2010-2011 Undergraduate Catalog
All schools & programs > School of Architecture, Design and Planning > Department of Design >
Bachelor of Fine Arts in Design
- Graduation Reqs.
- Industrial Design
- Interior Design
- Photo Media
- Vis. Comm. Graphic Design
- Vis. Comm. Illustration
Visual Communication in Graphic Design
The number of students admitted in the fall is based on resources (space and number of faculty members).
Transfer Students
The department encourages all transfer students to follow the full 3-year program. Transfer students are considered for admission at the sophomore or junior level. Possible receipt of advanced-standing credit is decided by review of portfolio work representing all courses for which advanced standing is to be considered. A catalog description and syllabus for each course must accompany the portfolio. Consideration for advanced standing is based on the nature and quality of work in courses for which it is sought. Prospective transfer students must submit applications and portfolios before the spring semester before the fall for which they are seeking admission.
Admission to Junior/Senior Visual Communication Courses
To be considered for admission to upper-level courses, students must first be accepted into VISC 202 Typography and VISC 204 Visual Concepts and pass a mandatory portfolio review at the end of the fall semester in which they complete VISC 202 and VISC 204. Acceptance into VISC 202 and VISC 204 is based on the cumulative grade-point average.
The department believes that a qualified admission policy contributes naturally to the excellence of the program and the quality of its graduates. For this reason and because of space and staffing constraints, faculty members admit up to 50 students in the fall semester. VISC 202 and VISC 204 are offered only in the fall. In addition to academic considerations (cumulative grade-point average thresholds must be met, and students must have grades of C in both VISC 202 and VISC 204 to continue in Visual Communication), admission is based on a portfolio review of all work produced in VISC 202 Typography and VISC 204 Visual Concepts.
Graphic Design Track
A total of 124 credit hours is required for the degree, including 69 hours in design courses, as follows:
Foundation (10 hours)
| BDS 101 Design Thinking and Making I | 5 |
| BDS 102 Design Thinking and Making II | 5 |
Core (15 hours)
| PHMD 110 Film-Based Photography (3) or |
|
| PHMD 202 Digital Photography (3) or | |
| PHMD 302 Video I (3) | 3 |
| BDS 212 Drawing for Design | 3 |
| Three studio courses from core listing | 9 |
Major Studies (37 hours)
| VISC 202 Elements of Typography | 3 |
| VISC 204 Principles of Visual Communication | 3 |
| VISC 302 Typographic Systems | 3 |
| VISC 304 Designing Understanding | 3 |
| VISC 402 Designer as Author | 3 |
| VISC 404 Designing for Social Interactions | 4 |
| VISC 414 Publication and Editorial | 4 |
| VISC 425 Environmental Graphics (3) or |
|
| VISC 435 Book Arts (3) or | |
| VISC 445 Moving Typography (3) or | |
| VISC 455 Designing Information (3) | 3 |
| VISC 520 Designing for Change | 4 |
| VISC 525 Senior Problems | 4 |
| VISC 530 Portfolio | 3 |
Professional Core (8 hours)
| ADS 520 Hallmark Symposium Series (1 credit hour, 5 times) | 5 |
| ADS 530 Intra Design Problems (3) or |
|
| ADS 531 Internship (3) or | |
| ADS 532 Study Abroad: _____ (3) | 3 |
College and Professional Courses (54 hours)
| English: Basic requirements plus ENGL 355, ENGL 359, or ENGL 362 (3) | 12 |
| Humanities courses (h) | 6 |
| Natural sciences and/or mathematics (N) | 3 |
| Social sciences courses (S) | 6 |
| HA 100/HA 300 Introduction to Western Art History | 3 |
| ADS 540 History and Philosophy of Design | 3 |
| HA electives | 6 |
| Academic concentration (9 hours at the 300+ level, no design) | 9 |
| General electives | 6 |
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