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About The Program

School of Fine Arts

Art (Graphic Design)

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All classes are taught by professors and instructors - not graduate students – and our digital studio and lab classrooms are equipped for:

Web design
Interactive design
Digital photography
Digital illustration
Video design, page design and layout
Typography
2D animation, and
Motion graphics

Enhancing your hands-on learning and creating experience are iMacs, interactive painting monitors, video cameras and sound and digital equipment.

Crowning this comprehensive program is a senior capstone experience, for which graphic design students complete a written thesis, solo exhibition of artwork, statement of purpose and resume.

Northern's successful art-graphic design graduates recently have:

Received the Business Marketing Association Award of Excellence
Been named a 32 Under 32 Advertising Professional by AdFed MN
Received the Best Packaging Design Award from Graphic Design USA magazine
Received Best of Temporary Displays awarded by the Point of Purchase Displays International

Careers

Northern's art students are trained in entrepreneurial thinking as self-starters, problem solvers and innovators, and career paths are varied and plentiful. For graduating seniors, the senior capstone experience includes practical steps and strategies for career planning.

Art-graphic design graduates are prepared to succeed as self-employed professional digital designers, or with marketing, advertising and design agencies, corporate design careers, web-based sales and promotion, private schools, colleges and community centers.

For more information on careers in your major or help choosing a major, contact the NSU Career Center.

Internships

All students gain valuable real-world experience during the required minimum one-semester internship experience. Typical placements include local design agencies and businesses, printing companies and web media companies.

Scholarships

The art department offers a variety of competitive, merit-based awards. Scholarship assistance requires strong academic performance, a minimum GPA of 3.0, and demonstrated potential for academic and career success. Scholarships also are available for minority students and students who excel in specific art disciplines or media.

Fine Art Scholarships

NSU Scholarships

Courses

Graphic Design Course Requirements and Student Learning Outcomes

Plans of Study

Graphic Design Plan of Study

Program Success/Outcomes

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“I am an art major and this is my third year at Northern. I was born in Grand Rapids, Minn., and moved around until my family settled in Wishek, N.D. I am lesbian, I survived a house fire, was homeless for about a week, and was bullied most of my life. I picked Northern because I wanted to get away from my cruel classmates. Northern has been so friendly and inviting. It truly feels like a home away from home. I lived in Jerde Hall my first year and have lived in Briscoe since Jerde was torn down. I used to be president of Art Club on campus and really enjoyed that. I have worked at the campus library all three years. We try to make it a clean and friendly environment for everyone to use. We have study rooms for group work or if you want to get away from the noise, we have a gallery for many different displays, and we have a lot of space for students to study and work. I love the friendly environment of NSU and I am so glad I chose to continue my education here. Go Wolves!" - Brandi Krueger #beNORTHERN #unleashYOURpotential #NorthernStateU

A post shared by Northern State University (@northernstateu) on Mar 13, 2020 at 9:45am PDT

Contact Information

For more information about this degree, call 605-626-2267.

Our Faculty

Derek Decker

Department

Art

School of Fine Arts

Programs

Art (Fine)

Art (Graphic Design)

Art Education

Digital Media (AS)

Digital Media (BFA)

Studio Art

M.F.A., Ceramics - Edinboro University of Pennsylvania

B.F.A., Sculpture - Indiana University

Before to his appointment to NSU, Mr. Derek Decker served on the faculties of the Armory Art Center in West Palm Beach, Florida; Purdue University at Fort Wayne; the University of Saint Francis in Fort Wayne; and Edinboro University of Pennsylvania. He has presented and exhibited throughout the country and garnered a number of prestigious awards and grants in his field.

Alexis Doerr

Department

Art

School of Fine Arts

Programs

Art (Fine)

Art (Graphic Design)

Art Education

Digital Media (AS)

Digital Media (BFA)

Studio Art

M.A., University of Louisville, Louisville, Ky.

B.A., Northern State University, Aberdeen, S.D.

Born and raised in Aberdeen, S.D., Alexis Doerr graduated from Northern State University with a B.A. in art: graphic design specialization and an arts administration certificate. She earned her M.A. in art and art history with a concentration in critical and curatorial studies from the University of Louisville.

Past curatorial projects include “Dialogue As Art,” an affiliation of the nationwide For Freedoms 50 State Initiative. In collaboration with the NSU Art Department, it consisted of an exhibition and panel discussion featuring local artists and community art leaders. “Caprices: Wit & Whimsy” was comprised of prints from the Hite Art Institute print collection at the University of Louisville. She has also published exhibition reviews with “Ruckus,” a critical art review based in Louisville, Ky.

Her research focuses on how the social, economic and physical structures of place influence the art-making process and produce local art styles. This derives from her interest in networking with artists, fostering opportunities for art education, and cultivating community engagement with arts and culture.

Peter Kilian

Department

Art

School of Fine Arts

Programs

Art (Fine)

Art (Graphic Design)

Art Education

Digital Media (AS)

Digital Media (BFA)

Studio Art

MFA in painting and drawing, University of California at Santa Barbara

peterkilian.com

Discipline specialties

Painting

Drawing

Printmaking

I have exhibited my artwork in regional and national venues for more than 25 years, with works in the Knight-Ridder Collection, South Dakota State Art Collection, Contemporary Arts Forum (Santa Barbara) and numerous private collections.

Nadya Preszler

Department

Art

School of Fine Arts

Programs

Art Education

Art (Fine)

Art (Graphic Design)

Digital Media (AS)

Digital Media (BFA)

Studio Art

M.Ed., Lesley University

B.S.Ed., Northern State University

Nadya Preszler graduated from NSU in 1999. A Roscoe, S.D., native, she was a track athlete during her time at Northern. She spent five years teaching art in Marshall, Minn., and five years at Roosevelt High School in Sioux Falls, S.D. At Northern, she concentrates on art education.