Visual Art Studies: Graphic Design

Undergraduate Program

The Graphic Design concentration within AAU鈥檚 B.A. in Visual Art Studies is a practice-driven, studio-based pathway for students who want to design, experiment, collaborate, and build a professional creative portfolio while studying in Prague. Work on real design briefs, develop skills in branding, typography, UX/UI, editorial design, and motion graphics, and graduate in just three years with a U.S. and EU accredited bachelor鈥檚 degree.

Career Prospects
About the Program
What You'll Create
Program Structure
Financial Aid & Scholarships

Accreditations	WASC + NABHE
Degree	Bachelor of Arts
Duration	3 years
Location	Prague, CZ
Tuition EU	35 856 USD
Tuition NON-EU	41 256 USD
Intake	Fall / Spring
Deadline	Rolling Admission

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Note: This amount represents the total cost for the full degree.

Highlights

Build a professional portfolio through studio-based projects from the beginning of your studies.
Learn branding, typography, UX/UI, motion graphics, editorial design, digital content, and emerging design tools.
Work on briefs, pitches, feedback, and visual problem-solving in a studio-style learning environment.
Receive close mentoring and regular individual feedback in a smaller first-intake cohort.
Study in Prague, a city shaped by visual culture, architecture, creative industries, and international influences.

Career Prospects

What Careers Can You Pursue With a Graphic Design Concentration?

User Experience (UX) and User Interface (UI) design
Digital product, web, app, and game interface design
Motion graphics, film, and video production
Editorial, book, and publishing design
Advertising
Branding, brand strategy, packaging, and marketing communication
Social media design and content creation
Environmental graphics, exhibition, and wayfinding design
Information design, data visualization, and service design
Illustration, typography, and typeface design
3D design, animation, and game development
Creative technology and emerging media
Design research, speculative design, and design consulting
NGO, public sector, and civic design
Freelance practice, design studios, and design education
And more!

About the Program

What is AAU鈥檚 Graphic Design concentration?

3 Year Degree Program
US and EU Accredited Degree
Accumulate 90 US/180 ECTS credits over the course

Admission Requirements

Rather than relying on traditional lectures, students learn through studio-based projects that mirror professional design practice. Working on real briefs, experimenting with contemporary tools, and collaborating with peers, students develop creative confidence while learning to research, prototype, present ideas, and respond to professional feedback.

As part of AAU鈥檚 first Graphic Design cohort, students benefit from closer mentoring, individual feedback, and the opportunity to help shape a new creative community.

Why Study Graphic Design at AAU?

An American-style liberal arts environment in the heart of Prague
Practical, portfolio-led learning
International student community
Small classes and faculty access
Interdisciplinary collaboration
English-taught US and EU Accredited Degree in three years

Learn from experienced creative professionals

B.A. in Visual Art Studies: Graphic Design is being developed with experienced creative professionals and educators who understand both the design industry and the classroom.

Sean McAlorum brings more than 30 years of experience across publishing, advertising, and design education, with expertise in concept development, art direction, editorial design, campaign leadership, teaching, mentoring, curriculum design, live projects, internships, and industry links. His background helps shape a concentration focused on strong design fundamentals, creative confidence, and professional readiness.

鈥淭he Graphic Design concentration at AAU embraces graphic design as a constantly evolving creative discipline, helping students develop original ideas, a strong professional process, and the confidence to thrive in the real world while building portfolio-worthy work.鈥�

Sean McAlorum, AAU Lecturer

What You鈥檒l Create

Brand Identities
Create logos, visual identities, and brand systems for real and fictional clients while learning how design shapes perception.

UX/UI Prototypes
Research users, wireframe ideas, and design digital experiences through interactive website and app prototypes.

Motion Graphics
Bring ideas to life through animated graphics and digital storytelling projects.

Editorial Publications
Design magazines, books, posters, or other editorial layouts using typography and visual storytelling.

Professional Portfolio
Graduate with a portfolio showcasing your creative process, industry-style projects, and professional design work developed over three years.

Learning Outcomes

What Skills Will You Gain From the B.A. in Visual Art Studies: Graphic Design?

Create professional-quality graphic design work
Apply typography, layout, and composition principles
Use industry-standard software
Develop and communicate design concepts
Collaborate professionally
Build a professional portfolio

Program Structure

How Does the B.A. in Visual Art Studies: Graphic Design Work?

Year 1
Build foundations in typography, visual communication, design thinking, research, and user-centered design while learning the creative process.

Year 2
Develop branding, motion design, and visual storytelling projects through increasingly strategic, industry-focused briefs.

Year 3
Complete advanced editorial, emerging technology, and collaborative studio projects while building a professional portfolio and developing your own creative voice.

By graduation, students have a portfolio demonstrating creative thinking, technical proficiency, and experience responding to realistic industry briefs.

