Graphic Design
Shaping the visual experience of the future with the next generation of visual communication designers.
Milan
On campus
ITA
First Level Academic Diploma in Visual Communication Design - Specialization in Graphic Design
Language
Italian
Start date
October 2025
Frequency
Full time
Fruition
On campus
Duration
3 Years
Credits
180
Course Coordination
Dario Accanti
Come and join a fast evolving career with a training programme firmly rooted in the current socio-economic context. You will be involved in projects with huge economic and social impact, working with the best professionals in the world of design. All this is now within your reach with the Graphic Design degree programme at IED Milano
Becoming a Graphic Designer is about learning a profession with a great history under its belt. A Graphic Designer is not simply someone who can ‘execute’ but most importantly someone who can ‘think’. The Graphic Design programme at IED Milano gives you the opportunity to learn how to use visual elements such as colours, fonts and symbols, to give shape to your lateral thinking and build a communication style that will have an impact on the future of society.
You will acquire the technical and cultural tools and knowledge required for this career. You will take on project-related tasks using lab-based experience and hands-on training as a way to create publishing materials, brand design solutions, packaging and digital interface models. You will also consolidate your ability to work independently and manage multimedia projects involving a variety of systems.
When attending your Graphic Design programme at IED Milano, you will have the opportunity to carry out projects based on the European design tradition. You will practice your creative skills, developing innovative solutions where beauty is combined with social responsibility, environmental responsibility and customer business requirements. You will be able to work as Graphic Designer, Web and App Designer, Art and Design Director, Front End Designer, Data Visualizer, Content Creator and Content Manager.
Issued Degree:
Diploma Accademico di Primo Livello (DAPL), corresponding to a Bachelor of Arts Degree (BA) – EQF6 Level (European Qualification Framework).
Credits:
The course awards 180 CFA (Academic Formative Credits), corresponding to 180 ECTS (European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System).
Information to decide
The programme that will give you an insight into methods, processes and applications of graphic design
Over the three years of your Graphic Design programme, you will approach a variety of subjects and explore the many different applications of visual communication. In addition to studying theory and subjects such as history, logic, socio-economics, strategy, methodology and technical production -all of them providing a general understanding of the context- you will also be using a lab-based approach to carry out high-profile professional projects.
The aim of the Graphic Design degree programme is indeed to prepare future professionals who can manage advanced projects that require solid technical skills. Upon completion of your programme, you will be confident using the most popular software tools to create projects that catch the attention of companies. You will also be able to manage visual communication across all areas.
Being involved in a variety of workshops, contests and special projects, you will have the opportunity to practice your learned skills and exchange ideas with peers and faculty. You will go on to develop your skills and strategic thinking to move into the professional world from immediately after graduation.
The Graphic Design programme at IED Milano is the best option for people like you who are eager to find out what lies behind everything we see. A Graphic Designer is someone who looks at visual communication as a tool to support organizations, businesses and people in their efforts to communicate and live better.
We do not prepare artists or advertisers, but rather ‘project designers’: people who can think differently and bring innovation into business and art, as well as in social, ethical and human interaction. People who can think unconventionally but with a strong sense of social responsibility.
You will be involved in a multidisciplinary environment where you can build your future career and explore new ways of understanding things. You will move into a career where everything is extremely varied, yet essential for anyone who wants to communicate and promote their business, keep users informed or create a new brand identity with high recognition levels.
The Graphic Design programme at IED Milano will help you build a cultural background and practical skills in the use of software and tools that are useful when working on real projects.
This programme is closely connected with the job market as it offers workshops, seminars and events with professionals from the industry who provide students with full awareness of the market environment and its changing trends.
Public bodies, trade brands and institutions will be launching projects and monitoring how students develop their creative solutions all along the way: from concept to production, and always with an eye on customer requirements.
The city of Milan has a long tradition of design. This makes it easier to build up relationships with skilled professionals and create a network that can work successfully on any type of project, with everyone bringing their own strategic thinking and skills.
