Online BS in Digital Design Program Crafting Creativity in the Digital Realm
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Degree Options
100% online,* 8-week courses
Transfer in up to 75% of the degree total
Create, Inspire, and Stand Out with Liberty’s Digital Design Program Online
For centuries, art has been a staple of the human experience. Painters, designers, architects, and writers have used their varying forms of art as an outlet to send messages they couldn’t otherwise articulate. Art can be more powerful than words, and it is very much alive and well today. While painters still paint and architects still sketch, the world of art has welcomed a new, dynamic addition: digital design.
Storytelling is the backbone of communication – it’s how we build friendships, forge connections, empathize with one another, and settle disagreements. Storytelling is also an integral part of business. Oftentimes, the company that tells the best stories is the company that experiences the most success. However, to relate to potential customers and tell effective stories, a company must understand its target audience.
Here’s a glimpse into the U.S.’s digital landscape:
- About 85% of Americans own a smartphone – a 50% increase from 2011.**
- Nearly 75% of U.S. residents own a computer.**
- 50% of Americans own a tablet.**
By partnering with Liberty for your digital design degree, you can learn how to create engaging content for this digital audience – driving sales, spreading messages, and telling visual stories. The skyrocketing popularity of digital platforms presents an incredible opportunity for college graduates, and Liberty’s digital design program can help you pursue in-demand digital design jobs.
*Some exclusions apply. Please refer to our exclusions page for more information.
**Pew Research Center at Mobile Fact Sheet (viewed online Sept. 22, 2021).
What is digital design?
Digital design is a form of visual communication that is specific to electronic devices like smartphones, computers, and tablets. Digital design pieces are typically interactive — meaning the user can physically touch the design and induce action or movement within the piece.
What Will You Study in Liberty’s Digital Media and Design Program Online?
In the core content of our Bachelor of Science in Digital Design, you will study both 2D and 3D design. You will also study art history and be challenged to think critically about the nature of creativity. Additionally, you will study 20th– and 21st-century art; examine how art, culture, and technology overlap; and explore the fundamentals of graphic design.
At Liberty, we want to provide you with ample opportunity to study the topics you’re most passionate about, which is why our digital design degree’s specializations are 33-42 credit hours long — double the length of most degree specializations. This does not increase the length of your degree. Rather, this degree places a heavier emphasis on specialization than most of our online degree programs. That way, your time at Liberty can be spent learning about the topics you care about the most.
Featured Courses
BS in Digital Design Degree Information
- This program falls under the School of Communication and the Arts.
- View the Undergraduate Communication and the Arts Course Guides (login required).
- You will receive hands-on training through a 90-hour practicum and a 180-hour internship.
Why Choose Liberty’s Digital Media and Design Program Online?
As a pioneer in distance education since 1985, we understand what it takes to create a flexible, online degree program that can challenge you to grow and help prepare you for career success. Our digital design program was developed by a group of industry experts who have years of experience in design, strategic communication, and teaching. Your instructors are qualified, knowledgeable professionals whose expertise is preceded only by their commitment to your success.
In addition, our digital media and design program offers you the opportunity to gain real-world experience, which can help you stand out to hiring managers. This degree’s 90-hour practicum and 180-hour internship allow you to apply what you’ve learned in class to real-world settings. That way, you won’t just study digital design – you’ll put what you learn into practice, develop confidence in your abilities, and add to your résumé.
Our digital design bachelor’s degree also offers multiple specializations, allowing you to gain a foundational understanding of digital design in addition to specialized knowledge in an area you’re most passionate about. Maybe you enjoy photography, or perhaps you’ve dabbled in graphic design before. Either way, our digital design program can teach you key digital principles and help you turn your passion into a rewarding, lifelong career.
