Earn Your Graphic Design Degree Online
Bachelor’s, Associate, and Certificate Programs
Application Deadline: December 9
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About Our Programs
Build a Foundation For a Design Career
As an aspiring graphic designer, you're on a mission to grow your digital media and design skills in Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign—and craft the images, icons, ads, and layouts that shape our media landscape.
At Sessions College, you can take advantage of a wide array of programs, from our intensive Undergraduate Certificate to our award-winning BFA. Mentored by a faculty of professional designers, you will gain industry-relevant skills and credentials—and enhance your creative portfolio.
Application Deadline. Enroll by December 9 to enter January 6, 2025 classes.
Program Length: Certificate to Bachelor's
Tuition: $300 per credit
Next Start:
January 6, 2025
App Deadline:
December 9
“The online Graphic Design programs at Sessions College are designed to prepare designers to enter or advance their careers and pursue their own creative paths. Our goal is to help you gain relevant skills and generate the compelling body of work that matches your career interests.”
Andrew Shalat
Department Head of Graphic Design, Sessions College
Program Curriculum
Choose from an exciting range of degree level programs. Credit transfer and part-time schedules available.
The Undergraduate Certificate in Graphic Design provides a foundation in graphic design. Students gain an understanding of the fundamentals of color, typography, and composition and how to apply them using Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign. Students apply current production methods and techniques to exciting projects that include poster design, magazine layout, identity design, and packaging design.
- Intensive 24-credit program completed in 2 semesters.
- Gain in-demand software and design skills.
- Earn a stackable credential to advance your career.
- Financial aid for students who qualify.
The Associate of Occupational Studies (AOS) in Graphic Design program offers a rigorous two-year degree for students seeking to enter careers in graphic design or digital media. Designed for high school graduates and adult learners, the program offers a powerful foundation in visual design and a working knowledge of contemporary design practices and media.
- Rigorous 72-credit program completed in 2 years or less.
- Provides a thorough foundation with a focus on building a portfolio.
- Includes Graphic Design Capstone and Portfolio Review.
- Financial aid, credit transfer, and creative scholarships for students who qualify.
The Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Graphic Design program prepares creative individuals for careers in communication design. Equipped with a strong foundation in design, graduates gain the skills and attributes for a global audience and tomorrow’s challenges: resourceful, adaptive critical thinkers who are prepared to excel in a professional environment, and whose work is based on effective research, creative problem-solving, and design methodology.
- Comprehensive 120-credit program, completed in 3.3 years or less.
- Builds from a design foundation to individualized projects.
- Real world applications include work experience.
- Financial aid, credit transfer, and creative scholarships for students who qualify.
Program Outcomes
Students in each program can expect to develop core competencies:
Art & Design Principles
Demonstrate the ability to produce visually compelling work by applying knowledge of color, typography, and composition.
Technology
Create images and design layouts by effectively and efficiently using design software including Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign, and other industry technologies.
Critical Thinking and Writing
Employ critical thinking to generate, support, and convey ideas through writing for academic or professional contexts
Projects
Produce and present a range of standard professional graphic design projects including graphics, posters, ads, logos, page layouts, and packaging.
Design Process
Develop strategic and compelling designs for a variety of audiences and social contexts.
Portfolio
Apply creative problem solving and constructive feedback to conceive, produce, and present an impactful body of work that showcases your skills to employers and potential clients.
Graphic Design Associate Degree Program Outcomes
About Sessions College
Sessions College has been inspiring creative professionals for 25 years.
 Accredited since 2001, we have a unique and proven approach to online education.
Accredited by Distance Education Accrediting Commission since 2001
Recognized as top design school by GDUSA
Winner of four USDLA awards for distance education
A Better Way to Learn
- Fully Online and Asynchronous. Our programs are fully online and asynchronous, allowing you to fit learning into your life. We provide weekly deadlines to keep you on track, but there are no mandatory login times and our learning platform is available 24 hours a day.
- Project-Based Learning. Our curriculum is designed to be highly interactive and project-based from the ground up to improve learning outcomes and keep you engaged.
- Feedback from Creative Pros. Our program is taught by industry experts who provide 1:1 feedback on all of your work.
Career Outlook for Graphic Designers
Graphic Designers produce creative work for a myriad of industries and design for print, web, and a variety of media including television, film, and live streaming. Graphic Designers need to possess technical expertise, analytical skills, artistic ability, communication skills, creativity, time-management, and well-developed attention to detail.
Job Titles
Graduates could be employed as a Graphic Designer, Brand Identity Designer, Web Designer, UX/UI Designer, Production Artist, Desktop Publisher, or Digital Designer.
Median Annual Wage
According to the Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics the median annual wage for graphic designers was $58,910 (as of May 2023).
Median annual wages for graphic designers in top industries (in which they work):
| Specialized design services | $62,330 |
| Advertising, public relations, and related services | $56,970 |
| Publishing industries | $54,450 |
| Printing and related support activities | $44,500 |
Job Projections
Employment opportunities for graphic designers are projected to grow 3 percent from 2022 to 2032.
There are about 22,800 projected openings for graphic designers each year, on average, over the decade.
Based on Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics and Indeed Job Outlook data.
Truly Accessible and Affordable Education
Our simple, convenient online admissions process sets you up for success in your program.
Our truly affordable tuition is:
$7,200 per academic year (24 credits) – $3,600 per semester*.
Significantly more affordable than other online design or digital media colleges.
So affordable that 100% of tuition costs may be covered for eligible students.* Find out today if you qualify.
* Federal student aid and military education benefits available for eligible students.
What Students Gained from Our Graphic Design Courses
My experience with the school, from conducting research to obtaining my Professional certificate, has been fantastic. The staff demonstrated exceptional helpfulness, taking the time to understand my needs and outlining the available options. I felt inspired to learn and explore unfamiliar areas, which has given me the confidence to pursue employment opportunities and provide quality services.
There is no way I could have taught myself everything I’ve learned in school. The programs are so vast and basically unlimited, you have to have someone walk you through them in an organized way. The classes build on each other and you end up using things you’ve learned in previous classes for following classes.
Whether you’re brand new to art or you have extensive experience and want to learn something new, an online art school provides flexibility and variety, and the option to continue working while you go to school.
Featured Student Work
Student work by: Eric Moreno, Andrea Larez, Micky Jordan.
Advance your career with our 100% online design and digital media programs today!
Sessions College
Main Office
404 S. Mill Avenue, Suite 201
Tempe, AZ 85281
Contact Us
800-258-4115 (US)
480-212-1704
admissions@sessions.edu