Graphic Design | Advising Handbook

The Graphic Design program is part of the Media Arts department. The department includes programs in related fields including Journalism, Graphic Design, Multimedia, and Speech and Communications.

Students who are interested in graphic design or who are declared majors/minors should take MEDA 116, Graphic Design I as soon as possible and no later than their sophomore year. This course is typically offered every fall semester.

Courses that are required in the graphic design major and should be taken prior to the junior year are:

• MEDA 116, Graphic Design I
• MEDA 202, Photography and Imaging for Media
• MEDA 209, Graphic Design II

Important note: The Graphic Design major and minor replaced the Integrated Media major and minor and the Communications Design minor in the fall of 2019. In the fall of 2020, the Media Arts Department revised its majors and minors as part of the College of Arts and Science Major Review Template process. Below are the new requirements for the Graphic Design major. The following tables show the anticipated offering schedule of the required and elective courses in the graphic design major.

Required Courses

Elective Courses

The graphic design major requires 16 credits of elective coursework, 8 credits of which must be upper-division. The elective courses provide students with the opportunity to explore different modes of graphic design or to focus on a specific area of design such as web design, publication design, and information design. Students should be advised to complete one or more elective courses in each semester of their sophomore and junior year. Ideally, the 16 elective credits should be complete by the fall of the students’ senior year to set them up for the best possible capstone experience.

Applied Courses

The major also requires at least 4 credits of applied or experiential courses. These courses include MEDA 391 Junior Seminar, MEDA 360 Project Management for Designers, and MEDA 475 Internship. Students are encouraged to take Junior Seminar or Project Management for Designers in preparation for their Senior Capstone, however, an internship can provide students the necessary experience to accomplish their capstone successfully.

The ideal four-year schedule for a graphic design major would look like this:

1^st year

• MEDA 116, Graphic Design I
• MEDA 202, Photography and Imaging for Media
• 1-2 elective courses (e.g. MEDA/CS 122 Intro. To Digital Media, and ARTHI 260 History of Design)

2^nd year

• Any of the above if not already taken
• MEDA 209, Elements of Graphic Design
• 1-2 elective courses (e.g. MEDA 265 Web Design, and MEDA 250 Video Storytelling)

3^rd year

• Any of the above if not already taken
• MEDA 305, Identity Design
• MEDA 391 Junior Seminar OR MEDA 360 Project Management
• 1-2 elective courses (e.g. MEDA 319 Information Design, and MEDA 363 Publication Design)

4^th year

• Any remaining required courses
• Any remaining elective courses
• MEDA 488/489, Senior Capstone in Graphic Design

Two-Year Plan – only possible if transferring in art/design coursework.

1^st year

• MEDA 116, Graphic Design I, if necessary
• MEDA 202, Photography and Imaging for Media, if necessary
• MEDA 209, Elements of Graphic Design, if necessary
• MEDA 391, Junior Seminar OR MEDA 360, Project Management
• At least two elective courses

2^nd year

• Any of the above if not already taken
• MEDA 305, Identity Design​​​​​​​
• MEDA 434, Media Law and Ethics
• MEDA 488/489, Senior Capstone in Graphic Design
• Any remaining elective courses
• Graphic Design Minor Requirements
•  

REV 2020