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In this course, students learn to refine their conceptual thinking, and the ability to apply design concepts across various media channels. This course challenges students to think and strategically apply campaign ideas. At this stage, students choose a media placement and incorporate it into the solution. The course also introduces the collaborative relationship between Art Director and Copywriter. Student teams brainstorm, develop copy, art direct and pitch ideas in teams. Students will explore the dialogue between products and services and how to communicate their benefits and features to the intended target.

In this course, students learn to refine their conceptual thinking, and the ability to apply design concepts across various media channels. This course challenges students to think and strategically apply campaign ideas. At this stage, students choose a media placement and incorporate it into the solution. The course also introduces the collaborative relationship between Art Director and Copywriter. Student teams brainstorm, develop copy, art direct and pitch ideas in teams. Students will explore the dialogue between products and services and how to communicate their benefits and features to the intended target.

2 cl hrs, 2 lab hrs Explores design and type sensibilities, challenging students to strengthen their creative and visual aesthetics. With emphasis on sensitivity to type, exercises integrate type within a variety of different mediums including page layouts as well as kinetic design. Prerequisite: COMD 1257

2 cl hrs, 2 lab hrs Explores design and type sensibilities, challenging students to strengthen their creative and visual aesthetics. With emphasis on sensitivity to type, exercises integrate type within a variety of different mediums including page layouts as well as kinetic design. Prerequisite: COMD 1257

This beginning photography course explores the foundational concepts of light and exposure. Using dSLR cameras, professional lighting equipment and software, the student develops compositional skills and the ability to control photographic style to create visually engaging photographs.

This beginning photography course explores the foundational concepts of light and exposure. Using dSLR cameras, professional lighting equipment and software, the student develops compositional skills and the ability to control photographic style to create visually engaging photographs.

This is a foundation course in advertising and graphic design. 3 credits: 6 hrs (1 class 5 lab hrs). Pre-requisites: COMD 1162, COMD 1200, COMD 2327, CDMG 2330 This is a basic course in advertising and graphic design that aims to challenge students to use both foundational skills and conceptual thinking to create innovative solutions. Through this course, students will learn how to communicate their ideas visually through art direction and verbally through copywriting. The coursework consists of project-based assignments that will take students from the initial concept to digital output. In the process, students will need to consider the target audience, product, and marketing objectives. The importance of professional execution, conceptual thinking, and presentation of ideas will also be emphasized. Furthermore, students will have the opportunity to collaborate in teams during the design and development process.

This is a foundation course in advertising and graphic design. 3 credits: 6 hrs (1 class 5 lab hrs). Pre-requisites: COMD 1162, COMD 1200, COMD 2327, CDMG 2330 This is a basic course in advertising and graphic design that aims to challenge students to use both foundational skills and conceptual thinking to create innovative solutions. Through this course, students will learn how to communicate their ideas visually through art direction and verbally through copywriting. The coursework consists of project-based assignments that will take students from the initial concept to digital output. In the process, students will need to consider the target audience, product, and marketing objectives. The importance of professional execution, conceptual thinking, and presentation of ideas will also be emphasized. Furthermore, students will have the opportunity to collaborate in teams during the design and development process.

Course Description This course will offer an in-depth introduction to communication design theory, examining theoretical perspectives of design practice within the larger discourse of design and visual culture. Communication models, the nature of representation, the dimensions of context and semiotics will be explored through critical readings from key documents written between the early decades of the twentieth century and the present. In this context, “theory” doesn’t mean “a hypothesis to be tested” (as in the sciences), but rather points to a set of working beliefs about how the world—or in this case, visual communication—works. Some aspects of certain visual communication theories are based on observable “facts,” but the way these facts are woven together says more about how we construct meaning than it does about empirical answers to factual questions. So why does a design professional—typically an eminently practical, hands-on person working toward a specific end for the benefit of a specific client—want or need to engage with visual communication theories? First, “doing theory” promotes a sophisticated level of reflection about design work—far beyond the touchstones of “did they like it?” and “did it serve its purpose?” Second, it encourages designers to think holistically about the contexts for their work—beyond the immediate job at hand to the larger contexts of the social, the cultural, and the historical. And finally, it recognizes the obvious: today, graphic design shapes our visual world and puts each person at the nexus of thousands of messages each day. In this course, we, as senders and receivers of such messages, will attempt to make sense of all this through our verbal discussions in class, our blog postings, and our research poster design and presentations. We will be looking at two types of theories: generative theories, that explain the “how” of visual communication; and critical/sociocultural theories that explain the “what, where, and when” of design, or the historical, cultural and social contexts. By developing the ability to look at design through these different lenses, professional designers can enhance the quality of their decision-making and have a better grasp on the multiple contexts and frameworks for clients and audiences. We can better understand and evaluate the many issues about local usability and usefulness within broader contexts of ethics, aesthetics, professional and social responsibility.

Course Description This course will offer an in-depth introduction to communication design theory, examining theoretical perspectives of design practice within the larger discourse of design and visual culture. Communication models, the nature of representation, the dimensions of context and semiotics will be explored through critical readings from key documents written between the early decades of the twentieth century and the present. In this context, “theory” doesn’t mean “a hypothesis to be tested” (as in the sciences), but rather points to a set of working beliefs about how the world—or in this case, visual communication—works. Some aspects of certain visual communication theories are based on observable “facts,” but the way these facts are woven together says more about how we construct meaning than it does about empirical answers to factual questions. So why does a design professional—typically an eminently practical, hands-on person working toward a specific end for the benefit of a specific client—want or need to engage with visual communication theories? First, “doing theory” promotes a sophisticated level of reflection about design work—far beyond the touchstones of “did they like it?” and “did it serve its purpose?” Second, it encourages designers to think holistically about the contexts for their work—beyond the immediate job at hand to the larger contexts of the social, the cultural, and the historical. And finally, it recognizes the obvious: today, graphic design shapes our visual world and puts each person at the nexus of thousands of messages each day. In this course, we, as senders and receivers of such messages, will attempt to make sense of all this through our verbal discussions in class, our blog postings, and our research poster design and presentations. We will be looking at two types of theories: generative theories, that explain the “how” of visual communication; and critical/sociocultural theories that explain the “what, where, and when” of design, or the historical, cultural and social contexts. By developing the ability to look at design through these different lenses, professional designers can enhance the quality of their decision-making and have a better grasp on the multiple contexts and frameworks for clients and audiences. We can better understand and evaluate the many issues about local usability and usefulness within broader contexts of ethics, aesthetics, professional and social responsibility.