Graphic Design Studies

3 Credits · Level: Graduate, Undergraduate

This course develops skills for the critical analysis of graphic design. Graphic design operates at the intersection of text and image, and we will situate this relationship through applied, historical, and comparative studies of design practice. The course emphasizes a development of vocabulary for critical design studies, the social and political context of design practice, and the relationship between technology and visual aesthetics. Topics include typography, the use (and misuse) of color, printing, key design movements, and the technical changes of industrial and digital production. Assignments include a series of template-based design projects in which students gain working knowledge of graphic design software (Adobe InDesign). Note: Although students practice design skills, this is not an applied or how-to course in professional graphic design. This course emphasizes the development, use, and critical evaluation of digital communications media. It includes instruction in the design and development of digital communications and the study of human interaction with digital media, as well as emerging trends and issues in the computational and digital landscape.