There is also the Art Institute of Dallas.
Pros are they seem to have a pretty good program (I work with a graduate of their GD program) and I have taught for a sister campus. Cons is they are expensive (so a in-state school might be a cheaper option) and they are for-profit... cough.

The San Marcos campus is supposed to be really nice. You see a lot of student work in the design magazines.

Good luck in your hunt!

This feedback has been awesome!

I'm in the Graduate Program at Texas A&M Commerce at the UCD (downtown Dallas campus) and it's an excellent school, don't rule it out. UNT is good too. At A&M Commerce UCD you are taught by practicing professionals, Virgil Scott and other very talented professors.

Casey McGarr
McGarr Creative
http://www.mcgarrcreative.com

Inky Lips Press
Kissing The Paper With Inky Lips
http://www.inkylipspress.com

I can put you in touch with someone who got their MA from the SCAD program. Not comfortable shooting his email in the public forum but if you want to give me your email account I can send it to you that way.

I graduated from SCAD's MFA program but I was on ground there. It is a good school. I have heard good things about their elearning program, and they seem to have strong faculty, but all schools have their problems...especially online programs.

Talk to the program director of the schools you are interested in. Their tone and ablilty (or inability) to explain the strength of their program will speak volumes.

Let me know how I can get you that name of the Scad elearning graduate.

Cheers

Hmmm. Probably a fair statement.
For what it is worth I work with a recent Dallas Ai grad. She had a good book and is doing good work for us. (Print and packaging). Of course she is older and has a degree in pre-med but that did not help her book.

Technically the Ai's (and all for-profit schools) have to have a solid 'job placement' rate to keep their accredidation. Of course job placement is veiwed loosely... Kinkos counts.

I'd love to see your creds 'rush'.

Does anyone know about a good masters program? Stephen F. Austin State University sounds like it would have a good one.

UNT has a very good Masters Program from what I have heard from friends who have graduated from there. From what I understand it good for people who plan to teach at the college level.

I do know that Texas A&M Commerce has one that some very reputable creatives in the Dallas area are currently going through.

There are several other great schools outside of the state, but I do not know much about them.

Art Institute of Dallas very recently implemented an 'Advertising Design" bachelor's degree program. The degree has an 180 hour requirement to complete - more than some masters degress. It offers a nice blend of design principles and marketing/strategic education. Not just "Graphic Design" as they've had in the past.

Classes are small, instructors are highly qualified, and really get to know the students, unlike UNT, where most early classes in CommDesign are taught by TA's. Not good.

UNT may have a good design program, but they, unfortunately, tend to eliminate some really talented people because of the size of classes, etc. Good people can easily get discouraged there.

I recommend AI of Dallas highly.

All I can say is I went to UNT and I never, had a TA teaching any of the classes I was in. I always had a professor, or like most schools, a Creative Director from a highly regarded firm, and that only happened in one class. This may have changed since I graduated in 02', but my guess is if they have a ”TA” teaching it is a grad student that has worked in the field of many years before deciding to get a masters degree, so it is the same as having an adjunct instructor, at least to me it is.

I'm currently attending SCAD (Savannah College of Art & Design) through their online program. It's a challenging program but worth it. They offer an MA and MFA in disciplines beyond graphic design (Illustration, Multimedia, Advertising Art, Writing etc...)

I think there is a terrific opportunity to learn from those actually in the design field today. I received my degree from East Texas State University, now A&M-C. We were taught by folks such as Rob Lawton, Chris Rovillo, Phil Boatwright, John Evans, Charles McGough, and Lee Whitmarsh to name a few.

They still continue that teaching strategy today.

It's my first year there, and I have to say I adore my school, they teach you how to think fast and so creatively and it feels like a real world setting, the classes are small we all get special attention, everybody is friends with everybody, a big sense of camaraderie. The instructors are amazing, in my first year already my teachers are heroes of mine. Virgil Scott, Casey McGarr, Brian Dunaway, Kiran Koshy and Ray Mel Cornelius all under the great mastermind that is Lee Whitmarsh. It's like a portfolio school that doesn't hold you at gunpoint and rob you of all your money.