Become a Graphic Designer in Miami, Florida
The "Gateway to the Americas", Miami is a city with a rich history, and a bright future. Home to the Miami International University of Art & Design, Miami is a great place to begin your career in graphic design.
Attending graphic design school is a great step forward in your career, and you've probably got some questions. Is there scholarship money available? How long will it take? Where do I start? Let us help you fill in the blanks to any questions you might have.
Below is some basic information about Miami International University of Art & Design's graphic design program. To see if this school is the right fit for you, click on the Request More School Info button, fill out the short questionnaire and a representative from the school will contact you to answer any additional questions about the school, costs, financial aid and how to apply.
Miami International University of Art & Design - Miami
1501 Biscayne Blvd
Miami, FL 33132
About Miami International University of Art & Design
Careers in design-related fields are expected to grow at a rate of nine to seventeen percent in the upcoming years. The demand for graphic, visual effects, and web and interactive media designers from advertisers, publishers, and computer design companies will continue to increase as web-based information and the video entertainment markets expand.
Designers will be needed to facilitate the growth of interactive media and to keep up with the need for web marketing and promotional materials. While employment rates will rise, so will the competition for these exciting and challenging jobs. The Miami International University of Art and Design provides the education and training needed to succeed in the fast-paced, competitive world of design.
Graphic Design Program
Through this 192-credit course of study, graphic designs students will earn a bachelor’s degree, which is essential for obtaining entry-level design positions. In the first four quarters, students will study the basic principles of design and drawing, as well as art history. Students will also focus on computer applications, digital photography, digital layout and illustration, image manipulation, and other computer-related aspects of design.
After the first four quarters, students move onto the next four credits of study and continue working on typography, advance image manipulation, and design for interactive media. Also included in the curriculum are basic web design, design history, publication design, design marketing, and elements of copyrighting. Design majors will spend two quarters working on career development and continue to develop a professional portfolio. They’ll work on senior projects in anticipation of graduation.
In the final quarter, students will complete an internship and also their graphic design capstone, which demonstrates all the knowledge they’ve gained from the program. Students can choose to continue their education by obtaining a Master of Fine Arts in graphic design. Having an advanced degree will give students an edge when pursuing a career.
Students in the master’s program focus on a specialty and can pursue it in more depth. Design history, current topics of style, aesthetics, typography, planning, research, and writing are components of this advanced program. Students will also have more studio time to try new approaches, styles, and media. A bachelor’s degree is sufficient to get entry-level positions in the graphic design field, and a master’s will give students an advantage over the competition. Depending on the major chosen, students will graduate with a Bachelor of Fine Art in Graphic Design, Master of Fine Art in Graphic Design, or Master of Arts in Graphic Design.
Bachelor of Fine Arts - Visual Effects & Motion Graphics
This bachelor’s degree provides students with the background necessary to attain an entry-level job in the broadcast television and film production industry. This 192-credit program focuses on design, shooting, editing, animation, audio, and footage manipulation. Students will learn basics of design, computer applications, digital photography, illustration, and editing.
As the program progresses, students gain an understanding of video production, visual effects and graphics, broadcast graphics, animation, 3D effects, post-production management, and much more. Concluding the visual effects degree, students will compile a professional portfolio and prepare a presentation. They will also get to participate in an internship, gaining practical, real-world experiences. With a bachelor’s degree in visual arts, these students will be able to work in the television or film industry, providing the graphics that make impossible things look possible.
Bachelor of Fine Arts - Web Design & Interactive Media
Interactive designers must be able to use technology, focus on design, and communicate with their target audience. Miami International University of Art and Design offers a rigorous bachelor’s program for students who want to use their creativity and technological knowledge to enter the field of web and interactive media design.
The web and interactive media program teaches students the history of media, nonlinear narratives, media production, accessibility and usability, and technology and tools used in the industry. As in the graphic design and visual effects majors, interactive media students will develop a portfolio that can be used in the search for employment.
