Massachusetts College of Art and Design | Continuing Education | Certificate Programs

Graphic Design Certficate Program

Frequently Asked Questions

General FAQ

Why should I enter the GDC program rather than just taking the courses I want through CE?
It takes more than a few courses to be a first-rate graphic designer: you need a program that will give you both depth and breadth in preparing you for today’s job market. A key component of the program is the Intermediate and Final Portfolio courses; in these courses each student develops a coherent and well-rounded body of work to show potential employers and is coached in presentation and other areas of job search. The culmination of each portfolio course is a presentation of each student’s work to a panel of graphic design professionals who offer real-world feedback and connection to the region’s thriving graphic design community. The portfolio courses are only open to students in the GDC program. Being a student in the GDC program provides additional benefits including advising to provide guidance and direction specific to your skills, interests, and life/schedule situation; special events open to GDC students only; access to job and internship openings not available to non-program students; and emails informing program students about events, opportunities, and resources.
What do students do after graduation? What kind of jobs do they get?
Our graduates work in all areas of design including collateral and identity design, publications and books, advertising, Web and interactive, environmental graphics, and packaging, to name a few. A sampling of places GDC students and graduates have or are currently working:
  • Lindsday Hill Design
  • Jennifer Roycroft Design
  • Candlewick Press
  • Sametz Blackstone
  • WGBH
  • Korn Design
  • Selbert Perkins Design
  • Philographica
  • MIT Press
  • Arnold Worldwide
  • Museum of Fine Arts Boston
  • ICA Boston
  • Schwa Design
  • Ciano Design
  • What Design
  • Addison Wesley
  • Houghton Mifflin
  • Cambridge College
  • Harvard University
  • Holland Mark
  • studio e
  • Continuum
  • Northeastern University
  • M B Flanders
  • Children’s Hospital Boston
  • Carter Halliday
  • Trinity Communications
  • Museum Design Associates
  • Mullen Advertising
  • Suffolk University
  • Labor Day Creative
Additionally, many work as freelancers, run their own graphic design businesses, and/or teach design at art colleges and schools.
Do I have to wait until I have completed the program in order to get a job in the graphic design field?
Many GDC students find work or internships in the design field well before graduation, as course projects produced throughout the life of the program can be effectively used to demonstrate skills to employers, and enrollment in the program provides students with access to information and other resources helpful to job search. Students complete Intermediate Portfolio with a polished presentation of their work which many use to make inroads into the design field while they continue to improve their skills in the advanced courses of the program.
When are the application deadlines?
November 1 (for January acceptance) and April 1 (for September acceptance).
What do you look for in an applicant?
Applicants must have at least 60 college credits and must submit college transcripts; write a 500 word essay ("statement of purpose") describing interest and experience in graphic design; submit a portfolio of 15 images demonstrating basic skills in visual language, and must have working knowledge of a page layout program (Quark XPress or InDesign), Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator. See MassArt GDC Program Application Guidelines (See Below) for more details about these requirements and suggestions for preparing the portfolio.
Why does it take 3 years to complete the GDC program?
GDC is a rigorous program and you should expect to take three years to arrive at the completion of a high-quality portfolio. Taking courses in the summer will allow you the flexibility to not have to take two courses every semester and still complete in 3 years if you wish. Taking summer courses will generally NOT reduce significantly the time it takes to complete the entire program. Sequenced courses cannot be taken concurrently. Upper level courses requiring a full 12-15 week workload — including "Intermediate Portfolio," "Graphic Design 3," and "Final Portfolio,"—are not offered in the shorter summer term.
Can I take more than 3 years to complete the program?
If you wish to be enrolled every semester but simply need to take longer than three years to complete the program, this is fine, and can be worked out with the help of your Advisor. It is possible to take a leave of absence for up to a year within the program, by completing a form available in the PCE office for each semester you plan to be on leave.
Do I have to take 2 courses every semester?
No. You need to follow the course sequence; some courses are sequenced to follow upon one another, and others may be taken concurrently. Your Advisor will work with you to plan your program in a way that works for your life schedule and time constraints.

