Utilize forms of communication: With a sense of aesthetics, personal and professional integrity, and message clarity, students will utilize visual and verbal forms of communication to convey ideas and information.
Address needs of client and audience: Students will demonstrate an understanding of their responsibility to client and audience — determining needs, structuring problems and solving problems creatively.
Focus on ethics: Students will solve communication problems with a focus on their positive ethical impact upon culture and society.
Embrace technology as a vehicle of communication: Students will demonstrate the ability to use new and emerging technology as a vehicle of effective communication and a means for the invention of expressive form.
Practice design as a dynamic process: Students will understand and practice design as a process that relies upon intuition, reason, ideation methods and effective research for the creation of appropriate and inventive solutions

Admission and standards of graphic design

Students who have successfully completed the Art Foundation Program may apply for admission into the graphic design B.F.A. program. Due to the sequence of the required graphic design courses, students are admitted only in the fall semester. All applicants must submit a portfolio of work. The Department of Graphic Design uses the portfolio evaluation criteria established in the School of the Arts for initial acceptance.

Students who wish to transfer into the Graphic Design Program must first apply to the Art Foundation Program for evaluation. A transfer student who has successfully completed the Art Foundation Program must demonstrate equivalent preparation at another institution and submit a portfolio of work for review by graphic design faculty. Transfer students admitted into the Graphic Design Program must complete all major requirements determined to be missing from their academic design experience. Transfer students should expect to spend at least five semesters in the Graphic Design Program in order to qualify for a B.F.A.

Students must complete the required pre- and corequisites of the Graphic Design Program in the order presented in the curriculum outline. This structure enables students to develop knowledge and skills based in graphic design that will prepare them for upper level studio courses and successful entry into the graphic design profession.
Students are required to meet regularly with their adviser each semester on scheduled advising dates to make sure they are completing courses as required and are preparing for the portfolio reviews as needed.
Students must earn a minimum of 2.5 GPA in all course work before entering the graphic design program, in the semester immediately prior to entering the major and each semester they continue in the program. Students must earn a minimum grade of C in each GDES course in order to continue to the next semester in the curriculum.
A portfolio review of graphic design studio work takes place at the end of the sophomore year. The student’s portfolio, GPA and individual course evaluations are evaluated during this review to determine if the student may continue in the program. Additionally, the following courses must be completed at the end of the sophomore year to be eligible for continuation in the program: GDES 202, 204, 205, 211, 212, 213, 214, 216, 252.
A second portfolio review of graphic design studio work takes place at the end of the junior year. The student’s portfolio, GPA and individual course evaluations are evaluated during this review to determine if the student may continue in the Graphic Design Program.
Students are required to have a laptop computer and appropriate software upon initial entry into the Graphic Design Program. Students will receive the specific technology requirements upon acceptance into the program. Students have an option to purchase a computer package at an academic discount or lease the same equipment through the School of the Arts Computer Center.

Curriculum outline

*Art Foundation year, fall semester**	Credits

ARTF 131 Drawing Studio	3
ARTF 132 Surface Research	3
ARTF 139 Project	1
ARTH 103 Survey of Western Art I	3
UNIV 111 Focused Inquiry I (university core)	3
Approved quantitative literacy (university core)	3

	16

*Art Foundation year, spring semester**

ARTF 133 Space Research	3
ARTF 134 Time Studio	3
ARTF 139 Project	1
ARTH 104 Survey of Western Art II	3
UNIV 112 Focused Inquiry II (university core)	3
Approved humanities/fine arts (university core)	3

	16

Sophomore year, fall semester

GDES 202 Design Technology I	3
GDES 205 Design Methods and Processes	3
GDES 211 Typography I	3
GDES 214 Imaging I	3
GDES 252 History of Visual Communication	3

	15

Sophomore year, spring semester

ENGL 200 Writing and Rhetoric Workshop II (university core)	3
GDES 204 Design Technology II	3
GDES 212 Design Form and Communication	3
GDES 213 Intermediate Typography	3
GDES 216 Imaging II	3

	15

Junior year, fall semester

GDES 291 Studio Topics in Design: Design Technology III	3
GDES 345 Print I	3
GDES 346 Visual Narrative I	3
GDES 347 Interaction I	3
Approved social/behavioral science (university core)	3

	15

Junior year, spring semester

GDES 365 Print II	3
GDES 366 Visual Narrative II	3
GDES 367 Interaction II	3
General education elective(s)	4
Approved natural/physical science (university core)	3

	16

Senior year, fall semester

GDES 470 Senior Seminar	3

GDES elective (300- to 500-level)	3
General education electives (300- to 500-level)	6
Open elective	3

	15

Senior year, spring semester

GDES 472 Senior Studio	3
GDES elective (300- to 500-level)	3
Open electives (300- to 500-level)	6

	12

Total credits	120

* In addition to the required courses, Art Foundation students are encouraged to complete six credits of general education electives during this first year.

Note: Within the 120 credit total, a minimum of 45 credits in 300- to 500-level courses distributed in the following areas is required for a bachelor’s degree:

GDES junior-year studio courses: 18 credits
GDES senior seminar and senior studio: 6 credits
GDES electives: 6 credits
VCU general education electives: 6 credits
VCU open electives: 9 credits