Semester Requirements
Nancy Ciolek, Program Chair
(585) 475-7472, nacfad@rit.edu
Program overview
Graphic design is the study and practice of communicating ideas and information through printed, environmental, and digital presentations. Typography and images are integrated to express messages that interest, inform, and persuade intended audiences. With the addition of visual movement, navigation, and sound, digital presentations also are developed. Using research, critical thinking, creativity, and a range of problem-solving principles, graphic designers solve complex visual communication problems within the constraints of time, space, budget, and technology. Areas of study include publication design, signage and environmental design, corporate identity, interactive media, packaging design, and information design.
The School of Design maintains memberships in a variety of professional organizations, including Industrial Designers Society of America, ACM Siggraph, Society of Environmental Graphic Designers, American Society of Interior Designers, American Institute of Architects, ICOGRADA, American Institute of Graphic Arts, and International Interior Design Association.
Curriculum
The BFA in graphic design integrates major courses, studio and open electives, the liberal arts, and art/design history. Computer skills, design perspectives, career preparation, and exposure to the related areas of publishing, photography, engineering, and information technology are integrated into the curriculum.
Graphic design, BFA degree, typical course sequence (semesters), effective fall 2013
| Course | Sem. Cr. Hrs. | |
|---|---|---|
| First Year | ||
| FDTN-121 | 2D Design I | 3 |
| FDTN-131 | 3D Design I | 3 |
| FDTN-111 | Drawing I | 3 |
| ARTH-135 | LAS Perspectives 1: Survey of Western Art and Architecture I | 3 |
| LAS Foundation 1: First Year Seminar† | 3 | |
| GRDE-106 | 2D Graphic Design | 3 |
| GRDE-107 | Time Based Design | 3 |
| FDTN-112 | Drawing II | 3 |
| ARTH-136 | LAS Perspectives 2: Survey of Western Art and Architecture II | 3 |
| LAS Foundation 2: First Year Writing | 3 | |
| Wellness Education* | 0 | |
| Second Year | ||
| GRDE-201 | Typography | 3 |
| GRDE-202 | Design Imagery | 3 |
| GRDE-205 | History of Graphic Design (WI) | 3 |
| LAS Perspectives 3, 4 | 6 | |
| Studio Electives‡ | 6 | |
| GRDE-206 | Typography and Imagery | 3 |
| GRDE-207 | Interactive Media Design (SMTL) | 3 |
| MAAT-383 | Design Production | 3 |
| Third Year | ||
| GRDE-301 | Information Design | 3 |
| GRDE-302 | Web and User Interface Design | 3 |
| Art History Elective§ | 3 | |
| Studio Electives‡ | 6 | |
| LAS Immersion 1, 2 | 6 | |
| GRDE-306 | Professional Practices | 3 |
| GRDE-307 | Design Systems and Methodology | 3 |
| GRDE-308 | Environmental Graphic Design | 3 |
| Fourth Year | ||
| GRDE-401 | Collaborative Design | 3 |
| Senior Graphic Design Elective** | 9 | |
| Free Electives | 9 | |
| LAS Immersion 3 | 3 | |
| GRDE-402 | Senior Capstone Project | 3 |
| LAS Elective (SMTL) | 3 | |
| Total Semester Credit Hours | 120 | |
Please see New General Education Curriculum–Liberal Arts and Sciences (LAS) for more information.
(WI) Refers to a writing intensive course within the major.
(SMTL) Refers to science, math, technical literacy requirement.
* Please see Wellness Education Requirement for more information. Students completing bachelor's degrees are required to complete two Wellness courses.
† The First Year Seminar requirement is replaced by an LAS Elective for the 2013-14 academic year.
‡ Studio elective courses are those designated with studio/lab hours listed in the course description.
§ Art history elective courses include Women Pioneers in Design (GRDE-323), 20th Century Editorial Design History (GRDE-326), Graphic Design in Film (GRDE-367).
** Graphic design electives include Senior Internship (GRDE-498), Branding and Identity Design (GRDE-421), Editorial Design (GRDE-418), Advertising Design (GRDE-428), Advanced Information Design (GRDE-423), Advanced Interactive and Web Design (GRDE-422).
