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    • Graphic Design

    Graphic Design Courses

    Graphic design courses can help you learn how to create visual content using layout, typography, and imagery to communicate ideas and tell stories.

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    Find the Best Graphic Design Course for Your Goals

    • Status: Free Trial
      Free Trial
      C

      California Institute of the Arts

      Graphic Design

      Skills you'll gain: Typography, Design Elements And Principles, Logo Design, Graphic and Visual Design, Graphic Design, Design, Photo Editing, Visual Design, Color Theory, Creative Design, Branding, Photography, Style Guides, Art History, Adobe InDesign, Storytelling, Aesthetics, Writing, Design Strategies, Brainstorming

      4.7
      Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
      ·
      22K reviews

      Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months

    • Status: Free Trial
      Free Trial
      Status: AI skills
      AI skills
      A

      Adobe

      Adobe Graphic Designer

      Skills you'll gain: Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, Digital Design, Generative AI, Visual Design, Graphic Design, File Management, Presentations, User Interface and User Experience (UI/UX) Design, Design Software, Communication, Image Analysis, Version Control, Prompt Engineering, Project Documentation, Logo Design, Project Management, Artificial Intelligence, Branding, Storytelling

      4.7
      Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
      ·
      1.2K reviews

      Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months

    • Status: Free Trial
      Free Trial
      C

      California Institute of the Arts

      Fundamentals of Graphic Design

      Skills you'll gain: Typography, Design Elements And Principles, Graphic and Visual Design, Graphic Design, Design, Photo Editing, Visual Design, Color Theory, Logo Design, Writing, Creativity, Peer Review

      4.8
      Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
      ·
      18K reviews

      Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months

    • Status: New
      New
      Status: Free Trial
      Free Trial
      A

      Adobe

      Graphic Design

      Skills you'll gain: Adobe Illustrator, Color Theory, Typography, Graphic and Visual Design, Graphic Design, Adobe Creative Cloud, Design, Digital Design, Design Elements And Principles, Logo Design, Generative AI, Creativity

      4.6
      Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
      ·
      85 reviews

      Mixed · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

    • Status: Free Trial
      Free Trial
      U

      University of Colorado Boulder

      Graphic Design

      Skills you'll gain: Graphic Design, Visual Design, Typography, Design, Design Elements And Principles, Color Theory, Design Reviews, Peer Review, Editing, Creativity

      4.8
      Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
      ·
      3.3K reviews

      Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

    • C

      Coursera Project Network

      Graphic design: pop your Linkedin with 3D effect using Canva

      Skills you'll gain: Canva (Software), Graphic and Visual Design, Graphic and Visual Design Software, Graphic Design, Design, 3D Modeling, Design Elements And Principles

      4.4
      Rating, 4.4 out of 5 stars
      ·
      71 reviews

      Beginner · Guided Project · Less Than 2 Hours

    What brings you to Coursera today?

    • Status: Free Trial
      Free Trial
      X

      Xbox

      Xbox Graphic Designer

      Skills you'll gain: Wireframing, Logo Design, Color Theory, Typography, Adobe Photoshop, Figma (Design Software), Interaction Design, Marketing Design, Information Architecture, Adobe Illustrator, Photo Editing, Graphic Design, Prototyping, Visual Design, User Feedback, Digital Design, Graphic and Visual Design, Usability, Generative AI, Graphic and Visual Design Software

      4.4
      Rating, 4.4 out of 5 stars
      ·
      53 reviews

      Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months

    • Status: Free Trial
      Free Trial
      U

      University of Colorado Boulder

      Graphic Design Elements for Non-Designers

      Skills you'll gain: Color Theory, Typography, Graphic Design, Design Elements And Principles, Logo Design, Design Software, Graphic and Visual Design, Storytelling, Digital Design, Design, Creative Design, Photo Editing, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, User Experience Design, Web Design and Development, Art History

      4.7
      Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
      ·
      1.6K reviews

      Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months

    • Status: Free Trial
      Free Trial
      Status: AI skills
      AI skills
      G

      Google

      Google UX Design

      Skills you'll gain: UI/UX Research, User Research, Responsive Web Design, Wireframing, Usability Testing, Storyboarding, User Experience Design, Information Architecture, Design Research, Figma (Design Software), Sprint Retrospectives, Mockups, Cross Platform Development, Prototyping, User Experience, Usability, Persona (User Experience), Design Thinking, Interviewing Skills, Applicant Tracking Systems

      Build toward a degree

      4.8
      Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
      ·
      92K reviews

      Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months

    • C

      Coursera Project Network

      Building Digital Media using Graphic Design in PowerPoint

      Skills you'll gain: Animations, Graphics Software, Digital Design, Data Sharing, Content Creation, Multimedia, Photo/Video Production and Technology, Media Production, Graphic Design, Video Production, Marketing

