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Art & Design

Design

Professional Certificate, full-time or part-time post-baccalaureate program

Create the work that inspires you.

Are you interested in a career in graphic design and already have a bachelor’s degree under your belt? Our professional certificate program will prepare you for a future in this exciting field. You’ll take two years of courses and earn 60 credits, while gaining practical hands-on experience as a designer. Work closely with professors in-studio and learn different techniques in print, motion, experiential, and interactive design.

You’ll start by working on projects that immerse you in the language, skills, processes, and methods that serve as a foundation for all design work. Learn to distinguish meaning from images and critically examine visual presentations. You’ll focus your practice in typography, use of color, drawing methods, and much more. Students with no prior studio art background will also take prerequisite courses, which can be completed before or during the program.

Once you’ve begun to master basic skills and theory, you’ll move on to even more specialized techniques. You’ll begin to develop your own personal voice as a designer, while working with new technologies that will take your work to a whole new level.

Our required internships will prepare you for your career as a graphic designer. You’ll work and learn at some of the top studios, agencies, and magazines in Boston and beyond. Gain real-world experience, make connections in the field, and show what you can do in this ever-evolving industry.

cell phone screenshots of interactive accessible maps of campus
Design
Mapping Lesley
Design students teamed up with User Experts from Lesley’s Threshold Program to experience navigating campus with them. This process enabled the design teams to identify specific challenges and pain points the User Experts encountered on campus. But more importantly, the design students were able to empathize with the Threshold students as individuals by witnessing first hand the difficulties associated with our built environments.
The brand that becomes a cultural icon. Create it.
Careers
Where You Could Work
Design is a versatile field, with opportunities to work across a wide range of industries, from branding and advertising to publishing, ecommerce, nonprofits, education, and beyond. Organizations you could work for include:
Careers
Jobs You Could Have
Professional opportunities in design are expanding, and Greater Boston is a great place to start your career. Some of the top job titles for someone with design training include:

Faculty

Total approximate cost for this undergraduate certificate program.
Design
Housing Options
Compare the cost of the program for students who live on campus in a residence hall with the cost for commuter students.
  • Tuition
    Year 1 - Fall
    $15,945
    Year 1 - Spring
    $15,945
    Year 2 - Fall
    $15,945
    Year 2 - Spring
    $15,945
  • Fees
    New Student Orientation Fee
    $150
    Comprehensive Fee
    $1,780
  • Room & Board
    Health and Wellness Fee
    $1,780
    Room (double, triple, or quad room)
    $22,960
    Meal Plan
    $15,160
    Housing Deposit (one-time fee)
    $300
  • Total cost before financial aid
Estimated Cost

Review all undergraduate tuition and fees, and what they cover.

Tuition and fees are subject to change each year, effective June 1.

Apply Now

Ready to get started? We're here to make the application process as smooth as possible. Just answer a few quick questions, and get your customized application guide.

Total approximate cost for this undergraduate certificate program. Tuition and fees are for the 2023-2024 academic year.
Use our step-by-step guide to apply for federal, state, and university funding. Scholarships, grants, Work-Study, and loans. It’s all right here.

Next steps to apply

Ready to get started? We're here to make the application process as smooth as possible. Just answer a few quick questions, and get your customized application guide.