The University of Texas at Austin

— At the “Type Lab” at the University of Texas at Austin, students work with the historic Rob Roy Kelly American Wood Type collection, which dates back to the mid–19th century. The university acquired it in 1969 after Kelly published American Wood Type, and it was incorporated into the design program in 1991. Assistant professor David Shields says that the collection is unique because the students “actively keep using it; it’s not a museum piece.” And since the department is part of a liberal arts school, students have an array of other resources. “Design doesn’t exist in a vacuum, and to really do your job properly you need to be aware of other disciplines. A liberal arts school allows you to develop your design skills along with more general writing and critical thinking skills,” says Peter Hall, a senior lecturer.