Graphic Design
About this program
At Penn College, you’ll be immersed in a career-focused curriculum with unparalleled foundational classes, award-winning graphic design and web design courses, and cutting-edge facilities. Build a standout portfolio. Soak in valuable insight from passionate and experienced instructors. And learn what it takes define your future in graphic design.
Join the Penn College Graphic Design Community 
Next steps...
You're on your way to becoming a tomorrow maker.
96%
Overall Placement Rate
Career-Focused Classes Grounded in Formal Design Principles
24/7
Access to Mac Labs with Adobe Suite
Careers
- Graphic designer
- Junior designer
- UI designer
- Web designer
- Art director
- Creative director
- Studio owner
Courses
At Penn College, we believe your educational experience should go beyond specialized skills. Real-world ready means taking a broader approach that builds communication skills, inspires collaboration, and encourages exploration of arts, history, and science.
Specialization requires in-depth knowledge and high-level proficiency. Students learn and apply major-specific concepts, skills, and methods.
- Visual Literacy for Designers (ART107)
- Drawing (ART180)
- Digital Photography (PHO150)
- Two-Dimensional Design (ART102)
- Design & Color (ART109)
- Art History: Ancient through 15th Century (ART125)
- Introduction to Web Page Development (BWM150)
- History of Graphic Design (ART145)
- Introduction to Three-Dimensional Design (ART202)
- Type Design I (ART225)
- Computer Graphics I (ART270)
- Social Media in Business & Society (BIM120)
- Introduction to Graphic Design (ART210)
- Type Design II (ART235)
- Computer Graphics II (ART275)
- Introduction to Graphic Design for the Internet (ART285)
- Environmental Graphic Design (ART320)
- Advanced Graphic Design for the Internet (ART361)
- Illustration (ART340)
- Package Design (ART311)
- Advanced Visual Literacy for Designers (ART307)
- Commercial Photography (PHO230)
- Branding (ART411)
- Specified Graphic Design Elective (BGD)
- Portfolio Design (ART420)
- Senior Project (ART496)
Perspectives are points of view, offering a variety of ways of understanding, interacting, and influencing the world. Students identify, explain, and utilize the approaches used by academics and professionals to study, analyze, or understand problems, and offer solutions.
Creatively connecting
Join us for a virtual discussion that’ll give you a glimpse of the graphic design program at Penn College. Instructor Nick Stephenson and several up-and-coming designers are excited to tell you what makes this standout program so popular.
Student-created video
This engaging video created and edited by Graphic Design alumni Luke Bierly shares his view of the Graphic Design program at Penn College. To him, it’s more than drawing and art. It’s about solving problems and developing thoughtful, real-world solutions.
Graphic Design 2022
Student Portfolio Exhibition
Graphic Design 2022 is an annual exhibition displaying the best design, illustration, and web design work of graphic design majors in their final semester of study at Penn College. Design faculty select the top works developed by each student within their time at Penn College.
Facilities
Fully Equipped Labs & Studios
From a cutting-edge commercial photography studio to Mac labs with the latest software, a ceramics studio, 3D studio, and professional print center, we have everything to support your creative journey.
Maker Profiles
Alumni
Joe Gasparetti
Graphic Design & Art
This graphic designer scored a sweet gig with Mars Wrigley.
Faculty
Nick Stephenson
Graphic Design & Art
The graphic design program at Penn College is challenging. But that's the way Nick likes it.
Alumni
Ali Petrizzi
Graphic Design & Art
After learning more about the graphic design program, Ali knew that was where she belonged.
Student
Joseph Thompson
Graphic Design & Art
His dream job is to work as a visual designer for Google.
Tour Schedule
Seeing is believing.
Think Penn College might be a good fit for you? Make plans to visit and discover what hands-on learning is all about.
