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.

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.

Ideas from the History of Graphic Design

Ideas from the History of Graphic Design

This course is part of Graphic Design Specialization

Instructors: Louise Sandhaus

105,664 already enrolled

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4 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

2,548 reviews

Beginner level

No prior experience required

Flexible schedule

1 week at 10 hours a week

Learn at your own pace

98%

Most learners liked this course

4 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

2,548 reviews

Beginner level

No prior experience required

Flexible schedule

1 week at 10 hours a week

Learn at your own pace

98%

Most learners liked this course

What you'll learn

Design Literacy: Analyze the evolution of visual communication and historical movements to inform modern branding and professional design strategy.
Strategic Application: Evaluate how technological shifts and principles from the Bauhaus to Post-modernism solve contemporary design problems.
Professional Vocabulary: Develop a technical vocabulary to articulate design choices and defend creative strategies to clients and stakeholders.
Creative Differentiation: Investigate the cultural origins of design trends to find unique visual references that differentiate your work.

Skills you'll gain

Details to know

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Add to your LinkedIn profile

Assessments

4 assignments¹

AI Graded see disclaimer

Taught in English

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This course is part of the Graphic Design Specialization

When you enroll in this course, you'll also be enrolled in this Specialization.

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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

11 videosTotal 43 minutes

Course Introduction2 minutes
Introduction to Early Mass Marketing1 minute
Form Follows Function5 minutes
A Democratization of Choice3 minutes
A Revival of Styles4 minutes
Style Mash-up 4 minutes
An Exaggeration of Type6 minutes
Branding6 minutes
A Household Name4 minutes
Text and Image6 minutes
"Words doing the work"3 minutes

6 readingsTotal 21 minutes

About This Course5 minutes
About the Assignments5 minutes
Learning Checkpoint2 minutes
Learning Checkpoint2 minutes
The Designer's Toolbox: Wood Type5 minutes
Learning Checkpoint2 minutes

1 assignmentTotal 120 minutes

Week 1 Assignment 120 minutes

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

11 videosTotal 42 minutes

Introduction to The Bauhaus2 minutes
Founding the Bauhaus6 minutes
The Foundation Year7 minutes
The Bauhaus and Architecture4 minutes
Klee, Schlemmer & Albers5 minutes
László Moholy-Nagy2 minutes
Herbert Bayer5 minutes
Color & Image3 minutes
Textiles & Ceramics2 minutes
Typography3 minutes
Publications3 minutes

2 readingsTotal 4 minutes

Learning Checkpoint2 minutes
Learning Checkpoint2 minutes

1 assignmentTotal 120 minutes

Week 2 Assignment 120 minutes

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

13 videosTotal 41 minutes

Introduction to Modernism in America2 minutes
The Bauhaus Influence5 minutes
A Symbolic Language5 minutes
Case Study: Scope Magazine1 minute
Developing Corporate Identities3 minutes
A New Subjectivity4 minutes
Case Study: Fortune Magazine2 minutes
Play and Humor5 minutes
Case Study: The Mechanized Mule Brochure2 minutes
Duality & Simplicity4 minutes
Case Study: El Producto Cigars1 minute
Rand’s Logo Designs4 minutes
A Clear Identity4 minutes

3 readingsTotal 6 minutes

Learning Checkpoint2 minutes
Learning Checkpoint2 minutes
Learning Checkpoint2 minutes

1 assignmentTotal 90 minutes

Week 3 Assignment90 minutes

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

14 videosTotal 59 minutes

Introduction to Graphic Design Radicalism3 minutes
The Objectivity of Swiss Design6 minutes
Incorporating Abstraction2 minutes
Josef Mueller-Brockmann5 minutes
The Grid4 minutes
Emil Ruder1 minute
Compositional Strategies2 minutes
The Subjectivity of Push Pin6 minutes
Milton Glaser5 minutes
“The South”3 minutes
The Psychedelic Poster and Looking to the Past8 minutes
The Diggers5 minutes
Sister Corita’s Aesthetics7 minutes
Sister Corita’s Politics3 minutes

9 readingsTotal 26 minutes

The Designer's Toolbox: Four-color Printing1 minute
Learning Checkpoint1 minute
Learning Checkpoint1 minute
Learning Checkpoint1 minute
The Designer's Toolbox: "Psychedelic" Effects5 minutes
The Designer's Toolbox: Gestetner Machine3 minutes
Learning Checkpoint1 minute
The Designer's Toolbox: Screen Printing3 minutes
What's Next?10 minutes

1 assignmentTotal 90 minutes

Week 4 Assignment90 minutes

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Instructors

Instructor ratings

(326 ratings)

Louise Sandhaus

1 Course105,664 learners

Offered by

California Institute of the Arts

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Reviewed on May 29, 2020

It was amassing course for amateur learner. Historical development of design and contemporary designing concept. As it is essential for a designer to understand concept of design.

Reviewed on Jul 19, 2020

I really enjoyed this course. The lectures were interesting and I have a better understanding of design styles and their influences. I enjoyed completing the assignments too. Thank you!

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.

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Frequently asked questions

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.