When you enroll in this course, you'll also be enrolled in this Specialization.
Learn new concepts from industry experts
Gain a foundational understanding of a subject or tool
Develop job-relevant skills with hands-on projects
Earn a shareable career certificate
There are 4 modules in this course
This intensive survey examines four pivotal eras in the History of Western Graphic Design, tracing the evolution of visual communication from the Industrial Revolution through the mid-20th century. While the global history of design is vast, this course focuses specifically on the Euro-American narrative to illustrate how mass production and Western modernist principles established the foundations of today’s professional design standards.
Students will analyze how the relationship between words and pictures shifted across social, political, and technological contexts in Europe and the United States. By investigating the works of innovative Western groups—from the Victorian era to the Bauhaus and American Modernism—learners develop a technical and conceptual toolkit to inform their own contemporary practice. This course is an essential foundation for emerging designers seeking to understand the specific historical forces that shaped the "modern" aesthetic and its subsequent radical reactions.
Analyze the industrial revolution’s impact on visual identity. Explore how early Victorian typography and advertising established modern branding.
What's included
11 videos6 readings1 assignment
Show info about module content
11 videos•Total 43 minutes
Course Introduction•2 minutes
Introduction to Early Mass Marketing•1 minute
Form Follows Function•5 minutes
A Democratization of Choice•3 minutes
A Revival of Styles•4 minutes
Style Mash-up •4 minutes
An Exaggeration of Type•6 minutes
Branding•6 minutes
A Household Name•4 minutes
Text and Image•6 minutes
"Words doing the work"•3 minutes
6 readings•Total 21 minutes
About This Course•5 minutes
About the Assignments•5 minutes
Learning Checkpoint•2 minutes
Learning Checkpoint•2 minutes
The Designer's Toolbox: Wood Type•5 minutes
Learning Checkpoint•2 minutes
1 assignment•Total 120 minutes
Week 1 Assignment •120 minutes
The Bauhaus: Modernist Design Principles
Module 2•3 hours to complete
Module details
Master the Bauhaus teachings that defined design as a profession. Learn how "form follows function" through radical typography and architecture.
What's included
11 videos2 readings1 assignment
Show info about module content
11 videos•Total 42 minutes
Introduction to The Bauhaus•2 minutes
Founding the Bauhaus•6 minutes
The Foundation Year•7 minutes
The Bauhaus and Architecture•4 minutes
Klee, Schlemmer & Albers•5 minutes
László Moholy-Nagy•2 minutes
Herbert Bayer•5 minutes
Color & Image•3 minutes
Textiles & Ceramics•2 minutes
Typography•3 minutes
Publications•3 minutes
2 readings•Total 4 minutes
Learning Checkpoint•2 minutes
Learning Checkpoint•2 minutes
1 assignment•Total 120 minutes
Week 2 Assignment •120 minutes
American Modernism & Corporate Identity Systems
Module 3•2 hours to complete
Module details
Examine mid-century American design through iconic case studies. Learn to use symbolic language and minimalism to build global corporate identities.
What's included
13 videos3 readings1 assignment
Show info about module content
13 videos•Total 41 minutes
Introduction to Modernism in America•2 minutes
The Bauhaus Influence•5 minutes
A Symbolic Language•5 minutes
Case Study: Scope Magazine•1 minute
Developing Corporate Identities•3 minutes
A New Subjectivity•4 minutes
Case Study: Fortune Magazine•2 minutes
Play and Humor•5 minutes
Case Study: The Mechanized Mule Brochure•2 minutes
Duality & Simplicity•4 minutes
Case Study: El Producto Cigars•1 minute
Rand’s Logo Designs•4 minutes
A Clear Identity•4 minutes
3 readings•Total 6 minutes
Learning Checkpoint•2 minutes
Learning Checkpoint•2 minutes
Learning Checkpoint•2 minutes
1 assignment•Total 90 minutes
Week 3 Assignment•90 minutes
Graphic Radicalism & Visual Subcultures
Module 4•3 hours to complete
Module details
Investigate Swiss Design grids, psychedelic posters, and political aesthetics. Learn how radical subcultures inform today's divergent design trends.
