Department Chair: Christopher Metzger, M.F.A., M.A.
Description
The Department of Art & Graphic Design within the School of Design, Arts, and Communication grants a B.S. or B.A. degree in graphic design. This major is designed to prepare students for professional practice and graduate study in graphic design or related fields. The courses in the program address theoretical and practical questions about visual literacy, graphic design and visual communication theory, participation in design culture, the complexity of problems and solutions, connecting physical and digital experiences, and career preparation.
Mirroring how design works as a profession, the objectives of individual courses overlap to explore and reinforce the interconnectedness of theory and practice, digital media and physical materials. The program does not present standalone academic surveys of a specific topic. Classes introduce segments of the continuum that is design discourse and practice.
While acquiring discipline-specific skills, students learn the design process. Initial steps involve working to identify and research a complex problem. Following preliminary work, students devise, test, revise, and ultimately present design solutions to hypothetical and client-based briefs. Each assignment is an opportunity to put into practice principles, skills, and concepts including design fundamentals, graphic design theory, digital production, traditional materials and methods, rich-media experiences, visual storytelling, design thinking, human systems, and collaboration.
Along the way, students produce and present their design work in a portfolio. Students participate in portfolio reviews with faculty members in the first and second year. In the third and fourth year, art and graphic design professionals from outside of the University review student portfolios. In the final year, the portfolio development course affords students the guidance and structure to create professional presentations of their design work and process in preparation for entry into graphic design fields. Successful students acquire the necessary confidence to communicate about how they arrive at design solutions.
Because students in the major explore a breadth of topics, a graphic design degree may lead to many different options for the individual student. From the first-year seminar course through the internship experience and senior portfolio reviews, students are introduced to a wide scope of career possibilities. Students are encouraged to explore career goals while developing their portfolio. The required internship provides students with hands-on professional experience. Graduates from the graphic design program work independently and collaboratively in businesses devoted to design and in creative positions within larger institutions. Potential careers include advertising, marketing communications, electronic or print publishing, web and interactive design, photography and digital imaging, motion graphics, and related fields.
Outcomes
Upon completion of the Bachelor of Science in Graphic Design, graduates will be able to:
- Solve design problems by thinking creatively and critically.
- Observe and produce media critically.
- Apply communication and design theory to design practice.
- Justify solutions using research, through written and verbal communication.
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Plan, execute, and revise design solutions considering complex and interdisciplinary elements, including
audience, cultural, ethical, human, media, material, and market factors.
- Produce a design portfolio to professional standards.
- Exhibit behaviors consistent with the professional and ethical standards of the discipline both within and beyond the classroom.
Policies
Graphic Design Policies for Continuance and Progression
Students must earn a minimum GPA of 2.00 in the major. The lowest acceptable grade is a "C" in all courses listed in the catalog under "Program Requirements" for the major, including major requirements and all SEE courses required by the major. No student, regardless of major, will be permitted to advance to the next course without earning a grade of "C" or better in the prerequisite course(s). When a grade below "C" is earned in a major course, the student must repeat that course. A student must maintain a major GPA of 2.0 or better in each semester in order to remain in good standing within the major. As portfolios are a primary means by which student success is determined post-graduation, and the mechanism by which students will be evaluated and hired in the industry, all students in the major are required to participate in annual portfolio reviews.
Warning: Students whose major GPA is below a 2.0 in one semester will receive a warning from the Department Chair and are required to meet with the Chair to discuss their academic performance in the major.
Probation: Students whose major GPA is below a 2.0 for two semesters are on probation in the Graphic Design department. Students on probation are required to meet bi-weekly with their Success Coach/Academic Advisor for at least one full semester. Additionally, students who fail to complete a first- or second-year portfolio review will be placed on probation until they satisfy this requirement.
Dismissal: Students whose major GPA is below a 2.0 for a third semester are permanently dismissed from the graphic design major. Failure to complete a first- and second-year portfolio review will result in dismissal from the program. If dismissed from the major, student’s major will be changed to deciding until the student selects another program.
Requirements
The courses listed below are required for completion of the bachelor’s degree in graphic design. Students must also complete the requirements for the Stevenson Educational Experience (SEE). Specific pre- and co-requisites for each course are listed in the course descriptions.
Major Requirements:
| FYS 100 | First Year Seminar | 1 credit |
| ART 106 | Introduction to Art History | 3 credits |
| ART 110 | Fundamentals of Design I | 3 credits |
| ART 113 | Fundamentals of Design II | 3 credits |
| ART 116 | Drawing I | 3 credits |
| ART 117 | Drawing II | 3 credits |
| ART 205 | Graphic Design History | 3 credits |
| FMI 101 | Cinema I: Storytelling | 3 credits |
| GDES 125 | Fundamentals of Digital Media | 3 credits |
| GDES 208 | Web Design I | 3 credits |
| GDES 210 | Graphic Design I | 3 credits |
| GDES 211 | Graphic Design II | 3 credits |
| GDES 230 | Typography I | 3 credits |
| GDES 290 | Internship Preparation | 1 credit |
| GDES 308 | Web Design II | 3 credits |
| GDES 310 | Graphic Design III | 3 credits |
| GDES 330 | Typography ll | 3 credits |
| SOD 390 | Internship | Variable credits |
| GDES 410 | Portfolio & Professional Development | 3 credits |
| GDES 445 | Senior Capstone Research Studio | 3 credits |
| GDES 450 | Senior Capstone | 3 credits |
| PHOTO 141 | Basic Digital Photography | 3 credits |
| Studio Elective (3 credits)* | |
| Studio Elective (3 credits)* | |
| Studio Elective (3 credits)* | |
*Studio electives include 200-400 level courses in ANIM, ART, GDES, IAD, PHOTO, or SOD 395. Students must choose courses from at least two different course prefix designators.
Suggested Course Sequence
2025-26 SCS Graphic Design
Minor in Graphic Design
The minor in Graphic Design requires successful completion of a minimum of six courses and 18 credits of courses in graphic design and related disciplines. Graphic design courses encompass a variety of media from print design to screen-based applications. Students in the minor may participate in collaborative work, client-based projects, interactive development, user-experience design, branding strategies, rich-media experiences, visual storytelling, and problem solving through the design thinking process.
GDES, IAD, and ANIM courses count towards the minor in graphic design. The following courses may also be taken for a minor in graphic design.
All course prerequisites must be met to be eligible to take the selected course for a minor. Please see the chair of the Department of Graphic Design for more information. General information regarding minor requirements may be found in the Minors section of the catalog.
Minor in Web Design
The professional minor in Web Design requires successful completion of the following four courses: GDES 125 Fundamentals of Digital Media; GDES 208 Web Design I; GDES 308 Web Design II; IAD 381 Mobile and Responsive Design.
Students in the Graphic Design program are not eligible for the professional minor in Web Design because all courses are major requirements or studio electives. Marketing majors in the Digital Marketing Track are not eligible for the professional minor in Web Design due to curricular overlap of three courses.
Other Options
BA Option: Students also have the option of completing a Bachelor of Arts degree in Graphic Design. The student must fulfill all SEE requirements, program requirements, and complete two semesters of a foreign language from the point of placement or completion of 202 level.
Course Descriptions
See Art Course Descriptions
See Interactive Design Course Descriptions
See Animation Course Descriptions
See Photography Course Descriptions
See Graphic Design Course Descriptions