the BA graphic design and media arts curriculum also provides ample opportunities for hands-on experience and collaboration through coursework and internships.

Along the way, benefit from SNHU's knowledge-rich faculty, which includes acclaimed media professionals who have made a name for themselves in their respective industries. They'll inform your classes with years of academic and on-the-job experience.

Courses To Prepare You For Your Life & Career

SNHU's bachelor's in graphic design and media arts program includes:

  • General education courses
  • Degree-specific courses

General Education Program

SNHU's required general education program, known as The Commons, aims to guide you toward success in not only your academic career, but your personal and professional life too.

Throughout the curriculum, you'll gain some of the most in-demand skills in today's workplace, including:

  • Research and information analysis
  • Diverse audience communication
  • Critical thinking and ethical problem solving
  • Leadership, emotional intelligence and collaboration

This expertise will prove practical, transferable and invaluable as you grow in your career and contribute positively to society.

Beyond foundational skill development, the general education program also provides the benefit of allowing you to explore a wide range of fields outside of your intended major.

Two campus students using their laptops to complete school work

Campus Undergraduate Tuition

Our Manchester campus aims to keep tuition and related costs low for our students so that you can pursue your degree and your goals.

University Accreditation

New England Commission of Higher Education Southern New Hampshire University is a private, nonprofit institution accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE) as well as several other accrediting bodies.

Related Articles

Michelle Shreeve at a book signing being held at a bookstore.

Alumna Writes a Book for Grieving Families While Earning 2 Degrees

Michelle Shreeve ’15G ’16G was a child when she lost her mother, and resources were limited for young families coping with the death of a parent. This experience fueled her desire to help others deal with similar grief.
The hand of an MFA student holding a pencil and writing in a notebook

What is an MFA Degree? What You Need to Know

An MFA stands for Master of Fine Arts and is a graduate-level degree earned by students who study and practice visual arts, performing arts, design or creative writing. Some schools offer online and low-residency MFA programs, providing more flexibility for working adults than a traditional program.
A man with a communications degree at a podium in front of an audience giving an oral presentation.

What Can You Do With a Communications Major?

If you're interested in careers ranging from media relations, marketing, human resources, corporate communication and more, a communications degree may be the best choice for you. By developing your ability to communicate information clearly, you'll equip yourself with the skills for these careers.