What's included
14 videos9 readings1 assignment
Show info about module content
14 videos•Total 59 minutes
Introduction to Graphic Design Radicalism•3 minutes
The Objectivity of Swiss Design•6 minutes
Incorporating Abstraction•2 minutes
Josef Mueller-Brockmann•5 minutes
The Grid•4 minutes
Emil Ruder•1 minute
Compositional Strategies•2 minutes
The Subjectivity of Push Pin•6 minutes
Milton Glaser•5 minutes
“The South”•3 minutes
The Psychedelic Poster and Looking to the Past•8 minutes
The Diggers•5 minutes
Sister Corita’s Aesthetics•7 minutes
Sister Corita’s Politics•3 minutes
9 readings•Total 26 minutes
The Designer's Toolbox: Four-color Printing•1 minute
Learning Checkpoint•1 minute
Learning Checkpoint•1 minute
Learning Checkpoint•1 minute
The Designer's Toolbox: "Psychedelic" Effects•5 minutes
The Designer's Toolbox: Gestetner Machine•3 minutes
Learning Checkpoint•1 minute
The Designer's Toolbox: Screen Printing•3 minutes
What's Next?•10 minutes
1 assignment•Total 90 minutes
Week 4 Assignment•90 minutes
Earn a career certificate
Add this credential to your LinkedIn profile, resume, or CV. Share it on social media and in your performance review.
Instructors
Instructor ratings
Instructor ratings
We asked all learners to give feedback on our instructors based on the quality of their teaching style.
CalArts has earned an international reputation as the leading college of the visual and performing arts in the United States. Offering rigorous undergraduate and graduate degree programs through six schools—Art, Critical Studies, Dance, Film/Video, Music, and Theater—CalArts has championed creative excellence, critical reflection, and the development of new forms and expressions.
"To be able to take courses at my own pace and rhythm has been an amazing experience. I can learn whenever it fits my schedule and mood."
Jennifer J.
Learner since 2020
"I directly applied the concepts and skills I learned from my courses to an exciting new project at work."
Larry W.
Learner since 2021
"When I need courses on topics that my university doesn't offer, Coursera is one of the best places to go."
Chaitanya A.
"Learning isn't just about being better at your job: it's so much more than that. Coursera allows me to learn without limits."
Learner reviews
4.7
2,548 reviews
5 stars
78.21%
4 stars
15.77%
3 stars
4.16%
2 stars
0.94%
1 star
0.90%
Showing 3 of 2548
K
KJ
4·
Reviewed on Dec 4, 2016
Useful intro to the history of graphic design. The quizzes could have been more challenging though or involved doing more independent research on some of the graphic design periods discussed.
L
LP
5·
Reviewed on Sep 12, 2020
It was extremely educational and helpful for me to learn design from its earliest forms up to the modern era that are all applicable for use in contemporary design forms and factors.
A
AN
5·
Reviewed on Sep 9, 2016
This course gave me a lot of important information about the birth and rise of the Graphic Design as a stand alone profession. It was a great opportunity to fulfil my knowledge.
How does studying design history make me a better designer today?
Most "software-only" designers rely on current trends. By mastering design history, you gain a "visual vocabulary" of a century's worth of ideas, allowing you to create work that is more original, strategic, and defensible to clients.
Will I learn about specific designers like Paul Rand or Saul Bass?
Yes. Modern design strategy relies on "visual citations." Understanding design history allows professionals to move beyond surface-level trends and apply historically grounded principles to branding, typography, and art direction.
Do I need a background in art history to succeed in this course?
No prior art history knowledge is required. The course is designed for practicing designers, students, and creative directors who want to deepen their design literacy and expand their conceptual toolkit.
Does this course cover the global history of graphic design?
No. This course is a specialized survey of Western Graphic Design history, focusing primarily on the evolution of the profession within Europe and the United States. It is designed to provide a deep dive into the specific movements (like the Bauhaus and Swiss Design) that currently dominate international professional standards.
Why is the course focused only on the 1850s through the 1960s?
This specific century represents the "Birth of the Professional Designer." By focusing on this era, the course can provide an in-depth analysis of how technology and mass production created the modern industry. This foundation allows designers to better understand—and eventually challenge—the Western-centric traditions prevalent in the field today.
When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
To access the course materials, assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience when you enroll in a course. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid. The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
What will I get if I subscribe to this Specialization?
When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile.
Is financial aid available?
Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.