Visual Communication, Bachelor of Fine Arts

In addition to University Requirements:

• At least 70 units of major requirements including 30 units of emphasis requirements

• Up to 9 units of major prefix courses may be used to satisfy Liberal Studies requirements; these same courses may also be used to satisfy major requirements.

• Elective courses, if needed, to reach an overall total of at least 120 units.

Students may be able to use some courses to meet more than one requirement. Contact your advisor for details.

Purpose Statement

The Visual Communications program develops the analytical skills and creative passion in our students to be designers, animators and professional artists who creatively, yet strategically, resolve challenging visual design problems across a variety of media in an artistic, visually compelling manner. 
 
In our program, students begin by building a strong foundation in the elements, principles, and processes of design.  They build upon this foundation across their studio classes by engaging in the creation of increasingly complex designs focused on solving real-world problems.  As a student progresses through the program, they incorporate a multi-disciplinary approach by applying concepts from art history, communication theory, drawing, and their liberal studies requirements to issues of design.  Cutting-edge software and technological applications are then integrated into their experience.  Particularly, students learn to apply design principles to software in a manner that provides the skills to adapt to the newest technologies in expectation for the technologies which will emerge in the future.
 
To be effective in the world of design, our students learn to develop excellent relationships with clients, and work collaboratively to co-create projects in teams.  By learning how to communicate effectively with clients and utilize the talents and strengths of design colleagues, our students learn how to creatively navigate relationships to develop the best design products. 
 
Our faculty members know that the elements, principles, and processes of design, the software, the ability to collaborate; all of this is just the beginning.  Our program is taught using small, studio-based courses, one-on-one faculty mentoring, and advanced facilities.  Yet, the ever-changing world of design requires its practitioners to learn throughout their careers and constantly keep their skills up-to-date.  Our program and faculty provide the strategic approaches to learning that will sustain our graduates’ abilities in a continually evolving field for years to come. 
 
Overall, our integrative approach develops students who are capable of applying fundamentals to solve increasingly complex design problems in technologically innovative ways, and result in a portfolio of work designed to launch them in their career.

Student Learning Outcomes

• Studio
  • Gain functional competence with principles of visual organization, including the ability to work with visual elements in two and three dimensions; color theory and its applications; and drawing.
  • Present work that demonstrates perceptual acuity, conceptual understanding, and technical facility at a professional entry level in their chosen field(s).
  • Become familiar with the historical achievements, current major issues, processes, and directions of their field(s).
  • Be afforded opportunities to exhibit their work and to experience and participate in critiques and discussions of their work and the work of others

• Art/Design History, Theory, and Criticism
  • Learn to analyze works of art/design perceptively and to evaluate them critically
  • Develop an understanding of the common elements and vocabulary of art/design, the interaction of these elements, and be able to employ this knowledge in analysis.
  • Acquire the ability to place works of art/design in historical, cultural, and stylistic contexts.

• Technology: Acquire a working knowledge of technologies and equipment applicable to their area(s) of specialization.

• Synthesis: While synthesis is a lifetime process, by the end of undergraduate studies students should be able to work independently on a variety of art and/or design problems by combining, as appropriate to the issue, their capabilities in studio, analysis, history, and technology.

• Specialization
  • Students must demonstrate achievement of professional, entry-level competence in the major area of specialization, including significant technical mastery, capability to produce work and solve professional problems independently, and a coherent set of artistic/ intellectual goals that are evidence in their work.
  • Students must demonstrate their competence by developing a body of work for evaluation in the major area of study.  A senior project or final presentation in the major area is required.
  • Students must have the ability to form and defend value judgments about art and design and to communicate art/design ideas, concepts, and requirements to professionals and laypersons related to the practice of the major field.  They are able to work collaboratively as appropriate to the area(s) of specialization. 

• The ability to solve communication problems, including the skills of problem identification, research and information gathering, analysis, generation of alternative solutions, and prototyping.

• The ability to describe and respond to the audiences and contexts which communication solutions must address, including recognition of the physical, cognitive, cultural, and social human factors that shape design decisions.

• The ability to create and develop visual form in response to communication problems, including an understanding of principles of visual organization/ composition, information hierarchy, symbolic representation, typography, aesthetics, and the construction of meaningful images.

• An understanding of tools and technology, including their roles in the creation, reproduction, and distribution of visual messages.

• An understanding of design history, theory, and criticism from a variety of perspectives, including those of art history, linguistics, communication and information theory, technology, and the social and cultural use of design objects.

• An understanding of basic business practices, including the ability to organize design projects and to work productively as a member of teams. 

• Knowledge and skills in the use of basic principles, concepts, tools, techniques, procedures, and technologies sufficient to produce animation from concept to a finished product that communicates ideas and/or stories to a viewer or to an audience. This includes, but is not limited to, the ability to use the competencies listed in items below in professional contexts as appropriate to the needs of specific projects.
• Knowledge of the principles of animation, including its visual, spatial, sound, motion, and temporal elements and features, and how these elements are combined in the development of animation projects.
• Functional understanding of and ability to use narrative, non-narrative, and other information/language structures (linear, non-linear, thematic, cinematic, interactive, etc.) to organize content in time-based media.
• Ability to use concepts and processes for the development, coordination, and completion of animation projects (examples include, but are not limited, to concept, visual, and character development; the use of scenarios and personas; and storyboarding, flowcharting, and layout).
• Functional understanding and ability to use the characteristics and capabilities of various animation methods and technologies in creative and project development contexts.