Courses Taken Prior To Acceptance

How many courses taken prior to acceptance are allowed to be counted towards the program?
Up to 6 credits taken pre-program can be counted towards the program, including relevant courses taken through MassArt Continuing Ed and/or at other institutions of higher learning. Although MassArt semester-long Continuing Ed courses are usually 3 credits per course, this may vary; check individiual listings for credit amounts.
If I’ve taken courses through MassArt PCE can I apply those credits to the Graphic Design Certificate program?
Yes, up to 6 credits can be accepted. "Drawing for Communication" and "Communication & Form" can be transferred in for students accepted to the program in May or December 08. "Foundations of Graphic Design" and "Typography" can be transferred in for those students accepted to the program in December 08 and later. To be considered for transfer, the final grade in these must be no lower than B-. Please be aware that if you take additional courses before applying, you still only get 6 total transfer credits. Courses taken pre program that are not taken in the order of courses that is required in the GDC program sequence are only eligible for transfer if the final grade is B+ or higher.
I understand two GDC required courses — Drawing for Communication and Communication & Form — are being replaced by one course — Foundations of Graphic Design — in the new requirements. I have already taken Drawing for Communication; will this be credited to my program if I am accepted? Will I have to take Foundations of Graphic Design also?
"Foundations of Graphic Design" will NOT be required for students who have completed BOTH "Drawing for Communication" AND "Communication & Form." Please be aware that the last time "Drawing for Communication" will be offered" is Summer 08; you should complete "Communication & Form" in summer 08 class so that you will not be required to take "Foundations of Graphic Design."
Can I transfer credits from previous coursework at another school into the GDC program?
It is difficult to assess whether courses taken at other institutions of higher learning are comparable in educational coverage to MassArt courses. Therefore, if you wish to receive transfer credit for courses taken at other schools, your application portfolio must clearly demonstrate competency in the material covered. Courses taken at other educational institutions can be transferred only if the course appears on the submitted transcripts with a final grade of B- or higher and must have a credit system that can translate into MassArt’s credit system.
If I have already taken more than 6 credits in the program sequence before I am accepted, do I have to take any of the courses over?
You will be required to retake the course if you (1) got below B- in the course, or (2) got below a B+ in a course that was taken out of program sequence (if you wish to get credit for required GDC courses taken pre-program, please follow the correct course sequence). If you have achieved those requirements but have simply taken more credits pre-program than the 6 allowed for transfer, you will not be required to retake the courses, but may be required to take electives to fulfill the requirement of 32 in-program credits.
Can I get a course "waived" if I have equivalent experience or previous coursework?
Waiving a course means you don’t have to take it, but you also do not get credit for it. If a course is "waived" for you, you must replace it with elective credits in order to complete your program. Courses can only be waived by the Program Coordinator. In order to request that a course be "waived," you must demonstrate that you have experience, skills, and/or knowledge equivalent to what would be accomplished in the course.

Financial Aid/Student Visas

Do GDC students qualify for student loans or other financial aid?
You must be registered for at least 6 credits to qualify for a student loan. Contact the Financial Aid office for information.
As a GDC student, do I qualify for a student visa?
No. You must be a full-time student taking a minimum of 12 credits per semester in a degree program.
Do GDC students qualify for student loans or other financial aid?
Contact the Financial Aid office for more information.

Applying GDC Credits To Other Programs

I already have an undergraduate degree. Can I take Continuing Education courses for graduate credit and apply them later towards a graduate degree?
Not unless you have ALREADY been admitted to a graduate program and your graduate advisor approves each course for transfer. Courses taken in the GDC program cannot be applied to an MFA in Design at MassArt. An exception might be for public school teachers, who, in some cases, accumulate graduate credits for a salary step increase. Only 300 or 400 level courses may be taken for undergraduate credit.
Can I apply my Continuing Education credits or GDC credits to MassArt’s full-time undergraduate program?
Not automatically. The undergraduate BFA program is extremely competitive, with portfolio reviews every semester. While course content is comparable, evening students are not required to pass through the competitive review process every semester. As a result, there is no guarantee that evening work will have the same content or standards as the BFA (day school) program. When an application is accepted into the day school, the applicant’s portfolio, NOT CREDITS ALONE, determine whether to begin as a freshman, sophomore, or junior.