UCO School of Design Named Among Top Design Schools in US

June 15, 2022

Media Contact: Scott Hale, Director of Marketing and Communications, UCO College of Fine Arts and Design, 405-974-3778, shale12@uco.edu

UCO School of Design Named Among Top Design Schools in US

The University of Central Oklahoma’s School of Design is named among the top 50 design schools in the U.S. according to a recent national ranking by Graphic Design USA (GDUSA), a resource publication for graphic design professionals. Central is the only higher education institution in the state recognized on the list.

Institutions were selected according to coursework that prepares students to work in the professional graphic design industry.

“The UCO School of Design is honored to be included as one of the 2022 GDUSA Top Design Schools,” said Valerie Settles, Ph.D., interim director of the School of Design at Central.

“This ranking acknowledges the hard work and skill exhibited by our students and helps spread the word to future employers that UCO design students are as good as they are anywhere else. It also lets future students know that UCO School of Design is the place to be.”

“When I joined the UCO School of Design, I knew virtually nothing about design,” said Emily Falls, a senior graphic design student, from Edmond, Oklahoma.

“Now, three years later, I have found my calling as a designer, and I am proud of my work and accomplishments. The UCO School of Design has shaped me into the person I am today, and for that, I’ll always be grateful.”

GDUSA also recognized top students ready to emerge and influence the design scene. Two Central students, Kevin Davis, a senior graphic design major from Oklahoma City; and, Jerod Hill, a senior graphic design major from Del City, Oklahoma, were featured on the 2022 GDUSA Students to Watch list.

“The UCO School of Design is where I discovered my passion for design and realized my future in the creative industry,” Davis said.

“Being a designer also allows me to communicate beyond verbal and written communication,” Hill said.

“Visual communication is arguably one of the most effective means of presentation. With this tool in my possession, I can expand my effectiveness and voice. Practicing this will help me become a more well-rounded professional, not just a professional designer.”

In 2019, the UCO School of Design, formerly the Department of Design, completed a six-year process to elevate its status from an academic department to a school. The National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD)-accredited design school offers B.F.A. degrees in both graphic design and interior design, as well as M.F.A. degrees in design and illustration.

For more information about the UCO School of Design, visit design.uco.edu.

For more information about UCO College of Fine Arts and Design events, visit cfad.uco.edu.

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Editor's Note: Download art associated with this release at https://media.uco.edu/press/uploads/2022/05/0gz3372.jpg

Cutline: The University of Central Oklahoma’s School of Design is named among the top 50 design schools in the U.S. according to a recent national ranking by Graphic Design USA (GDUSA). Central is the only higher education institution in the state recognized on the list. GDUSA also recognized top students ready to emerge and influence the design scene. Two Central students, Kevin Davis, a senior graphic design major from Oklahoma City; and, Jerod Hill, a senior graphic design major from Del City, Oklahoma, were featured on the 2022 GDUSA Students to Watch list.