Graphic Design Area
The Graphic Design program prepares you to become a visual communicator, critical thinker, and creative problem solver. Through our mentorship and curricula, you will learn the history and theory, acquire conceptual, analytical, and practical skills through hands-on exploration, and develop professional portfolios.
Common careers for graduates include the following in design, advertising, corporate communications, education, publishing, or non-profit sectors:
- Visual, production, and interactive design
- Art direction
- Editorial/publication design
- User experience and interface design
- Data visualization and Infographics
- Branding and packaging design
- Experiential graphic design
- Motion graphics and title design
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Introductory
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An introductory course that focuses on the foundation and principles of graphic communications and the practice of using technology and techniques to convey messages and ideas, evoke feelings and thoughts, and create a profound impact.
Prerequisite/Corequisite:
Prerequisite: ART 1040 with a grade of C or higher, or permission of the Department Head of Visual Arts
Hours:
3
Advanced
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A graphic communication course focusing on creating page layouts and styling websites displayed on various devices. Students will explore the web's interactivity, responsiveness, and technical challenges and possibilities. Recommended to take ART 3460.
Prerequisite/Corequisite:
Prerequisite: ART 2450 with a grade of C or higher, or permission of the Department Head of Visual Arts
Hours:
3
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A graphic communication course focusing on letterform design, text, and display-type projects. Emphasis will be on legibility and readability, form and counter form, qualities and attributes that constitute a type family, and the development of typographic hierarchical structure within a given design problem.
Prerequisite/Corequisite:
Prerequisite: ART 2450 with a grade of C or higher, or permission of the Head of the Department of Visual Arts
Hours:
3
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This advanced graphic communication course is a continuation of ART 3450 UX/UI, where students continue to enhance strong research synthesizing and application skills in large-scale projects while exploring a broad spectrum of essential topics, software and design processes.
Prerequisite/Corequisite:
Prerequisites: ART 3450 with a grade of C or higher or permission of the Head of the Department of Visual Arts
Hours:
3
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This advanced graphic communication course focuses on the practical applications of graphic design to audiences.
Prerequisite/Corequisite:
Prerequisite: ART 3460 with a grade聽of C or higher, or permission of the Head of the Department of Visual Arts
Hours:
3
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An advanced studio course focusing on effective visual problem-solving in interactive and motion design.
Prerequisite/Corequisite:
Prerequisites: ART 3450 and ART 3460 with grades of C or better
Hours:
3
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This advanced graphic communications course focuses on finding solutions to integrate information design, wayfinding strategy, and the overall experience of a built environment. It introduces a segue into the graphic design disciplines of environmental graphics and spatial experience.
Prerequisite/Corequisite:
Prerequisite: ART 3460 with a grade of C or higher, or permission of the Head of the Department of Visual Arts
Hours:
3
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This advanced graphic communications course prepares students to thrive in the existing and emerging graphic design marketplace, focusing on best practices in business development, project management, and effective file preparation for vendors.
Prerequisite/Corequisite:
Prerequisite: ART 3460 with a grade of C or higher, or permission of the Head of the Department of Visual Arts
Hours:
3
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This advanced graphic communications course is a continuation of ART 3460 Typography, where students examine more complex typographic issues and develop expressive ways to solve communication problems in large-scale projects. Emphasis will be on the expressive potential of designing with type, investigation of the application of visual communication concepts to problems involving sequential relationships, legibility and readability.
Prerequisite/Corequisite:
Prerequisite: ART 3460 with a grade of C or higher, or permission of the Head of the Department of Visual Arts
Hours:
3
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A detailed study of an art form, medium, style, technique, or other special topic of current interest not covered in catalog listings.聽May be repeated for a total of up to 9 credit hours.
Prerequisite/Corequisite:
Prerequisites: ART 1010, ART 1020, and ART 1030 with grades of C or higher
Hours:
3
Letter Press
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Organization of ideas and technical problems in book arts. Processes may include various construction, assemblage, and binding techniques, letterpress, and interdisciplinary two- and three dimensional media employed in the construction of the book form.
Prerequisite/Corequisite:
Prerequisite: ART 1020 with a grade of C or higher or permission of Head of the Department of Visual Arts
Hours:
3
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Organization of ideas and technical problems in letterpress.聽 Processes may include various printing on a variety of presses using movable type, photopolymer plate and linoleum cut and wood cut block printing.
Prerequisite/Corequisite:
Prerequisite: ART 1020 with a grade of C or higher or permission of Head of the Department of Visual Arts
Hours:
3
Digital Fabrication
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This applied/hands-on studio class presents the foundations of digital fabrication technologies, including laser cutting and engraving, CNC milling, plasma cutting, and 3D printing. Utilizing various software, students will start by manipulating vector (curve) based 2D geometry, and work their way up to simple 3D geometric modeling. Designs created virtually will be optimized for each technology, and then be produced as actual, physical objects.
Prerequisite/Corequisite:
Prerequisite: ART 1030 with a grade of C or higher or permission of Head of the Department of Visual Arts
Hours:
3
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This applied/hands-on studio class presents the foundations of digital fabrication technologies including laser cutting and engraving, CNC milling, and 3D printing. Utilizing various software, students will start by manipulating vector (curve) based 2D geometry and work their way up to simple 3D geometric modeling. Designs created virtually will be optimized for each technology and then be produced as actual physical objects.