The General Education module gives students a strong cultural, social, and human-centered foundation鈥攅ssential for effective design. Courses in humanities, psychology, communication, and cultural studies help students: understand audiences and user behavior design with cultural awareness and ethical responsibility think critically about images, media, and messages to communicate ideas clearly in English, an essential industry skill. This module ensures that students don鈥檛 just make things that look good鈥攂ut designs that mean something and work in the real world.

To complete the General Education Module, students complete the following six courses:

General Education: English Communication Module
陻� COM101 Composition I
陻� COM102 Composition II

General Education: Social Sciences Module / Major
陻� PSY150 General Psychology

General Education: Civilization Module
Choose one of the following:
陻� HIS100 What is History?
陻� HIS103 World History I
陻� HIS104 World History II
陻� HIS122 European History II
陻� HIS121 European History I
陻� LIT200 Introduction to Literature

General Education: Quantitative Reasoning Module
陻� CIS161 Computer Information Systems

General Education: Social Sciences Module
Choose one of the following:
陻� SOC100 Introduction to Sociology
陻� ECO105 Introduction to Economics
陻� POS101 Introduction to Politics

General Education: Diversity & Values Module
Choose one of the following:
陻� PHI125 Introduction to Philosophy
陻� REL140 Comparative Religions
The VAS Major module develops visual thinking, artistic confidence, and critical awareness. Students build a broad creative foundation that supports experimentation and cross-disciplinary thinking.
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Through studio practice and visual culture studies, students learn to:
analyse images and visual systems
experiment across media and techniques
develop personal creative direction
connect theory with hands-on practice

For Graphic Design students, this module strengthens conceptual depth, helping them stand out as designers who can think, not just execute.

As part of the Major Module, students complete the following courses:

陻� ART101 History of Art I
陻� ART102 History of Art II
陻� ART180 Art Studio Drawing or ART182 Art Studio Painting or ART103 Art Studio: Cross Media Art
陻� ART250 Visual Culture or ART256 Visual Literacy
陻� ART275 History of Art III: Modernism – From Realism to Modern Art
陻� ART273 Intro to Critical Art Theory
陻� ART200 Art & Society
陻� ART375 History of Art IV: End of Modernism to Contemporary Art
陻� ART270 Twentieth Century Art or ART372 Contemporary Art Scene
陻� ART472 Seminar in Aesthetics
陻� ART394 Thesis Seminar

In addition, as part of the Major Module, students also complete:
陻� Internship course and placement
陻� Thesis 鈥� an independent research project completed in the final stage of the program under the supervision of a faculty advisor, focusing on an academic topic of the student鈥檚 choice
This is the heart of the experience鈥攁nd where things get exciting.
The Graphic Design concentration is fully hands-on and project-based, designed to mirror real design workflows. Students work through the complete creative process: research, ideation, prototyping, iteration, feedback, and final delivery.
Students can personalize their studies by choosing three elective courses from the School of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences or from elective offerings available across AAU.

To graduate, students must accumulate 90 US credits (180 ECTS credits) by completing 30 courses.

Having passed all the required and elective courses, students complete their studies by taking the graduation examination which includes a state exam covering the contents of the major module, a state exam covering the concentration module, and a thesis defense.

For more information on the modular structure and the study program, please contact our admissions team at admissions@aauni.edu.

Qualification Awarded

Is the B.A. in Visual Art Studies: Graphic Design Degree Recognized Internationally?

The Bachelor鈥檚 degree awarded is concurrently recognized as a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in the United States, per AAU鈥檚 accreditation by the WASC Senior College and University Commission, and as a Bakal谩艡 (Bc.) in the Czech Republic, per AAU鈥檚 accreditation by the National Accreditation Bureau for Higher Education (NABHE). Graduates may select whether to use the U.S. post-nominal or the Czech pre-nominal title.

Financial Aid and Scholarships

AAU provides a wide range of scholarships, tuition discounts, and financial aid options to help make quality education more accessible. To learn more, please visit Financial Aid and Scholarships.

Additional information

Learn more about tuition & payment.
Learn more about undergraduate admission requirements.
Explore our FAQ section.
Should you have any further questions please email us at admissions@aauni.edu.

See what our students have to say

It's a great opportunity to study art in such a cultural center as Prague. The professors, often artists or important theoreticians on the Czech contemporary scene, take advantage of the vast possibilities and make their lectures outside of the classrooms. Earning the merit-based scholarship also motivates me to do my best. No other English university in Prague offers its students an education like AAU.

Marketa Hrehorova
Visual Art Studies, Czech Republic
AAU helped me grow into myself and taught me valuable life lessons that I will carry with me forever. Living and studying in Prague shaped my experience by giving me a beautiful city to call home and friends from all around the world. I learned how to take the time to find a good social and academic balance at AAU with a safe and kind community. AAU prepared me for life beyond university, giving me a more worldly view that will benefit me abroad.

Alejandro Perez
Visual Art Studies Graduate