What You Can Do With a BA in Advertising and Graphic Design

Do you see the variety of color, graphics, typography and images on packages in the grocery store? Do you get intrigued at the thoughts behind the Superbowl advertising commercials? Do you have a wardrobe of t-shirts with cool graphics on them? Are you always creative? If so, Graphic Design and Advertising may be the right degree for you.

Check out all you need to know about getting a Bachelor’s in Advertising and Graphic Design below!

What is a graphic designer?

Graphic designers are communicators who send messages through visual concepts. They inspire, inform and captivate their audience by using images, words and graphics. The art of graphic designing is very important to sharing messages from companies to their customers. Graphic designers also bring a sense of beauty to the world through colors, typography, imagery, and pattern on almost every man-made thing we see.

Some of the things a graphic designer may do are:

• Develop ideas and create designs for a wide variety of companies and needs
• Create images to identify a product or tell a story
• Develop graphics for products, logos, apps and websites
• Incorporate colors, images, text and layout for magazines, brochures and books
• Create signs and wayfinding systems for parks, malls, theme parks and communities

What can you do with a Bachelor’s in Advertising and Graphic Design?

There are so many different things you can do with a graphic design degree. Students will find jobs within company marketing and advertising departments, at advertising agencies, digital marketing firms, creative boutiques, media outlets, non-profits, and more as all organizations need to advertise. The work includes designing advertisements, packages, posters, presentations, branding and logos, social media campaigns, textile patterns, t-shirts and apparel designs, and more. Here are some jobs that a one may get with the degree after graduating:

Graphic Designer: Graphic designers are in charge of developing graphics and layouts for product packaging, company logos, advertising campaigns, websites and more. They also review final layouts and suggest edits if needed and maintain an archive of images and photos.

Art Directors: An art director sets the creative tone for the campaign, oversees vendors including photographers, illustrators and videographers, and mentors the designers on their team. They will work with the leads of departments to discuss requirements and concepts for presentations. On top of it, they also work with creative directors to maintain consistency in the brand language for the client.

Multimedia Artists: They design a variety of presentation and motion graphics for use in broadcast. The graphics used on the newscast or during a major sporting event are created by graphic designers.

Qualities of a Graphic Designer

Communication: Having good communication skills are important when it comes to creating a client’s story, brand and ideas.

Technology savvy: Creative for these industries almost always touches a computer. Feeling confident working with digital technologies is critical for a student’s success.

Creativity: Our industry depends on your ability to generate a lot of ideas that are informed with strong research. Knowing the world around you and crafting a creative and intelligent response for your clients is key to your success.

Passion: You have to love what you do to be able to do it well and graphic design is no exception. The passion you hold will get you through any tough seasons and long hours you stumble across. Having that drive from the start can project you far and will be with you when you most need it.

Patience: While design work is fun, it is a talent that develops over time. Working hard to hone your knowledge and skills shows a commitment to being the best. It’s important to have patience while developing your ideas and know that you won’t always get it right on your first try.

If you want to learn more about Grand Canyon University’s arts program within the College of Fine Arts and Production, check out our website or click the Request More Information button on this page.