Course Descriptions

These descriptions are typical course offerings that make up our curriculum. They are intended to give you a broad overview of the B.F.A. degree program. Courses are subject to change at the discretion of the College. Changes may include but are not limited to, course name, title, prerequisite, sequence, schedule, content, or credit value. Changes may occur whenever deemed necessary. Prerequisites may be waived by the Director, Curriculum & Academic Advisor, or the class instructor. Students who began the program prior to Sept. 2008 please refer to catalog supplement A for the appropriate program grid for the date you started the program.

3d Digital Animation

DD 401 (3 credits) · Prerequisite: Media Development

This course is an introduction to the digital 3D environment. Students apply the basics of film grammar, animation principles, and story development in creating 3D animations. Basic techniques in modeling, texturing, animation and rendering are taught. Camera movement, lighting, UV mapping, and simple rigging are also covered.

Advanced Design

AD 401 (3 credits) · Prerequisite: Typography

Advanced Design requires the student to prepare highly conceptual, creatively conceived, and professionally presented design work. There is an emphasis on real life graphic design projects, as well as concentration on preparing portfolio works with high levels of content and craftsmanship.

Advanced Figure Drawing

VI 351 (3 credits) · Prerequisite: Figure Drawing

Knowledge of anatomy is an essential component of accurate figure drawing, and has important applications to 3-dimensional computer animation programs. This course introduces students to human anatomy as it relates to figure drawing. Students will learn to identify and draw the bones, muscles and joints of the human body, and to apply this information to their artistic practice through drawing sessions with the model.

Animation

AN 251 (3 credits) · Prerequisite: Drawing, Figure Drawing

An introductory class, this course covers the basic principles of animation along with pre-production practices that can be applied to traditional or computer animation. Students explore character development, storyboarding, and animation techniques and concepts. A variety of hand drawn, ‘pencil test’ animations are produced throughout the semester.

Anthropology

AN 201 (2 credits)
This class is only offered to students who began the program prior to Sept. 2007 and to students who begin the program in Sept. 2008 and later.

Anthropology is the scientific study of the origins and nature of human beings. After introducing anthropology as a scientific study, the course will look into the salient features of physical anthropology and then of cultural anthropology. The former will investigate such topics as the origin of human beings, their life cycles, races, and prehistoric activities, while the latter will examine kinship, language, economic activities, religion, and politics as revealed by the known record. A final topic, within the realm of cultural anthropology, will be the role of art in the human experience.

Applied Design

AP 201 (3 credits) · Prerequisite: Design Fundamentals

This course focuses on the continued development of the use of design judgement through problem solving and technique-building projects. All projects are brought to presentation-comp. stage, making them portfolio quality. Examples of professional work and market standards will be studied.

Art And Ideas

IA 301 (2 credits)
This class is only offered to students who began the program prior to Sept. 2008

The class introduces students to contemporary ideas in art through a combination of discussion, lecture, and independent projects. We explore practical, aesthetic, and social issues in art of the last 15 years. Our goal is not only to gain an understanding of contemporary art issues, but also to learn why we as artists do what we do.

Art & Ideas

IA 301 (3 Credits)

This class is only offered to students who begin the program Sept. 2008 and beyond

This class introduces students to contemporary ideas in art making through a combination of discussion, lecture, and independent projects. In this course, students explore practical, aesthetic, and social issues in art of the last 15 years including themes in art including Time, Place, Identity, the Body, Language, and Spirituality. Students will also discuss recent changes in to the role of the contemporary artist and art making in society. Students will explore such questions as how can art serve as a catalyst for change: social, political, cultural, and personal? Students will research, discuss, and create visual art projects related to or influenced by current issues.

Art History I

AT 151 (2 credits) · Prerequisite: Art Introduction

Art History I introduces students to architecture, sculpture, painting, and the decorative arts produced by western cultures and those of the ancient near east. It begins with the Paleolithic drawings and sculptures and continues through the art of Byzantium.

