Graphic Design (B.F.A.)
BFA-AH GRD
Art and Design Department
Bachelor of Fine Arts (HEGIS 1009)
Upton Hall 402
(716) 878-6032
National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD) Accredited
The B.F.A. degree in Communication Design is a studio-intensive program of study. This degree offers students a specialized studio-oriented education in preparation for advanced or graduate studies, or for beginning careers as professional designers.
Students begin with foundation courses in two-dimensional design, three-dimensional design, color, art history, and design history. The major is completed with courses in communication design and selected major electives. Internships are required of senior level majors.
The remaining credit hours are completed in required Intellectual Foundations courses and in other chosen studio courses.
All students entering the communication design major enter with a bachelor of fine arts (BFA-AH CMD) intent, and are required to pass a portfolio review for admission into the upper division. Commit-to-major portfolio reviews are conducted by faculty and generally take place during the sophomore year after the completion of selected foundations courses, as well as the first course in the intended major. To continue in the B.F.A. degree program, a 3.0 GPA must be maintained in the major.
Transfer students are urged to submit their portfolios the semester before transfer in order to facilitate placement in departmental courses and/or for possible commit-to-major portfolio review. Please call the Design Department for additional information.
The Design Department reserves the right to retain students’ work for official purposes, such as exhibitions, catalogs, teaching aids, or permanent collections. Students are expected to assume the costs of materials used in courses. Some studio courses may have an additional charge for materials used in class. Students enrolled in a studio course are expected to work a minimum of two additional hours each week outside of class for each credit granted for that class
The Design Department may be in the process of curricular revision. Please refer to the college Web site or the department for updated information.
Program Requirements
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Intellectual Foundations Requirements | ||
| 33-39 credit hours | 33-39 | |
| Communication Design Major Requirements (79 credit hours) | ||
| Foundation Courses (37 credit hours) | ||
| DES 101/AAD 102 | INTRODUCTION TO TWO-DIMENSIONAL DESIGN | 3 |
| DES/AAD 103 | INTRODUCTION TO THREE-DIMENSIONAL DESIGN | 3 |
| DES 277 | COMPUTER GRAPHICS I | 3 |
| DES 314 | HISTORY OF GRAPHIC DESIGN: INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION TO THE PRESENT | 3 |
| DES 377 | COMPUTER GRAPHICS II | 3 |
| DES 307 | COLOR THEORY | 3 |
| DES 414 | SENIOR SEMINAR/EXHIBITION | 4 |
| FAR/AAD 101 | DRAWING I | 3 |
| FAR 104/AAD 150 | THEMES AND ISSUES IN THE CONTEMPORARY ARTS | 3 |
| FAR 220 | INTRODUCTORY PHOTOGRAPHY | 3 |
| FAR 250/AAD 251 | ART HISTORY I | 3 |
| FAR 251/AAD 252 | ART HISTORY II | 3 |
| Major Courses (39 credit hours) | ||
| DES 270 | VISUAL COMMUNICATION I | 3 |
| DES 271 | LETTERING AND TYPOGRAPHY I | 3 |
| DES 370 | VISUAL COMMUNICATIONS II | 3 |
| DES 374 | ADVERTISING DESIGN | 3-6 |
| DES 378 | WEB DESIGN 1 | 3 |
| DES 379 | MOTION DESIGN | 3 |
| DES 380 | ILLUSTRATION | 3 |
| DES 382 | DIGITAL 3D 1 | 3 |
| DES 472 | WEB DESIGN II | 3 |
| DES 473 | GRAPHIC DESIGN | 3-9 |
| DES 488 | INTERNSHIP | 1-12 |
| DES 489 | MOTION DESIGN 2 | 3 |
| Studio Electives by Advisement (3 credit hours) | ||
| Select one from the following: | 3 | |
| CERAMICS I | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO JEWELRY MAKING | ||
| FIBERS I | ||
| WOOD DESIGN I | ||
| All College Electives | ||
| 2-8 credit hours | 2-8 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 120 | |