Goshen College’s design program encouraged and supported me to pursue my own design passions. Small class sizes allowed me to work closely with painters, sculptors, printmakers, and many other talented artists. Hands-on experience with these other mediums and discussions with classmates greatly improved my ability to conceptualize and produce my own work in design. Human connection made my years in the graphic design program special.
Bachelor of Arts
Graphic Design
Major | Minor
Design for the World
The graphic design major at Goshen College is where you build artistic and technical skill across digital design, typography, branding and motion graphics, learning project by project. You’ll gain real-world experience through internships in local art studios, artist guilds, museums and artist-owned businesses.
The major builds toward a senior capstone: a professional portfolio and a public exhibit of your work. You develop your projects with practicing artists and designers as your professors, in small classes where you get personalized feedback every step of the way.
Portfolio Building from Day one
You’ll gain professional experience through internships as well as on-campus and freelance design opportunities. Graphic design majors often contribute to layout design for The Record, Goshen College’s student led newspaper, and Pinchpenny Press publications, a Goshen College publishing house.
In addition, the Visual Arts Building has a Mac computer lab and students receive full access to Adobe Creative Suite. Majors take studio and design classes, receiving frequent one-on-one critiques. It’s a supportive, inclusive place to take creative risks and find your voice.
What You’ll Study
The curriculum is hands-on and project-based, focused on building your portfolio. You’ll move through concept development, critical feedback, and technical skill with industry-standard tools.
You can shape your own path by pairing graphic design with related fields such as art, marketing or communication. View the complete program requirements in our catalog.
Where a Graphic Design Degree Takes You
A Graphic Design degree from Goshen prepares you for careers in:
- Branding and identity design
- Web and app design
- Motion graphics and animation
- Art direction
- Packaging design
- Freelance and studio work
Our alumni work in design agencies, marketing departments, nonprofits, and as freelancers. Many also pursue graduate study in design and related disciplines.
Isaac Sawatzky '25
Graphic Designer at Lightbox Design Co.
Paying for Goshen
Nearly all full-time traditional students at Goshen receive grant aid, and graphic design students are also eligible for department-specific scholarships, including the Arthur L. and Cordelia Sprunger Scholarship and the Raymond A. Yoder Scholarship, awarded on portfolio strength, academic standing, and department involvement.
To see your own price after aid, run the net price calculator or explore your options at the financial aid and scholarships pages.
Common Questions About Graphic Design major
Yes. Graphic design is offered as both a major and a minor, so you can pair it with another field; marketing and communication are natural pairings.
You’ll work through Foundations of Design, Digital Design, Typography, and Design Processes and Methods. The emphasis is on concept development, critical feedback and technical skill with industry-standard tools, all aimed at a portfolio you can show employers and graduate programs.
Graduates work in branding and identity design, web and app design, motion graphics and animation, art direction, packaging design and freelance or studio work. Goshen alumni work in design agencies, marketing departments and nonprofits, with others selling their work as independent creators. Many also pursue graduate study in design and related disciplines.
A lot. You can take internships, on-campus design jobs, do freelance work, show your work in exhibitions, contribute to The Record student newspaper and publish with The Pinchpenny Press publications. Your senior capstone is a professional portfolio and a public exhibit, so you graduate with foundational experience ready to take you into your career.
Sara Method
Associate Professor of Art
Tiffany Wyse-Fisher
Associate Professor of Art
John J. Mishler
Adjunct Professor in Art
Jordan Kauffman
Adjunct Professor in Graphic Design
Griffin Liu
Adjunct Professor in Graphic Design
