Visual Communication Design (VCD) aims to understand and help create our visual world. As Visual Communication Designers we learn to use visual elements across a range of mediums to translate information and ideas. The field includes sub-disciplines such as corporate identity and branding, information design and data visualization, exhibition design, publication design, motion design, interface design, UI/UX design among many others.
VCD at University of Washington is an intensive, cohort-based program. Around 20 students are accepted each year. VCD students regularly win national and international design awards/scholarships and are featured in significant publications.
The program emphasizes visual problem solving, organizational skills, and information theory. Visual Communication students participate in designing digital and physical artifacts such as apps, websites, books, posters, exhibits, as well as more holistic visual systems that span across a suite of media and channels. Our faculty teach concepts and critical thinking that aim to sustain students growth over the course of a career, in addition to current industry standard software competencies that evolve with technologies over time. We encourage innovative visual ideas that inform, interpret, instruct or persuade the intended audience across the spectrum of media.
Admissions
Admissions to the Visual Communication Design program is competitive and is based on completion of prerequisite courses, GPA, and/or successful completion of the application process.
Degree Requirements
Students majoring in Visual Communication Design graduate with a Bachelor of Design (BDes). To graduate with an undergraduate degree from the University of Washington, students must complete at least 180 course credits: a combination of UW general education requirements, major requirements, and electives.
Major Credit Requirements
Visual Communication Design majors must satisfactorily complete 86-88 credits of required DESIGN courses and 10 credits in Art History with a cumulative GPA of 2.0.
Courses in the design curriculum are sequenced. Students must complete all required design courses offered each quarter since these courses are the prerequisites for courses offered in subsequent quarters. The minimum acceptable grade for all Design courses is 2.0.
Year One
DES 166: Design Foundations (5 cr)
YEAR TWO
DES 206: Design Methods (5 cr)
DES 207: Design Drawing (5 cr)
DES 208: Design History (5 cr)
DES 209: Introduction to Typography (5 cr)
DES 210: Color + Composition (5 cr)
DES 214: Marks + Symbols (5 cr)
YEAR THREE
DES 368: Corporate Identity (5 cr)
DES 369: Visual Systems (5 cr)
DES 370: Introduction to Motion Design (5 cr)
DES 371: Interface Design I 5 cr)
DES 372: Interface Design II (5 cr)
DES 376: Advanced Typography (5 cr)
Year Four
DES 466: Publication Design (5 cr)
DES 467: Exhibition Design (5 cr)
DES 478: Information Design (5 cr)
DES 485: Design Capstone (5 cr)
DES 486: Design Exhibition (1–3 cr)
+ Art History Courses (10 cr)