COURSE CURRICULUM

The Graphic Design BFA degree is a 124-credit professional undergraduate program designed to prepare students for careers in graphic design, digital communications, branding, advertising, interactive media, and visual communication industries. The program combines general education studies with intensive studio-based design training, helping students develop strong conceptual thinking, technical expertise, creativity, and professional communication skills. Students complete courses in communication, humanities, sciences, mathematics, and social sciences while also studying a wide range of visual arts and digital design subjects. The curriculum begins with foundational art courses in drawing, design, and three-dimensional art, which build essential artistic and creative skills. Students then progress into specialized graphic design coursework covering typography, branding, production design, illustration, motion graphics, interactive design, digital photography, portfolio development, and graphic communication. The program emphasizes creative problem-solving, visual storytelling, design strategy, and technical proficiency using industry-standard software and digital tools. Students pursuing the Graphic Design emphasis are required to own a specifically equipped Apple/Macintosh laptop because advanced graphics courses rely heavily on professional digital design applications. The curriculum also includes art history studies and upper-level writing-intensive art history courses to strengthen cultural, historical, and theoretical understanding of visual communication. A unique feature of the program is the repeated Graphic Communication course taken across multiple semesters, helping students continuously improve presentation, collaboration, and professional communication skills. Students can further personalize their education through elective courses in painting, photography, printmaking, sculpture, illustration, internships, motion graphics, and advanced studio art practices. During the senior year, students complete a Graphic Communication Project capstone course and develop professional portfolios that demonstrate their creative abilities and technical expertise. Graduates of the Graphic Design BFA program are prepared for careers as graphic designers, branding specialists, UI/UX designers, digital artists, advertising designers, motion graphics designers, creative directors, and multimedia professionals. The degree also provides excellent preparation for graduate studies and advanced professional opportunities within the creative industries and digital media fields.