1:37 p.m., March 22, 2010----The Visual Communications program at the University of Delaware has been rated among the 10 best in the nation by an online college ranking service.

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College Crunch, which rates institutions of higher education as well as some individual departments and undergraduate and graduate programs, recently listed its “top 10 graphic design schools.” The online service said it bases its rankings on various factors but gives particular weight to such student-oriented assets as technology infrastructure, diversity and opportunities for research.

In listing the top design programs, UD was No. 7, immediately after Cranbrook Academy of Art and before the California Institute of the Arts. Carnegie Mellon University was listed first.

UD's Visual Communications program is a concentration in the Department of Art, which College Crunch noted provides students with opportunities to visit major art centers and with such campus resources as University Museums, a Macintosh-equipped computer art site, studio workshops and a digital laboratory.

“The graphic design field has always been competitive and is expected to continue in this trend,” according to the College Crunch Web site. “Recent graduates of graphic design degree programs will have to rely on their educational credentials to persuade employers to offer them positions. Choosing a school with a well-regarded program in the graphic design or related fields is important since it could be a critical deciding factor.”

Students at UD apply to the Visual Communications program after completing one year as undergraduates. To earn a bachelor of fine arts in Visual Communications degree, they spend the next three years in classes that focus on such topics as graphic design fundamentals, typography, form-making techniques, media and cultural awareness, communication theory and studio practice.