Art History II

AT 201 (2 credits) · Prerequisite: Art History I

A continuation of Art History I, this course focuses on European art from the Middle Ages to the Baroque era. It also covers other cultures including Islamic, Pre-Columbian, and Meso-American art forms, giving students a global view of the history of art.

Art History III

AT 251 (2 credits) · Prerequisite: Art History II

Art History III begins with the 18th century debate between the power of the aristocracy and the new philosophies of the Enlightenment. This course concludes with trends and controversies in contemporary art.

Art Introduction

AT 101 (2 credits)

Art Introduction helps students to make connections with art. What is art? What is the function of art? These and other questions relating to the construction of images and objects, their ability to communicate ideas, and how to evaluate the work in a critical way, are all explored and defined by the student.

Art Studio

AR 451 (3 credits)

This course focuses on furthering technical and conceptual skills in various media. Through discussion, critique, and hands-on experience, students will push their existing knowledge of media to a higher level, in order to ready themselves to be working professionals in their field.

Attention & Perception

AN 351 (2 credits)

This class is only offered to students who began the program in Sept. 2007

This class analyzes and utilizes key concepts related to attention and perception. The course will cover new theories in cognitive neuroscience and their practical.

Business Finance

BF 301 (2 Credits)

This class is only offered to students who begin the program in Sept. 2008 and beyond

This course presents skills and knowledge that can be applied to solve financial problems in the context of contemporary business practices. Finance plays a major role in contemporary life — accounting, leasing agreements, car loans, mortgage payments, retirement plans, real estate investment — and knowing how to calculate the cost of borrowing or the return on investment is important. This course provides step-by-step guidance through sample problems and solutions related to basic finance, credit, banking, and investment.

Business Planning

BP 351 (2 credits)

This class is only offered to students who began the program prior to Sept. 2008

This course is an introduction to business for art and design related employment, career development, market research, and freelance issues. Learning to write, present, interview, research, and create business plans and other business documents are demonstrated, reviewed, and required.

Business Planning and Practices

BP 351 (2 credits)

This class is only offered to students who begin the program in Sept. 2008 and beyond

Career Seminar

CS 351 (2 credits)

This class is only offered to students who begin the program in Sept. 2008 and beyond A field trip class specifically designed for graduating students, Senior Seminar investigates the changing face of the art profession. Focusing on current trends in the marketplace, students will develop a clear and essential view of the processes and practices of their chosen vocation.

Ceramics and Sculpture

SC 301 (3 credits)

In this studio class, students will feel their way through the elements of sculpture, including mass, form, placement, technique, and material. Lecture and reading assignments will be followed by discussion and projects intended to create an understanding of the spatial character and nature of three-dimensional artwork.

College Life

CL 101 (non-credit)

This course will give students information and practices  to help make a successful transition from the high school way of life to that of an NCA college student. Students with at least 15 credits of prior college experience may waive the course.

Color And Form

FC 101 (3 credits)

Understanding how color is perceived, its ability to express, and its relationship to composition and form are the goals of this class. Through discussion, projects, and critiques, students gain first-hand knowledge of the most relative medium in art.

Communications

CM 201 (2 credits)

This class is only offered to students who began the program in Sept. 2007 and beyond

This class emphasizes the analysis, understanding, and utilization of communication variables affecting human interaction. These variables include person perception, feedback, idea development, and non verbal cues. The course focuses on small group and individual to individual communications in structured and non structured environments.

Computer Graphics I

CG 251 (3 credits) · Prerequisite: Design Fundamentals

Computer Graphics I is a hands-on introduction to the diverse and significant resources the computer offers the artist/designer. This course is designed for students with either very limited or no experience in the computer arts. The class is designed to facilitate the student’s ongoing development of digital literacy. It sets the technical foundation for future college level use of computer graphics by digital art and non-digital art majors. Students gain an understanding of the Macintosh operating system, and attain a working knowledge of several leading applications currently used by computer artists and designers.

