Join our vibrant creative community where your ideas are valued, your talents are nurtured and you’re supported every step of the way.
Featured Programs
Combining creativity and technical skills, a degree in Interior Architecture and Design prepares you to create functional and visually appealing spaces. Designers must balance aesthetics, functionality and safety while meeting project deadlines and adhering to building codes. Join this exciting field to shape environments that enhance the lives of those who use them!
With a focus on blending art and technology, a degree in graphic design unlocks endless opportunities in visual communication. You’ll master the art of combining text and imagery, transforming your most creative ideas into impactful designs for both print and digital platforms.
Unlock your creative potential while earning an art degree at ACU. This program provides a strong foundation in studio arts, supported by faculty committed to your growth. Designed for students dedicated to building a professional career in the arts, including teaching, art therapy or graduate studies.
Alumni Spotlight
My time at ACU was nothing short of incredible. Majoring in Graphic Design allowed me to learn a new skill all while exploring different mediums including painting (the two skills I use in my business every day). Looking back, I’m so grateful for the talented A+D professors who poured their wisdom into us.
Featured Programs
Internships provide hands-on experience, build professional skills, strengthen portfolios, and connect students with industry professionals. All Interior Architecture and Design students are required to complete an internship, and 75% of students in other majors do as well. Art Education majors complete student teaching in their final semester in lieu of an internship.
AIGA and ASID are student-run local chapters of national organizations for graphic and interior designers. Through events, workshops, conferences and site visits, students learn from industry professionals and stay current on design trends while building valuable connections and growing professionally.
In our monthly Instagram competition, students showcase their work to the ACU community. This initiative allows students to engage with accomplished A+D alumni, who serve as judges, and earn recognition and prizes for their creativity and skill.
Admissions Staff
We believe in the power of exploring art beyond the classroom, which is why Study Abroad is a requirement for all of our majors. These trips allow students to witness how design is applied in different cultural contexts, deepening their understanding of the industry and enriching their academic experience.
Each summer, ACU Art and Design professors lead students on alternating trips to Leipzig, Germany, and Oxford, England. During these immersive experiences, students take courses in plein air painting and street photography that count toward their degree. They not only learn about art in vibrant new cultural settings but also gain a broader perspective of the world.
Every Spring Break, our professors lead groups of students on alternating trips to New York and San Francisco. These trips provide students with opportunities to visit design firms and museums, helping them build valuable networks while gaining real-world exposure to their field of study.
Student Spotlight: Study Abroad
While I was a student I had the amazing opportunity of going on the A+D study abroad trip to Oxford, Madrid, Florence and Vienna. The trip was truly life changing and I learned so much while abroad. Not only did we get to learn more about our field of study and practice painting en plein air, but we got to immerse ourselves in the culture of the countries we visited. I will forever be grateful for this opportunity!
I’m here to answer your questions and help you choose a major that aligns with your interests and career goals.
If you are ready to become a Wildcat, it’s time to apply. Applications open Aug. 1 of your senior year. Our application process is simple and easy to follow. Self-report your grades, and we’ll let you know what materials you need to send later. You can start your undergraduate application whenever you are ready.
The Department of Art and Design awards merit scholarships and study abroad/travel vouchers to select incoming freshmen who declare a major in art, graphic design, interior architecture and design, art education or art therapy. To apply, students must be admitted to ACU and submit a portfolio for review.
Note: Portfolios are not a requirement for acceptance to the department.
The department reserves a portion of our scholarships for enrolled students, so you have additional opportunities to earn scholarships each year as an art major.
Creative professions are constantly evolving, and we believe the most successful designers will remain lifelong learners. They will continue asking questions, embracing new technologies, refining their craft and discovering better ways to communicate.
Our hope is not simply that graduates leave prepared for a career. We hope they leave with a lasting curiosity about the world around them and a genuine joy in the process of making, learning and discovering meaningful solutions.
We don’t prepare students for today’s tools. We prepare them for tomorrow’s challenges.
