Why Major in Design Communications?
The Watkins College of Art's Design Communications (B.F.A.) program is a portfolio-based graphic design curriculum preparing you for today's creative industry.
Located in Nashville, you'll work with real clients, access robust internship opportunities and build professional networks leading directly to employment. Our students get jobs and thrive after graduation.
The Nashville Advantage
Many students are hired by their internship employers upon graduation. Recent alumni advance quickly within their fields, with many already moving into creative director and leadership roles.
Most students complete 2-4 internships during the program, gaining a meaningful hands-on experience in real creative roles. You'll develop a professional-level portfolio grounded in communication strategy, design thinking and deep understanding of end users.
Compete Anywhere
Our graduates are award-winning designers and industry leaders whose work you already see every day. They are eager to welcome you into the creative community and will play an active role in your experience.
Our goal is simple: to prepare you to compete in any market.
Curious what Design Communications students actually create?
What Makes Us Different
Real Work, Real Impact
What you'll gain:
- Work with real clients throughout your studies
- Complete 2-4 interships in professional creative roles
- Collaborate with industry professionals in class
- Build a portfolio that wins national awards
- Develop skills employers actually need
Career Possibilities
- Graphic Designer
- Creative Director
- Layout/Print Designer
- Logo Designer
- Web Designer
- User Interface (UI) and User Experience (UX) Designer
- Branding
- Packaging Designer
- Digital Media Designer
- Marketing
What You'll Learn
- Advertising & Package Design
- Information & Communications Theory
- Typography
- Design Thinking
- User Experience
- Empathy Driven Design
National Recognition
Watkins Named 2025 Top Design School
Watkins College of Art at Belmont has been named a 2025 Top Design School in Tennessee by Graphic Design USA for the second consecutive year, earning recognition as the only program in the state on the list.
This national honor is reinforced by six student designers who earned 2025 GDUSA Design Awards, placing them among the top 10% of more than 6,000 entries nationwide.
Program Details
Curious about your coursework? View requirements for this degree in the course catalog.
- Study abroad (Semester, Maymester, or Summer)
- Study away for a semester in alternate markets through Belmont USA (N.Y.C., L.A., Washington D.C.)
- Internships- Our relationship to Nashville’s professional creative community is personal and rich. We will assist you with internship placement to ensure the experience is a good fit.
- Four campus gallery spaces to professionally exhibit your work
- Opportunities to present at campus-wide research symposiums and professional conferences
- Kappa Pi, an international honorary art fraternity
- Watkins students are consistently juried into local, regional and national competitions, including: AAF Student ADDY Awards and Graphics New Talent Annual
The Watkins College of Art requires all students applying for a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degree to submit a portfolio as a part of the admissions process. You must first be admitted to Belmont before hearing a decision from Watkins.
Portfolios submitted before December 1 will be considered for the Watkins Merit Scholarships. Any applications submitted after December 1 will be considered for admission, but not for departmental scholarships.
View all Portfolio Guidelines
Deadlines for the Portfolio and Belmont application:
December 1 for scholarship consideration
April 1 for incoming freshmen students
June 1 for incoming transfer students
What if I am accepted to Belmont but not the BFA program?
Any applicants not accepted into a BFA program will have the option to be enrolled in a second major of their choice. We encourage applicants to select one of our Bachelor of Arts majors (Art Studies, Art History, or Photographic Studies). At the end of the student’s freshman year and completion of foundational courses, the student will be eligible to reapply to the BFA program through another portfolio review.
The Watkins College of Art has significant scholarship opportunities for students. Last year, the college offered more than 55 scholarships to incoming students valuing over $380,000.
Applicants who intend to pursue a degree in the Watkins College of Art and wish to be considered for the merit-based scholarship must submit a portfolio of work in art and/or design. Students must have their Belmont application and portfolio submitted by December 1 to be eligible for the scholarships.
Please visit the Portfolio Guidelines page for more specific details.
Need-based scholarships will be determined from a student's Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This is the official form that families use to apply for college financial assistance from the federal government.
Students majoring in Design Communications can choose an area to emphasize in. This is 15 credit hours that you can use to broaden your capabilities.
Areas include:
- Design Administration (Business)
- Studio Art, including Illustration
- Photography
This minor draws many students from the Music Business and Business schools because creative problem-solving is central to these disciplines as well as the process of Design Communications.
Students have the opportunity to explore this process with the completion of six levels of Design Communications courses, and the option of selecting two courses among 2D Design, Drawing, Digital Imaging, Typography and Web Page Design.
In addition to Belmont University's Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) accreditation, the Watkins College of Art is a fully accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD).
Student & Alumni Testimonials
Marion Williams
Design Communications
“The professors are so charismatic. They want you to do your best and they’re more than willing to do what it takes to help you achieve your goals. With the other students, I’m surrounded by some of the most creative people I’ve ever met. I feel like we’re all just bouncing off of each other all the time and truly inspired by each other.”
Kaleb Cruz
Design Communications
“In the advertising world, design can be a powerful tool to inform the general public. At Belmont, rather than graphic design, we call our major Design Communications. I think this name perhaps more effectively reflects the role design plays in activism. Powerful design is more than just the visual aesthetic — it's about effectively communicating your desired message and feeling.”
