NASAD Accreditation for the Graphic Design BFA
The BFA in Studio with a concentration in Graphic Design is a professional degree accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD). Founded in 1944, NASAD sets national standards for art and design degrees in the United States.
A BFA is built differently from a liberal arts BA. This degree requires 76 credits of studio and design coursework, compared with 44 for the BA in Studio Art, which is what qualifies it as a professional degree under NASAD standards.
University Accreditation
High Point University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) and has been continuously accredited since 1951. SACSCOC has granted HPU Level V status, which authorizes a university to award doctoral degrees.
Admission by Portfolio Review
Students apply to the major through a faculty portfolio review after completing the foundation courses ART 1050, ART 1060, ART 1150 and ART 2350. There is no quota. Every student who meets the department’s standards is accepted.
Where Graphic Design BFA Graduates Work
Organizations that have hired Graphic Design BFA graduates include:
- New York Islanders, Floral Park, NY
- Warschawski, Baltimore, MD
- Ashley Furniture Industries, Arcadia, WI
- Lexington Home Brands, Thomasville, NC
- Crobar Creative, Greensboro, NC
- Java House, Carmel, IN
Where Graduates Study Next
Graphic Design BFA graduates have been accepted into graduate study at Syracuse University in museum exhibition design, Virginia Commonwealth University and High Point University’s M.A. in Communication and Business Leadership.
NASAD asks accredited programs to publish student achievement data. The year-by-year report is on the Graphic Design BFA program page.
Recognition for Undergraduate Research
The Council on Undergraduate Research named High Point University the recipient of its 2025 Campus-Wide Award for Undergraduate Research Accomplishments, judged against CUR’s Characteristics of Excellence in Undergraduate Research.
Creative Arts Fellows
The Creative Arts Fellows Program gives design students a four-year, team-based experience with a dedicated director who provides mentoring, networking and travel.
Graphic Design Program Rankings
College Factual ranked High Point University #2 in its 2027 Best Graphic Design Schools in North Carolina list, which weighs graduation rates, earnings after graduation, affordability and program focus. HPU also ranks #4 in the Southeast Region.
Niche ranks High Point University #60 in its 2027 Best Colleges for Design in America list, which uses U.S. Department of Education data and student reviews.
BFA Graduate Outcomes
Every responding 2024 Graphic Design BFA graduate who sought a job was employed or in an internship, according to the program’s NASAD outcomes report.
High Point University Rankings
U.S. News & World Report’s Best Colleges 2027 ranks High Point University #1 for Most Innovative Schools and #3 for Best Undergraduate Teaching among Regional Universities in the South. HPU also ranks #1 in its category for Earnings by Major, a new U.S. News factor that measures what graduates earn four years after leaving campus.
The Princeton Review’s Best 392 Colleges: 2027 Edition ranks High Point University #3 for Best-Run Colleges, #3 for Best College Dorms and #3 for Most Beautiful Campus. HPU is the only university in North Carolina ranked in the top 5 for all three.
Niche’s 2027 rankings place High Point University #1 in North Carolina for Best College Campuses, Best College Dorms and Best College Food, and #8 in North Carolina for Colleges with the Best Professors.
Measured by National Association of Colleges and Employers standards, 99% of HPU’s Class of 2025 was employed or continuing their education within 180 days, 13 points above the national average.
What Graphic Design Students Say About the Program
Students in Graphic Design and related majors describe how HPU prepared them for their careers.
Paxton Taylor
Graphic Design major · Founder, PAX STUDIO
“HPU has prepared me with the guidance and mentors I needed to feel confident for my future, I feel ready to take on post-grad life.”
Kaitlyn Conroy
Graphic Design major · Social Media Specialist, Margaritaville
“HPU helped me write my first resume and secure the first job I applied for.”
Avery Good
Graphic Design major · Intern, Wilson Warbirds
“Working within HPU’s Athletic Communications department allowed me to build a much stronger portfolio and experience, which helped me secure my internship last year and be asked back this year.”
Graphic Design in the News
Mark Brown
HPU Awards and Honors: March 2026
Mark Brown, associate professor of art and chair of the Studio Art and Graphic Design program, has been selected as the juror for this year’s National Outdoor Sculpture Competition and Exhibition. He will have $25,000 in awards to distribute based on his assessment.
Explore the Graphic Design BFA at High Point University
See the courses graphic design majors take and where HPU graphic design graduates go next.
Curriculum & Research Careers & Student Organizations
Questions about the program? Email Mark Brown, chair of the Department of Art and Graphic Design, at [email protected].