Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic and Interactive Design

Unleash your creative potential while maintaining a sustainable work-life balance with a flexible and 100 percent online program designed for tech-savvy professionals like you.

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Apply by 2/17/25
Start Class 3/10/25

Program Overview

Learn about the Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic and Interactive Design online program

$13,500* In-State Tuition
As few as 12 months Program Duration
30 Credit Hours
$460* Per Credit Hour
Up to 90 Transfer Credits
120 Credit Hours
$460* Per Credit Hour
Up to 90 Transfer Credits
120 Credit Hours

Cultivate your design skills and creativity, and develop your technology expertise with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic and Interactive Design online program from Youngstown State University. Learn essential digital design skills with this BFA in Graphic and Interactive Design online program, which covers everything from print design to advanced UX/UI interfaces. This program targets the foundation and the future of design with courses in two-dimensional design and artificial intelligence. Expert faculty will develop your creative ability and technological proficiencies through high-level theory and hands-on application.

Upon graduation, you will have created a career-ready resume, professional website, and a portfolio. Plus, finish your graphic design bachelor’s degree program faster with YSU’s generous transfer credit and Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) policies. An advisor will help maximize your possible transfer credits by examining transcripts from other institutions, certificates and portfolios.

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In this online BFA degree program in graphic design, you will learn how to:

  • Develop techniques for working with raster graphics and digital imagery using the industry standard Adobe Photoshop
  • Study the world of traditional and digital painting, where students explore various styles and techniques of self-expression
  • Develop illustration skills and develop illustrations for client-based work and characters for storytelling
  • Examine user experience (UX) and user interface (UI) design principles that shape viewers' experiences for screen-based design
  • Understand how design influences human behavior and consumer culture through advertising and social media
In this online BFA degree program in graphic design, you will learn how to:++]
  • Develop techniques for working with raster graphics and digital imagery using the industry standard Adobe Photoshop
  • Study the world of traditional and digital painting, where students explore various styles and techniques of self-expression
  • Develop illustration skills and develop illustrations for client-based work and characters for storytelling
  • Examine user experience (UX) and user interface (UI) design principles that shape viewers' experiences for screen-based design
  • Understand how design influences human behavior and consumer culture through advertising and social media
View full overview
  • Develop techniques for working with raster graphics and digital imagery using the industry standard Adobe Photoshop
  • Study the world of traditional and digital painting, where students explore various styles and techniques of self-expression
  • Develop illustration skills and develop illustrations for client-based work and characters for storytelling
  • Examine user experience (UX) and user interface (UI) design principles that shape viewers' experiences for screen-based design
  • Understand how design influences human behavior and consumer culture through advertising and social media

Graduate this graphic design bachelor’s online program prepared for a variety of roles, including:

  • Graphic Designer
  • UX/UI Designer
  • Web Designer
  • Publication Designer
  • Art Director
  • Brand Identity Designer
  • Creative Director
  • Motion Graphics Designer
  • Packaging Designer

In this online BFA degree program in graphic design, you will learn how to:

  • Develop techniques for working with raster graphics and digital imagery using the industry standard Adobe Photoshop
  • Study the world of traditional and digital painting, where students explore various styles and techniques of self-expression
  • Develop illustration skills and develop illustrations for client-based work and characters for storytelling
  • Examine user experience (UX) and user interface (UI) design principles that shape viewers' experiences for screen-based design
  • Understand how design influences human behavior and consumer culture through advertising and social media
In this online BFA degree program in graphic design, you will learn how to: [+]
  • Develop techniques for working with raster graphics and digital imagery using the industry standard Adobe Photoshop
  • Study the world of traditional and digital painting, where students explore various styles and techniques of self-expression
  • Develop illustration skills and develop illustrations for client-based work and characters for storytelling
  • Examine user experience (UX) and user interface (UI) design principles that shape viewers' experiences for screen-based design
  • Understand how design influences human behavior and consumer culture through advertising and social media
This program prepares you for roles in areas of higher education leadership such as:
  • Graphic Designer
  • UX/UI Designer
  • Web Designer
  • Publication Designer
  • Art Director
  • Brand Identity Designer
  • Creative Director
  • Motion Graphics Designer
  • Packaging Designer

Undergrad Admission FAQs

Your questions about YSU’s online BFA in Graphic Design answered. Take a look at some of our most frequently asked questions.

Have questions or need more information about our online programs?

Tuition

Stay within your budget with cost-effective tuition

Expand your opportunities when you earn a high-value BFA in Graphic Design online degree with affordable, pay-by-the-course tuition. All fees are included in the total tuition.