Elizabeth Williams
Design Communications
Owner and co-founder of New Hat Projects
“I loved being in such a creative liberal arts environment. I’m just really proud. It was a really copacetic and supportive learning environment for me, and it made me think more deeply about the solutions and why I made certain choices. It's easy to make something look good, but it's not easy to have something be conceptually rich and work to solve the problem. Belmont really helped train me that way.”
Sam Giamundo
Design Communications
“The design program has taught me the importance of layout, typography, graphics and intention when communicating to consumers. I love when the design program brings in industry professionals to share their experiences and give us advice on how to pursue our career goals."
Faculty with Industry Experience
Our faculty bring extensive agency leadership and professional practice across design disciplines. Professors actively mentor students, help connect them to internships and jobs, and regularly bring industry professionals into the classroom for critiques and collaboration. This professional integration is reflected in our students' success at national design competitions.
Dan Brawner
Email: dan.brawner@belmont.edu
Office Location: Jack C Massey Center 461
Dan Johnson
Email: dan.johnson@belmont.edu
Office Location: Jack C Massey Center 466
Lauren Lowen
Email: lauren.lowen@belmont.edu
Office Location: Jack C Massey Center 458
James Pierce
Email: james.pierce@belmont.edu
Office Location: Leu Center for the Visual Arts 103
Doug Regen
Email: doug.regen@belmont.edu
Office Location: Jack C Massey Center 460
Frequently Asked Questions
Design Communications is a portfolio-based graphic design B.F.A. program designed to prepare students for today's creative industry. Unlike traditional graphic design programs, our curriculum emphasizes communication strategy, design thinking and deep understanding of end users. You'll develop both creative and strategic skills that employers need.
Design Communications (graphic design) goes beyond visual aesthetics to focus on effective communication. While graphic design emphasizes the visual elements, design communications teaches you to strategically solve problems through design. You'll learn to communicate specific messages and feelings to target audiences, making you more valuable in advertising, branding and user experience roles.
Most students complete 2-4 internships during the program, gaining meaningful hands-on experience in real creative roles. These aren't just observational experiences — you'll work on actual projects with professional creative teams in Nashville and beyond.
Yes. Many students are hired by their internship employers upon graduation. Our graduates don't just get jobs — they thrive. Recent alumni are advancing quickly within their fields, with many already moving into leadership and creative director roles.
Nashville location advantage: Work with real clients, access robust internship opportunities and build professional networks that lead directly to employment.
Industry-connected faculty: Our professors bring extensive agency leadership and professional practice across design disciplines. They actively mentor students, help connect them to internships and jobs, and regularly bring industry professionals into the classroom.
National recognition: Watkins College of Art is Tennessee's only program named a Graphic Design USA Top Design School (2024, 2025). Our students win at national design competitions, placing in the top 10% of thousands of entries.
Real-world preparation: You'll graduate prepared to compete in any market, locally, nationally and internationally.
Students intern with design agencies, advertising firms, corporate creative departments, startups and nonprofits throughout Nashville and beyond. Our faculty help connect students to internship opportunities through their professional networks. Many internships turn into full-time employment offers upon graduation.
Our graduates are award-winning designers and industry leaders whose work you already see every day. Career paths include:
- Graphic Designer
- Creative Director
- User Interface (UI) and User Experience (UX) Designer
- Brand Strategist
- Packaging Designer
- Digital Media Designer
- Marketing Specialist
- Art Director
- Layout/Print Designer
Recent alumni are moving into leadership and creative director roles quickly, demonstrating the program's strong preparation for career advancement.
You'll gain proficiency in industry-standard design software and tools used by professional creative teams. The program focuses on both technical skills and conceptual thinking, ensuring you can adapt as technology evolves throughout your career.
Our faculty bring extensive industry experience, including agency leadership and professional practice across design disciplines. Professors actively mentor students, help connect them to internships and jobs, and regularly bring industry professionals into the classroom for critiques and collaboration. This professional integration keeps the curriculum current and connected to industry needs.
Yes. Watkins College of Art at Belmont has been named a 2025 Top Design School in Tennessee by Graphic Design USA for the second consecutive year — the only program in the state on the list.
Six student designers earned 2025 GDUSA Design Awards, placing them among the top 10% of more than 6,000 entries nationwide. This national recognition reflects our students' success at design competitions across the country.
Yes. Students work with real clients throughout their studies, gaining meaningful hands-on experience before graduation. This real-world experience, combined with 2-4 internships, ensures you graduate with both a strong portfolio and professional experience.
Yes. Design Communications is available as a minor for students in other majors. Details about the minor requirements are available in the program information sections below.
vSpecial scholarships are available for Design Communications students. Information about scholarship opportunities and application requirements is available in the Special Scholarships section below.
Yes. Accreditation information is available in the program details below. Belmont University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
The Design Communications program is part of Watkins College of Art at Belmont University, located in the heart of Nashville, Tennessee. This location offers a distinct competitive edge with access to Nashville's thriving creative industry, internship opportunities and professional networks.
Nashville's creative industry provides robust internship opportunities, real client projects and professional networking that lead directly to employment. The city's growing design, advertising and creative sectors offer students hands-on experience with agencies, corporations and startups. Many students build relationships during internships that result in job offers upon graduation.
Our goal is simple: to prepare you to compete in any market. As a graduate of Belmont's Design Communications program, you will be prepared to contribute to the media landscape locally, nationally and internationally. Our graduates are eager to welcome you into the creative community and play an active role in your experience.
Contact Us
Ellie Aldrich
Admissions Coordinator
615.460.6772
Email Ellie