Program Feature: Graphic Design Degree Program

By Joel Johnson, College Relations intern

Wayne State’s graphic design degree program provides hands-on experience, small class sizes, and opportunities to develop a career, according to sophomore Danielle Meyer, sophomore Rose Ingracia, and senior Kati Bernhardt, who are all in the graphic design degree program. Each of the students explained how the graphic design degree program is helping them follow their passion.

“I want to do advertising because I like how passionate people get about their product, and I want to be the person to help them sell that product or display it,” said Meyer of Oakland, Neb.

 “The graphic design degree program is versatile, so you can follow your passions,” said Lincoln, Neb., native Ingracia.

Students in the graphic design degree program receive the opportunity to use the latest design software in Adobe Suite. Ingracia said she learned practical applications in her first class.

“In the beginner classes, I learned the technical skills right away, which helped me use graphic design in making advertisements for the WSC music department and other campus organizations,” Ingracia said.

“I have gotten to use the Adobe Suite programs: Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign,” Meyer said. “With InDesign, I’m getting the chance to make posters and magazines.”

All students graduating with a graphic design degree will have the skills to be able to make a difference in whichever career they choose, whether that be advertising, marketing, branding, web design, or web coding. Students also have the opportunity to understand what the professional world of graphic design looks like.

Academically, professors’ goals are to prepare students for their career after graduating from the program with a graphic design degree. Ingracia said she has learned from her professors the criteria that make up a good design.

“My professors have taught me how to work in teams, how to manage the client’s expectations for a project, and how to produce a good design,” Ingracia said.

Professors in the graphic design degree program push students to expand their creativity in a variety of ways. That can be from just sketching drawings on paper before using Photoshop Sketch. Another way is by being able to create a font style from scratch.

“I am learning new tools on how to build fonts to modernize whatever I’m trying to sell,” Meyer said.

Wayne State takes pride in helping students realize their dreams. That pride starts in the classroom with professors who encourage students to push themselves to their full potential.

“My dream is to be a graphic designer or creative director. I would like to open up my own firm someday,” said Bernhardt of Pierce, Neb.

Meyer’s dream career is “to do advertising or marketing.” Ingracia’s dream career is “to do marketing or community engagement, but the major is versatile so whatever my passion is I can apply graphic design to that.”