Graphic Design Certificate (Self-Paced)

Learn to design professional page layouts at your own pace using Adobe InDesign. In this course you’ll create a book, magazine spread, brochure, restaurant menu, and business card as you learn to work with graphics, style text, and design layouts.

• Create layouts with text, images, and color while applying professional design techniques.
  
• Use paragraph and character styles to ensure consistent formatting throughout a document.
• Learn to apply text formatting such as kerning, tracking, hyphenation, bulleted lists, and more.
• Utilize parent pages, automatic text flow, and running heads for multi-page projects.
• Prepare/packages files for print or export as PDF with the proper settings.

Retouch and enhance photos, create graphics, and work with layers, masks, and filters in Adobe Photoshop at your own pace. This self-paced course teaches essential techniques for color correction, image compositing, and preparing files for web, video, and print.

• Learn to retouch photos and design graphics
• Enhance images by adjusting color, brightness, and contrast
• Use selections to edit specific areas of an image
• Prepare images for digital, web, video, or print formats
• Simplify edits with adjustment layers
• Remove backgrounds using layer masks
• Sharpen and refine photos
• Apply visual effects with filters, shadows, blend modes, and more

Learn to draw and edit vector graphics at your own pace using Adobe Illustrator. This course covers both basic and advanced features, including the Pen tool, effects, layers, masks, and more. Ideal for learning how to create logos, icons, and more.

• Draw vector graphics using shape tools, the Pen tool, and advanced path editing techniques.
• Apply colors, gradients, and patterns to create visually compelling designs.
• Utilize Image Trace to convert sketches into digital artwork.
• Work with layers, masks, and blending techniques to build complex graphics.
• Create 3D text and realistic product mockups using Illustrator’s advanced tools.
• Export and optimize graphics for web, print, and digital applications.

Build a strong foundation in graphic design while working on real-world projects to expand your portfolio. This course covers key design principles, typography, color theory, and layout techniques, preparing you to create logos, posters, book covers, and digital assets.

• Explore essential design concepts, including composition, typography, and color theory
• Develop a creative workflow, from ideation and sketching to final digital execution
• Create portfolio-worthy projects such as logos, book covers, event posters, and album artwork
• Learn to use design hierarchy and grid systems to create visually engaging layouts
• Incorporate industry-standard tools like Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign into your design process
• Refine your work through critiques and upload your final projects to Adobe Portfolio

Throughout this program, you will complete a capstone project to showcase in your portfolio: 

• Create a complete brand identity by researching, conceptualizing, and designing visual assets—including a logo, moodboard, and supporting materials—that reflect a clear brand strategy and aesthetic.
• Apply the visual identity across various contexts such as packaging, signage, and digital platforms, while producing polished graphic design pieces that show consistency and creativity.
• Document and present your work in a professional portfolio and final presentation, showcasing your creative process, technical skills, and the tools used to bring your branding concept to life.
• Work on your capstone project both in and outside of class, using scheduled mentoring sessions to review your progress, ask questions, and get personalized feedback from your instructor.

See examples of graphic design capstone projects from students.