Computer Graphics II

CI 301 (3 credits) · Prerequisite: Computer Graphics I

Students will continue to develop skills using industry-standard computer software applications. Students will finish several portfolio quality projects.

Contemporary Literature

KL 251 (2 credits)

Students read contemporary novels, poems, plays, and essays, and respond to them through discussion and written assignments. Various types of literary criticism are introduced in order to equip students with different “ways of reading.” Students hone the academic-writing skills they developed in English composition, producing critical essays that build strong arguments to support theses about the reading assignments.

Creative Writing

KS 351 (2 credits)

This course encourages vision, expression, and personal growth through reading, analysis, and writing, with a focus on individual process. Students become familiar with the basic principles and forms of creative writing through lecture, analysis of the works of established and emerging authors, and ongoing writing projects in fiction, poetry, and/or drama. Student work is shared and discussed in ongoing supportive workshops.

Cultural Survey

KS 301 (2 credits)

This overview of culture will investigate salient human activities in various parts of the world. It will touch upon such things as language, religion, and nationality and explore the mechanisms of several selected cultures throughout the world. By the time the course is completed, an appreciation of “culture”, cultures, and why multiculturalism is worth pursuing in the United States ought to have been cultivated.

Design Fundamentals

DF 101 (3 credits)

This class is an introduction to the basic principles and vocabulary of visual design. Students will be introduced to the core elements of visual language- the goal of which is to increase awareness of visual form and composition, and therefore, develop a foundation of visual literacy. A thorough analysis of two-dimensional design for the purpose of communicating information, concepts, and emotions will be explored. This course is designed for the beginning artist or designer whose objective is to function effectively in today's professional or applied arts field.

Design Production

DP 401 (3 Credits) · Prerequisite: Computer Graphics 2

This purpose of this course is to develop core competencies in digital prepress. It provides students with theoretical and practical information regarding the multiple required elements of digital prepress and production. Course content includes information and class discussions on paper and printing, industry standards, and contemporary digital file preparation and production practices. This class also presents a broad overview of color printing processes and digital practices, and gives students information and skills relevant to professional design production planning practices, and may more effectively supervise or estimate printing operations, and communicate effectively with creative service vendors or buyers.

Drawing

DR 101 (3 credits)

This is a basic drawing class designed to give students an introduction to the art of drawing. The course incorporates a systematic review of basic techniques and concepts, including perspective and basic composition.

Economic Systems

EC 351 (2 credits)

This class is only offered to students who began the Program prior to Sept. 2008

Economic systems play a major role in the structure of society. In this class students discuss and define economics in a historical and a contemporary context. Exploring the relationship of commerce to political philosophies and cultural constructions will help students to understand more fully the dynamics of human interaction and individual identity.

English Composition

WT 101 (2 credits)

This class is only offered to students who began the Program prior to Sept. 2008

Exploring and developing written communication skills and understanding their importance in personal and professional communication are the purposes of this class. Through a series of projects, students will draft and refine various types of compositions. They will learn to inform and persuade various audiences in a professional, literate manner while employing their own writing style.

English Composition 1

WT 101 (2 credits)

This class is only offered to students who begin the program in Sept. 2008 and beyond

English Composition 2

WT 151 (2 Credits) · Prerequisites: English Composition 1

This class is only offered to students who begin the program in Sept. 2008 and beyond

This course is a continuation of English Composition 1. In it, students continue their exploration and development of written communication skills and the understanding of their importance in personal and professional communication. Through a series of written projects, students will draft and refine various types of compositions. They will continue to learn how to inform and persuade various audiences in a professional, literate manner while developing and employing their own writing style.

Environmental Issues

EV 401 (2 credits)

This class exposes students to the major and minor environmental concerns of today and tomorrow. Students discuss and brainstorm about solutions and problems associated with our earth and become aware, active, and conscious to our environment.

