UW-Stout's Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design and Interactive Media offers participation in a vibrant creative culture, hands-on learning experiences, and a progressive curriculum that prepares you for a career as a designer in the graphic design and interactive media industry. You’ll study with faculty who are practicing designers with diverse experiences and high standards. Our graduates have a high employment rate and outstanding support from alumni.
Two Concentrations
- Communication Design > an exploration of graphic design including advertising, publication, packaging, motion graphics and more
- Interaction Design > a study of design for interactivity across web, mobile app, and emerging screen-based media
Our focused concentrations prepare you with the skills and flexibility to succeed and adapt in the rapidly changing graphic design and interactive media industry.
Program Overview
Career Opportunities
As a skilled designer, you'll find rewarding careers available in entertainment, advertising, and science and healthcare communications. Here are a few of our graduate's positions and employers:
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According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, multimedia artists and animators (which include digital media designers) earned a median annual wage of $63,970 and a median hourly wage of $30.76 in 2015. Payscale.com also reports that the annual salary for a digital designer ranges from $38,633-$81,041 as of October 2016.
There are a variety of different career paths you can take with a degree in graphic design & interactive media. The possibilities continue to grow in digital media.
"UW-Stout was an amazing experience for me. The professors and classes challenged me and taught me new ways to think. I flourished in the creative aspect of the program while learning the technical skills needed for a career."
-- Tiffany WeckwerthB.F.A. Graphic Design and Interactive Media
Use the Request Information form to receive a program summary and learn more about the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Graphic Design and Interactive Media.
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New First-Year Students
Students admitted as Pre-Bachelor of Fine Arts (Pre-BFA) students will join an exciting community of first-year art and design students with classes and events geared towards preparing you for a successful application to the intended BFA program.
As a student accepted into one of the six BFA programs, please be aware of the following:
- You will be required to submit a portfolio in the spring semester of your freshmen year to apply for acceptance into the intended BFA program. Portfolios will be evaluated by School of Art and Design faculty. Through your first-year experience, you will be given the tools and skills required to prepare and submit the portfolio, and the necessary support to navigate the application process.
Transfer Students
- All transfer students will be admitted as a Pre-Bachelor of Fine Arts (Pre-BFA) student. Upon acceptance information will be provided on how to submit a portfolio and essay to be reviewed by a committee of School of Art & Design faculty, who will determine direct admissions into the BFA major of your choice. The priority deadline is no later than 9:00 a.m. on October 1st for spring admission and 9:00 a.m. on March 1st for fall admission.
- Submissions may be made after the priority date; however, there is no guarantee when it will be reviewed for a decision nor what art-specific coursework you may be able to get into after the review is completed and whether or not registration for the next semester has begun. There is a $10 application fee assessed at the time you electronically submit your portfolio.
Transfer students are considered both fall and spring. This includes portfolio and essay submission priority dates. Students applying for one of the BFA programs will remain admitted as a "Pre-BFA" student if you:
- do not submit a portfolio/essay
or - apply after the BFA program has closed
or - are not approved for the BFA program after submission of a portfolio/essay.
You may then apply for a change of major in subsequent semesters, depending upon available openings in the program. If needed, BFA Foundations courses will be available to "Pre-BFA" students pending seat availability.
Advisory Committee Members
| Maria | Alm | Dean, CAHS | UW-Stout |
| David | Beck | Director, SOAD | UW-Stout |
| Shelley | Pecha | Chair, Department of Design | UW-Stout |
| Alex | DeArmond | Program Director, BFA GDIM | UW-Stout |
| Kerri | Soukup | Executive Creative Director, EVP | Leo Burnett, Chicago |
| Kristin | Shardlow | Principal/Owner | Kristin Shardlow Consulting, LLC |
| Andrea | Hyde | Sr. Manager, Associate Creative Director | Target |
| Jesse | Lindhorst | Founder and Design Director | Friend & Fort |
| Colin | Schye | Director of Digital Product Design | Bionic Giant |
| Ange | Wang | Sr. Director of UX Instruction & Strategy | Prime Digital Academy |
| John | Standish | Chief Strategy Officer | Artisan Venture Lab |
| Andy | Vitale | UX Design Director | Polaris |
| Justin | Peddycoart | Experience Architect | Salesforce |
| Pat | Kavanaugh | Director of Project Management | Fjorge |
| Student Rep | President | AIGA Student Organization | |
| Student Rep | Vice President | AIGA Student Organization |
Studios, Labs & Galleries
Modern studio classrooms provide open, creative environments for learning. Extensive open studio hours allow access to these spaces outside of class periods.
Two galleries are housed in the School of Art and Design, a student gallery and the John Furlong Gallery. These, along with other spaces on and off campus, provide student, faculty and outside exhibition opportunities throughout the academic year.
