Course Description

In the world of print—and increasingly digital—design, good looks are everything. Fortunately, creating professional content for your clients, employer, or even yourself, is made easier by understanding the fundamental concepts provided in our unique and streamlined Graphic Design Certificate.

In our fully online program, we will cover the identification of multiple principles and elements within good design—color theory, composition, typography and more—while demonstrating how artistic decisions can create cohesive, expressive branding through the use of templates and style guides. We’ll also work within various Adobe Creative Suite software programs to explore effective visual communication strategies and best practices. Throughout the program, you’ll complete multiple assignments designed to help you start building a portfolio of your work and a personal brand to demonstrate your skills to prospective clients or employers.

Students must have an active subscription to Adobe Creative Cloud or access to Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign to successfully complete this course. Membership to Adobe Creative Cloud is not included in tuition. 

Included in tuition, students will receive access to 15 Adobe Stock images per month for the duration of the program. Students are responsible for purchasing three textbooks, linked below. We recommend ordering the Book + Web Edition or eBook option, based on your preference for a physical or digital copy.

REQUIRED TEXTBOOKS

• Adobe Photoshop Classroom in a Book (2025 Release)
• Adobe Illustrator Classroom in a Book (2025 Release)
• Adobe InDesign Classroom in a Book (2025 Release) 

Learner Outcomes

After successfully completing this certificate program, students will be able to:

• Describe the differences between raster and vector graphics, as well as identify when to use each type
• Justify design decisions using their knowledge of color, composition, typography, and information hierarchy
• Conceptualize and create clear visual solutions for complex communication problems in both print and digital media
• Address real-world design challenges that accommodate multiple revisions and stakeholders
• Critique, edit and refine their own and others’ work at a high level

REGISTRATION FOR THIS COURSE CLOSES ON: September 17th 2026 at 3PM EST