University of North Texas

The College of Visual Arts and Design (CVAD) at the University of North Texas offers a rigorous and thoughtfully crafted Communication Design curriculum that prepares students for successful careers in graphic design. CVAD is one of the nation’s most comprehensive visual arts schools and a leader in the Southwest, with state-of-the-art facilities that include studios, a fabrication lab, and a visual resources library.

The program begins with a foundational year, during which students develop visual problem-solving and critical-thinking skills while exploring art, culture, history, and interdisciplinary practices. Admission to the Graphic Design track is a competitive, two-step process. In their first year, students participate in a candidacy review, submitting a 6–10-piece portfolio, completing a design-thinking worksheet, and completing an in-person interview. This work is evaluated by the Graphic Design faculty, and approximately 60 students advance to the introductory ComDes courses. At the end of this course, students undergo a second portfolio review, with the top 40 candidates officially admitted into the Graphic Design track. Graduates of UNT’s Communication Design program are highly sought after, earning positions at leading design firms, advertising agencies, and corporate studios nationwide.

Located in Denton, a vibrant college town with a thriving arts and music scene, UNT is just 40 miles north of Dallas, a major hub for design and cultural opportunities. Established in 1890, UNT is a Carnegie Tier One research university with more than 40,760 students. cvad.unt.edu

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The College of Visual Arts and Design (CVAD) offers a rigorous and thoughtfully crafted Communication Design curriculum that prepares students for successful careers in graphic design. CVAD is one of the nation’s most comprehensive visual arts schools and a leader in the Southwest, with state-of-the-art facilities that include studios, a fabrication lab, and a visual resources library.

The program begins with a foundational year, during which students develop visual problem-solving and critical-thinking skills while exploring art, culture, history, and interdisciplinary practices. Admission to the Graphic Design track is a competitive, two-step process. In their first year, students participate in a candidacy review, submitting a 6–10-piece portfolio, completing a design-thinking worksheet, and completing an in-person interview. This work is evaluated by the Graphic Design faculty, and approximately 60 students advance to the introductory ComDes courses. At the end of this course, students undergo a second portfolio review, with the top 40 candidates officially admitted into the Graphic Design track. Graduates of UNT’s Communication Design program are highly sought after, earning positions at leading design firms, advertising agencies, and corporate studios nationwide.

Located in Denton, a vibrant college town with a thriving arts and music scene, UNT is just 40 miles north of Dallas, a major hub for design and cultural opportunities. Established in 1890, UNT is a Carnegie Tier One research university with more than 40,760 students.

cvad.unt.edu

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GDUSA Digital Magazine: April 2026

FEATURE Highlight

"The BFA program in Communication Design is guided by a curriculum that emphasizes the development of conceptual thinking that mirrors the challenges found in the graphic design industry. The undergraduate curriculum offers graphic design and usercentered design concentrations that help students develop marketable skills and deep knowledge for diverse design settings. Our students’ work is competitive globally, having garnered recognition from significant design competitions. A nationally and internationally recognized community of faculty and networked alumni provide students with excellent mentors and role models upon which to pattern their careers. The College of Visual Arts and Design creates a climate and curriculum that values, demonstrates, and affirms diversity, equity, and inclusion through its programs and practices. UNT is in Denton TX, part of the greater Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex."

Contact: cvad.unt.edu