A major focus of this degree program is user-centered design, developing interactive communication solutions that are pleasing to the eye and easy to use. Interactive media graduates are prepared to work in a number of fields, from education to manufacturing. Their services are required for sales, marketing, e-commerce, information, and entertainment.
Technical skills are essential to becoming a successful web and interactive media designer. As important are creative problem-solving, strategic planning, and conceptual thinking. Armed with these and their bachelor’s degree, students can find employment in entry-level positions.
In the increasingly competitive field of design, Miami International University of Art and Design will help prepare students to find employment and meet the challenges of their new careers. Dedicated students and those with a passion for their art will have an early lead on the competition with their bachelor’s degrees and training.
Associate of Arts - Accessory Design
A hands-on training program, the Associate of Arts in Accessory Design Degree at Miami International University of Art and Design is designed to prepare graduates for a variety of careers in the field of accessory design. In addition to learning how to create and design a fashion accessory, coursework in the AA - Accessory Design degree program includes footwear design, construction, handbags, small personal goods, jewelry design, and construction. Additionally students will learn about small business management and entrepreneurship in order to develop a strong foundation of understanding for the accessory design industry.
Associate of Arts or Bachelor of Fine Arts - Fashion Design
The Bachelor of Fine Arts in Fashion Design focuses on the fundamentals of fashion design. At Miami International University of Art & Design, the Fashion Design program is also available in an Associate of Arts degree format. Coursework in the Fashion Design program includes instruction in creative design, fashion illustration, draping, pattern drafting, sewing, and construction. In addition, students learn basic skills such as flat pattern drafting and draping, and the basic skills of construction. A hands-on training program, the BFA in Fashion Design program gives students the opportunity to present their collections at competitions and fashion shows, giving them career-based educational opportunities in a supportive learning environment.
Associate of Arts or Bachelor of Arts - Fashion Merchandising
The Associate of Arts in Fashion Merchandising degree program lasts two years, and is designed to equip graduates with the skills needed in order to pursue employment in this exciting industry.This program is also available as a Bachelor of Arts in Fashion Merchandising degree format. Hands-on instruction is a benchmark of the AA and BA in Fashion Merchandising program at Miami International University of Art and Design, and coursework includes simulated buying sessions, fashion history, marketing seminars, and mock promotional campaigns.
Bachelor of Arts - Advertising
Infusing vital communication skills with marketing, design, and business components, the Bachelor of Arts in Advertising program is a 36 month program that will prepare students for positions in advertising, in addition to entry-level employment as a advertising artist, creative director, or account executive.
Beginning with the fundamentals of color and design, this program includes instruction on media skills, and culminates with the formation of an advertising campaign that includes various aspects of media, with the goal of moving an audience towards a desired action.
Bachelor of Fine Arts or MAster of Fine Arts - Computer Animation
Consisting of 192 credit hours at the Bachelor's degree level, and 90 credit hours in the Master of Fine Arts degree program, the Computer Animation curriculum centers around the study or 2D and 3D animation techniques, life-drawing, perspective, and human anatomy. While the discussions and study are more advanced in the Master of Fine Arts in Computer Animation degree program, the Bachelor of Fine Arts in Computer Animation course of study also includes a variety of media, including software, paper, and pencil.
Bachelor of Fine Arts - Film & Digital Production
Preparing graduates to pursue employment as a freelance professional in short films, commercials, music videos, and feature films, the Bachelor of Fine Arts in Film & Digital Production degree from Miami International University of Art & Design is a great way to enter this exciting career field.
In addition to developing the professional protocol necessary for the film and video industry, the BFA in Film & Digital Production degree program focuses on the culture, principles of narrative filmmaking, and discipline needed in order to purse a career in this lucrative business.