Ethics

TH 451 (2 credits)

Students develop important insights into the definition and practice of ethics in contemporary society. They gain a deeper understanding of how ethical behavior has been defined and practiced from the ancients (Greek and Asian) and how these definitions have been carried forward, modified, and redefined in modern and postmodern philosophy.

Figure Drawing

FG 151 (3 credits) · Prerequisite: Drawing

This course is designed to introduce the student to all aspects of drawing the human figure. Particular attention will be given to the development of rendering techniques, and to the understanding of realistic proportions.

Graphic Design

GD 301 (3 credits) · Prerequisite: Applied design, Computer Graphics II

This class introduces exploration and application of the basic design methods of problem solving as used in graphic design. Emphasis is on innovative solutions and understanding design layout as related to corporate identity, brochures, posters, packaging, and a variety of client-related graphics.

Health

HL 351 (2 credits)

This class is only offered to students who began the program prior to Sept. 2007

The goal of this course is to provide students with current information and skills necessary to actively participate in the maintenance of personal and community health. The course targets current public health concerns, immediate health concerns of the course participants, and health issues related to the successful pursuit of art as a profession. Practical exercises and projects will be used to develop skills and provide opportunities for personal integration of subject matter.

History Of Design

DH 301 (2 credits) · Prerequisite: Art History 3

(Students who began program prior to Sept. 2008

None

(Students who begin program in Sept. 2008 and beyond)

The History of Design class follows the development of graphic arts from its origins in prehistoric and traditional cultures to the fast-paced world of computer graphics. Functional objectives, materials and technique, industrial design, and historical perspectives will all be explored through lecture and discussion, creating for the student an image of how art serves all aspects of the community.

Human Relations

HR 151 (2 credits)

Human relations lays a foundation- both theoretical and experiential - for understanding one’s unique relation to self, to others, and to society. Students learn conceptual models for understanding their behavior in relation to others. They work to better understand the dynamics of love, sex, and conflict, through lecture, discussion, self reflection, readings, research and projects.

Illustration I

IL 351 (3 credits) · Prerequisite: Figure Drawing

Through study of the history of illustration, current trends, and evaluation of examples of professional illustration work, students will render illustrations in a variety of media and for a variety of forms. Students will assemble one or two bodies of work for self-promotional samples.

Illustration II

IL 401 (3 credits) · Prerequisite: Illustration I

This class is a continuation course. The basic elements of researching, organizing, and designing illustrations are explored, with special emphasis on the development of professional skills, self-promotion, completion of polished works, and awareness of current markets.

Interactive Design

ID 351 (3 Credits) · Prerequisite: Web Animation Techniques

In this course, students will explore interactive digital design, and learn to develop and produce complex interactive designs built in Flash, and focuses upon developing expertise in the use of ActionScript within Flash to create dynamic, interactive websites and other web-based applications. Flash-based games, e-greetings, and other XML and database-driven Web applications are also introduced. As Flash is rapidly becoming an applications development tool of choice with multiple applications for use beyond the Web, the class discussion of Flash will extend to concepts of implementations in alternative areas such as education/training, video interaction and mobile devices.

Internship

IN 451 (3 credits) · Senior status

Internships are an opportunity for upper-division students to earn credit while working, gaining practical experience, and exploring career options in a professional setting. To receive credit students must complete 135 internship hours and meet with the internship advisor through the semester.

Major Interest

MJ 401 (3 credits) · Prerequisite: Tutorial

This class is only offered to students who began the program prior to Sept. 2008

Focused on the various formats for student portfolios, this course includes a review of professional portfolios and self-promotional materials appropriate to individual fields of interest. Group critiques will provide a collective evaluation as well as a recommendation to the student intended to stimulate work during the junior and senior years. Students will continue to develop a comprehensive body of work in a medium of their choice, using the critical skills and viewpoints acquired in previous courses.

Media

MD 151 (3 credits)

This course is designed to give students hands-on experience with a variety of media that are frequently employed by professional artists and designers.

