Are you passionate about graphic design and looking to pursue a career in this creative field? Chicago is a city teeming with opportunities for aspiring graphic designers.
Chicago boasts a vibrant graphic design scene, with many well-renowned institutions offering comprehensive design programs. From art schools to universities, the city provides a wide range of educational options to suit every aspiring designer's needs. Additionally, you'll find various graphic design lessons online and workshops that cover specific aspects of graphic design, allowing you to refine your skills and stay up-to-date with industry trends.
Internships are also a crucial stepping stone towards a successful career in graphic design. Luckily, Chicago is home to numerous design agencies, advertising firms, and creative studios that offer valuable internship opportunities.
Let’s explore the many options of art schools and graphic design companies in Chicago for advancing your education and experience in design!
Best Graphic Design Schools in Chicago
Chicago is home to a myriad of great schools in lots of subjects, and the arts are one of them! Here are some of the best institutions to attend for a bachelor's degree in graphic design in Chicago.
Columbia College Chicago
Columbia College offers both a BA and a BFA in Graphic Design with optional concentrations in publication design or web design. Students can also double-major or minor in a related subject like illustration, creative advertising, motion graphics, and user experience. Students study subjects such as design thinking, typography, website design, packaging design, and a college magazine workshop. Students also participate in beneficial internships as part of their education.
DePaul University (Jarvis College of Computing and Digital Media)
DePaul offers an innovative expedited degree option where students can earn a BA/BS and MA/MS in about 6 years. The BFA in Graphic Design degree can be combined with areas of study like communication and media, digital communication and media arts, animation, game programming, marketing, and many others! Students can also choose from many minors including animation, game design, illustration, motion graphics, and user experience design.
Students also complete a capstone and portfolio development class before graduation to prepare for further education, internships, and employment.
School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC)
The Visual Communication Department is home to the BFA in Studio program at SAIC. Students can concentrate their efforts on graphic design courses within the degree’s structure and can even opt to complete a thesis. SAIC is known for being a premiere fine arts institution where students can unleash their creativity in interdisciplinary studies. With tutoring graphic like type and image in motion, design principles for screen and print, and type technologies, students can learn about graphic design while also following other creative pursuits. One huge benefit of attending SAIC is access to the school’s network of museum studio galleries, materials labs, and resource centers.
University of Illinois Chicago
UI offers a Bachelor of Design in Graphic Design where students complete a capstone and thesis by the end of their education.
Learn Graphic Design Online in Chicago
When you search for online graphic design programs, you open yourself up to education from all over the country. These days, there are many institutions offering comprehensive graphic design courses online where you can earn your bachelor’s degree from home!
Here are just some of the online bachelor graphic design programs to choose from:
Besides attending entire college courses and earning a degree in graphic design, you can also seek out specific education that takes less time and money to complete. Workshops, bootcamps, classes, and tutoring are all great ways to more efficiently learn certain skills and concepts in design that can help you in your art career, or any other field as well!
- Bellevue University - BA in Graphic Design
- Lesley University - BS in Design for User Experience
- Maryville University of St. Louis - BFA in Digital Media
- Liberty University - BFA in Graphic Design
- Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) - BFA in Graphic Design
- Penn State World Campus - BDes in Digital Multimedia Design
According to Forbes.com, around 26% of college degree seekers in 2021 studied exclusively online.
Alternative Graphic Design Learning in Chicago
Finding a place to learn graphic design skills outside of a college degree program is easier in Chicago than in many other places because of the multitudes of artistic institutions. If you’re looking for a resource to learn specific skills or simply take less time and money than a degree program, here are some places you can seek education.
Bootcamps, Workshops, Certificates, and Classes
These shorter (and often more affordable) options are great for people who have less time to dedicate to education and need a flexible schedule. Additionally, they are a great way to boost a certain skill without having to learn a bunch of others, too, as is the case with a comprehensive college course. If you already have some education in design but need help with a specific concept, bootcamps and workshops are a great choice.
Here are some of the local options for this type of class in Chicago.
School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) - Certificate Programs and Adult Continuing Education
Through SAIC, you can take a variety of courses covering multiple topics either as part of a certificate course or as a one-off class.
City Colleges of Chicago
The CCC offers several options in design-related fields for certificate and associate programs.
The Discovery Center
Find a variety of computer and art classes at the Discovery Center to learn some specific skills in the design field.
Loyola University Chicago (School of Continuing & Professional Studies)
The School of Continuing & Professional Studies provides classes in New Media Communication, User Experience Design, and Web Design and Development that students can take and earn a certificate.
General Assembly
Earn a certificate of completion when you finish the Visual Design Short Course from General Assembly.
Designer jobs available in Chicago right now!
American Graphics Institute - Certification in Graphic Design
American Graphics Institute (AGI) provides a comprehensive 112-hour graphic design certificate course, perfect for individuals who prefer learning at their own pace. This program features career guidance and individualized mentoring.
The lessons are conducted live in Boston, MA, and there's the option to join these sessions live via video conferencing. A slightly condensed version of this certificate - the Graphic Design Bootcamp - is also available, offering the same course content but excluding career guidance.