Tuition breakdown:

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$460* Per Credit Hour

*In-state tuition.

Note: No payment plans are available for accelerated online students.

View full tuition breakdown
Program Per Credit Hour Per Course
In-State Out-of-State In-State Out-of-State
BFA in Graphic Design $460 $465 $1,380 $1,395

Calendar

Follow this schedule to start your bachelor’s in graphic design

This Youngstown State University program features an accelerated online format optimized for flexibility and convenience. Review upcoming start dates and other important deadlines below.

Next Start & Application Due Dates:

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2/17/25 Next Application Deadline
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3/10/25 Start Classes

View full calendar  + 

First StartsProgram Start DateApplication DeadlineDocument DeadlineRegistration DeadlineTuition DeadlineLast Class Day
Spring 11/6/2512/16/2412/23/241/1/251/3/252/16/25
Spring 23/10/252/17/252/24/253/5/253/7/254/20/25
Summer 15/12/254/21/254/28/255/7/255/9/256/22/25
Summer 26/30/256/9/256/16/256/25/256/27/258/9/25
Fall 18/25/258/4/258/11/258/20/258/22/2510/12/25
Fall 210/20/259/29/2510/6/2510/15/2510/17/2512/7/25

Ready to take the next step toward earning your degree online from YSU?

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Admissions

Find out what’s needed to apply

To be admitted to a YSU online undergraduate program, you must meet specific requirements. Please read the admission guidelines for the BFA in Graphic Design online program to ensure you qualify.

Application Icon Online application
Resume Icon Official transcripts from all institutions previously attended
GPA Calculator Icon Minimum 2.0 GPA
Application Icon Online application
Resume Icon Official transcriptsfrom all institutions previously attended
GPA Calculator Icon Minimum 2.0 GPA
View admission requirements

Applying at Youngstown State University is a simple 3-step process and is the first step toward earning your online BFA in Graphic Design degree from Youngstown State University. The admission information below will detail what’s required, what additional materials you need and where you should send them. Review the Program Map to determine eligibility of this program in your state.

Admission Requirements

  • Must be at least 25 years of age at time of enrollment
    • If you are under 25, you still qualify for this program and other undergraduate programs. Visit the Online Degree Programs Page for more information.
  • Have a minimum cumulative 2.0 GPA (on a 4.0 scale)
  • Be in good standing at the previously attended school
  • Complete undergraduate admission application

Application Submission Requirements

  • Pay $45 application fee (waived if you are an active duty/veteran military member)
  • Submit official transcripts from all colleges/universities attended

Official Transcripts

Transcripts must be mailed from the granting institution or sent electronically through a secure server vendor.

Email Address: [email protected]

Fax Number: 330-941-3674

Mailing Address:

Office of Admissions
1 Tressel Way
Youngstown, OH 44555

Transfer Credits and PLA

Youngstown State recognizes that your journey to this point may not be a straight path. You may have credits from other institutions, along with certifications and experience that also may qualify for earned credits. Upon admission, Youngstown State’s advisors will work with you to maximize your credits earned to shorten the path to earning your degree.

For additional information on the Youngstown State credit transfer and prior learning assessment (PLA) policies, please see the Undergrad FAQ page.

Technical Requirements

There are technical requirements for participation in this degree program. Please note that while Windows devices can be used for class, we recommend using Apple devices for the best experience to match the environment and instructions provided by your professors.

Minimum:

  • Apple computer with M1 chip (MacBook Air or similar)
  • 13+” display
  • 8GB RAM (Unified Memory)
  • 256GB Hard Drive

Recommended:

  • Apple computer with M1 Pro, M1 Max or later chips
  • 15+” display
  • 16GB Ram (Unified Memory)
  • 512GB Hard Drive

Tablet Device:

  • Minimum: iPad (9th generation) with stylus support
  • Recommended: iPad Pro or iPad Air (latest generation) with Apple Pencil

Software Requirements:

There are a variety of software programs that will be used as part of this BFA in Graphic Design. You may be eligible for a student discount on required software programs once you’ve been admitted and have a YSU student email/ID. Below are the software programs used in this program:

  • Adobe Creative Suite (Adobe Creative Cloud)
  • Figma
  • Procreate
  • Fontself
  • Loom
  • Teams
  • ChatGPT
  • Midjourney
  • DALL-E

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Courses

Review the online curriculum for your graphic design bachelor’s degree

For the Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic and Interactive Design online, you must complete 120 credit hours. If you have credits from other institutions, certifications and/or relevant experience, you may qualify for earned credits. A YSU advisor will help you determine your total credits earned upon admission.

