Author/Illustrator Undergraduate Certificate

Become a pro at authoring and illustrating market-ready books

This certificate equips students with the skills to combine writing and illustration into market-ready books, emphasizing industry relevance and creative control. Ideal for those aspiring to create children’s books, or comics and graphic novels, the program concentrates on storytelling, design, and market analysis to enhance creative versatility and industry readiness.

Offered in collaboration with the Creative Writing and Illustration departments, the Author/Illustrator Undergraduate Certificate prepares students to confidently pitch to publishers, explore self-publishing, and succeed in the competitive publishing and entertainment industries. The children’s book courses focus on crafting engaging books for young audiences, with an emphasis on market trends, storytelling, and industry standards. The Comic and Graphic Novel courses center on sequential art and visual storytelling, teaching students to create impactful comics for mainstream or independent platforms. The Publishing Strategies course focuses on marketing and distribution strategies for the final book. Students will gain the insight needed to position their book for a successful launch.

Liberal Arts at Ringling College

Our mission at Ringling College is to instill students with knowledge about the interconnectedness of global systems and cultures, a perspective of the planetary scale within which we reside, and a sense of curiosity about the world through the Liberal Arts. These courses, alongside their chosen major, provide students with a well-rounded art and design education.