Media Development

AM 301 (3 credits) · Prerequisite: Web Animation Techniques, Photo 1

(Students who began program prior to Sept. 2008)

None

(Students who begin program in Sept. 2008 and beyond)

This is a video production course, exploring various professional techniques used in the manipulation of digital video and the creation of narrative form. This class provides technical instruction in the digital world of non-linear editing, compositing, and digital effects. It includes hands on experience in acquiring video footage, loading it into the computer and then editing and compositing it with other media including vector images, bitmaps, and still photography. The elements of storytelling, film grammar, and storyboarding will continue to be explored.

Motion Design

MO 351 (3 credits) · Prerequisite: 3-D Digital Animation

In this advanced image-manipulation course, students continue to explore the theory and production of graphics and video for time-based media. It focuses on animating typography, graphic objects and photo images. Students explore sequential design and motion within time-based media environments.

Multimedia Survey

MS 301 (2 credits) · Prerequisite: Art History 3

(Students who began program prior to Sept. 2008)

None

(Students who begin program in Sept. 2008 and beyond)

This class explores the development of multimedia from its pre-electronic origins to some of its latest developments. We build a historical base for how multimedia developed, analyze its unique contributions to human communication, and explore the directions it will likely take. We will introduce the lingo and technology of the craft, the emerging esthetics of the art, and the impact of this development on our own work and identity.

Mythology

MY 401 (2 credits)

This class is only offered to students who began the program prior to Sept. 2008

This class is a survey of ancient and contemporary mythologies, including an overview of Roman, Greek, Egyptian and Eastern mythologies. The class will discuss archetypes and the universal themes present in all mythology, as well as developing a familiarity with specific myths. Students will develop insight into our contemporary myths that have evolved from universal principles.

Painting And Social Change

PS 401 (3 credits) · Prerequisite: Painting Techniques

This class is only offered to students who began the program prior to Sept. 2008

This class introduces the student to the current changes in the role of the artist and art making in society through a process of lecture, group discussion, and independent projects. Students will be shown examples of the role of painting and art in social change: How can art serve as a catalyst for social change? And how can art serve as a means of recording social change? Can social change dictate the course of art? Students will also research, discuss, and create their own examples as related to current issues.

Painting Composition

PC 301 (3 credits) · Prerequisite: Painting Techniques

This class is only offered to students who began the program prior to Sept. 2008

The focus of this course is the elements of composition as the underlying structure of the painting. We will explore this structure or abstract design with attention to elements such as balance, harmony/dissonance, movement, rhythm, and focus.

Painting Techniques

PT 201 (3 credits)

This course will introduce the student to a full spectrum  of painting applications. Through lecture and demonstration, the student will be directed in the process of duplicating painting techniques and developing confidence with the medium.

Philosophy

FY 301 (2 credits)

Classic and contemporary Western and Eastern philosophers will be explored in this class. Through lecture and assigned reading, the students will explore subjects such as ethics, politics, philosophy, and metaphysics as they struggle with the great minds of history in search for the meaning of life.

Photography I

PH 201 (3 credits)

This first semester is an introduction to the fundamentals of photography. Projects will be centered around basic photographic techniques using black-and-white films, paper, and transparencies as the learning media. Basic darkroom techniques in black-and-white film processing will be emphasized.

Photography II

PH 251 (3 credits) · Prerequisite: Photography I

Students will utilize the fundamentals they studied in Photography I, applying their knowledge and skills to fulfill various photographic assignments. In addition, students will learn how to photographically reproduce their collective artwork for their portfolios.

Portfolio

PR 401 (2 credits)

This class is only offered to students who began the program prior to Sept. 2008

A portfolio is a collection of work that represents artistic skill, interest, and marketable talents to a viewer. This course is focused on three principles: confidence, enthusiasm and preparation, essential for the creation of an attention-holding portfolio.

