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Graphic Design Courses

Graphic design courses can help you learn how to create visual content using layout, typography, and imagery to communicate ideas and tell stories.

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Find the best Graphic Design course for your goals

  • Status: Free Trial
    Free Trial
    C

    California Institute of the Arts

    Graphic Design

    Skills you'll gain: Typography, Design Elements And Principles, Graphic Design, Graphic and Visual Design Software, Design, Visual Design, Photography, Logo Design, Design Software, Digital Design, Creative Design, Color Theory, Photo Editing, Adobe InDesign, Graphic and Visual Design, Image Quality, Style Guides, Branding, Art History, Design Research

    4.7
    Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
    ·
    22K reviews

    Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months

  • Status: Free Trial
    Free Trial
    Status: AI skills
    AI skills
    A

    Adobe

    Adobe Graphic Designer: Design that Demands Attention

    Skills you'll gain: Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, Responsible AI, Logo Design, Digital Design, Generative AI, Graphic Design, User Interface and User Experience (UI/UX) Design, Productivity Software, Visual Design, File Management, Process Design, Design Reviews, Prompt Engineering, Image Analysis, Presentations, Client Services, Content Creation, Branding, Storytelling

    4.7
    Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
    ·
    1.9K reviews

    Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months

  • Status: New
    New
    Status: Preview
    Preview
    A

    Adobe

    Exploring Design Basics with Adobe Express

    Skills you'll gain: Color Theory, Typography, Visual Design, Digital Design, Design, Graphic Design, Adobe Creative Cloud, Design Elements And Principles, Content Creation, Branding

    Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

  • Status: Free Trial
    Free Trial
    A

    Adobe

    Graphic Design

    Skills you'll gain: Adobe Illustrator, Color Theory, Typography, Graphic and Visual Design, Graphic Design, Design, Adobe Creative Cloud, Design Elements And Principles, Digital Design, Generative AI, Creativity

    4.7
    Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
    ·
    152 reviews

    Mixed · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

  • Status: Free Trial
    Free Trial
    C

    California Institute of the Arts

    Fundamentals of Graphic Design

    Skills you'll gain: Typography, Design Elements And Principles, Graphic Design, Graphic and Visual Design Software, Design, Visual Design, Photography, Design Software, Digital Design, Creative Design, Color Theory, Image Quality, Photo Editing, Creativity

    4.8
    Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
    ·
    18K reviews

    Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months

  • C

    Coursera

    Build your business brand using Canva

    Skills you'll gain: Canva (Software), Logo Design, Branding, Brand Strategy, Graphic Design, Target Audience, Social Media Content, Marketing Materials, Social Media, Scheduling, Presentations, Content Creation, Social Media Marketing

    4.4
    Rating, 4.4 out of 5 stars
    ·
    82 reviews

    Beginner · Guided Project · Less Than 2 Hours

What brings you to Coursera today?

  • Status: Free Trial
    Free Trial
    A

    Adobe

    Design Fundamentals with AI

    Skills you'll gain: Typography, Logo Design, Responsible AI, Digital Design, Creative Design, Visual Design, Graphic Design, User Interface and User Experience (UI/UX) Design, Color Theory, Content Creation, Generative AI Agents

    4.7
    Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
    ·
    1.3K reviews

    Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

  • Status: Free Trial
    Free Trial
    A

    Adobe

    Image Editing

    Skills you'll gain: Photo Editing, Adobe Photoshop, Photography, Generative AI, File Management, Graphic and Visual Design, Creative Design, Graphic Design, Editing, Creativity

    4.7
    Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
    ·
    154 reviews

    Mixed · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

  • Status: Free Trial
    Free Trial
    U

    University of Colorado Boulder

    Graphic Design

    Skills you'll gain: Infographics, Graphic Design, Graphic and Visual Design, Graphic and Visual Design Software, Design, Visual Design, Graphics Software, Typography, Design Software, Design Reviews, Adobe Creative Cloud, Adobe Photoshop, Design Elements And Principles, Peer Review, Color Theory, Creativity

    4.8
    Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
    ·
    3.4K reviews

    Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

  • Status: Free Trial
    Free Trial
    U

    University of Colorado Boulder

    Graphic Design Elements for Non-Designers

    Skills you'll gain: Logo Design, Color Theory, Design Elements And Principles, Graphic Design, Design, Typography, Graphic and Visual Design, User Experience Design, Graphic and Visual Design Software, Digital Design, Image Quality, Adobe InDesign, Creative Design, Design Software, Content Creation, Design Research, Information Architecture, Adobe Photoshop, Web Design and Development, File Management

    4.7
    Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
    ·
    1.7K reviews

    Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months

  • Status: Free Trial
    Free Trial
    X

    Xbox

    Xbox Graphic Designer with GenAI

    Skills you'll gain: Color Theory, User Interface and User Experience (UI/UX) Design, Logo Design, Typography, User Interface (UI), Interaction Design, Figma (Design Software), Adobe Illustrator, Design Reviews, Wireframing, Usability, Graphic and Visual Design, Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, Adobe Photoshop, User Experience, Graphic Design, User Centered Design, Photo Editing, Peer Review, Game Design

