Graphic Design
Graphic Design
Turn your creativity into a career you'll love. Â鶹Æƽâ°æ's Graphic Design program gives you the skills, knowledge, and training to succeed in the computer graphic job market — or to build your future as a graphic artist. You'll learn design, drawing, web design, digital publishing, art history, and the fundamentals of photography. From your first sketch to your finished portfolio, you'll gain the hands-on experience to step into a creative field — close to home.
Top Careers in Graphic Design
A career in graphic design lets you shape what people see and how they connect with it every day. You'll learn to prepare and create original design elements for digital products, follow current trends, and bring real ideas to life. Your training blends fine arts with technical skill, so you graduate ready to work.
Graphic designers do a wide range of creative work. You'll build typographic designs, lay out pages for print and digital production, and develop brand identity and packaging. You'll sharpen your drawing and painting, design for the internet using user interface and motion graphics, and create 2-D and 3-D images. You'll also learn data handling and data design.
Your skills travel with you across many settings. An Associate of Applied Science in Graphic Design from Â鶹Æƽâ°æ builds a solid foundation for a career in marketing, advertising, or a creative team at a design firm. You can also move into titling, photo editing, user interface and user experience design, or freelance work.
Strong skills open doors. With a sharp portfolio and real experience behind you, you can grow your career in a field that's always looking for fresh talent.
The pay can grow with your skills. In Texas, graphic designers earn an average of $62,030 a year. Entry-level workers start near $35,330 a year, while the top 10% earn $92,910 or more annually. Closer to home in the Beaumont–Port Arthur area, graphic designers earn a median wage of $45,380 a year, with pay ranging from $30,760 to $73,330 a year as you build experience. That means you can start a creative career and keep growing your earnings right here in Southeast Texas.
Schedule a Meeting
Maurice Abelman
Program Coordinator, Instructor I of Graphic Design
Commercial Music, Visual and Performing Arts Department
Sam and Linda Monroe Performing Arts Center Building Office 140
Phone: 409-984-6389
Dr. Blas A. Canedo-Gonzalez
Chair of Commercial Music, Visual and Performing Arts
Sam and Linda Monroe Performing Arts Center Building, Office 144
Phone: 409-984-6547
Email: canedoba@lamarpa.edu
Program Information
| Course | Title | SCH |
|---|---|---|
| First Semester | ||
| ARTS 1311 | Design I | 3 |
| ARTS 1316 | Drawing I | 3 |
| ITSC 1401 | Introduction to Computers | 4 |
| ARTC 1453 | Computer Illustration | 4 |
| Second Semester | ||
| ARTC 1313 | Digital Publishing I | 3 |
| ARTS 1303 | Art History I | 3 |
| ARTC 1317 | Design Communication I | 3 |
| ARTC 1302 | Digital Imaging I | 3 |
| ARTC 1305 | Basic Graphic Design | 3 |
| Third Semester | ||
| MATH 1314 or MATH 1332 | College Algebra or Contemporary Mathematics | 3 |
| ARTC 2305 | Digital Imaging II | 3 |
| ENGL 1301 | Composition | 3 |
| ARTC 2348 | Digital Media | 3 |
| ARTC 1459 | Visual Design for New Media | 4 |
| Fourth Semester | ||
| PSYC 2301 or SOCI 1301 | General Psychology or Introduction to Sociology | 3 |
| ARTC 2317 | Typographic Design | 3 |
| ARTC 2335 | Portfolio Development for Graphic Design | 3 |
| ARTC 2388 | Internship – Commercial and Advertising Art | 3 |
| SPCH 1315 | Public Speaking | 3 |
| Total | 60 | |
| course | title | sch |
|---|---|---|
| First Semester | ||
| ARTS 1311 | Design I | 3 |
| ARTS 1316 | Drawing I | 3 |
| ITSC 1401 | Introduction to Computers | 4 |
| ARTC 1453 | Computer Illustration | 4 |
| Second Semester | ||
| ARTC 1313 | Digital Publishing I | 3 |
| ARTS 1303 | Art History I | 3 |
| ARTC 1317 | Design Communication I | 3 |
| ARTC 1302 | Digital Imaging I | 3 |
| ARTC 1305 | Basic Graphic Design | 3 |
| Total | 29 | |
The Â鶹Æƽâ°æ Graphic Design program is built to move with you — into the workforce or toward a four-year degree. You can earn job-ready skills fast, then keep building when the time is right. Here's how the program sets you up for success:
- Choose the credential that fits your goals. You can earn an Associate of Applied Science, which totals 60 semester credit hours, or a Certificate, which totals 29 semester credit hours. Both paths give you a well-rounded foundation and the practical training employers want.