      4.5
      Rating, 4.5 out of 5 stars
      ·
      70 reviews

      Beginner · Guided Project · Less Than 2 Hours

    • Status: Free Trial
      Free Trial
      A

      Adobe

      Design Fundamentals with AI

      Skills you'll gain: Typography, Creative Design, Digital Design, Color Theory, Visual Design, Graphic Design, Logo Design, Data Ethics, User Interface and User Experience (UI/UX) Design, Design Software, AI Personalization, Content Creation, Creativity, Generative AI Agents

      4.7
      Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
      ·
      899 reviews

      Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

    • Status: Preview
      Preview
      C

      California Institute of the Arts

      The Language of Design: Form and Meaning

      Skills you'll gain: Design Reviews, Graphic Design, Visual Design, Design Elements And Principles, Design, Aesthetics, Typography, Storytelling

      4.6
      Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
      ·
      894 reviews

      Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months

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    In summary, here are 10 of our most popular graphic design courses

    • Graphic Design: California Institute of the Arts
    • Adobe Graphic Designer: Adobe
    • Fundamentals of Graphic Design: California Institute of the Arts
    • Graphic Design: Adobe
    • Graphic Design: University of Colorado Boulder
    • Graphic design: pop your Linkedin with 3D effect using Canva: Coursera Project Network
    • Xbox Graphic Designer: Xbox
    • Graphic Design Elements for Non-Designers: University of Colorado Boulder
    • Google UX Design: Google
    • Building Digital Media using Graphic Design in PowerPoint: Coursera Project Network

    Why Learn Graphic Design?

    Graphic design is the art of visual communication—using images, typography, and layout to convey ideas and tell stories. It’s essential in marketing, branding, and digital content, shaping how people engage with information every day. Whether you’re building creative skills or expanding career options, graphic design supports versatile, impactful work across industries.

    Skills you can learn in Business Essentials

    Analytics (37)
    Presentation (33)
    Modeling (29)
    Business Analytics (27)
    Language (26)
    Microsoft Excel (26)
    Writing (26)
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    Business Communication (16)
    Decision-making (16)
    Leadership (15)

    Frequently Asked Questions about Graphic Design

    Consider whether you're starting from scratch, building a portfolio, or learning tools like Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, or Figma.

    • For a comprehensive design foundation, explore the Graphic Design Specialization by CalArts—it covers design principles, typography, and branding.
    • If you're focused on tools and technical skills, try Adobe Illustrator for Beginners or Getting Started with Figma.
    • For branding and real-world application, consider Brand New Brand from CalArts. ‎

    If you're new to graphic design, these beginner-friendly options offer foundational skills and hands-on experience:

    • Fundamentals of Graphic Design by CalArts – A strong entry point that introduces core design principles and visual literacy.
    • Graphic Design Elements for Non-Designers by the University of Colorado – Great for learning layout, color, and typography basics.
    • Create a Business Marketing Brand Kit Using Canva – A quick Guided Project to build a design portfolio piece with beginner-friendly tools.‎
    • A course focuses on a single skill such as Fundamentals of Graphic Design.
    • A Specialization builds creative and technical depth across multiple areas—like the Graphic Design Specialization from CalArts.
    • A Professional Certificate prepares you for creative roles through hands-on work and career-focused content—such as Adobe Graphic Designer Certificate or the Xbox Graphic Designer Certificate, which includes UI and visual design skills relevant to graphic designers.‎

    Take a quick quiz to discover which graphic design course best aligns with your interests—whether you’re learning the basics, building a portfolio, or diving into tools like Adobe Illustrator or Photoshop. Take the quiz to find your ideal starting point.

    Want to compare top options first? Use ChatGPT to explore and compare courses before you dive in.‎

    Yes. You can start learning graphic design on Coursera for free in two ways:

    • Preview the first module of many graphic design courses at no cost. This includes video lessons, readings, graded assignments, and Coursera Coach (where available).
    • Start a 7-day free trial for Specializations or Coursera Plus. This gives you full access to all course content across eligible programs within the timeframe of your trial.

    If you want to keep learning, earn a certificate in graphic design, or unlock full course access after the preview or trial, you can upgrade or apply for financial aid.‎

    You can learn design basics like color, typography, layout, and composition, as well as how to use tools like Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and Canva. Some courses also cover portfolio design, branding, and working with real-world client briefs.‎

    No experience is needed to get started. Many Coursera courses are made for beginners and walk you through the core principles and tools at your own pace.‎

    Yes. Graphic design is a skill used in many creative and marketing roles. Taking a course on Coursera can help you learn how to design professional visuals, build a portfolio, and show employers that you’ve developed real, practical skills.‎

    Color theory is the study of how colors interact and the visual effects they create when combined. It includes principles like the color wheel, complementary colors, and color harmony, and is essential in art, design, and branding. Courses like Fundamentals of Graphic Design from CalArts on Coursera cover color theory as part of visual communication skills.‎

    This FAQ content has been made available for informational purposes only. Learners are advised to conduct additional research to ensure that courses and other credentials pursued meet their personal, professional, and financial goals.

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