Advertising Art

Associate of Applied Arts Degree (A.A.A.)

About this program

Your path to a future in advertising design begins at Penn College. Here, you’ll find a community of creators. Students and instructors, alike, determined to inspire your finest work. Nurture your creative spirit and challenge you to reach new heights. This career-defining program cultivates strong foundational skills, builds proficiency in graphic design for print and interactive media, and employs a rigor that turns out motivated, real-world ready artists.

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Next steps...

You're on your way to becoming a tomorrow maker.

Seamless Associate-to-Bachelor Degree Pathway

24/7

Access to Mac Labs with Adobe Suite

Unparalleled Foundation  Focused on Formal Design Principles

Careers

  • Production artist
  • Production designer
  • Advertising artist
  • Layout artist
Courses

At Penn College, we believe your educational experience should go beyond specialized skills. Real-world ready means taking a broader approach that builds communication skills, inspires collaboration, and encourages exploration of arts, history, and science.

​​Specialization requires in-depth knowledge and high-level proficiency. Students learn and apply major-specific concepts, skills, and methods.

  • Visual Literacy for Designers (ART107)
  • Drawing (ART180)
  • Digital Photography (PHO150)
  • Two-Dimensional Design (ART102)
  • Design & Color (ART109)
  • History of Graphic Design (ART145)
  • Introduction to Three-Dimensional Design (ART202)
  • Type Design I (ART225)
  • Computer Graphics I (ART270)
  • Introduction to Web Page Development (BWM150)
  • Introduction to Graphic Design (ART210)
  • Type Design II (ART235)
  • Computer Graphics II (ART275)
  • Introduction to Graphic Design for the Internet (ART285)
  • Portfolio (ART295)

​Perspectives are points of view, offering a variety of ways of understanding, interacting, and influencing the world. Students identify, explain, and utilize the approaches used by academics and professionals to study, analyze, or understand problems, and offer solutions.

  • Science Elective (SCI)

​​Foundations are the practical, intellectual, and social skills: communication, collaboration, critical and ethical thinking, quantitative thinking, and technological literacy that are crucial to every student at every stage of education and at every stage of life.

  • English Composition I (ENL111)
  • Information, Technology & Society (CSC124)
  • English Composition II (ENL121) or
  • Technical & Professional Communication (ENL201)
  • Math Elective (MTH151 or Higher) (MMM)
Tour Schedule

Seeing is believing.

Think Penn College might be a good fit for you? Make plans to visit and discover what hands-on learning is all about.

Mar 1

Undergraduate Open House

Saturday, March 19 AM - 3 PM

Register

Apr 6

Undergraduate Open House

Sunday, April 69 AM - 3 PM

Register

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Contact

Admissions Office

The Dr. Welch Workshop: A Makerspace at Penn College
Facilities

The Dr. Welch Workshop: A Makerspace at Penn College

Take hands-on learning to the next level. Explore your creativity. Collaborate with others. Bring your ideas to light. Tomorrow is in the making. The makerspace is a workshop where you can collaborate with students, faculty, and staff, or work independently to test theories, explore ideas, and gain real-world skills to power your career.

Student Life

Lead and put your skills to the test

American Institute of Graphic Design (AIGA)

American Institute of Graphic Design (AIGA)

The AIGA encourages students to get involved in the local design community, create a community of their own, and build leadership skills that will be valuable as they move into the professional world.

Zone V Photography

Zone V Photography

This club encourages members to explore the photographic medium for artistic growth and develop a personal artistic vision. Students also acquire and strengthen the skills used in analogue photographic methods and techniques.

Student Organizations at Penn College

Student Organizations at Penn College

Your college experience is about more than the classroom. Join one of 65+ clubs and organizations, or create your own.

Penn College News
10.15.2024

Penn College classes add global travel to students’ education

Supporting Pennsylvania College of Technology’s mission to equip future leaders with real-world experience, faculty members led students in exploring new parts of that world through six 2024 Global Experience classes. In Europe, students explored the origin and future of objects of their study, and in Latin America, they used their budding skills to serve others. Around 135 students participated in the classes.

