California Institute of the Arts
Graphic Design Specialization

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California Institute of the Arts

Graphic Design Specialization

Make Compelling Design. Learn and apply the principles of graphic design towards a comprehensive branding project.

Anther Kiley
Michael Worthington
Gail Swanlund

Instructors: Anther Kiley

408,455 already enrolled

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Get in-depth knowledge of a subject
4.7

(17,190 reviews)

Beginner level
No prior experience required
2 months
at 10 hours a week
Flexible schedule
Learn at your own pace
Get in-depth knowledge of a subject
4.7

(17,190 reviews)

Beginner level
No prior experience required
2 months
at 10 hours a week
Flexible schedule
Learn at your own pace

What you'll learn

  • Gain the fundamental skills needed to be a graphic designer

  • Communicate through image-making and typography

  • Complete a capstone project to add to your professional portfolio

  • Learn everything you need to know to work in interface design, motion graphics, and editorial design

Details to know

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Taught in English

Prepare for a career as a Graphic Designer

  • Learn in-demand skills from university and industry experts
  • Master a subject or tool with hands-on projects
  • Develop a deep understanding of key concepts
  • Earn a career certificate from California Institute of the Arts
Placeholder
$62,848
median entry-level salary for Graphic Designer¹
38,792
job openings for Graphic Designer in United States¹

Specialization - 5 course series

What you'll learn

  • Implement the fundamentals of color: visual, rhythm, and pattern in design

  • Use scale, weight, direction, texture, and space in a composition

  • Typeset text and experiment with letter forms

  • Create your own series of images using different image making techniques

Skills you'll gain

Category: Adobe Indesign
Category: Adobe Photoshop
Category: Graphics
Category: Color Theory
Introduction to Typography

Introduction to Typography

Course 28 hours

What you'll learn

  • Review the terminology and measuring system used to describe type

  • Explore how typefaces tell stories and understand the historic evolution

  • Conduct a peer-reviewed typesetting exercise

  • Design of a full-scale typographic poster

Skills you'll gain

Category: Adobe Indesign
Category: Computer Graphics
Category: Adobe Illustrator
Category: Graphic Design
Category: Graphics
Category: History
Category: Creativity
Introduction to Imagemaking

Introduction to Imagemaking

Course 311 hours

What you'll learn

  • Make informed design choices using image-based research

  • Create ranges of representation using images

  • Compose spreads for your own book

  • Design a book with your own images

Skills you'll gain

Category: Art History
Category: Graphic Arts
Category: Graphic Design
Category: History

What you'll learn

  • Learn about the history of graphic design

  • Understand the emergence of design as a recognized practice

  • Learn about graphic design radicalism in late 1950s to early 1970s

  • Make informed design choices

Skills you'll gain

Category: Adobe Indesign
Category: Art
Category: Graphics
Category: Creativity
Brand New Brand

Brand New Brand

Course 524 hours

What you'll learn

  • Synthesize typography, imagemaking, composition and systematic thinking skills through ideation, invention, and conceptualization

  • Demonstrate visual research and development skills through the creation of a Brand Development Guide

  • Expand a brand identity's palette through the inclusion of graphic marks or icons, color, secondary typefaces, and/or images

Skills you'll gain

Category: Interactive Design
Category: Computer Graphics
Category: Graph Theory
Category: Graphic Design
Category: Design Theory
Category: Graphics
Category: Design and Product
Category: Communication
Category: Creativity
Category: Computer Graphic Techniques
Category: Color Theory

Earn a career certificate

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Instructors

Anther Kiley
1 Course179,436 learners
Michael Worthington
8 Courses1,118,411 learners

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Frequently asked questions

¹ Median salary and job opening data are sourced from Lightcast™ Job Postings Report. Content Creator, Machine Learning Engineer and Salesforce Development Representative (1/1/2024 - 12/31/2024) All other job roles (4/1/2024 - 4/1/2025)