BFA Studio Art in Graphic Design

The Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) program in Studio Art is designed to provide an enriched educational environment that develops and nurtures the full range of capabilities necessary for a career in the visual arts. Skills addressed include: a mastery of requisite technical skills, the use of technology across the curriculum, experience in critical and creative problem solving, visual literacy, knowledge of historical modes of expression in the visual arts, and mastery of written modes of expression. Among the competencies required by Graphic Design are the ability to identify, research, evaluate and solve problems, to create prototypes, to apply relevant tools and technologies, to understand basic business organizational practices, and to apply an understanding of design history. Access to libraries, studio space, up-to-date technology, internships, and field experience are essential to training in this field.Courses in Graphic Design build upon a sequence of six upper-level courses in the area. The curriculum thus includes: direct studies in design (20-25% of the total program); other courses in art and design, (20-30%); studies in art and design history (10-15%); general studies and electives (25-35%). Studies in the major area and related courses total 60-65% of the curriculum. Students in Graphic Design are encouraged to seek out courses in communication theory, writing, psychology, sociology, anthropology, linguistics, and the humanities as they complete their university General Education requirements. Among the program s strength is an approach built upon the conviction that technology is not synonymous with process, that design is a journey of inquiry, and that some of the best design today is still produced via the mind, a pencil and a sketchpad. The energy in this program, the honesty of the task, and the open channels of communication make for a stimulating educational environment.