Portfolio 1: Vis Comm

PR 401 (3 Credits)

This class is only offered to students who begin the program in Sept. 2008 and beyond

In this class, part 1 of a two-part class sequence, B.F.A. Visual Communcations program students will be required to determine specific career goals, and to develop a proposed direction to take in their creative efforts. They will create an entirely new body of work to facilitate reaching their stated career goals. While students will each propose and develop their own individual projects, the class itself will become a critique and support group meeting wherein the student will receive weekly feedback from the instructor and their peers. Students will be required to develop their critical and diplomatic communication skills, and to participate fully and honestly in the weekly critiques.

The student must satisfactorily demonstrate an acceptable level of development and completion of their proposed body of new work in order to receive a passing grade for this class and to be considered eligible to advance to Portfolio 2: Vis Comm.

Portfolio 2: Vis Comm

PR 451 (3 Credits) · Prerequisite: Portfolio 1: Vis Comm

This class is only offered to students who begin the program in Sept. 2008 and beyond

This course is the continuation of the portfolio development process initiated in Portfolio 1: Vis Comm. Special emphasis in this course will be placed upon developing further and finishing the production and presentation of the body of creative work begun in Portfolio 1. Students will continue to be required to refine their critical and diplomatic communication skills, and to participate fully and honestly in the weekly critiques.

Psychology

SK 251 (2 credits) · Prerequisite: Self Awareness, or Human Relations

This course is an introduction to contemporary methods and thought in psychology. This will include examining personality theory, methods of psychological inquiry, and the effects of the body on psychological functioning.

Public Speaking

KP 201 (2 credits)

Public Speaking is one of the most important courses a student can take. This course is designed to help the student become proficient at the types of public speaking that they will encounter in their personal and professional lives. The student will deliver no fewer than three speeches, all of considerable length. The types of speeches will include interview, persuasive, and impromptu. The persuasive speech will be written out in prose prior to the speech.

Self Awareness

SA 101 (2 credits)

Students will explore the development of the “self” by becoming acquainted with a variety of theories. These may include ego and personality development, the spectrum of consciousness and the unconscious, collective and personal consciousness, and physiological determinants such as right/left hemispheric brain functions. Students will be expected to explore the nature of individualization and self-actualization.

Semiotics

SS 451 (2 credits) · Prerequisite: Senior Status or Prior Approval

Semiotics is the study of how “signs” are constructed and identified so that we may understand how culture shapes perception. Although ancient in origin, semiotics evolved during the twentieth century as a distinct field of study from its roots in philosophy, psychology, anthropology, and linguistics.

Senior Seminar

SS 451 (2 credits)

This class is only offered to students who began the program prior to Sept. 2008

A field trip class specifically designed for graduating students, Senior Seminar investigates the changing face of the art profession. Focusing on current trends in the marketplace, students will develop a clear and essential view of the processes and practices of their chosen vocation.

Senior Thesis

SR 451 (3 credits) Senior status

This class is only offered to students who began the program prior to Sept. 2008

Each student applying for the degree of Bachelor of Fine Arts in Visual Communication must complete in their final semester a thesis as approved by the director of Northwest College of Art and the Senior Thesis instructor(s). The thesis will be comprised of four parts: (1) a body of work consistent with the goals of the student (media to be determined by the student); (2) a written thesis with a research component discussing proposed media, subject, and content of the thesis work, and the student’s future goals; (3) documentation of artwork in the form of slides or computer-generated imagery; and (4) an oral examination given and evaluated by the thesis committee. The final thesis work will be exhibited in a graduation exhibition at Northwest College of Art. A thesis committee, consisting of no fewer than three active faculty members, will evaluate each student’s progress. The student must satisfactorily complete each part of the thesis requirements in order to receive a passing grade for the class and to be considered eligible for graduation.