- Master in-demand, hands-on skills. Your training covers typographic design, page layout for print and digital production, brand identity and packaging, drawing and painting, web and motion graphics, 2-D and 3-D image making, and data design. You'll graduate with a portfolio that shows what you can do.
- Step into a creative career. Graphic designers work in marketing, advertising, and on creative teams at design firms. You can also build a career in titling, photo editing, user interface and user experience design, or freelance work.
- Transfer toward a bachelor's degree. Complete the Â鶹Æƽâ°æ curriculum and you're considered core complete. Up to 60–66 semester credit hours apply toward a bachelor's degree at Lamar University, with an additional 60 hours or more needed to finish. You may pursue a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design or a Bachelor of Science in Graphic Design.
With a strong portfolio and a transfer-ready foundation, you can enter the workforce, continue toward a bachelor's degree, and grow your career on a timeline that fits your goals.
What is the Graphic Design program at Â鶹Æƽâ°æ?
The program gives you the skills, knowledge, and training to succeed in the computer graphic job market or as a graphic artist. You'll study design, drawing, web design, digital publishing, art history, and the fundamentals of photography. It blends the fine arts side of design with the technical, computer-based skills today's employers need.
What credentials can I earn?
You can choose the path that fits your goals. Â鶹Æƽâ°æ offers an Associate of Applied Science in Graphic Design, which totals 60 semester credit hours, and a Certificate, which totals 29 semester credit hours. An advisor will help you build a plan that fits your work, family, and goals — close to home.
What skills will I build in this program?
You'll build practical, career-ready skills the industry depends on. Your training focuses on:
- Producing typographic design and page layout for print and digital production
- Developing brand identity and packaging
- Drawing and painting
- Designing for the internet using user interface, motion graphics, and visual media
- Creating 2-D and 3-D designs with computer image making
- Handling and designing data
These are the hands-on skills that prepare you to step confidently into a creative role.
What will I be able to do when I graduate?
By graduation, you'll be ready to prepare design elements for digital products and create original work of your own. You'll know how to describe current trends in graphic design and demonstrate ethics and professionalism in the field. You'll also have a portfolio that shows employers exactly what you can do.
What kind of jobs can I get with this training?
Your skills open doors across the creative industry. Graduates step into roles in marketing, advertising, and on creative teams at design firms. You can also work in titling, photo editing, user interface and user experience design, or build your own path through freelance design work.
Can I transfer to a four-year university?
Yes. Complete the Â鶹Æƽâ°æ curriculum and you're considered core complete. No more than 60–66 semester credit hours from Â鶹Æƽâ°æ apply toward a bachelor's degree at Lamar University, and you'll complete an additional 60 hours or more to finish. You may pursue a Bachelor of Fine Arts or a Bachelor of Science in Graphic Design.
What can a bachelor's degree lead to?
A Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design can prepare you for graduate school, opening even more doors down the road. An advisor can help you map a plan that fits your goals — whether you want to enter the workforce, transfer, or keep going.
How long does it take to finish?
Your timeline depends on the credential you choose and your course load. The Associate of Applied Science totals 60 semester credit hours, while the Certificate totals 29. An advisor will help you choose a pace that fits your work, family, and budget.
What challenges should I expect in the field?
Graphic design is creative, rewarding work — and it keeps you on your toes. You'll juggle deadlines, meet client expectations, and stay current with changing trends and tools. Many designers also handle the business side, from managing projects to building a client base. The skills you build at Â鶹Æƽâ°æ prepare you for all of it.
How do I get started?
Take the first step today. Apply through ApplyTexas, then talk to an advisor about your goals. They'll walk you through enrollment, financial aid, and your course plan — one clear step at a time, close to home.
The Â鶹Æƽâ°æ Advantage
Ready to turn your eye for design into a career you can build on? Your path in graphic design starts at Â鶹Æƽâ°æ. You'll gain the skills, knowledge, and training to succeed in the computer graphic job market or as a graphic artist — with coursework that blends creativity and technical know-how to get you ready for real work.
At Â鶹Æƽâ°æ, you learn by doing. Supportive instructors and hands-on practice mean you build real skills from day one. You'll master design, drawing, web design, digital publishing, typographic layout, and image making, while learning to follow current trends and bring the ethics and professionalism the field counts on. Choose the credential that fits you — an Associate of Applied Science or a Certificate — and build a portfolio that shows what you can do.
By graduation, you'll have more than a degree. You'll have practical skills, a strong portfolio, and the confidence to step into a creative career or transfer toward a bachelor's degree. It's affordable, career-ready training that meets you where you are. Build your future in graphic design, close to home.