Instructor-Led Graphic Design Certificate Programs
Professional Certificate in Graphic Design
Expand your creative, technical, and design skillsProgram Overview
In the Sessions College Professional Certificate in Graphic Design program, students learn the software programs that every graphic designer needs to know: Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign. Students discover how to produce digital images, illustrations, and page layouts, addressing concepts of color, typography, and composition. Class assignments involve hands-on photo editing, logo design, poster design, magazine design, and more.
Instructor-Led Program
- Project-based courses from industry-leading design and digital media professionals.
- Learn at your own pace—no mandatory logins or preset meeting times.
- Build skills through mentoring and critique from expert instructors.
A Better Way to Learn
Online
Study 100% online from anywhere with 24/7 access to classes.
Self-paced
Complete your program on your own time in 9 months or less.
Industry Relevant
Develop in-demand skills for your creative field.
Customizable
Graphic Design Courses
Program Curriculum
Designed for the busy adult learner, the Professional Online Graphic Design Certificate is a 360-hour program completed in nine months or less studying part time.
Level 1
- 4218 Photoshop Basics - 60 hours
- 4226 Illustrator Basics - 60 hours
- 4023 Design Foundations - 60 hours
Level 2
- 4228 InDesign Basics - 60 hours
- 4302 Typography II - 60 hours
- 4013 Graphic Design I - 60 hours
Course Descriptions
4218 Photoshop Basics
Get a thorough grounding in Adobe Photoshop, the premiere image-manipulation tool for print design, Web design, and photography. You'll learn to choose and use the best techniques for common Photoshop jobs including selecting and isolating objects, creating image composites, masking and vignetting images, setting typography, and improving images with retouching and effects. Every designer must tame this creative powerhouse of a program. Learn more
4226 Illustrator Basics
Build a working knowledge of Adobe Illustrator, the graphic designer’s vector program of choice. Course projects explore selection tools, drawing tools, layers, the Pen tool, transformations/distortions, type tools, and modifying paths and shapes. Tapping the power of vector software allows you to produce detailed and scalable art for almost any application. Learn more
4023 Design Foundations
Color is a fundamental medium for any artist or designer. Typography is what sets designers apart from other artists. Composition, literally the assembly or construction of elements, is the artful arrangement that guides the viewer's eye through an image. In this course, you will analyze everything from Grand Masters to Madison Avenue ads to tubes of toothpaste, and discover how color, type, and composition are combined to create effective and powerful visual communications. Class projects challenge you to build and apply your design skills in application to real-life creative scenarios. Learn more
4228 InDesign Basics
Explore fundamental techniques for Adobe InDesign and develop an efficient workflow for both print and digital publishing. The course will impart a working knowledge of InDesign’s main capabilities, everything from basic features to using master pages, importing and manipulating objects, controlling text flow and style, and organizing content with tables, layers, links, and conveyor tools. Valuable methods for cutting-edge digital publishing techniques are explored, and projects give you training in a range of real world print/digital publishing projects: brochures, catalogs, magazines, ePubs, and even an interactive folio for the iPad. Learn more
4023 Typography II
Typography, technology, and culture are intertwined. Type has the power to communicate meaning and mood through its quirks and beauty, its history and diversity. In this advanced online typography course, you'll learn advanced concepts in typography, building your portfolio through hands-on projects. You'll experiment with type fusion, learn the details of text layout and information hierarchy, create a visual identity for product package and a civic authority, and even design your own currency. Learn more
4013 Graphic Design I
Establish a firm foundation for taking on professional design work. You'll gain insights from industry veterans and explore the challenges of designing posters, logos, magazine covers, book layouts, 3D designs, and brand identities. Looking to establish a career as a freelance designer? The course provides you opportunities to hone your design process, as you research each project, develop concepts, work with iterative feedback, and begin to develop quality pieces for your portfolio. Learn more
Build Your Own Learning Path
This program is adaptable to a wide range of experience levels. Choose the option(s) below that best meet your learning goals.
Option 1
Specialize
New to the field? Simply complete all required courses in the certificate program.
Option 2
Customize
Already have some industry and/or software experience? Customize up to 50% of your programChoose from courses in Web Design, Software, Motion & Video, and more by choosing alternate courses.
Option 3
PLUS
Need more training? After you've completed your program, add concentrations at reduced tuitionChoose from concentrations in Web Design, Digital Photography, Illustration, and more to enhance your creative skills.
Program Outcomes
By completing the program, Professional Certificate in Graphic Design students develop the following competencies:
1. Technology
Create images and design layouts by effectively and efficiently using design software including Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign, and other industry technologies.
2. Art/Design Principles
Demonstrate the ability to produce visually compelling work by applying knowledge of color, typography, and composition.
3. Design Process
Develop strategic and compelling designs for a variety of audiences and social contexts.
4. Projects
Produce and present a range of standard professional graphic design projects including graphics, posters, ads, logos, page layouts, and packaging.
Sessions Student Work
Student Work
What Students Say
For me, the best thing about Sessions College is definitely the instructors. They are very helpful and don’t simply grade your work, but also give excellent feedback. Their feedback really pushed me to produce my best work and I believe it really helped me to learn to critique my own work as a designer.