Graphic Design

Associate in Applied Science Degree

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This program provides the skills and knowledge required for graphic designers to communicate effectively in visual and verbal format; to prepare students to use creative methodology to solve visual problems; to provide advance knowledge of graphic design through diverse global, cultural, and historical perspectives; to research and think critically about design strategies; and to prepare students for a career as a graphic designer. Graduates will be prepared to enter the fields of graphic design, package design, web design, and creative direction.  

Goal 1 To provide the skills and knowledge required to communicate effectively in visual and verbal format

  • Students will articulate an understanding of the visual problem-solving process
  • Students will collaborate in project critiques demonstrating the ability to discuss both their own work and the work of their peers
  • Students will demonstrate appropriate communication with instructor and peers via critique, written assignments, and class interaction
  • Students will recognize the elements of graphic design visual language including composition, visual priorities, image, and type

Goal 2 To prepare students to use creative methodology to solve visual problems

  • Students will demonstrate creative problem-solving methodology using visual art development procedures including research, brain-storming, thumbnails, sketches, and final art
  • Students will demonstrate knowledge of the creative process, i.e. analysis, incubation, illumination, and verification
  • Students will demonstrate knowledge of different ways and means to communicate information through various media and software
  • Students will demonstrate a command of the design process from research and analysis through to appropriate levels of presentation of the final product
  • Students will examine a concentration in historical graphic design study providing them with global resources for inspirational use.
  • Students will research and organize information necessary to understand historical and contemporary design theory

Goal 3 To provide advance knowledge of graphic design through diverse global, cultural, and historical perspectives

  • Students will demonstrate knowledge of graphic design on a global scale within a historical context
  • Students will recognize the works of numerous masters from various backgrounds and cultures in graphic design and the arts
  • Students will discuss work in comparison to contemporary and historical masters
  • Students will discuss how the history of graphic design reflects significant historical and cultural events
  • Students will research and organize resources to broaden their understanding of the field of graphic design

Goal 4 To research and think critically about design strategies

  • Students will utilize acquired skills necessary to demonstrate technical proficiency in craftsmanship, tool and material use through the development of a professional-level portfolio
  • Students will develop conceptual components through the organization and construction of sketch development folders included in a professional-level portfolio
  • Students will present/discuss professional portfolio and resume to the instructor and their peers
  • Students will apply knowledge of design principles in the evaluation of one's own work and other designers' development of design solutions
  • Students will apply a working knowledge of the characteristics of color systems for both print and electronic media
  • Students will apply typographic skills and knowledge to the creation of original designs through application of typographic skills and abilities including selection, readability, legibility, and spacing.

Goal 5 To prepare students for a career as a graphic designer

  • Students will utilize acquired skills necessary to demonstrate technical proficiency in craftsmanship, tool and material use through the development of a professional-level portfolio
  • Students will research and present topics on contemporary issues in the graphic design profession
  • Students will use traditional and contemporary information technology.
  • Students will identify, access, and appropriately use authoritative sources of information.

Total Credit Hours: 64

First Semester

This course is an opportunity for students to develop the skills necessary to be successful in college. Students learn the importance of the faculty-student and advisor-advisee relationship, develop time management techniques, apply effective study skill techniques, recognize the implications of living in a diverse society, utilize college resources, and explore career and transfer requirements. Collaborative projects are included. Students matriculated in a degree program must take this course in their first term of study.

This course introduces students to the fundamental principles of visual communication and creativity with an emphasis on understanding historically significant art styles. Students explore various types of visual expression and apply creative problem-solving principles to both two-dimensional and three-dimensional projects in a variety of media. Emphasis is placed on formulating basic design and layout principles, with particular stress on application. Students are introduced to the masters, practices, and careers of painting, sculpture, graphic design, animation, film, digital media, illustration, and photography.

This course focuses on several kinds of writing-self-expressive, informative, and argumentative/persuasive, and others. A minimum of five essay compositions are required. The course emphasizes the composition of clear, correct, and effective prose required in a variety of professions and occupations. Prerequisites: Appropriate high school GPA or placement test score or EN090 Basic Writing Skills or SL116 ESL4: Advanced Composition or SL145 ESOL Advanced Composition

This course introduces the tools, media, and theory used in the creation of a drawing. It includes the fundamentals of perspective, the theory of light and shade, and a survey of graphic representation. Projects are executed focusing on proportion and placement, volume and structure, and value with tone.

Studio laboratory fee: $20

This course introduces the visual elements and principles of design. Emphasis is placed on compositional concepts and the mastery of a visual language. Course projects explore a variety of media, processes, and techniques to provide a broad view of visual problem solving.

