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  • Graphic Design|Media Arts Student.
    96% Graduate Employment/Transfer rate
    That's right! Ninety-six percent of SCC's 2021 graduates found work or continued their education.
    Graduate Report
    Graphic Design|Media Arts Student.
    96% Graduate Employment/Transfer rate
    That's right! Ninety-six percent of SCC's 2021 graduates found work or continued their education.
    Graduate Report
    Graphic Design|Media Arts Student Work.
    Graphic Design | Media Arts  
    Examples of student work.
    Student Work.
    Graphic Design|Media Arts Student.
    96% Graduate Employment/Transfer rate
    That's right! Ninety-six percent of SCC's 2021 graduates found work or continued their education.
    Graduate Report
    Frequently asked questions.
    Graphic Design | Media Arts  
    Frequently asked questions
    FAQ
     

Graphic Design Media Arts

  •  Estimated Cost: $12,672

    Program Length: 4 semesters

    Locations: ESQ

    Start Term(s): Fall

    Awards Offered: AAS

    Program Description

    Applications to the Graphic Design | Media Arts program's 2021 Fall Semester have closed. Learn more about the application process!

    If you have an artistic mind and enjoy solving problems, the Graphic Design|Media Arts program is for you. You will graduate from our program with the technical skills and fundamental conceptual theories and techniques needed to produce compelling visual messages.

    A form of visual communication commonly used in marketing and advertising to solve problems, graphic designers work with typography, color, and graphics to design: advertising campaigns, magazines, book covers, annual reports, brand identities, websites, mobile application interfaces, package designs, and so much more.

    Our program is a Monday-Thursday, block-scheduled program at our Education Square location in downtown Lincoln. You will work at an individual workstation in our graphic design lab to learn design thinking and the creative process. Our classroom simulates a real-world, work environment by having you do all the steps in the design process including research, creating and giving oral and written presentations as an individual and in a team. Your finished design project becomes part of your professional portfolio.

    Graphic Design|Media Arts is a technical, portfolio driven, accelerated program. You should have strong spatial skills which will be demonstrated through the Visual Awareness Assessment and portfolio. This assessment will help us gauge your analytical, creative and divergent thinking skills. You will be successful in our GD|MA program if you:

    • have the ability to draw and capture your ideas on paper
    • pay attention to detail and craftsmanship
    • have experience using computer programs like Adobe Creative Suite and are comfortable working at a computer for long periods of time
    • are comfortable receiving constructive feedback and criticism
    • can critically think about a problem
    • have strong time management skills and the ability to meet deadlines
    • are self-driven and able to work on a team in a fast-paced, changing industry
    • want to continue to learn new and update your design skills
    Our GDMA program accepts a new cohort once per year in August. Acceptance to the program is based on a selection process outlined on this Program Admissions Checklist (PDF). All incoming students must participate in a program-specific orientation to secure their seat.

    Graphic design is one of today's fastest-growing fields. Everywhere you look you see the work of graphic designers. Recent SCC graduates report an average starting annual salary of $35,776*. Career options in Graphic Design|Media Arts include:

    • Graphic Designer
    • Front-End Web Developer
    • Interactive Designer
    • Production Artist
    • Package Designer
    • Web Designer

    *To obtain a sample large enough to report, salary information is based on graduates from 2020 and 2021

    GD|MA has skilled instructors who have worked in the Lincoln and Omaha area at design agencies, in-house, and freelance.

    Nicholas Burroughs

    As the program chair of the GDMA program, and an instructor, Nicholas works with students not only on a daily basis, but throughout their time in the program. He enjoys teaching students the fundamental principles of design, as well as what to expect in the professional design world.

    Nicholas has over a decade of experience as a professional designer including stints at large advertising agencies and small design studios within Nebraska, and has worked with clients as large as Sephora, and Twitch. Throughout this time he also operated his own small design business, working with various businesses and local non-profits.

    Prior to teaching at SCC Nicholas taught several classes at Metropolitan Community College in Omaha, NE.

    Nicholas Burroughs
    Program Chair
    402-323-3478
    nburroughs@southeast.edu

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    For more information about the post-graduation achievements of SCC Graduates as well as average starting salaries, refer to the annual Graduate Report.

    For information about the methodologies used to gather the post-graduation student achievement data contained in the annual Graduate Report, refer to the Institutional Research page or contact ir@southeast.edu.

  • What Students Are Saying

    “My experience at SCC was unlike any other college experience I’ve had. Not only did I learn more than I ever imagined, I also made great relationships with classmates and professionals. Combining all of that, GD|MA helped me understand how to be successful after college. I would suggest the program at SCC to anyone wanting strong skills in design and Web development to further their career in the industry.”
    Holly Johnson – @ University of Nebraska

    “GD|MA is the most intense 18-month program, but it has equipped me with practical knowledge and experiences. The block-based program helped build close relationships, which allowed us to encourage each other while still providing grounding and appropriate criticism among the students. My group was dedicated and ready to take on the challenges of the program, taking our education seriously. This environment pushed us to do our best. The faculty cared and continually encouraged me to improve through thorough, constructive feedback.”
    Spenser Hazard

    “Completing the GD|MA program has been one of the most difficult and rewarding tasks I have ever accomplished. SCC offers the most comprehensive and intensive program in the state, squeezing more into 18 months than traditional programs fit into four years. As someone who has a lot of experience with academics and different types of programs, I needed to make the most of my time and learn as much as possible. I wasn’t sure what to expect from the GD|MA classes, but I was amazed by the amount of material we learned in such a short time and by the wide array of topics we covered, from typography and publication design to intensive training in Web design and coding practices. I have gained more experience and training here at SCC than I would have anywhere else in the state, and I was able to do it in half the time of a typical program.”
    Stacie Kotschwar - @ University of Nebraska

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