he BFA degree program in Communication Design is a professional program created to prepare students with a common body of skills and knowledge deemed necessary for entry as career communication designers. Our program is accredited through the National Association of Schools of Art and Design, and adheres to that organization’s guidelines for effective student preparation for general practice as professional designers. We believe our mission is to produce motivated, self-reliant problem-solvers who are equipped with essential competencies in research, analysis, aesthetics, design theory, productivity, and the application of relevant technologies. We promote a firm foundation in traditional art experiences and the study of design principles to support a student’s ability to create dynamic conceptual solutions and innovative visual designs within the context of effective and objective-specific communication. Our facilities and equipment are regularly upgraded and provide an impressive platform for the support of basic technological instruction as well as graduate-level research in new media and advanced communication challenges.

All students of communication design at Tech will be prepared to exhibit essential competencies by the structure and content of curriculum requirements. These competencies include but are not limited to:

• solving communication problems.
• describing and responding to the audiences and contexts addressed in design solutions.
• conceptualizing and developing visual form in response to needs.
• using tools and technologies effectively in creating design solutions.
• understanding basic commercial /industrial communication needs and the designer’s role in meeting those needs.

The common body of experiences available to design students include but are not limited to:

• comprehensive evaluations of student creative and problem solving solutions in the form of classroom critiques.
• involvement in design exhibitions and competitions on local, regional, and national levels.
• field experiences and tours related to the design industry.
• experiences in creating design solutions when working within a team.
• experiences in design challenges requiring interdisciplinary interface with students in other academic areas.

Within the framework of general requirements exists the opportunity for some subject specialization. While we do not have separate degrees or academic concentrations in areas such as computer animation or illustration, we have a highly skilled faculty who regularly offer courses featuring an advanced subject concentration to properly prepared students. Our curriculum requires four elective art courses. Upon receiving permission from the appropriate faculty member, students may choose to use some or all of these courses for the pursuit of individualized study in subjects of personal interest.