Students in the 12-quarter Graphic Design bachelor?s degree program have an opportunity to expand on theory, practice and process, developing skills in creative problem solving. This program is designed to establish a strong foundation in traditional design and computer skills, and then build advanced competence in the application of the skills.
Students have an opportunity to learn to couple their creativity with sound business skills necessary for entry into the field. They can learn to initiate, manage, produce, and deliver effective design concepts. Students study two- and three-dimensional design, marketing, and media design. They explore color theory, visual composition, typography, information graphics, digital and print production processes, and law as it relates to the graphic arts. Students also have an opportunity to learn to use computer illustration, image manipulation, web layout and programming, and page layout programs to master design skills.
Graphic Design students have the opportunity to learn the skills to write effective r?sum?s and conduct successful job interviews. They graduate with a professional portfolio to show potential employers and are prepared to join the industry in entry-level positions in fields such as advertising, business communication, publishing, and education.
For graphic designers, exciting challenges are available; they work on projects like corporate identity programs, consumer package designs, annual reports, exhibition materials, direct mail literature, brochures, manuals, catalogs, and interactive presentations. They create company logos, business cards and stationery, letterheads, print advertisements, magazine and CD covers, posters, signs, and billboards. Graduates will be prepared to seek entry-level positions in agencies, design firms, print houses, and corporate environments.
Objectives: Upon completion of this program, graduates will be able to:
? Demonstrate and apply competencies in industry-specific computer software programs within the context of producing concrete projects. This includes technical aspects of prepress, output, and quality reproduction as well as Web design.
? Analyze and incorporate aesthetics and formal concepts of layout design. This includes spatial relationships, communication legibility and effectiveness, interrelationships among imagery and text, balance, typography, and color theory.
? Demonstrate design concepts and relate these to historical and contemporary trends and social context by producing successful visual solutions to assigned problems.
? Model the interdependence of content and visual expression and be able to evaluate and critique their ideas. Graduates must be able to verbally articulate the vision behind their creative work and explain and promote their solutions.
? Demonstrate professional presentation; articulation of knowledge of graphic design and visual problem solving, and mastery of industry standards, professional practices and ethics.