Potential Careers with a Bachelor’s in Digital Design Degree
Our digital design degree program can help prepare you for several career paths, including:
- Cartoonist
- Character designer
- Children’s book artist
- Comic book artist
- Concept artist
- Graphic novelist
- Illustrator
- Professional photographer
- Production artist
- Storyboard artist
Degree Options for Liberty’s BS in Digital Design
Our Bachelor of Science in Digital Design offers a comprehensive curriculum that encompasses various specializations tailored to meet the evolving needs of the digital landscape. Each specialization is designed to provide you with a foundational understanding of digital design principles while allowing you to focus on your specific area of interest.
Character Design
Liberty University’s online BS in Digital Design – Character Design can teach you how to use archetypes and bring characters to life. This degree aims to help you build a a strong foundation in drawing, anatomy, color theory, and digital art techniques, while also emphasizing storytelling, creativity, and the development of unique artistic styles. Graduates of a BS in Character Design can pursue careers as character designers, concept artists, illustrators, animation artists, and game designers, among other roles.
View the Degree Completion Plan.
Digital Merchandising Design
Liberty University’s online BS in Digital Design – Digital Merchandising Design can teach you how digital design and business go hand-in-hand. This degree aims to help you develop the skills and knowledge needed to excel in the evolving field of digital commerce and online retail. You will study ways to create compelling online shopping experiences, leveraging technology to meet consumer needs and drive sales. Through a combination of theoretical studies and practical projects, you can work to become ready to innovate in the digital merchandising space.
View the Degree Completion Plan.
Graphic Design
Liberty University’s online BS in Digital Design – Graphic Design is designed to help you create meaningful pieces of work that persuade, inform, and entertain. This program helps prepare you for the dynamic world of digital design, teaching you how to create compelling visuals and user experiences across a variety of platforms, including websites, mobile apps, and interactive media.
View the Degree Completion Plan.
Illustration Design
Liberty University’s online BS in Digital Design – Illustration Design is designed to help you become a capable illustrator who can create pieces that accomplish numerous objectives. This program combines foundational principles of design with advanced digital illustration techniques, offering you a comprehensive education in the creative and technical aspects of the digital art world.
View the Degree Completion Plan.
Media Design
Liberty University’s online BS in Digital Design – Media Design can help you learn how to strategically create and place various forms of media that achieve effective results. This program is designed to help equip you with the creative and technical skills needed to excel in various digital media industries. You can study graphic design, web design, animation, video production, and interactive media, integrating these skills to create compelling digital content and visual communications.
View the Degree Completion Plan.
Photographic Design
Liberty University’s online BS in Digital Design – Photographic Design can help you develop a marketable skill set useful for working with individual clients, large firms, or small businesses. This degree focuses on teaching the fundamental principles of design and photography, including composition, lighting, and storytelling, while also diving deep into digital imaging techniques and the use of software tools for photo editing, manipulation, and graphic design.
View the Degree Completion Plan.
Visual Communication Design
Liberty University’s online BS in Digital Design – Visual Communication Design features instruction in communication theory and technical skills that can help you pursue numerous potential career options. Throughout this degree, you can explore a wide range of subjects, including typography, web design, interactive media, branding, and animation, helping you work to become prepared to create compelling visual narratives that resonate in today’s digital world.
View the Degree Completion Plan.
Not sure what to choose?
Speak to one of our admissions specialists to help you choose the program that best fits your needs.
Admission Information for the Bachelor of Science in Digital Design Degree
Admission Requirements
- Apply online or over the phone with an admissions counselor by calling (800) 424-9595.
- A non-refundable, non-transferable $50 application fee will be posted on the current application upon enrollment (waived for qualifying service members, veterans, and military spouses – documentation verifying military status is required).
- Send official high school transcripts or official GED test scores.*
- Students may be allowed to enroll in up to 12 credit hours with Liberty with the submission of our High School Self-Certification Form (login required – you will first need to claim your Liberty Account).
- Send official college transcripts (mailed as sealed, unopened copies or sent via a direct electronic transcript system).
- Unofficial transcripts can be used for acceptance purposes with the submission of a Transcript Request Form.
- Applicants whose native language is other than English must submit official scores for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or an approved alternative assessment. For information on alternative assessments or TOEFL waivers, please call Admissions or view the official International Admissions policy.
