Graphic Design AAA Degree

Home
Programs
Graphic Design AAA Degree

Unleash Your Creativity

In graphic design, you use your creativity to turn ideas into eye-catching visuals that inspire and communicate. Every project lets you express yourself, bringing unique visions to life through colors, shapes, and design.

Apply at Hawkeye Today

Graphic Design at a Glance

Degree

Associate of Applied Arts

Length of Study

2 Years

Course Format

Face-to-Face

Classes Meets

Daytime

Program Start

Fall

Your Graphic Design Career

Get ready for a career you will love. After you graduate from Hawkeye’s Graphic Design program, you can get jobs as:

Advertising designers
Art directors
Creative directors
Freelance designers
Illustrators
Layout artists
Logo designers
Multimedia designers
Web designers

Succeed at Hawkeye

Program Spotlight Graphic Design at Hawkeye

Explore your creativity and get hands-on training in graphic design for print, web, and media.

Play

Graduate Spotlight Julia Heise

Julia Heise, who loves creating things, chose to study Graphic Design at Hawkeye, where her instructors helped her learn industry skills and land her first design job.

Play

Program Overview

You can become an artist with a regular paycheck. Turn your love of design into a career through Hawkeye’s Graphic Design program.

Your expertise will grow as you tackle all aspects of the design process, including:

Principles and elements of graphic design
Print publication design and layout
Website design and layout
Interactive media design
Illustration
Photo manipulation
Project management

Explore Courses, Details, and Costs

Get hands-on experience using industry standard software, including Adobe Creative Cloud, in the Mac Lab.

In graphic design courses, you learn to design and publish ads, brochures, logos, magazine covers, packaging, posters, vehicle wraps, and other types of multi-panel or multi-page print publications.

In web design courses, you learn to design and develop responsive and interactive websites displayed on mobile, tablet, and desktop devices using the latest web design technologies.

Field trips to advertising agencies, design studios, and printing companies will help you learn about the industry, and grow your network.

Beef up your portfolio as you develop print and web projects throughout the program. You will even have your portfolio reviewed by industry professionals.

This program qualifies for the Future Ready Iowa Last-Dollar Scholarship and will pay up to 100% of your tuition.

You must apply for, be awarded, and meet the ongoing eligibility requirements for the Last-Dollar Scholarship.

This is a partial list of companies that hire Graphic Design graduates:

Almon, Inc., Dubuque, IA
AMPERAGE Marketing, Cedar Falls, IA
Jack Henry & Associates, Inc., Cedar Falls, IA
John Deere, Moline, IL
J.W. Morton & Associates, Cedar Rapids, IA
McCullough Creative, Dubuque, IA
Mudd Advertising, Cedar Falls, IA
North Forty, Hiawatha, IA
Scientific Games Interactive/Williams Interactive SoCaMo, Cedar Falls, IA
Spinutech, Cedar Falls, IA
VGM Forbin & VGM Creative, Waterloo, IA

You can get right to work after your program. Or, if you plan to earn an associate degree and go on to earn a bachelor’s degree, consider your transfer options.

There is a documented pathway from Graphic Design to the Graphic Technology and Technology Management programs at the University of Northern Iowa. Check out UNI’s Transfer Guides to learn more.

Hawkeye also has transfer relationships with Iowa State University, the University of Iowa, Mount Mercy University, Upper Iowa University, Simpson College, and Wartburg College.

If you’re interested in transferring, you must work closely with a program advisor here and at the transfer institution. This is important to ensure courses transfer and you meet program requirements.

Plan your transfer

Explore Courses, Details, and Costs

How to Get Started

It’s simple! Complete these steps:

Check the status of your application at any time by logging into your admissions account.

Program Admission Requirements

Assessment Scores

To enroll this program, you’ll need to meet the minimum score requirements.

	ALEKS	ACCUPLACER Next Generation	ACCUPLACER Classic	COMPASS	ACT	GPA
Math	6	240 Arithmetic 241 Quantitative Reasoning, Algebra, and Statistics (QAS)	40 Arithmetic	24 Pre-Algebra	14	2.00
Literacy		239 Reading or 240 Writing	58 Reading or 64 Sentence Skills	69 Reading or 41 Writing	16 Reading or 16 English	2.25

You can take the ALEKS Placement Assessment online. If you prefer, you can take the ACCUPLACER Next Generation or ACT at Hawkeye. While ACCUPLACER Classic and COMPASS aren’t offered anymore, you can still use your scores from those tests if you took them before for program admission.

If you don’t meet the minimum score requirements, you can take success courses instead. Talk to your academic advisor to help you find the right courses to get started.

Program Acceptance

If you meet the assessment score requirements, you can be accepted into the program.

If you don't meet these requirements, you’ll be accepted into a Pre-Program. As a pre-program student, you’ll start by taking general education and prerequisite classes. Your academic advisor will help you make a plan to meet the program requirements. After finishing your pre-program courses, contact Admissions to let them know.