Graphic Design: Academic Program
Undergraduate students can earn the Bachelor of Art (BA) degree in Art or the Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degree in Art, with an emphasis in graphic design. There is not a graduate degree in graphic design.
The BA degree has a deeper and wider general education foundation than the BFA degree. The BA degree provides flexibility for combining the study of art with a different field of study as a required minor. BA students can use their art electives to focus on the studio area of their choice, such as graphic design. Students can choose to enter the BFA Studio Art program during the regular UM admissions process. After completing the foundation core and having a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 and 2.5 GPA in all art and art history courses, BFA students participate in the BFA Foundations Review to stay in the BFA degree. BFA students then gain wider training across the studio areas, gain depth in their area of emphasis, build a professional portfolio, and hold a final thesis show.
Personal Computer Requirement
Students interested in the graphic design curriculum are required to have their own personal computer prior to taking ART 361, Graphic Design I. There are several laptop plug-in stations in the computer labs for those students with their own laptop computers. We provide minimum computer requirements for specifications and software.
Graphic Design Courses
Rooted in a traditional art & design studio foundation, the focus of our graphic design curriculum is to educate students to be capable and effective visual communicators. Through the exploration of diverse problem solving methodologies, creative research, and innovative investigations utilizing industry tools and technology, students discover the impact design can make on the world and prepare for employment in the industry.
These featured courses provide more detail on a few graphic design courses and samples of student work.
Here are all graphic design courses.
Art 360. Vector Imaging. Instruction in Adobe Illustrator, the standard illustration program used by designers on a Macintosh platform; an intro to vector graphics with emphasis on both technical and artistic mastery.
Art 361. Graphic Design I, Typography. Formal aspects of graphic design with emphasis in typography in the graphic design process; a history of type design and applied problems composing publications with type and the use of the computer in completing projects.
Art 362. Graphic Design II, Production Design. Instruction in theory and techniques involving file preparation for publications; includes illustration and layout production.
Art 363. Illustration. Visual and conceptual exploration of various techniques and media involved in artwork for reproduction in publications.
Art 364. Web Design I. Theoretical and technical exploration of the various uses for computer-based imagery, including basic multimedia and Internet development. HTML and Macromedia FLASH are introduced.
Art 366. Letterpress. Fundamentals of typesetting and principles of typography; instruction in movable type and hand-operated printing presses.
Art 460. Graphic Design III, Package Design. Theory and techniques of design for package production with instruction in preparing prototypes.
Art 461. Advanced Graphic Design and Illustration. Preparation of professional portfolio materials in the student’s area of interest.
Art 465. Web Design II. Advanced conceptual and technical exploration of Web design with Macromedia Dreamweaver; topics may include historical issues in computer graphics, Internet development, multimedia, two-or three-dimensional animation and static image manipulation.
Art 560. Vector Imaging. Instruction in Adobe Illustrator, the standard illustration program used by designers, on a Macintosh platform; introduction to vector graphics with emphasis on both technical and artistic mastery for advanced art students.
Art 561. Typography. Formal aspects of graphic design with emphasis on typography in the graphic design process; a history of type design and applied problems in composing publications with type, and the use of the computer in completing projects for advanced art students.
Art 564. Web Design I. Theoretical and technical exploration of the various uses for computer-based imagery, including basic multimedia and Internet development; HTML and Macromedia FLASH are introduced to advanced art students.
Art 565. Web Design II. Advanced conceptual and technical exploration of Web design with Macromedia Dreamweaver; topics may include historical issues in computer graphics, Internet development, multimedia, two-or three-dimensional animation and static image manipulation.
Art 566. Letterpress Printing. Typesetting and letterpress printing with experimentation of materials and conceptual development; use of movable type, photopolymer plates and hand-operated printing presses.
Art 661. Advanced Typography. Formal aspects of graphic design with emphasis on typography and its uses in graphic design process, history of type design and applied problems composing publications with type and use of the computer in completing projects.
Art 664. Web Design I. Theoretical and technical exploration of uses for computer-based imagery, including basic multimedia and Internet development; HTML and Macromedia FLASH art introduced.