*Official high school transcript requirement may be waived with college transcripts from an accredited college/university showing at least 12 earned credit hours with an acceptable GPA.
Note: A 2.0 or above cumulative GPA is required for admission in good standing.
Transcript Policies
High School Transcript Policy
Applicants may submit a High School Self-Certification Form in lieu of a final official high school transcript in order to enroll in up to 12 credit hours at Liberty University.
- Applicants may submit a college transcript showing 12 or more credits from an accredited institution and a High School Self-Certification Form in lieu of high school transcripts.
Students must submit official high school transcripts, or official college transcripts showing at least 12 credit hours earned with an acceptable grade point average (GPA) from an accredited institution, in order to register for additional courses.
The official high school transcript, GED requirement, and High School Self-Certification Form can be waived if the applicant has earned an associate degree or higher.
Final transcripts must reflect all coursework and final grades received for grades 9-12, a graduation date, and an overall GPA. (Mailed transcripts must be in a sealed and unopened envelope.)
Unofficial College Transcript Policy
Unofficial transcripts combined with a Transcript Request Form can be used for admission. Official transcripts are required within 60 days of the admissions decision or before non-attendance drops for the first set of matriculated classes, whichever comes first, and will prevent enrollment into future terms until all official transcripts have been received.
Before sending unofficial college transcripts, please make sure they include the following:
- Your previous school’s name or logo printed on the document
- Cumulative GPA
- A list of completed courses and earned credit broken down by semester
- Degree and date conferred (if applicable)
Official College Transcript Policy
An acceptable official college transcript is one that has been issued directly from the institution and is in a sealed envelope. If you have one in your possession, it must meet the same requirements. If your previous institution offers electronic official transcript processing, they can send the document directly to luoverify@liberty.edu.
If the student uses unofficial transcripts with a Transcript Request Form to gain acceptance, all official transcripts must be received within 60 days of the admissions decision or before non-attendance drops for the first set of matriculated classes, whichever comes first. Failure to send all official transcripts within the 60-day period will prevent enrollment into future terms until all official transcripts have been received.
Military Transfers
If you have military-only transfer credits (completed basic training and enlistment), you must request an official military transcript. Please go to the Military Transfer Credit webpage to request your military transcript.
International Applicants
If you are an international applicant, you may be required to have your international transcripts reviewed. Information regarding the transcript evaluation process for international students can be found by visiting NACES.
Applicants whose native language is other than English must submit official scores for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or an approved alternative assessment. For information on alternative assessments or TOEFL waivers, please call Admissions or view the official International Admissions policy.
Admissions Office Contact Information
Liberty University Online Admissions Verification
1971 University Blvd.
Lynchburg, VA 24515
Military
Liberty University is dedicated to providing world-class educational experiences to military students across the globe.
Who May Qualify?
- Active Duty
- Reserve/National Guard
- Veterans/Retirees
- Spouses of Service Members and Veterans/Retirees
- Current Department of Defense Employees
Available Benefits:
- Tuition discounts – $250 per credit hour for undergraduate courses
- Additional discount for veterans who service in a civilian capacity as a First Responder (less than $565 per course)*
- 8-week courses, 8 different start dates each year, and no set login times (may exclude certain courses such as practicums, internships, or field experiences)
- Potential college credit for military training
*Not applicable to certificates.
Tuition rates may change annually. For the most current information, please visit our LU Tuition Cost page.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference in digital design vs. graphic design?
While digital design and graphic design are two very similar fields that often overlap, there is one major distinction between them. Graphic designers create noninteractive pieces while digital designers create pieces that users can interact with.
If you’re more interested in graphic design than digital design, we offer a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design.
Will I be able to receive hands-on experiences during my online program?
In this digital design degree, you will receive hands-on training through a 90-hour practicum and a 180-hour internship.
How do I know I am receiving a quality education?
Liberty University is regionally accredited by SACSCOC, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
Inner Navigation
- Overview
- What Will You Study?
- What Sets Us Apart?
- Potential Careers
- Degree Options
- Admission Information
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