Courses
Visual Communication Design BFA program
You should first think about taking Visual Communications Design courses in your freshman year by taking the Design foundations course. Starting in year two students will begin studying a wider array of subjects, and by year four have a focused study that they develop in their senior project
Year ONE
ART 166 Design Foundations
ART 166 is a foundation course that lays the groundwork for subsequent study in any of the three design degree programs: Visual Communication Design, Industrial Design and Design Studies. It is a lecture course that explores meaning, structure and form in two and three-dimensional design. In the course, students create a series of 2D communications and 3D products by following a thorough design process from ideation to refinement. This class is suitable for both non-design majors as well as those who intend to continue study in the field of design. This course is also direct preparation for the annual design entrance workshop.
Year TWO
ART 207 Design Drawing
In this course students engage in rigorous drawing activities to gain an understanding of the power and importance of drawing as a creative and communicative tool. Clear structuring of space as well as formal compositional elements and their intrinsic relationship to representational drawing are explored. At the end of the quarter, students are challenged to communicate design ideas through sketches from the ideation phase through to a final solution that fully describes the aesthetic, 3D spatial relationships, materiality, and emotive intents.
ART 208 Design History
This course provides a comprehensive survey of the ideas, events, and individuals that determined the design of information, objects, culture, and commerce across societies. Students examine the social, political and cultural contexts that shape graphic design and the ideologies and relationships of similar movement in art and architecture.
ART 209 Typography
In this course students focus on type as image and the relationship between visual and verbal language. Type terminology, typographic history, technical issues related to typography will be examined. Type hierarchy and scale are also studied.
ART 210 Color + Composition
This course will explore the fundamentals of color, form-making and composition within the field of design. Through a series of exercises, lectures, readings and applied projects, students will develop an understanding of how to use color and form to visualize ideas in a unique and compelling way.
ART 211 Introduction to Interaction Design
Introduces design sophomore students to Human-Computer Interaction/Design. This class covers basics such as fundamentals of user research in design, scenario development, storytelling, usability evaluation, and time -based media in design such as audio and video recording and editing and animation.
ART 212 Human Centered Design
This course places the human being in the center of the design process. Students use observational techniques as a source for design inspiration and prototyping techniques as a method for gaining user feedback. Students begin with observational and data-gathering strategies to better understand their audience. Rapid iteration of sequential prototypes is used to evolve designs and to create physical models for user testing, input, and subsequent revisions.
Year THREE
ART 366 Visualizations
This course examines the visualization of ideas. Employing a variety of different image generating techniques, students produce visual representations based upon specific assigned subjects which independently communicate subject content. Imaging methods include electronic and conventional photography, illustration, type (as image) and collage.
ART 376 Advanced Typography
This course is an advanced study typography (continuing from ART 209). Students complete a series of projects that explore the nature of text typography. The goal is to transform text into legible and visually engaging communications that highlight and amplify ideas within written material.
ART 368 Communication Programs
The course involves the conceptual development and application of a related series of elements such as posters, brochures, stationery, identity and directional devices supporting a campaign, conference or event. Graphic, thematic and organizational strategies that educate and promote participation are often the objectives of this course.
ART 377 Symbol Design
The course begins with research of symbolic graphic images from an assigned culture. Students design a complete series of symbols, logotype and pictograms for usage in a specific situation and for a particular audience.
ART 367 Case Studies in Corporate Identity
This course covers the research and analysis of large and small-scale identity programs, for both corporate and cultural entities. Students are required to develop written case studies in collaborative teams. The course culminates in a team oral presentation of findings and conclusions.
ART 378 Information Architecture + Web Design
This course is an introduction to the fundamentals of website design and planning. Content development, sequencing, interactivity and navigation are explored.
Year FOUR
ART 466 Publication Design
This course stresses the research, development, organization, design and presentation of a complex communications document, such as a journal, annual report or a large publication. All aspects of design, content, image creation and production are addressed in a quarter long project.
ART 478 Information Design
This course explores the strategies for enhancing and visually presenting complex statistics and data. Various information subjects are selected and formed into charts, diagrams, graphs, tables, directories and maps. Through personal investigations, students learn to identify the principles which provide the most successful means for presentation of information.
ART 479 Interaction Design
This courses explores design issues unique to user-centered interaction in digital media. Students examine a range of formal and conceptual issues including user interface, organization, narrative, motion, time, and sound.
ART 467 Environmental Design
Students explore spatial information environments. Specific projects may stress issues of wayfinding, navigation, exhibition or signage.
ART 480 Senior Project + Portfolio Presentation
This course presents increased opportunity for self-directed design research and study in the context of an advanced studio seminar. Sustained investigation and integration of visual communication skills in a quarter long project. Public presentation of the outcome from this quarter is required in the BFA Graduation Exhibition.
Students who would like to request academic accommodations due to a disability should contact Disabled Student Services, 448 Schmitz, (206) 543-8924 (V/TTY).