Art history electives
Students are required to select three art history electives to broaden their understanding of the historical development of the arts. Art history electives include:
ARTH-366 18/19th Century Art
ARTH-382 Medieval Craft
ARTH-386 Latin American Art
ARTH-384 Late Medieval Art
ARTH-383 Installation Art
ARTH-374 Illuminated Manuscripts
ARTH-386 History of Things: Studies in Material Culture
ARTH-376 Early Medieval Art
ARTH-377 Displaying Gender
ARTH-372 Art of the Americas
ARTH-388 The Gothic Revival
ARTH-387 The Gothic Cathedral
ARTH-371 Art and Architecture of Ancient Rome
ARTH-392 Theory and Criticism of 20th Century Art
ARTH-373 Art of the Last Decade
ARTH-369 20th Century Art Since 1950
ARTH-368 20th Century Art: 1900-1950
ARTH-457 Art and Activism
ARTH-511 Art and Architecture of Italy: 1250-1400
ARTH-512 Art and Architecture in Italy: 1600-1750
ARTH-518 Art and Architecture in Florence and Rome: The Sixteenth Century
ARTH-517 Art and Architecture in Florence and Rome: The Fifteenth Century
ARTH-573 Conceptual Art
ARTH-581 Realisms and Avant-Gardes in Russian Art
ARTH-576 Modernism and Its Other: Realism and Expressionism
ARTH-571 Extreme Abstraction
ARTH-521 The Image
ARTH-584 Scandinavian Modernism
ARTH-578 Edvard Munch
ARTH-574 Dada and Surrealism
ARTH-568 Art and Technology: from the Machine Aesthetic to the Cyborg Age
ARTH-588 Symbols and Symbol-Making: Psychoanalytic Perspectives on Art
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Click to view program requirements in the Quarter Calendar
Quarter Curriculum - For Reference Only
Effective fall 2013, RIT will convert its academic calendar from quarters to semesters. The following content has been made available as reference only. Currently matriculated students who began their academic programs in quarters should consult their academic adviser for guidance and course selection.
Program overview
Graphic design is the study and practice of communicating ideas and information through printed, environmental, and digital presentations. Typography and images are integrated to express messages that interest, inform, and persuade intended audiences. With the addition of visual movement, navigation, and sound, digital presentations also are developed. Using research, critical thinking, creativity, and a range of problem-solving principles, graphic designers solve complex visual communication problems within the constraints of time, space, budget, and technology. Areas of study include publication design, signage and environmental design, corporate identity, interactive media, packaging design, and information design.
The School of Design maintains memberships in a variety of professional organizations, including Industrial Designers Society of America, ACM Siggraph, Society of Environmental Graphic Designers, American Society of Interior Designers, American Institute of Architects, ICOGRADA, American Institute of Graphic Arts, and International Interior Design Association.
Curriculum
The BFA program in graphic design integrates major courses, studio and open electives, the liberal arts, and art/design history. Computer skills, design perspectives, career preparation, and exposure to the related areas of publishing, photography, engineering, and information technology are integrated into the curriculum.
Semester conversion
Effective fall 2013, RIT will convert its academic calendar from quarters to semesters. Each program and its associated courses have been sent to the New York State Department of Education for approval of the semester plan. For reference, the following charts illustrate the typical course sequence for this program in both quarters and semesters. Students should consult their academic advisers with questions regarding planning and course selection.
Graphic design, BFA degree, typical course sequence (quarters)
| Course | Qtr. Cr. Hrs. | |
|---|---|---|
| First Year | ||
| Freshman Elective | 2 | |
| 2010-216 | Vector Imaging | 2 |
| 2010-211 | Raster Imaging | 2 |
| 2013-211, 212, 213 | Drawing I, II, III | 9 |
| 2013-231, 232 | 2D Design I, II | 6 |
| 2013-241, 242, 243 | 3D Design I, II, III | 9 |
| 2010-301 | Elements of Graphic Design | 3 |
| 2015-222 | Design Survey | 2 |
| Liberal Arts* | 12 | |
| 1720-050, 052 | First-Year Enrichment | 2 |
| Wellness Education† | 0 | |
| Second Year | ||
| 2039-225, 226, 227 | Survey of Western Art and Architecture I, II, III | 9 |
| 2010-302 | Typography I | 3 |
| 2010-313 | Introduction to Time-Based Design | 3 |
| 2010-401 | Typography II | 3 |
| 2010-402 | Imagery in Design | 3 |
| Studio Electives | 9-12 | |
| Liberal Arts* | 12 | |
| Wellness Education† | 0 | |
| Third Year | ||
| 2010-471 | History of Graphic Design | 3 |
| Art History Electives§ | 6 | |
| 2010-403 | Symbol and Icon Design | 3 |
| 2010-404 | Design for Publications | 3 |
| 2010-405 | Information Design | 3 |
| 2010-406 | Environmental Design | 3 |
| 2010-512 | Introduction to Interactive Media Design | 3 |
| 2010-501 | Career Skills and Professional Practice | 2 |
| 2010-561 | Introduction to Web Design | 3 |
| Studio Electives | 9 | |
| Liberal Arts* | 12 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Open Electives | 18-24 | |
| Choose 9 of the following courses: | ||
| 2010-502 | Corporate Design | 3 |
| 2010-504 | Design Systems | 3 |
| 2010-505 | Advertising Design | 3 |
| 2010-506 | Concept and Symbolism | 3 |
| 2010-507 | Design for Marketing | 3 |
| 2010-511 | Advanced Information Design | 3 |
| 2010-512 | Introduction to Interactive Media Design | 3 |
| 2010-513 | Senior Project | 3 |
| 2010-514 | Editorial Design | 3 |
| 2010-523 | Senior Internship | 3 |
| 2010-524 | Portfolio Development and Presentation | 3 |
| 2010-562 | Advanced Web Design | 3 |
| Total Quarter Credit Hours | 184 | |
* Please see Liberal Arts General Education Requirements for more information.