Master of Fine Arts - Film
Consisting of 90 credit-hours, the Master of Fine Arts in Film degree from Miami International University of Art & Design is geared towards giving students a working knowledge of the film industry, including production, exhibition, and writing. Learning the basics of film criticism and film theory, students of the MFA in Film degree program will be well-prepared to teach at the collegiate level, or in the film industry.
Bachelor of Fine Arts - Interior Design
Crafted to teach students the business and art aspects that drive the advertising industry, the BFA in Advertising program deals with the techniques, product, and impact of this exciting industry. Working alongside graphic design students, students in the Advertising program will learn the business of the industry, copywriting, and public relations skills. Graduates of this program are prepared to seek employment in this exciting field.
Bachelor of Fine Arts - Photography
A 36 month program that includes 180 quarter-credits, the BFA in Photography program focuses on traditional and digital technical skills. In additions to learning to digitally retouch, combine, and alter images with state-of-the-art equipment and software, students of this program will enter the business world with a solid business plan of their own. Graduates will be prepared to seek employment at newspapers, studios, stock photo houses, and magazines.
Bachelor of Fine Arts - Visual & Entertainment Arts
Consisting of 192 credit hours, the Bachelor of Fine Arts in Visual & Entertainment Arts degree from Miami International University of Art & Design is a great way to pursue a career in one of the fastest growing art fields. Training graduates to create artwork that is both resonant and complex/deep in design, the BFA in Visual & Entertainment Arts degree is hands-on in nature, taught by a faulty who are excited about sharing their experience, knowledge, and passion for art.
Bachelor of Science - Audio Production
A Bachelor of Science degree program, the Audio Production curriculum at Miami International University of Art & Design is designed to give graduates the skills needed in order to pursue a career as a audio technician, producer, or other audio-related career field. Starting with the industry practices and theoretical concepts of audio production, the BS in Audio Production degree curriculum also includes hands-on instruction in the areas of production and audio engineering.
Licensing and Accreditation
Miami International University of Art and Design is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools for its associate’s, bachelor’s, and master’s degrees in fine arts. The Foundation for Interior Design Education Research (FIDOR) also accredits the University.
Faculty and Facilities
Offering students the technology, instruction, tools, and space needed to succeed in a design career, Miami University is located in one building on the corner of 15th Street and Biscayne Boulevard in Miami, in the former Omni Building. Directly behind the University is the Miami Women’s Club, which provides more studio space.
Students have access to state-of-the-art technology in 14 computer labs, which have both PC and Mac programs. Studio space, lecture halls, gallery, administrative offices, student cafeteria and lounge share space in the building. A vast and well-stocked library is on the second floor. Students can park in a student/faculty parking garage. Public transportation is also convenient, with bus and metro stops across the street.
Financial Aid
Students can complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which allots loan and grant monies for college students. The Miami International University Financial Aid office will help students develop a payment plan for their educational expenses, with affordable monthly payments.
Going to College in Miami, Florida
Miami is the major city in southern Florida with a population of over 400,000. The city is the centerpiece of the South Florida metro area which has a population of 5.5 million people. Consequently, Miami and the other cities in the metro area comprise the 5th most populous in the United States.
Miami is considered a “world city” due to its prominence as a financial and cultural center. The city also has major cultural ties to Latin America and the Caribbean.The area has a very large Hispanic population with many ties to South America and Central America. As a result, Miami is an important financial center for these Latin American countries.
The port of Miami is one of the largest in the U.S. It is the number one passenger cruise port in the world and has been for quite some time. Many of the largest and most luxurious cruise ships depart from Miami regularly and most of the large cruise lines operate here.
Miami is experiencing phenomenal growth and a tremendous building boom. Dozens of high rises are under construction and the skyline of the city has been ranked third behind New York and Chicago. With this dramatic growth, the future looks very bright for aspiring graphic designers seeking to attend school in this region.
More Information
If you are interested in this program and would like to find out more, please request information from Miami International University of Art & Design - Miami, Florida.