Syllabus
first year
On your first year of the Graphic Design programme at IED Milano, you will acquire the skills and knowledge of technical, cultural and project design processes as a first step towards developing graphic designer thinking. Theory will be complemented by the acquisition of technical skills through software for vector drawing, photographic image management, and page layout.
HISTORY OF CONTEMPORARY ART
DRAWING AND GRAPHIC ART HISTORY
PROJECT DESIGN METHODOLOGY
COMPUTER GRAPHICS 1
ELEMENTS OF PUBLICATION GRAPHIC DESIGN
GRAPHIC DESIGN 1
THEORY OF PERCEPTION AND PSYCHOLOGY OF FORM
SEMIOTICS OF ART
second year
On your second year, you will explore the application areas of graphic design through lab-based learning: you will be working on a number of projects across publishing, brand design, packaging and digital interface design. You will learn how to use software tools for video management, 3D animation, web and digital prototyping.
VIDEOGRAPHICS
GRAPHIC DESIGN 2
PHOTOGRAPHY
PHENOMENOLOGY OF CONTEMPORARY ARTS
BRAND DESIGN
PROJECT DESIGN METHODOLOGY FOR VISUAL COMMUNICATION
SOCIOLOGY OF COMMUNICATION
FILM AND VIDEO HISTORY
PRINTING TECHNIQUES
DIGITAL MODELLING TECHNIQUES WITH 3D SOFTWARE
third year
The last part of your programme will focus on advanced project design of graphic systems. You will develop a dissertation project with support from external partners and companies. Here you will have the opportunity to consolidate your ability to work independently and manage complex cross-media projects. The focus will always be on your own ideas and your work will be based on a large variety of subjects developed by IED and its partners.
THEORY AND METHOD OF MASS MEDIA
GRAPHIC DESIGN 3
DIGITAL VIDEO
DESIGN MANAGEMENT
LAYOUT OF EXHIBITION SPACES
GRAPHIC DESIGN
Faculty
Dario Accanti
Graphic Designer
Course Coordinator
Francesca Valan
Industrial Designer
Paolo Ravasi
Architect and Designer
Massimo Hachen
Architect, Designer, Artist
Patrizia Chiesa
Creative director in newsrooms and events
Davide Corno
Marketing and communication manager
Luca Negri
Owner of Luca Negri & Associati
Mauro Panzeri
Art Director for Edizioni Ambiente, Milan
Marco Pea
Owner and graphic designer at '48
Sara Caliumi
Visual Art Designer
Davide Famoso
Entrepreneur and consultant
Roberto Rossini
Art critic, art historian, and curator
Marina Bonanni
Graphic Designer
Bruno Gregory
Digital Artist and Limited edition designer
Antonella Giardina
Philosopher and Designer, identity theorist
Olga Salvoni
CMF Designer - Olga Salvoni Studio
Mauro Santella
Graphic Designer
Stefano Uvietta
Photographer
Laura Loprieno
CEO and Co-founder of Dynamo
Paolo Rognoni
Brand Designer
Simona Marzorati
Creative director, journalist
Cristina Proserpio
Casting Director
Benedetta Spreafico
Creative Art Director, Graphic Designer
Michelangelo Petralito
Creative Director / Owner of studio PR-A
Simone Baboni
Digital Designer
Daniele Mastrapasqua
Architect
Federico Sartori
Graphic Designer
Bruno D'Arrigo
Graphic Designer
Andrea Guccini
Co-founder of the graphic design studio But Maybe
Simona Bordone
Special projects for Domus, IED lecturer, chair of Fondazione Wurmkos onlus
Silvia Mainoni
Designer and co-founder of White Designer Studio
Andrea Gallo
Video Maker and Producer, Co-founder Sugodesign.tv
Stefano Polli
Graphic Designer, Live Media Artist
Matteo Nicoli
Motion Designer
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