Expand All
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course covers two-dimensional design principles that underlie all forms of graphic design using vector-based tools. One hour lecture and five hours lab.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course is an introductory exploration of studio drawing using digital tools. A focus will be placed on learning to see and exploring essential design elements in a digital format. One hour lecture and five hours lab.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course will explore raster-based image creation and manipulation for graphic design. One hour lecture and five hours lab.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course will focus on color theory and design as it pertains to the digital world. The course will explore the psychology of color and how hue, value, and intensity can be used expressively and in a communicative capacity. One hour lecture and five hours lab.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course will cover color mixing, composition, form, and spatial relationships with subjects ranging from still-life, interiors, and abstraction. One hour lecture and five hours lab.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course will cover camera settings/use along with basic photographic and artistic principles and concepts. One hour lecture and five hours lab.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course will explore the use of digital technologies to compose, shoot, scan, and alter images and consider how computer use has changed photographic meaning. One hour lecture and five hours lab.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Visual expression through various media, both electronic and traditional. Emphasis is on problem-solving through the exploration of technique, creative process and the development of personal styles.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course is a further exploration of digital illustration in a narrative format. Emphasis is on problem-solving through utilizing technique, the creative process, and the development of personal styles. One hour lecture and five hours lab.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
A basic understanding of the concepts of graphic design that include layout, typography, image-making, and theme. Students will create work from thumbnails through completed projects. One hour lecture and five hours lab.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
The interaction of type and images in visual communication. Students will be introduced to typographic grid as an organizing principle as well as the relationship of form to content. One hour lecture and five hours lab.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course introduces the technical requirements of preparing a design for production. Course will include an understanding of pre-press software, printing technology, and printing specifications. One hour lecture and five hours lab.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
The use of type and visual elements in publication formats including newspaper design, newsletters, magazines, annual reports, book design and specialty publications.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course will cover the theory and methodologies behind UI (user interface) and UX (user experience) design. One hour lecture and five hours lab.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
An Investigation of the aesthetic and practical processes, philosophies, and history behind the field of interactive design for on screen applications. Students employ various hardware/software tools available to designers for visual interactive design. One hour lecture and five hours lab.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
A further investigation of interactivity/screen design. Students will encounter projects ranging from web design to interactive screen-based publications. One hour lecture and five hours lab.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Students will engage current technologies to create dynamic motion for screen-based design. One hour lecture and five hours lab.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course introduces the technical requirements of preparing a design for production. Course will include an understanding of pre-press software, printing technology, and printing specifications. One hour lecture and five hours lab.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
An Investigation of typographic design within a system over a variety of formats with a focus on a technical understanding of the principles of typography, including classification, legibility, readability, use of a grid, alignment, mood, audience and visual hierarchy as well as an understanding of typography as an art form. One hour lecture and five hours lab.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
The development of sensitivity for specific typefaces and their effective use in communications. Emphasis will be directed toward the expressive use of type in interpretive, symbolic, and metaphoric solutions. One hour lecture and five hours lab.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
An investigation of typeface design. Students will engage in developing one or more unique typefaces, and the promotional materials used to market them. Students will engage in research related to the history of type design, and current type trends and cultural inspirations.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Logo + Branding Design. The development of logos and their applications within an identity system. How corporate signatures are the fulcrum of an identity program and how its systemic usage impacts on the corporate image. One hour lecture and five hours lab.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course will prepare graphic + interactive students by integrating critical thinking into creating resumes and websites for their work to prepare for the transition into the job market.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
A studio-based course intended to prepare work for a Graphic + Interactive Design portfolio.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
A study of world art, focusing on the western European tradition. Covers the period from prehistoric times through 1500. Introduces key concepts, methods, and vocabulary for the study of art.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course surveys world art from 1400 to the present. Introduces key concepts, methods, and vocabulary for the study of art. It also treats a range of artistic media in their historical and cultural contexts.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
A chronological survey of graphic design from ancient to modern times. An emphasis on critical visual theory, specific designers who influenced the field as well as the relationship between visual communication and historical/cultural events.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Introduction to the world of business with a focus on various functional areas and career opportunities. Development of the requirements of the business professional including team work, information gathering and communication skills.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
The activities involved in marketing products, services, and ideas examined within a framework of customer management. Topics include global marketing environment, market analysis and segmentation, consumer behavior, product development and management, pricing, promotion, and distribution. Marketing is examined from its role as a central function of business and non-profit organizations, and from its dominant role in a market economy.

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See additional YSU programs at The Office of Distance Education.

*Price includes in-state tuition and fees. For students from outside Ohio, tuition and fees total $465 per credit hour.

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