BFA in Visual Communication - Emphasis in Design
The emphasis in Design prepares students choosing to pursue a career as a design professional. Instruction focuses on an applied conceptual skill set through the development and application of creative process, conceptual thinking, and visual problem solving. Courses focus on client driven projects such as packaging, paper systems, and client visual branding development.
The BFA in Visual Communication is an intensive baccalaureate degree that prepares students for professional opportunities in the fields of advertising and design. Students pursuing the degree will choose from the following emphases, each of which has a specified sequence of courses: Art Direction; Design; New Media; or Photography. Each emphasis requires the student to complete the 42-semester hour University Studies curriculum and a common core of freshman and sophomore-level art courses. These courses may be taken at A&M-Commerce or any accredited two or four-year institution. The BFA in Visual Communication does not require a minor area of concentration.
All courses in Visual Communication above the sophomore level are taught at the Universities Center at Dallas (UCD), where students are educated in a state-of-the art facility in downtown Dallas and introduced to the dynamic design community of one of the nation’s most vibrant cities. Shuttle service between the Commerce campus and UCD allows students to reside in Commerce while attending classes in Dallas.
Entry into the junior year of the Visual Communication program is by portfolio review. Prior to the review, students must have completed all University Studies and core art courses as outlined in the Undergraduate Catalog. At the time of the portfolio review, students must have an overall grade point average of at least 2.5 and an average of at least 3.0 in the core art classes. For the specific requirements of the portfolio and annual deadlines for submission, please visit this web site: www.tamuc.edu/viscom
The Visual Communication program has an assessment schedule that evaluates the progress of students as they advance in the BFA degree. Students will undergo a basic assessment of their work in the third or fourth year and an assessment of their specialized work as they near graduation. The purpose of the assessments is to correct deficiencies and to encourage consistent growth in a student’s portfolio, thus improving his or her opportunities for rewarding employment after graduation. If a student’s progress is unsatisfactory, they may be advised by the faculty to repeat courses to strengthen and further develop their skills. After the first year of the program, students will be required to enter competitive shows for the purpose of building professional experience and gaining a critical perspective of their work. In the final year of the BFA, students must pass an exit review in order to graduate. As with all degree programs at A&M-Commerce, students must earn a C or higher in their major courses for them to count towards graduation.
Provided they are part of the common course numbering system recognized across the State of Texas, courses from other accredited institutions may be transferred to A&M-Commerce. Courses that fall outside the numbering system may still be transferable, but they will be subject to a portfolio review. Portfolio reviews for transfer students will generally occur late in the spring semester for students wishing to enter the Visual Communication program in the fall semester and in the late fall semester for entry in the spring semester.
BFA in Visual Communication Art - Emphasis in Design
| Core Curriculum Courses | ||
| See the Core Curriculum Requirements | 42 | |
| Required courses in the major | ||
| Core Studio | ||
| Art Core/Sophomore Studio | ||
| ART 110 | Drawing I | 3 |
| ART 111 | Two-Dimensional Design and Color Theory | 3 |
| ART 140 | Three-Dimensional Design & Color Theory | 3 |
| PHO 112 | Basic Photography I | 3 |
| ART 211 | Introduction to Visual Communication | 3 |
| ART 213 | Figure Drawing | 3 |
| Visual Communication Core | ||
| ART 300 | Typography | 4 |
| ART 309 | Digital Imaging for Visual Communication | 4 |
| ART 310 | Electronic Media | 4 |
| ART 365 | Design Communications I | 4 |
| ART 466 | Design Communications II | 4 |
| ART 472 | Art Direction | 4 |
| ART 475 | Visual Communication Senior Studio | 4 |
| ART 497 | Special Topics | 2 |
| Required/Emphasis Studio | ||
| ART 416 | Advanced Electronic Media | 4 |
| ART 467 | Design Communications III | 4 |
| ART 468 | Design Communications IV | 4 |
| 18 semester hours from: | 18 | |
| Multimedia I | ||
| Internet Development I | ||
| Interactive Vector Graphics and Animation | ||
| Creative Thinking | ||
| Multimedia II | ||
| Video in Visual Communication | ||
| Motion Graphics | ||
| Visual Communication Professional Practice | ||
| Visual Communication Branding | ||
| Advanced Typography | ||
| Advanced Processess | ||
| Letterpress | ||
| Design Communications III | ||
| Design Communications IV | ||
| Advertising Art Concepts/Copywriting I | ||
| Advertising Art Concepts/Copywriting II | ||
| Internship | ||
| Special Topics | ||
| Required Support Courses | ||
| Art/Design History | ||
| GLB/History of Art I * | ||
| GLB/History of Art II * | ||
| ART 407 | GLB/History of Graphic Design | 3 |
| 3 semester hours from any upper division Art History | 3 | |
| Total Hours | 126 | |
| * | Also counts for Core Curriculum Requirements Visual and Performing Arts requirement. |