Graphic Design: BA

Program Overview

The graphic design program prepares students to become critical thinkers and interdisciplinary practitioners who can develop cutting-edge concepts for visual communication. The program encourages students to pose questions about the social responsibility of design, address rapidly evolving social, cultural, and economic challenges, and search for answers to the problems of tomorrow

Classes are mostly critique-based, encouraging debate, discussion, and lateral thinking, utilizing formal and practical knowledge. Most course work is conducted in studios. Classes are taught by a group of accomplished faculty supported by visiting faculty, guest lecturers, field trips, camps, and workshops. Students create work that is uniquely theirs, helping them build a portfolio from which they can build their careers.

Students of the Program

This program is suitable for students who are interested in the following: 

• Visual storytelling
• Typography
• Illustration
• Publication design
• Interactive design
• Game design
• Design history

Practical Experience

The Graphic Design program prepares students for a wide range of professional options. Branding, advertising, publication, web, digital and broadcast design, exhibition, and type design are all possible career paths. The major offers both theory and studio courses that will enable design students to integrate a good command of visual language with conceptual work, theory, and technology.

Many opportunities are available for students to gain hands-on experience, including working on exhibitions and projects initiated by the program and interning at local and international design studios and advertising agencies. 

Career Paths

Graduates of the program have gone on to pursue careers in the following: 

• Branding and corporate identity
• Editorial and publication design
• Type design
• User experience (UX) design 
• Game design
• Advertising 
• Retail design
• Information design
• Graphic novels

Program founder and professor of practice, Bahia Shehab (MA '09), gives a short brief about AUC’s graphic design undergraduate program

Faculty Spotlight

Professor of Practice Bahia Shehab (MA ’09) is the founder of the graphic design program at AUC. She lectures on Arab visual culture, design education, and Islamic cultural heritage frequently. Her artwork has been on display in many international exhibitions and has received several international recognition and awards. 

Top Employers

Our alumni have worked for the top companies and agencies in the field, including:

• Matter Branding
• Ntsal 
• JWT
• BBDO
• 40MUSTAQEL