† Please see Wellness Education Requirement for more information.
§ Please refer to the list of art history electives.
Graphic design, BFA degree, typical course sequence (semesters), effective fall 2013
| Course | Sem. Cr. Hrs. | |
|---|---|---|
| First Year | ||
| FDTN-121 | 2D Design I | 3 |
| FDTN-131 | 3D Design I | 3 |
| FDTN-111 | Drawing I | 3 |
| ARTH-135 | LAS Perspectives 1: Survey of Western Art and Architecture I | 3 |
| LAS Foundation 1: First-Year Seminar | 3 | |
| GRDE-106 | 2D Graphic Design | 3 |
| GRDE-107 | Time Based Design | 3 |
| FDTN-112 | Drawing II | 3 |
| ARTH-136 | LAS Perspectives 2: Survey of Western Art and Architecture II | 3 |
| ENGL-150 | LAS Foundation 2: Writing Seminar | 3 |
| Wellness Education* | 0 | |
| Second Year | ||
| GRDE-201 | Typography | 3 |
| GRDE-202 | Design Imagery | 3 |
| GRDE-205 | History of Graphic Design (WI) | 3 |
| LAS Perspectives 3, 4 | 6 | |
| Studio Electives† | 6 | |
| GRDE-206 | Typography and Imagery | 3 |
| GRDE-207 | Interactive Media Design (SMTL) | 3 |
| MAAT-383 | Design Production | 3 |
| Third Year | ||
| GRDE-301 | Information Design | 3 |
| GRDE-302 | Web and User Interface Design | 3 |
| Art History Elective‡ | 3 | |
| Studio Electives† | 6 | |
| LAS Immersion 1, 2 | 6 | |
| GRDE-306 | Professional Practices | 3 |
| GRDE-307 | Design Systems and Methodology | 3 |
| GRDE-308 | Environmental Graphic Design | 3 |
| Fourth Year | ||
| GRDE-401 | Collaborative Design | 3 |
| Senior GD Major Elective§ | 9 | |
| Free Electives | 9 | |
| LAS Immersion 3 | 3 | |
| GRDE-402 | Senior Capstone Project | 3 |
| LAS Elective (SMTL) | 3 | |
| Total Semester Credit Hours | 120 | |
Please see New General Education Curriculum–Liberal Arts and Sciences (LAS) for more information.
(WI) Refers to a writing intensive course within the major.
(SMTL) Refers to science, math, technical literacy requirement.
* Please see Wellness Education Requirement for more information.
† Studio elective courses are those designated with studio/lab hours listed in the course description.
‡ Art history elective courses include Women Pioneers in Design (GRDE-323), 20th Century Editorial Design History (GRDE-326), Graphic Design in Film (GRDE-367).
§ Graphic design major electives include Senior Internship (GRDE-498), Branding and Identity Design (GRDE-421), Editorial Design (GRDE-418), Advertising Design (GRDE-428), Advanced Information Design (GRDE-423), Advanced Interactive and Web Design (GRDE-422).
Art history electives
Students are required to select three art history electives to broaden their understanding of the historical development of the arts. Art history electives include:
2039-300 History of Design
2039-306 Architecture Interior and Furniture Design I
2039-307 Architecture Interior and Furniture Design II
2039-308 Architecture Interior and Furniture Design III
2039-310 History of Crafts
2039-315 Pre-Columbian Art
2039-316 Florence and Rome 1400-1470
2039-317 Florence and Rome 1470-1520
2039-318 Florence and Rome 1520-1590
2039-320 History of Art Criticism
2039-330 Philosophy in Art
2039-340 Symbols and Symbol Making
2039-355 Latin American Art
2039-360 18th and 19th Century Art
2039-368 Scandinavian Modernism
2039-375 20th Century Art Since 1950
2039-376 Renaissance Painting in Flanders
2039-385 Installation Art
2039-390 Native American Art and Culture
2039-395 Theory and Criticism of 20th Century Art
2039-410 The Art of Art History
2039-415 Thinking About Making
2039-425 Public Art/Public Spaces
2039-430 Dada and Surrealism
2039-433 What Is Post Modernism?
2039-435 Art of the Last Decade
2039-438 Body in Art
2039-440 Conceptual Art
2039-443 Art and Technology: From the Machine Aesthetic to the Cyborg Age
2039-452 Art and Activism
2039-459 Art Central Italy 1250-1400
2039-469 Baroque Rome