    4.6
    Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
    ·
    73 reviews

    Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months

  • C

    Coursera

    Create and Design Digital Products using Canva

    Skills you'll gain: Canva (Software), Design, Digital Design, Product Design, Graphic and Visual Design Software, Creative Design, Color Theory, Graphic Design, Intellectual Property, E-Commerce, Direct Selling, Digital Content, Digital Assets, Marketing, Marketing Materials

    4.4
    Rating, 4.4 out of 5 stars
    ·
    1.3K reviews

    Advanced · Guided Project · Less Than 2 Hours

Graphic Design learners also search

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1234…25

In summary, here are 10 of our most popular graphic design courses

  • Graphic Design: California Institute of the Arts
  • Adobe Graphic Designer: Design that Demands Attention: Adobe
  • Exploring Design Basics with Adobe Express: Adobe
  • Graphic Design: Adobe
  • Fundamentals of Graphic Design: California Institute of the Arts
  • Build your business brand using Canva: Coursera
  • Design Fundamentals with AI: Adobe
  • Image Editing: Adobe
  • Graphic Design: University of Colorado Boulder
  • Graphic Design Elements for Non-Designers: University of Colorado Boulder

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Frequently Asked Questions about Graphic Design

Browse the graphic design courses below—popular starting points on Coursera.

  • Graphic Design: Adobe
  • Fundamentals of Graphic Design: California Institute of the Arts
  • Graphic Design: University of Colorado Boulder
  • Graphic Design Theory - Web & Digital Design: Skillshare‎

If you're new to graphic design, these beginner-friendly options offer foundational skills and hands-on experience:

  • Fundamentals of Graphic Design by CalArts – A strong entry point that introduces core design principles and visual literacy.
  • Graphic Design Elements for Non-Designers by the University of Colorado – Great for learning layout, color, and typography basics.
  • Create a Business Marketing Brand Kit Using Canva – A quick Guided Project to build a design portfolio piece with beginner-friendly tools.‎

The Graphic Design Specialization from California Institute of the Arts takes 2 months, focusing on:

  • Color theory
  • Design research
  • Creative design

It uses tools like Adobe InDesign and photo editing software.

Conversely, the Adobe Graphic Designer Professional Certificate lasts 4 months and emphasizes:

  • Image analysis
  • UI/UX design
  • Content creation

It uses tools like Adobe Photoshop.

Both courses are beginner-friendly and target essentials of graphic design but differ in duration and specific areas of focus. Choose based on whether you prefer:

  • A shorter course with a strong emphasis on foundational design principles
  • A longer program with a focus on practical design applications and marketing.‎

Consider whether you're starting from scratch, building a portfolio, or learning tools like Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, or Figma.

  • For a comprehensive design foundation, explore the Graphic Design Specialization by CalArts—it covers design principles, typography, and branding.
  • If you're focused on tools and technical skills, try Adobe Illustrator for Beginners or Getting Started with Figma.
  • For branding and real-world application, consider Brand New Brand from CalArts. ‎
  • A course focuses on a single skill such as Fundamentals of Graphic Design.
  • A Specialization builds creative and technical depth across multiple areas—like the Graphic Design Specialization from CalArts.
  • A Professional Certificate prepares you for creative roles through hands-on work and career-focused content—such as Adobe Graphic Designer Certificate or the Xbox Graphic Designer Certificate, which includes UI and visual design skills relevant to graphic designers.‎

Take a quick quiz to discover which graphic design course best aligns with your interests—whether you’re learning the basics, building a portfolio, or diving into tools like Adobe Illustrator or Photoshop. Take the quiz to find your ideal starting point.

Want to compare top options first? Use ChatGPT to explore and compare courses before you dive in.‎

Yes. You can start learning graphic design on Coursera for free in two ways:

  • Preview the first module of many graphic design courses at no cost. This includes video lessons, readings, graded assignments, and Coursera Coach (where available).
  • Start a 7-day free trial for Specializations or Coursera Plus. This gives you full access to all course content across eligible programs within the timeframe of your trial.

If you want to keep learning, earn a certificate in graphic design, or unlock full course access after the preview or trial, you can upgrade or apply for financial aid.‎

You can learn design basics like color, typography, layout, and composition, as well as how to use tools like Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and Canva. Some courses also cover portfolio design, branding, and working with real-world client briefs.‎

No experience is needed to get started. Many Coursera courses are made for beginners and walk you through the core principles and tools at your own pace.‎

Yes. Graphic design is a skill used in many creative and marketing roles. Taking a course on Coursera can help you learn how to design professional visuals, build a portfolio, and show employers that you’ve developed real, practical skills.‎

Color theory is the study of how colors interact and the visual effects they create when combined. It includes principles like the color wheel, complementary colors, and color harmony, and is essential in art, design, and branding. Courses like Fundamentals of Graphic Design from CalArts on Coursera cover color theory as part of visual communication skills.‎

This FAQ content has been made available for informational purposes only. Learners are advised to conduct additional research to ensure that courses and other credentials pursued meet their personal, professional, and financial goals.

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