Graphic Design Major
At A Glance
Program Type
Bachelor of Arts (BA)
Accreditation
Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU)
Experience
100% of art and design students complete an internship in their field before they graduate
Award-Winning
First place in District XI’s 2024 American Advertising Federation’s National Student Advertising Competition
Ready to advance your creative career? As a George Fox design student, you will learn how to navigate the complete design process to create visual impact with a Christ-centered approach.
Learn how to use your creative voice by integrating faith and design to master your skills. Our graphic design students develop real-world experience through internships with companies and organizations that are leading the way, including Sprout Box, Nike and more. You will also gain full access to national organizations such as AIGA, the premier network for the creative industry.
National Student Advertising Competition
George Fox students have quickly established themselves as a perennial contender at the National Student Advertising Competition (NSAC), the nation’s premier collegiate advertising competition.
In their 2024 debut, a team of 25 students earned first place in District XI with a campaign for Tide. They followed with a second-place finish in 2025, developing a $75 million campaign for AT&T and presenting to industry leaders, including a chief marketing officer.
In 2026, George Fox again placed high, placing a close second after creating a national campaign for the NFL’s youth wellness initiatives. The team finished just behind the University of Oregon and ahead of several major regional programs, including Washington State University, Boise State University and Gonzaga.
In just three years, George Fox has cemented its reputation among peers and professionals as one of the top programs in the district.
Find Guidance with Faculty Mentors
Guided by faculty mentors, you’ll gain the expertise needed to become a creative, visually astute designer, knowledgeable in market-influenced and research-driven design practices. As a graduate, your real-world foundations will enable you to grow within a continually evolving, dynamic profession.
Our program has been built through careful study of the marketplace and is structured to offer students exposure to the methods and techniques that will be expected of them as they seek out professional opportunities.
Program Distinctives Why Study Graphic Design at George Fox?
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Benefit from a depth of coursework not common at other liberal arts and Christian colleges, including Creative Suite, a project-based course that focuses on intermediate to advanced techniques employed in the creation of raster-based images for use in illustration and design projects.
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Apply your creative mind to create images that communicate thoughts and address cultural issues, leading to a career that is creatively satisfying and meaningful.
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Participate in solo or group showcases and competitions, including YLW, which connects art industry professionals to students at a showcase at Wieden+Kennedy.
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Get the chance to take part in multiple community-based events, including an art retreat where majors travel to the Oregon Coast to spend a weekend of artmaking, worship and getting to know one another.
Courses / Curriculum What Will I Study?
Our spaces/Where Will I Learn?
Art & Cinematic Arts Building
Create and collaborate in open studio spaces designed for studio arts, illustration and cinematic arts students. Art students work in a large ceramics and pottery studio, dedicated glass and sculpture spaces, and a partially covered courtyard with a kiln for hands-on making.
Cinematic arts students can edit video, record audio, film in a studio space, and share their work in a dedicated screening theater.
Located between the Maker Hub and Pennington Residence Hall, this 6,000-square-foot facility gives you the space to create and gain industry experience.
Career Outlook What’s After George Fox
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, a 7% growth rate is expected in web and digital design between 2024 and 2034. Students trained in multimedia design applications, UI/UX design, web design and print media are highly employable. In addition to hiring freelance designers, most organizations also employ a team of in-house designers, which continues to drive the job market upwards.
Our students have gone on to launch design studios, work for design agencies (Faceout Design), and be in-house designers as part of major tech groups (Zendesk).
- Nike
- Ford Motors
- A-dec
- Bench Craft Company
- Stanton Studios
- Disney Cruise Line
- Kaitlyn J Photography
- Pivot Group
- Copper River Design
- Harvest House Publishing
100% of art and design students at George Fox complete an internship in their field before they graduate. Partners have also provided mentorship to students for one-off projects. Here's where some of our student interned in recent academic years:
- Portland Pickles Baseball
- GD Loft
- Jem 100
- Oceanway Church (Jacksonville, Florida)
- Calvary Christian Center (Ormond Beach, Florida)
- Daytona Beach Dream Center
- Troutman’s Little Treehouse
- Red Hills Church
- Cliff Creek
- SE Calvary Chapel
- Philadelphia Dream Center
- Oregon State University
- Columbia College Chicago
- Kent State University
- Washington State University
- University College London, England
‘Hope Dealers’
Standing like a jewel amidst the rubble of the Kensington area of Pennsylvania’s largest city, the Philadelphia Dream Center has become a beacon of hope for the hopeless – the addicts, the homeless, the hungry and the trafficked.
The formerly abandoned Catholic church – complete with vaulted ceilings and ornate stained-glass windows – has been transformed into a place of restoration, healing and soul care. Through its many-faceted outreaches, including an after-school program, a food truck ministry, a nondenominational church and a human trafficking support group, the center is, as founder David Dominguez describes it, “a place where God-given dreams are awakened in the birthplace of America.”
It was into this setting that a group of George Fox graphic designers, illustrators and studio artists from the School of Communication and Design traveled for a weeklong “SpiL Trip” – pilgrimages dedicated to immersing students in the contexts of others to learn and serve alongside ministry partners.
Ashley Sills
Class of 2025
One of the most notable things about this school is the sense of community found in the art department. I felt out of place before switching majors, and I didn't really have a group to belong to. However, when I joined the art department here, I felt a piece of myself fall into place. The entire department was such an encouragement to me, and I felt as if I was truly meant to be there. Lisa Gadinas and Chandler Brutscher were especially notable within the department, always providing support for me and encouraging me to grow in both my career and vocation.
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