University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa has been recognized as one of the top 25 graphic design schools on the West Coast, according to Animation Career Review. UH Mānoa stood out among more than 50 higher education institutions considered for the ranking.
“We are very proud of this accomplishment and excited to see that we have been able to maintain and even improve upon the rankings for several years,” said Chae Ho Lee, a professor in the UH Mānoa art and art history department. “Our graphic design students not only gain a strong foundation in graphic design practice and theory but have moved on to successful careers in design and have become leaders in their community.”
The West Coast region ranking includes California, Oregon, Washington, Hawaiʻi and Alaska.
Real-world impact
A key feature of the program is the Graphic Design Workshop, which gives students the opportunity to provide high-quality graphic design services to non-profit organizations across the state. This spring, students developed marketing materials and visual identity systems for Kūpuna Care, a state-funded program that supports elders in aging safely at home. They also created designs for the Hawaiʻi Dementia Initiative, launched by the Hawaiʻi State Executive Office on Aging to address Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.
Past clients have included a variety of organizations including on-campus groups such as the UH Mānoa School of Architecture. The program’s work has received local recognition from AIGA Hawaiʻi, the Pele Awards, and Honolulu Magazine, and national recognition from AIGA Los Angeles, the Adobe Design Achievement Awards, HOW magazine, and Print magazine.
Top-ranked program
About 86% of graduates from UH Mānoa’s graphic design program are currently working in the design field, holding positions locally, nationally and internationally.
In 2022, UH Mānoa’s graphic design program was ranked among the nation’s top 50 graphic design schools by Animation Career Review. It earned the number 12 spot out of the top 25 schools on the West Coast and is housed in the UH Mānoa College of Arts, Languages, and Letters.
