Don’t simply earn your degree from Tyler’s Design and Illustration Department. Develop creativity, craftsmanship, alongside professional practices.
The Tyler School of Art and Architecture attracts driven and creative problem-solvers, like you. Bring your curiosity and commitment to honing your craft. Here, you’ll develop greater resilience as a creative. You’ll gain the confidence to push boundaries and adapt to industry changes that crop up throughout your career.
Tyler’s three design and illustration majors stand out by sharing many classes. That’s not the norm at other colleges and universities. We do it differently (and we think better) by making your education mirror your future professional life.
So much so that top employers scramble to hire our graduates each year — for their skills to take on challenging projects, for their ability to adjust as needed and for their professionalism.
Using these same strengths, many of our graduates also establish successful careers as freelancers, independent consultants and agency owners who work with a variety of clients.
Your design and illustration degree options at Tyler also offer more flexibility to better fit your interests and skills, including those you don’t yet even recognize.
You really can do it all — or a bit of everything. No need to choose.
Tyler proudly continues to expand the number and types of design and illustration degrees and minors offered.
Throughout your time at Tyler, you regularly reconnect with classmates from all design and illustration majors and even students from other Temple University majors who want to add something fresh and creative to their degrees with one of our 3 minors.
Here’s why that matters. You start building your professional relationships and network right away. That means you can support each other before and after graduation. You never know when a future project will need exactly the skills of someone you met here at Tyler.
When students like you ask us why to choose the Tyler School of Art and Architecture for their design and illustration degrees, here’s what we say.
Reach out to Tyler’s embedded admissions team with any questions or to get specific information you need.
Opportunities for design careers and illustration careers keep growing. That’s why Tyler’s degree programs continue gaining in popularity too. These design degrees and illustration degrees put your passion into action by addressing cultural, technological and societal challenges. Here, you’ll enjoy small classes and easy access to resources and tech.
In addition, these degrees hold the federal STEM designation, which allows for extended visas for international students.
Whether you want a career in print or digital media — or both, Tyler’s BFA in graphic and interactive design teaches you everything from branding and typography to motion design and augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) .
Visuals play a major part in all forms of storytelling, messaging and movement. Develop your craft for whatever emerges next in vibrant, growing illustration careers. Study traditional drawing skills and the use of illustrations in digital storytelling across a variety of platforms. Adapt your skills to new illustration environments.
Big news! You can now major in user experience and user interface design (UX / UI) at Tyler. How information gets organized, what it looks like, and how it functions all affect the ways people interact with technology and comprehend information — across various devices and platforms. Combine your creativity with real-world function.
When you earn your MFA in graphic and interactive design at the Tyler School of Art and Architecture, you expand your talents, boost your advanced design research and practice, and learn to stand out as a leader in this always-changing profession.
The Tyler School of Art and Architecture offers 3 undergraduate design and illustration minors.
Tyler’s degree programs in design and illustration create a real-world learning environment that gives you opportunities to put your creativity into action.
We challenge you with real-world scenarios to build your confidence and effectiveness.
Knowing you can rely on your creativity, problem-solving and critical-thinking skills because you have already done it at Tyler adds a layer of professionalism that helps you stand out in your career.
Our faculty provide personalized mentoring. They engage with you in ways that mimic how the design and illustration industry actually works.
The facilities at the Tyler School of Art and Architecture at Temple University in Philadelphia are incredible. You really need to see it in person to understand the professional studio spaces, equipment, and technology we provide for all your creative needs.
You will take classes and do your work on the second floor of Tyler. It’s where you develop concepts and rough sketches to final designs and deliverables.
To support your classwork and studio practice, Tyler provides free access to:
Tyler requires design and illustration students to buy and use specific laptops that best run the latest software and better adapt to the ever-changing professional environment.
Our students, faculty and alumni push boundaries and exceed expectations all the time. Your future classmates win awards in national and international design competitions. Publications and exhibits often feature our dedicated and ground-breaking faculty. And, our alumni work at places like Google, Nickelodeon and Urban Outfitters. We can’t wait to see what you’ll do. In the meantime, get inspired by our community’s success.
"My experience making connections within Design and Illustration became exciting after hanging out in the design studio. I was able to witness so many diverse skills within our program and it became so easy to collaborate with others to talk about ideas or constructive feedback."
“Design and Illustration at Tyler is a coterie of design obsessives who, of course, vibe off each other’s shared passion, but just as much, savor the richly varied perspectives represented across the group. In that sense, it’s like design outside school, and it cultivates that community sensibility in our students.”
“Tyler's studio culture, faculty, and students have given me a sense of belonging after transferring as a senior, something I will always be grateful for. It has been an experience that goes beyond just getting my education — learning, connecting, and growing.”
“The concept-driven approach you learned from Tyler will stay with you throughout your professional career.”
"Our department stands out for its unparalleled network of industry connections and its distinct, art-focused approach to design education. This foundation shows with our alumni, producing work that rises above the crowd."
Meet the award-winning faculty who teach in Tyler’s undergraduate and graduate degrees in design and illustration.
To keep you connected and inspired by growth and evolution in design careers and illustration careers, Tyler regularly invites luminaries in the profession to visit with students and share their insights.
Rodrigo Corral
Creative Director, Rodrigo Corral Studio
Mary Kate McDevitt
Lettering Artist, Illustrator and Author
Andrea Pippins
Illustrator, Author and Designer
Danny Gugger
Senior Designer Major League Baseball
Soonduk Krebs
2024 Design and Illustration Faculty Spotlight
Steve Perry
Bailey Brand Consulting
Stefan Sagmeister
Sagmeister Design
Paula Scher
Pentagram
Seymour Chwast
Designer and Illustrator
David Plunkert
Illustrator and Designer, Spur Design
See what’s happening daily at the Tyler School of Art and Architecture.
