The Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design course at Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Qatar teaches students practical graphic design skills.

The Graphic Design programme is rooted in the belief that design responds to the realities of time, shaped by content, condition and impact.

Students are trained to think critically, solve creatively and combine technology with traditional crafts to create contextually relevant visual communication.

They learn to manage, structure and embed information in ways that influence and engage audiences. The graphic design programme is approached as a multidisciplinary practice across print, web, interactive platforms, video and experiential design.

Why study Graphic Design? Graduates emerge as skilled specialists in visual communication who can apply strategic design thinking to multiple professional fields. The programme also emphasises the role of design in a multicultural and multilingual Arabic context, equipping students to work within global and regional frameworks.

Students who have completed the program have been hired by local, regional and international organisations and companies such as Qatar Museums, Qatar Airways, Arab Engineering Bureau, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Al Jazeera and Al Jazeera Kids, Blueprint, Doha Film Institute, Film House, Katara Hospitality, Qatari Diar, ASHGHAL, Qatar Foundation, FROMM, Msheireb Properties, Doha Design District and HOK (one of the largest architecture firms in the US).

School: Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Qatar
Course: Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Graphic Design
Type: Undergraduate
Location: Doha, Qatar
Course dates: September 2026 (four year programme)
Application deadline: 15 January 2026

Applications have now closed.

What will I learn during this course?

– Visual communication skills
– Strategic design thinking

What are the requirements?

– A high school diploma or equivalent and English proficiency

What facilities and resources are available?

– VCUarts Qatar has exciting, creative spaces to design
– Art and design books in VCUarts Qatar Libraries
– Innovative Media Studio
– Materials Library
– Tinker Lab
– VCUarts Qatar FabLab

What career prospects can I expect upon graduating?

Upon graduation, most of our students enter the design industry or pursue graduate programmes in related fields. They explore a wide range of careers in sectors such as: agencies and design studios, exhibitions and events, healthcare and health promotion, commercial and non-profit organisations, governmental organisations, entrepreneurship (start their own design practices).

Who teaches this course?

– Astrid Kensinger, chair of graphic design and associate professor
– Basma Hamdy, professor
– Law Alsobrook, associate professor
– Maryam Al-Homaid, associate professor
– Michael Hersrud, associate professor
– Leland Hill, associate professor
– Peter Martin, assistant professor
– Mohammad Sharaf, assistant professor
– Reham Ahmed, adjunct faculty
– Sarah Al-Afifi, adjunct faculty
– Naima Almajdobah, adjunct faculty
– Destarte Prieto, adjunct faculty
– Reem Al-Thani, adjunct faculty
– Nishi Arlyn Rafols, administrative business specialist

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