Mar 1
Undergraduate Open House
Saturday, March 19 AM - 3 PM
Apr 6
Undergraduate Open House
Sunday, April 69 AM - 3 PM
Student Life
Lead and put your skills to the test
American Institute of Graphic Design (AIGA)
The AIGA encourages students to get involved in the local design community, create a community of their own, and build leadership skills that will be valuable as they move into the professional world.
Zone V Photography
This club encourages members to explore the photographic medium for artistic growth and develop a personal artistic vision. Students also acquire and strengthen the skills used in analogue photographic methods and techniques.
Student Organizations at Penn College
Your college experience is about more than the classroom. Join one of 65+ clubs and organizations, or create your own.
Penn College News
Tuesday, December 10, 2024
Graphic design faculty present at San Diego conference
Friday, November 22, 2024
Students' masks on display through Tuesday
Tuesday, October 15, 2024
Penn College classes add global travel to students’ education
Study Abroad
Gain global experience
See the world via Williamsport. Take your education abroad and get hands-on experience learning about your industry on a global scale.
Internship
Your knowledge in practice
Internships are key for career preparation. Our students have scored internships at popular companies including: Amtrak, Auntie Anne's, andCulture, Elisco’s Creative Café, Little League International, Mother New York, Mullen Lowe U.S., Playworld Systems Inc., Yuengling, and Woolrich.
Student Experience
The community as their classroom
Graphic design students sweep awards
All that hard work pays off when student projects take their place in the spotlight. Our graphic designers often receive awards when judged alongside national competition.
More Information
Students must earn a grade of 'C' or better in all courses with an ART and PHO course designator to receive credit for their completion. Students earning a 'D' or below must retake courses in which they are deficient before those courses can be considered as meeting the prerequisite requirements for more advanced courses. Failure to achieve a grade of 'C' or above in a course, after the maximum attempts allowed by College policy, results in withdrawal from the major in which the course is required.
Graduates of Penn College's two-year Advertising Art major can transfer all courses into the Graphic Design major; however, major courses (defined as those with ART, PHO designators) must have been completed with a grade of 'C' or better. Internal and external transfers with fewer than 61 credits can carry parallel courses into the baccalaureate when grades are 'C' or better.
Alternative Credit refers to academic credits earned through means other than traditional college course completion, including: credit by exam, articulation, proof of competency gained in high school, work/life experience, and advanced placement.
Visit the Alternative Credit Options page in our Course Catalog for general requirements and procedures and for information on credit through Advanced Placement.
View the Graphic Design Tool List
Uniforms and tools are available for purchase through The College Store.
Penn College has state-of-the-art facilities with an abundance of current computer technology for training in design and production. Along with computer skills we feel it is important to continue to educate students to use their hands in disciplines such as design, drawing, painting, and photography. This process provides a tactual and perceptive approach to visual problem solving. Using traditional media provides direct and physical engagement; the process requires a necessary interval for the development of concept, image, techniques, and evaluation.
Students become involved in a process that nurtures creativity and stimulates conceptual performance. The freshman, foundation year focuses on developing students’ visual thinking and hand skills. In subsequent years, students concentrate on applied art courses directed toward design and production in many media.
The art faculty encourage students in the objective pursuit of excellence. Individualized critiques provide structure for the creative process and are essential to the ultimate quality of the artwork.
Students are encouraged to attend exhibitions and artists’ talks as part of their education. The Department and College promote exhibitions at the resident gallery.
- Sister Alma Mary Anderson, CSC, Professor, Graphic Design, Indiana State University
- Mr. Ric Jones, Creative Director, MoJo Active
- Ali Petrizzi, Ms., 2020, Senior UX Designer, Microsoft
- Mr. Dan Rowland, President/Owner/Director, Rowland Creative
- Mr. John Saal, '00, Principal, Untuck Design Studio
- Mr. Ryan Starr, '00, Creative Director, Saint John's University
- Ms. Marjaneh Talebi, Director, Graphic Design Program, Harrisburg Area Community College
- Mr. Todd True, Principal / Creative Director, True Geist
