BGSU graphic design program among best in the nation

Animation Career Review ranks BGSU program No. 49 among nation's public universities

Bowling Green State University’s graphic design program is ranked as one of the best in the country, according to Animation Career Review’s 2021 College Rankings.

The graphic design program in the School of Art in the College of Arts and Sciences is ranked No. 49 among the nation’s public universities, No. 23 in the Midwest and No. 5 in Ohio. More than 700 colleges and universities’ graphic design programs are considered in the Animation Career Review’s ranking process. 

Programs are rated on academic reputation, admission selectivity, depth and breadth of the program, value as it relates to tuition and indebtedness and employment data.

“It is good to know that our program is recognized for the top-quality outcomes our program produces, and that our value is recognized,” said Jenn Stucker, chair and professor of the BGSU graphic design division.

“One of the real strengths of our program, that isn’t always measurable, is the impact it has on the student as an individual. We don’t have a homogenized student we are trying to send out into the world. We believe wholeheartedly that we are graduating thinkers with curious minds. Because styles, trends and technology are ever-changing, we work toward developing students who can be resilient, creative and adaptable in thinking their way forward through the challenges.”

According to Brad Prescott, founder of Animation Career Review, they have ranked animation, illustration and graphic design programs since 2012 to provide students and their parents access to ample information to help them make an informed decision about the school they choose to attend and the program they pursue.

BGSU students graduate with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in graphic design after successfully completing courses such as Design for Social Impact, Graphic Design Thinking, System-Based and Time-Based Graphic Design, and User Experience and Interface Design (UX/UI). They also complete the collaborative and community engagement practicum, senior studio, senior thesis and an internship.

An added benefit for students is the opportunity to connect with alumni of the program through special presentations as well as the annual portfolio review day. “BOLD,” the themed 2021 portfolio review day, welcomed 31 reviewers, not all alumni, from Ohio and beyond, Stucker said.

The reviews traditionally are held in person, but because of the pandemic, nearly 150 portfolio reviews were conducted via Microsoft Teams in 2021. The experience helps the students perfect their portfolios and their verbal presentation skills. Some students get internships and jobs from connecting with reviewers.

With the University’s focus creating public good, the graphic design’s curriculum and experiences align well.

“We firmly believe in our responsibility to improve everyday lives. We must understand technology as well as people, culture and commerce, and at the same time design for it,” Stucker said. “Graduates of the program will exhibit skills in team building, collaboration, storytelling, intervention design, and they will know how to develop community partnerships within a professional work ethic.

“Our faculty are often creators and producers of these community engagement projects, so we let our students see ‘behind the curtain’ where they get the opportunity to see the challenges of producing large-scale, community-based projects. We use them as learning opportunities to empower students with the confidence to create their own projects and to be fluid to problem-solve along the way.”