This course covers the fundamentals of combining typography and image. It includes a study in the development of methods and practices that leads to solid visual solutions. Problem solving methodologies are implemented to explore the marriage of typography and image. Terminology and creative standards are discussed and put into practice. Several creative methods, both traditional and digital, are explored to develop a strong understanding of the creative process and its impact on effective communication.

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Second Semester

This is an introductory course in drawing the human figure, focusing on the body’s geometric and anatomical structure. Classroom work consists of drawing from the live model and plaster sculpture casts. A hierarchy of form, working from general to specific, is emphasized. Studio work is supplemented by lectures and critiques on the principles of accurate representation of the human form in pictorial space, including gesture, proportion, anatomy, and light on form. Studio laboratory fee: $20

This course introduces contemporary text manipulation, digital imaging, and digital illustration software. Students produce projects demonstrating their knowledge of both the software and the interfaces between page layout, raster graphics, and vector graphics. No previous software knowledge is required.

This course expands on the practices and theories of the creative design practice. Students build on the topics discussed and implemented in GD198. Understanding and application of current software is expected in this intermediate course to achieve professional results. Traditional and digital problem-solving techniques will be explored within the creative studio environment. Prerequisite: GD198 Graphic Design 1: Fundamentals

This course investigates the role of color in the organization of the two-dimensional surface, as well as its practical use in our visual environment. Emphasis is placed on understanding the mastery of value, hue, and temperature in physical and digital media. Students apply design composition principles, processes, and techniques to engage in creative problem solving.

This course introduces probability and statistics. Topics include graphs, tables, frequency distributions, measures of central tendency and dispersion, normal distribution, correlation and regression, probability, and inferential statistics. This course is available in two formats: lecture only, or lecture plus laboratory using technology. Prerequisite: Appropriate high school GPA or placement test score or MA089 Arithmetic.

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Third Semester

This course encourages a deeper understanding of human nature and the human condition through the study of ideas and values expressed in imaginative literature. Emphasis is placed on the use and development of critical thinking and language skills. Library-oriented research is required. Prerequisite: EN101 English 1: Composition or EN105 English Composition for Speakers of Other Languages or EN106 English 1: Composition & Reading.

This course introduces the history of art from prehistoric times through the Sixteenth Century. Topics include Classical, Medieval, Renaissance, and non-Western examples of painting, sculpture, and architecture. Art is studied within its cultural context with a focus on the interrelationship among the Arts. A field trip to an art exhibit is required. Prerequisite: EN101 English 1: Composition or EN105 English Composition for Speakers of Other Languages or EN106 English 1: Composition & Reading.

This is an advanced course in the use of digital software to generate professional-level and advanced graphic designs. Research and critical thinking are applied to various subject matter to help the student establish a uniform problem-solving method for creative success. Students are expected to apply knowledge and skills from Fundamental and Advanced Design Studio. Prerequisite: GD199 Graphic Design 2: Advanced Design Studio

This advanced course integrates contemporary text manipulation, digital imaging, and digital illustration software. Students complete industry standard projects demonstrating mastery of software. Prerequisite: GD 145 Digital Applications 1.

This course introduces the many and varied facets of psychology. Emphasis is on interactions of individuals in their cultural, social, and economic environments as determined by their cognitive, behavioral, and emotional experiences and training.

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Fourth Semester

This course introduces students to methods of producing motion graphics. Students use problem solving to explore and produce design. Production timeline and graphical requirements of a multimedia project are demonstrated through the manipulation of digital images in a studio environment. Topics include planning, storyboarding, sequencing, compositioning, and designing still images integrated with the aesthetic issues of 2-D, 3-D, and 4-D design.

This course prepares students for entry into the graphic design profession utilizing the breadth of work created within the Graphic Design curriculum. Emphasis is placed on the preparation of multiple portfolios (traditional and digital) for academic advancement or a lifelong career as a Graphic Designer. Prerequisite: GD298 Graphic Design 4: Social Media and Web

This course is an introduction to visual communication within today's digital platforms. Students are introduced to the application of graphic design principles in a variety of web and social media platforms. Prerequisite: GD297 Graphic Design 3: Design Systems

NSxxx Natural Science ElectiveCredits: 4.0

This course introduces the history of art from the Seventeenth Century to the present. Topics include Baroque, Rococo, Neoclassicisms, Romanticism, Impressionism, Post-Impressionism, Twentieth-Century, and non-Western examples of painting, sculpture, and architecture. Art is studied within its cultural context with a focus on the interrelationship among the Arts. A field trip to an art exhibit is required. Prerequisite: EN101 English 1: Composition or EN105 English Composition for Speakers of Other Languages or EN106 English 1: Composition & Reading.

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