Senior Thesis 1: Vis Comm

ST 401 (2 Credits)

This class is only offered to students who begin the program in Sept. 2008 and beyond

This class is the first of a two-part class sequence wherein the Visual Communcations B.F.A. program student begins development and production of their required senior thesis. Each student applying for the degree of Bachelor of Fine Arts in Visual Communications must complete a thesis as approved by the Academic Advisor of Northwest College of Art and the Senior Thesis instructor(s). The thesis will be comprised of four parts: (1) a body of work consistent with the goals of the student (media to be determined by the student); (2) a written thesis with a research component discussing proposed media, subject, and content of the thesis work, and the student’s future goals; (3) documentation of artwork in the form of slides or computer-generated imagery; and (4) an oral examination given and evaluated by the thesis committee. The student must satisfactorily demonstrate an acceptable level of completion of each part of the thesis requirements in order to receive a passing grade for this class and to be considered eligible to advance to Senior Thesis 2: Vis Comm.

Senior Thesis 2: Vis Comm

ST 451 (2 Credits) · Prerequisites: Senior Thesis 1: Vis Comm

This class is only offered to students who begin the program in Sept. 2008 and beyond

This class is the second in a two-part class structure wherein the student develops, produces, presents and defends their required senior thesis. In this class, students continue the refinement of their thesis, complete all required components of their thesis, and present an oral defense of their thesis that is evaluated by the thesis committee. The final thesis work will be exhibited as part of a graduation exhibition at Northwest College of Art. A thesis committee, consisting of no fewer than three active faculty members, will evaluate each student’s progress. The student must satisfactorily complete each part of the thesis requirements in order to receive a passing grade for the class and to be considered eligible for graduation.

Tutorial

TU 351 (3 credits)

This class is only offered to students who began the program prior to Sept. 2008.

This class is a combination studio/seminar class designed to broaden and clarify a student’s perspective on issues of fundamental concern to the art field. Work is evaluated with direction to enhance skills. Individualism is emphasized. Students pursue various individual projects in studio practice

Typography

TP 351 (3 credits) · Prerequisite: Graphic Design

This class is only offered to students who began the program prior to Sept. 2008

This class covers the fundamentals of typography: theory, practice, and history. Students will explore type from introductory usage to the advance use of type. The course includes the study of letterforms, composition, layout and page systems, typographic expression and communication, type with image, proportion and grids, hierarchy, legibility, etc.

Typography 1

TP 351 (3 credits) ) · Prerequisite: Graphic Design

This class is only offered to students who began the program in Sept. 2008 and beyond

Typography 2

TP 401 (3 Credits) · Prerequisite: Typography 1

This class is only offered to students who begin the program in Sept. 2008 and beyond

This course focuses on continuing the refinement of practical skill and aesthetic sensitivity in typographic principles introduced and developed in Typography 1. This course continues to explore issues of typographic design in context and to develop core competencies in digital typography. Advanced project work in this class addresses functional as well as expressive contemporary typographic design issues.

Visual Composition

VC 301 (3 credits) · Prerequisite: Figure Drawing

(Students who began program prior to Sept. 2008)

None

(Students who begin program in Sept. 2008 and beyond)

The object of this course is to relate the science of perception to visual art and design. Observing the theory and practice of compositional fundamentals, and concentration on reliable design stratagems for the purpose of seeing and communicating the visual message is the course goal.

Web Animation Techniques

AW 301 (3 credits) · Prerequisite: Computer Graphics II, Animation

This is a beginning level course where students develop time-based media for web accessible animations and presentations. Students learn how to create 2D vector images and then animate them by applying classical animation principles and techniques. Students are taught how to import other artwork assets for incorporation with vector-based graphics. Site navigational methods will also be covered.

Web Design

IC 301 (3 credits) · Prerequisite: Typography

(Students who began program prior to Sept. 2008)

Typography & Computer Graphics II

(Students who begin program in Sept. 2008 and beyond)

This is an introductory website design and production course. It covers how to design and adapt content for the Internet and then produce fully functional web sites that incorporate both text and graphics. Basic HTML, XHTML, and CSS coding, plus site architecture and navigational methods will be covered. Cross platform and browser issues will also be addressed.