Bachelor of Arts in Design - Graphic Design Concentration

The Bachelor of Arts in Design degree offers majors in three areas of concentration: Interactive Entertainment, Graphic Design and Interior Design. Interactive Entertainment is further split into an arts-based Game Design major and a programming-based Game Development major. Each major which comprises the Bachelor of Arts in Design degree equips students with a broad range of marketable skills and a strong general education foundation upon which a lifelong, successful career can be built.

Course selections in each of the three art-based concentrations include both a solid grounding in the fine and visual arts, and hands-on practical core courses which stress the understanding of the underlying design processes and concept development. Students will learn firsthand how to create effective visual communication; how to develop and communicate design solutions; and how to create, capture and manipulate both traditional and new media design elements, all in a clear manner in keeping with the professional standards of their chosen field of study.

The program of study in Game Development prepares students for a career in the development and production of video games. This major features a solid base in computer programming fundamentals upon which core courses add the specific skills they need to apply their foundational knowledge in programming, art, concept design, engine design, animation and computer graphics to all aspects of video game development.

Whichever major a student chooses in the Bachelor of Arts in Design degree program, students can be assured of small classes with attentive, knowledgeable faculty, up-to-date equipment, and plenty of room to explore personal visions. Upon graduation, students will have the right technical skills, a firm theoretical base, opportunities for career internships, and a strong portfolio as solid evidence of their abilities.  

Program Description: The program leads to a 4-year undergraduate degree in graphic design, in which students complete a core of required art foundation and graphic design coursework. As upperclassmen, they may then pursue a block of coursework in advanced studies that is customizable to their individual interests and career goals. In addition, all students complete coursework in the liberal arts, the social sciences, and the laboratory sciences in keeping with the long-standing traditions of a liberal arts-based college degree. Students can further customize their curricula through internships, general elective coursework and free electives.

Program Objectives: The program seeks to impart to its students strong technical competence in fundamental arts principles along with specialized competence in the tools needed to be successful in the graphic design field. At the same time the program seeks to nourish a student’s creative talents through opportunities for internships, electives and special projects, developing in the student a personal aesthetic as well as a high standard of individual excellence and professionalism.