BFA in Graphic Design

Bachelor of Fine Arts 2024 through2025

Graphic Design


About the Program

Students in the BFA Graphic Design program are forbidden from minoring in Graphic Design.

Curriculum Requirements

First Year

  • ART 106
  • FILM 265 (Recommended)
    OR ART 224
  • GD 101
  • GD 105
  • GD 109 (2 quarter hours of credit)
  • GD 150 (2 quarter hours of credit)
  • GD 200
  • GD 230
  • UXD 101
    OR ANI 101
Liberal Studies Requirements
  • LSP 110
    OR LSP 111
  • WRD 103
  • WRD 104
  • 2 Arts & Literature

Second Year

  • GAM 240
  • GD 110
  • GD 151 (2 quarter hours of credit)
  • GD 152 (2 quarter hours of credit)
  • GD 201
  • GD 205
  • GD 210
  • GD 220
  • Eight (8) credit hours of Major Electives
Liberal Studies Requirements
  • MAT 120
  • LSP 200
  • 1 Historical Inquiry
  • 1 Philosophical Inquiry

Third Year

  • ANI 361
    OR POST 110
    OR UXD 210
  • GD 215
    OR GD 216
  • GD 221
  • GD 232
  • GD 270
  • GD 300
  • GD 330
  • Twelve (12) credit hours of Major Electives
Liberal Studies Requirements
  • 1 Experiential Learning GD 380 (Recommended)

Fourth Year

  • GD 340
  • GD 356
  • GD 360
  • GD 381
  • GD 394
    AND GD 395
  • Eight (8) credit hours of Major Electives
Liberal Studies Requirements
  • 1 Religious Dimensions
  • 1 Scientific Inquiry Lab
  • 1 Social, Cultural and Behavioral Inquiry

Major Electives

Students must complete 28 Major Elective credit hours from any undergraduate courses in CDM or the College of Business, or from PRAD in the College of Communication. Students must earn a grade of C- or higher in all major elective courses.

Students must earn a grade of C- or higher in all major elective courses.

Open Electives

Open Elective Credit Hours are required to meet the minimum graduation requirements of 208 hours. Open electives may be taken from any unit at DePaul.

Liberal Studies

The Liberal Studies program is the general education portion of the curriculum at DePaul University. Students must earn a grade of D or better in all courses taken to satisfy these requirements. The only exception is the Capstone course which is considered also a major requirement and WRD 103 and WRD 104 in which students need to earn a C- or better.

Students may choose to take some CDM courses that carry Liberal Studies credit but they cannot double count them if they are part of the major requirements. A complete list of courses that carry Liberal Studies credit can be found on the Liberal Studies website along with an overview of the Liberal Studies requirements for this program. Students can search for courses that satisfy a particular Liberal Studies requirement on campusconnect.

Although students are free to take course requirements in any order they choose, provided they have mastered the course-specific prerequisites, it is strongly recommended that students follow these year-by-year suggestions, especially regarding the first-year major courses.

Courses offered in the student's primary major cannot be taken to fulfill LSP Domain requirements.

Degree Requirements

Students in this degree must meet the following requirements

  • complete a minimum of 208 credit hours (generally 54 courses)
  • Earn a grade of C- or higher in WRD 103, WRD 104, and all Major and Minor courses
  • Earn a grade of D or higher in all other Liberal Studies and Open Elective courses
  • maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher

Students who earn a cumulative DePaul University GPA

  • between 3.500 and 3.699 will graduate cum laude
  • between 3.700 and 3.849 will graduate magna cum laude
  • of at least 3.850 will graduate summa cum laude

For DePaul's policy on repeat courses and a complete list of academic policies see the DePaul Undergraduate Handbook in the Course Catalog.