American Graphics Institute - One Day Course in Graphic Design
This one-day program offered by AGI provides a fundamental understanding of graphic design, covering everything from design principles to color theory. What's more, you have the option to retake the class anytime within a year to ensure you've grasped all the vital knowledge it offers! Alongside this, AGI offers various other courses related to graphic design.
Noble Desktop
Explore a diverse range of graphic design courses and bootcamps in-person and online in Chicago at Noble Desktop, all with the convenience of online attendance.
Learn on Your Own
You can learn a lot about graphic design at no cost or for a minimal fee through self-learning. Consider utilizing resources such as YouTube and platforms like Open Culture, Open University, and Class Central for complimentary education on an array of topics related to design. The only caveat in acquiring graphic design skills is the investment required for industry-standard software programs like Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign.
If you have your eye on a specific job or internship at a specific graphic design firm, self-teaching is perfect because you can select the skills required for that exact position and be sure to learn them well, while spending less energy on the skills you won’t really need.
Tutoring & Private Lessons Options
Looking to level up your graphic design skills in a way that’s tailored just for you? Think about finding a local graphic design teacher in Chicago who teaches classes, or maybe seek out an online tutor who knows all the ins and outs of graphic design. Having a private tutor means you get to learn the basics and foundations comprehensively before jumping into the more complex features of design. If there’s something specific you want to get really good at, one-on-one sessions are perfect because you can ask all the questions you want and get individualized help to make sure you completely understand how to utilize your skills.
Superprof is the place to go when you want to find a top-notch graphic design teacher without any hassle. Whether you’re on the hunt for someone right in Chicago to teach you logo design in person, or you’re looking to connect online with a tutor from anywhere around the globe, you can find what you need at Superprof.
The Graphic Design Landscape in Chicago
Chicago's graphic design landscape is as diverse as the city itself, encompassing a range of specialties from digital media to traditional print. There are numerous design clubs (like The Chicago Graphic Design Club), events, conferences, and meetups to facilitate networking and promote learning opportunities for designers at every stage of their careers.
Chicago is home to an impressive array of graphic design firms, each with its unique strengths and focus areas. These firms are not just workplaces; they are incubators for innovation, creativity, and professional growth. Some of the top graphic design companies located in Chicago that have made a mark in the industry include
- Firebelly Design
- Someoddpilot
- ArtVersion
- Concentric Design
- VerdanaBold
- Pivot Design
- Mauge
Finding Graphic Design Internships and Jobs in Chicago
To secure your place as an intern at a graphic design agency in Chicago, there are a few different approaches you can take.
Through Your School
Many internships stem from necessity as a requirement for completing a bachelor’s degree in the design field. In this case, your educational institution should provide assistance like crafting your portfolio, resume, and cover letter, preparing you for interviews, and getting you in contact with some local graphic design firms in Chicago to apply to.
Research Internships and Jobs Online
Search for internships (and graphic design jobs in Chicago) on websites like Indeed, LinkedIn, ZipRecruiter, Prosple, Zippia, Glassdoor, and ArtBound Initiative.
Applying for a Job or Internship at a Graphic Design Company
Even entry-level graphic design jobs in Chicago are considered a specialization since you need to have prior instruction and experience with the tools and concepts beforehand. Therefore, you must prepare a few things when you want to move into the creative industry of graphic design and other related jobs.
Acquire Your Education and Skillsets
While many people choose to attend a degree program to learn graphic design, web design, UX/UI, and other design-related topics, it is possible to learn all these same skills without committing to a college course.
Whether you earn a bachelor’s, masters, or pick up all the same skills through bootcamps, courses, certificates, YouTube, and other means, the important thing is that you can walk the walk when it comes to designing.
You must learn the fundamentals and complex concepts in art, design, and the ones specific to graphic design in print and web.
Design is as much a matter of finding problems as it is solving them.
Bryan Lawson
Build Your Portfolio
Your portfolio is equally important. If you have the education, but not the ability to execute the skills and techniques, you won’t be able to secure a good internship or job (unless they also provide on-the-job training and skills progression and want to take on a designer with room to develop).
No matter what method of education you’ve learned with, be sure to build a comprehensive portfolio showcasing the range of design skills you have. Be sure to put more effort into portfolio pieces that match the role you’re chasing.
For example, if you want to apply to a Chicago web design agency, include in your portfolio examples of your work with Adobe XD, hand-drawn wireframes, problem-solving and exploration sketches, mock websites, and other web design-related work.
Be sure to have your portfolio in both digital and physical form, regardless of the specialty you’re pursuing, so your potential employer can see your expertise and versatility in digital and print format.
Entering the workforce can be intimidating, and plunging into the creative world can feel even more daunting than that. But, if you simply take the time to learn the right skills, practice your craft, build an effective portfolio, and have confidence, you, too, can enter or pivot into the world of graphic design! Living and working in Chicago makes it much easier since there are so many opportunities for creatives in Windy City!
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