College Catalog

This major emphasizes the development of students' skills for a career in graphic design. Theory and application through hands-on learning provide students with the background to develop a viable portfolio and the knowledge to secure and maintain a creative position in the applied arts. Students develop the necessary sensibilities for creative design through a series of required courses and electives in the visual arts, including courses ranging from drawing to photography and bookmaking to computer graphics and Internet-based design. A proper balance of technically oriented courses, visual arts courses, and liberal arts courses prepares students for diverse and creative positions in the graphic design field. The broad range of learning experiences in this major enriches and expands individual inventiveness and problem-solving skills.

Career Opportunities

Layout artist; graphic designer; and creative director for advertising agencies, publications or electronic media. Additional possibilities include employment in corporate and health-service settings directing the preparation of promotional materials and in-house publications.

Recommended High School Subjects

Two units of high school math (one of which should be algebra), four units of English, two units in the natural sciences, and experience with the visual arts.

Special Equipment Needs

Students enrolled in this major will be required to purchase a Freshman Art Kit. 

Remediation Strategies

All entering students will be tested for English, math, and reading deficiencies. Students are expected to remediate any deficiencies as explained in this catalog (see http://www.pct.edu/catalog/PlacementTesting.htm ).

Transfer Procedures

Graduates of Penn College's two-year Advertising Art major can transfer all courses into the Graphic Design major; however, major courses (defined as those with ART, PNP, PHO designators) must have been completed with a grade of 'C' or better. Internal and external transfers with fewer than 61 credits can carry parallel courses into the baccalaureate when grades are 'C' or better. Transcripts should be submitted with the application for admission and will be evaluated by Admissions staff and by Integrated Studies staff. Those accepted for transfer will begin the baccalaureate at the course/skill level consistent with their academic work. Transfers from other art programs who have earned 60 credits will be eligible for junior status upon transcript evaluation of courses at 'C' or better and a 2.0 in major courses.

Program Goals

A graduate of this major should be able to:

• develop a professional-looking portfolio representing various media.
• produce viable projects based on intended concepts.
• promote awareness of the creative process and its application to design.
• identify models of color and design concepts based on recognized theories.
• increase proficiency of technical and artistic skills.
• recognize styles, materials, and themes in art and design.
• identify historic style characteristics in graphic design.
• demonstrate skills in rhetoric and criticism.
• recognize connections between words and images.
• analyze designs created by using traditional and computer-generated methods.

Performance Standards

Students must earn a grade of 'C' or better in all courses with an ART and PHO course designator to receive credit for their completion. Students earning a 'D' or below must retake courses in which they are deficient before those courses can be considered as meeting the prerequisite requirements for more advanced courses. Failure to achieve a grade of 'C' or above in a course, after the maximum attempts allowed by College policy, results in withdrawal from the major in which the course is required.

Curriculum

Note: Internship may replace one specified BGD elective. A student must take a Science, Technology, and Society Elective to satisfy either the Science Elective or the Humanities Elective.