Visual Communication Design, Bachelor of Fine Arts

CIP Code

50.0409.00

Program Overview

Students in this program focus on visual communication, typography and graphic design while exploring industry-specific areas of study such as advertising, information design, branding, editorial design and illustration, motion graphics, animation, type design, interaction design, user centered design (UX/UI), and cross disciplinary design fields. They learn to create compelling messages while exploring the social and environmental dimensions of communication. Students who complete the graphic design program in visual communication will be effective problem solves contributing to social products, services, and communications.

Specific graduation requirements for this degree beyond the university's bachelor's degree requirements. 

 

Core Curriculum - 42 hours

The Core Curriculum serves as a broad foundation for the undergraduate degree. All candidates for a bachelor’s degree must achieve core student learning outcomes, including communication, critical thinking, empirical and quantitative skills, teamwork, personal responsibility and social responsibility, by completing courses within each category or component area of the Core Curriculum as outlined below. 

The University has approved specific courses that satisfy Core Curriculum Requirements. Approved courses can be found on the Core Curriculum Page. Students seeking the most efficient way to complete the core curriculum and major or minor requirements are advised to take approved courses that can fulfill both requirements. Although core curriculum courses can also be used to fulfill major or minor requirements, earned credits hours are only applied once.

The courses listed below fulfill core curriculum and major requirements. Students who have completed a core curriculum category with courses other than those listed below will still be required to take the listed course(s) to meet major requirements. 

050 Creative Arts - 3 hours

Choose one: 

ARTS 1303Art History I, Prehistoric to the 14th-Century

3

Or

ARTS 1304Art History II, 14th-Century to the Present

3

ARTS 1303 and ARTS 1304 must both be completed. One will be applied to the core curriculum, the other to the major requirements. 

Major Requirements - 78 hours

Required Courses - 63

Art Core - 24 hours

ARTS 1303Art History I, Prehistoric to the 14th-Century

3

Or

ARTS 1304Art History II, 14th-Century to the Present

3

ARTS 1311Design I

3

ARTS 1312Design II

3

ARTS 1316Drawing I

3

ARTS 1317Drawing II

3

ARTS 2333Printmaking I

3

ARTS 2356Photography I

3

ARTS 3354History of Graphic Design

3

Visual Communication Design Lower Division Core - 12 hours

ARTS 2313Design Communications I

3

ARTS 2314Design Communications II

3

ARTS 2331Visual Communication Design I

3

ARTS 2363Typography I

3

Visual Communication Design Upper Division Core - 27 hours

ARTS 3330Image and Illustration

3

ARTS 3333Print Design and PrePress

3

ARTS 3337Typography II

3

ARTS 4330Animation 2D

3

ARTS 4333Visual Communication Design II

3

ARTS 4334Visual Communication Design III

3

ARTS 4338Interactive Design

3

ARTS 4339Portfolio for Visual Communication Design

3

ARTS 4396BFA Visual Communication Design Capstone

3

Prescribed Electives - 15 hours

Choose one:

Students may take any advanced 3000 or 4000 level course OR one of the following:

ARTS 4388Special Topics

3

ARTS 4390Internship for Visual Communication Design

3

Choose four:

ARTS 4309Game Design

3

ARTS 4312Sustainable Product Design

3

ARTS 4313User-Centered Design: UX/UI Fundamentals

3

ARTS 4314Advertising Design

3

ARTS 4315Advanced Publication and Editorial Design

3

ARTS 4336Multimedia and Emerging Media Design

3

ARTS 4342Animation 3D

3

ARTS 4343Animation: Hard-Surface Modeling

3

ARTS 4344Animation: Visual Story Development

3

ARTS 4388Special Topics

3

ARTS 4399Independent Study in Visual Communication Design

3

Total Credit Hours: 42

Total Credit Hours: 120

 

View this program’s recommended roadmap to graduation.

 

UTRGV Roadmaps are a suggested sequence of courses designed to assist students in completing their undergraduate degree requirements. This is a term-by-term sample roadmap of courses required to complete the degree. Students must satisfy all requirements in their catalog including, but not limited to course prerequisites, grade point average and course grade benchmarks, progression requirements, and graduation requirements. 

 

Students should meet with their academic advisor every semester to discuss their individualized path toward completion. Degree progress within this roadmap depends upon such factors as course availability, individual student academic preparation and readiness, student time management, work and personal responsibilities, and financial considerations. Students may choose to take courses during summer terms to reduce course loads during long semesters.