Prerequisite/Corequisite:
Prerequisite: ART 2200 or ART 2450 or ART 2455 with a grade of C or higher, or permission from Head of the Department of Visual Arts
Hours:
3
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This applied/hands-on studio class presents opportunities for advanced use of digital fabrication technologies, including laser cutting and engraving, CNC milling, plasma cutting, and 3D printing. Students will pursue individual solutions to designing and producing objects utilizing one or more of these technologies. Note: ART 4352 may be repeated once for a total of 6 credits.
Prerequisite/Corequisite:
Prerequisite: ART 3452 with a grade of C or higher or permission of Head of the Department of Visual Arts
Hours:
3
Textile Design
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Introduction to Textiles is an exploration of materials and techniques employed in traditional and contemporary fiber art, including dyeing, hand and machine sewing, knitting, crocheting, felting and weaving. An important component of this class is a willingness by students to research and explore the potential of their projects beyond a mastery of techniques.
Prerequisite/Corequisite:
Prerequisite: ART 1020 or permission from Department Head of Visual Arts
Hours:
3
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Organization of design concepts and techniques involved with the surface enrichment of fabric are introduced. These include surface embellishment, dyeing with synthetic dyes, direct application, and printing with pigment.
Prerequisite/Corequisite:
Prerequisite: ART 2600 with a grade of C or higher or permission of Head of the Department of Visual Arts
Hours:
3
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Advanced studio course in the surface design of fabrics, covering in-depth techniques used in contemporary textiles. Students are involved in individual problem solving assignments reflecting personal creative solutions in visual form. A Studio Art or Art Marketing major may accumulate a maximum of 9 credit hours in a series of directed studies in this course.
Prerequisite/Corequisite:
Prerequisite: ART 3600
Hours:
3
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Note: All upper-level art history courses fulfil the 3000-4000 level art history requirements in all Department of Visual Arts majors.
Photography
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An intermediate studio course in photography emphasizing conceptual approaches and contemporary practices utilizing appropriate software. Students will become familiar with using the computer as a digital darkroom. Topics covered include the use of digital cameras, scanning traditional film negatives, using the scanner as a camera, tone and color controls, image manipulation, alternative processes and image output.
Prerequisite/Corequisite:
Prerequisite: ART 2450 or Art 2810 with a grade of C or higher
Hours:
3
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This is an advanced studio course in digital photography, covering in-depth techniques used in contemporary photographic applications. Students will become familiar with advanced image editing, digital printing and methods of incorporating mixed media and alternative processes into the digital realm. Students will gain an understanding of advanced studio lighting, portraiture, concept development and framing and presentation techniques. Some emphasis will be placed on 21st century photography history and the role of contemporary photographers in the art world. Students should expect the course to be composed of studio practice, lecture, group critiques and discussion. A student may accumulate a maximum of 9 credit hours in a series of directed studies in this course.
Prerequisite/Corequisite:
Prerequisites: ART 3450 and ART 3810 with grades of C or higher or permission of Head of the Department of Visual Arts
Hours:
3
Printmaking
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Organization of ideas and technical problems in printmaking. Processes may include engraving, collograph, embossing, lithography, and other trends in printmaking.
Prerequisite/Corequisite:
Prerequisites: ART 2100 and ART 2400 with grades of C or higher
Hours:
3
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Dahlonega Campus
Graphics Lab Studio: , room 212
- 18 iMacs, 21.5-inch display
- Adobe Creative Suite
- Microsoft Office
- 16 Wacom Intuos Pro Medium Tablets
- Epson Color Inkjet Printer
- Epson Large-format Flatbed Scanner
- 1 overhead digital projector
Oconee Campus
Technology Enhanced Active Learning (TEAL) Room: , room 313
- 21 Apple iMacs, 21.5-inch display
- Adobe Creative Suite
- 5 Sony BRAVIA X81CH 55” Class HDR 4K UHD Smart Professional LED TV
- 1 HP Color LaserJet Enterprise M751 Printer
Gainesville Campus
Graphics Lab/Student Technology Center: , room 2300
- 17 iMacs, 24-inch 4K Retina display with Apple M1 chips
- Adobe Creative Suite
- Glyphs app (type designing software)
- Microsoft Office
- 4 worktables
- 5 self-healing pads
- 1 large Mayline Ranger light table
- 2 Xyron Pro 2500 laminators
Print Room/Teach Support Equipment Room: , room 2302
- 1 iMac, 24-inch 4K Retina display with Apple M1 chip
- 1 Epson Expression 12000XL Graphic Arts Scanner
- Canon Pro-4000 large format printer
- Epson SureColor P5000 commercial edition printer
- HP Color LaserJet Entrepress M750DN Laser Printer
- 1 large media storage spindle rack
- Bundles of various media & foam-boards
- 1 overhead digital projector
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Things Graphic Design Majors and Minors Need To Know
- The Visual Arts Department has two separate programs and a minor in both Dahlonega and Gainesville: an Art Major with Graphic Design; a Visual Arts B.F.A. in Graphic design; and a Graphic Design minor. Majors will be assigned an advisor based on where they are in the program. The following Graphic Design faculty advisors are Prof. Tiffany Prater in Gainesville and Prof. JinYoung Lim in Dahlonega.
- Consistent and regular communication with your graphic design advisors is mandatory and necessary for successful progression through the B.A., B.F.A. and minor programs. Students planning to pursue the B.F.A. Graphic design program must first communicate with the graphic design faculty and contact the B.F.A. Coordinator.
- Students must familiarize themselves with the all-program requirements located on our department website.
- Required courses: Students planning to pursue either a B.A. or B.F.A. with a focus in Graphic design must pass the