Communication Design

We train designers and illustrators to cultivate intelligent, creative practices.

Students in a classroom leafing through design books laid out on a white sheet of paper on a wooden table.

Match your interests to a vibrant, multi-faceted field.

With no formal concentrations to weigh you down, you are free to move fluidly between drawing, typography, graphic design, illustration, book arts, and interaction design (and everywhere in between).

Illustration

Through courses that incorporate advanced drawing techniques, sketchbook practice, and visual storytelling, you will learn to hone your skills and develop a signature style.

Graphic Design

Courses will develop your understanding of typography, layout, and narrative strategies, while cultivating a sophisticated visual acumen.

Interaction Design

From developing web and mobile interfaces to animation, this coursework will expand your understanding of experiential design.

BFA + BA curriculum

Discover the perfect path for you.

Every first-year student is mentored by a dedicated academic advisor who guides them in shaping the educational path they desire. This includes course selection and scheduling. Whether you want a studio-intensive or a broader liberal arts-focus, we will help you find the right choice for you.

BFA in Communication Design

More studio-intensive experience
65 credits of studio courses (about ½ of your total coursework)
Informal concentrations in Illustration, Narrative Design, or Interaction Design
Capstone experience + annual thesis exhibition

*Students may also earn the BFA as part of a dual-degree program.

BA in Design

Broader liberal arts focus
30-36 credits of studio courses (about ¼ of your total coursework)
Optional concentration in Communication Design
No capstone requirement

*Students may also earn the BA as part of a dual-degree program.

Second Majors in Design

Optional concentration in Communication Design
Designed for WashU undergraduates pursuing a primary degree in another discipline
Develops essential skills like visual thinking + creativity

Learn more

Minors

Creative Practice for Social Change
Design
Human-Computer Interaction
Studio Art

Learn more

BFA in Communication Design seniors pursue a capstone project that culminates in an illustrated book, zine, screen-based presentation, graphic novel/mini-comic, or digital experience. Students devote the spring semester to the research, development, and production of their seminar project, which is displayed in a public exhibition and reviewed by external design professionals.

See the 2023 BFA in Communication Design Capstone Exhibition

Previous Exhibitions

2021 BFA in Communication Design Capstone Exhibition

COMMUNICATION DESIGN FACULTY

10 multi-colored collages of different ephemera like tickets, flyers, brochures and news clippings.

Aggie Toppins (Chair) / Amy Auman / Christine Bosch / Heather Corcoran / D.B. Dowd / James Fawcett / Jonathan Hanahan / John Hendrix / Audra Hubbell / Ben Kiel / Edward Kinsella III / Heidi Aronson Kolk / Shreyas R Krishnan / Penina Acayo Laker / Becca Leffell Koren / Vidhya Nagarajan / Jonathan Navy / Jen Neuhoff / Eric Nunez / Jeff Pike / Erika Roos / Abram Siemsen / Jonathan Smith / Annemarie Spitz / Madeline Valentine

Image: Aggie Toppins, Palimpsests (2015–2019), silkscreen and digital printing.

Learn More

student + alumni Spotlights

Alumni spotlight

De Nichols, BFA in Communication Design ’10

Deandra J. Nichols, BFA ’10/MSW ’14, leads YouTube’s Culture Lab team, promoting user experience research with marginalized communities.

Alumni spotlight

Adam Rubin, BFA in Communication Design ’05

Adam Rubin is a #1 New York Times best-selling author, a world-renowned designer of optical illusions and impossible objects, and director of puzzles and games for the retail brand Art of Play.

Alumni spotlight

Karin Fyhrie

Alumni spotlight

Mara MacMahon

Student spotlight

Q&A with Lilia Jiménez

Lilia Jiménez from the BFA in Communication Design was featured on Graphic Design USA’s 2022 GDUSA Students To Watch.

Alumni spotlight

Mikki Janower, BFA in Communication Design ’20

Mikki Janower, a designer and art director based in Brooklyn, talks about the numerous projects she’s had in the works since graduation.

Six illustrated children's book covers are displayed against a bright blue background. The top row of three features "High Five," "Dragons Love Tacos," and "Secret Pizza Party." The bottom row features "El Chupacabras," "Dragons Love Tacos 2," and "Robosauce."

Still image of character Joe Gardner from Pixar's Soul.

Two cell phones, showing the layout of news stories designed for The New York Times, including section header, headline, subhead, image, and byline.

Deandra J. Nichols, BFA ’10/MSW ’14, leads YouTube’s Culture Lab team, promoting user experience research with marginalized communities.

Adam Rubin is a #1 New York Times best-selling author, a world-renowned designer of optical illusions and impossible objects, and director of puzzles and games for the retail brand Art of Play.