09.17.2024

‘Life of Brian’ comes ‘Full Circle’

Illustrator Brian Lutz returned to his alma mater for two days of inspirational exchanges. The 2008 advertising art grad engaged students in hands-on work in two Illustration classes, delivered a public lecture in Penn’s Inn and answered questions during a reception in The Gallery at Penn College, where his “Full Circle” exhibit in on display through Oct. 4. It was in the gallery and his classes that Lutz was first inspired to pursue a career in illustration, so the exhibit’s title is an apt description.

09.06.2024

Open invitation: Tuesday talks by alumnus, illustrator

The Gallery at Penn College reminds the campus community and public of two opportunities to hear from accomplished illustrator Brian Lutz, a Penn College advertising art graduate. On Tuesday, Sept. 10, Lutz will deliver a 3:30 p.m. lecture in Penn’s Inn, on the second floor of the Bush Campus Center, and a 5:30 p.m. artist's talk in the gallery, on the third floor of The Madigan Library. The gallery talk will occur during a reception (set for 5 to 6 p.m.) celebrating Lutz's "Full Circle" exhibit.

Gain global experience
Study Abroad

Gain global experience

See the world via Williamsport. Take your education abroad and get hands-on experience learning about your industry on a global scale.

Learn More

Student Experience

The community as their classroom

Graphic design students sweep awards

Graphic design students sweep awards

All that hard work pays off when student projects take their place in the spotlight. Our graphic designers often receive awards when judged alongside national competition.

See them shine

More Information

Students must earn a grade of 'C' or better in all courses with an ART and PHO course designator to receive credit for their completion. Students earning a 'D' or below must retake courses in which they are deficient before those courses can be considered as meeting the prerequisite requirements for more advanced courses. Failure to achieve a grade of 'C' or above in a course, after the maximum attempts allowed by College policy, results in withdrawal from the major in which the course is required.

View general transfer information

Alternative Credit refers to academic credits earned through means other than traditional college course completion, including: credit by exam, articulation, proof of competency gained in high school, work/life experience, and advanced placement.

Visit the Alternative Credit Options page in our Course Catalog for general requirements and procedures and for information on credit through Advanced Placement.

View the Advertising Art Tool List

Uniforms and tools are available for purchase through The College Store.

Penn College has state-of-the-art facilities with an abundance of current computer technology for training in design and production. Along with computer skills we feel it is important to continue to educate students to use their hands in disciplines such as design, drawing, painting, and photography. This process provides a tactual and perceptive approach to visual problem solving. Using traditional media provides direct and physical engagement; the process requires a necessary interval for the development of concept, image, techniques, and evaluation.

Students become involved in a process that nurtures creativity and stimulates conceptual performance. The freshman, foundation year focuses on developing students’ visual thinking and hand skills. In subsequent years, students concentrate on applied art courses directed toward design and production in many media.

The art faculty encourage students in the objective pursuit of excellence. Individualized critiques provide structure for the creative process and are essential to the ultimate quality of the artwork.

Students are encouraged to attend exhibitions and artists’ talks as part of their education. The Department and College promote exhibitions at the resident gallery.

  • Sister Alma Mary Anderson, CSC, Professor, Graphic Design, Indiana State University
  • Mr. Ric Jones, Creative Director, MoJo Active
  • Ali Petrizzi, Ms., 2020, Senior UX Designer, Microsoft
  • Mr. Dan Rowland, President/Owner/Director, Rowland Creative
  • Mr. John Saal, '00, Principal, Untuck Design Studio
  • Mr. Ryan Starr, '00, Creative Director, Saint John's University
  • Ms. Marjaneh Talebi, Director, Graphic Design Program, Harrisburg Area Community College
  • Mr. Todd True, Principal / Creative Director, True Geist
  • Career Fair Connections

    Career Fair Connections

    Penn College graduates are in high demand. Employer participation at the Career Fair is proof. Attracting 400+ organizations, this popular event is hosted twice per year and introduces students to all types of businesses from startups to Fortune 500 companies. 

    Learn More About Career Fair