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Visual Communications Pathway
This pathway assumes
- You will be a full-time student.
- You will start in the fall.*
- You are ready to take 100- and 200-level classes.
If not, you can still complete the pathway! You will just need to make adjustments. Talk with your advisor to customize your plan.
*Note: Year 2 of the visual communications program starts only in the fall. You must apply and be admitted into the program to take the year 2 classes.
To be eligible for placement in a cooperative work experience internship (summer quarter of year 2), you must maintain a minimum GPA of 2.50 in program courses and demonstrate professional work behavior exhibited through class attendance, punctuality, and timely completion of class assignments.
The visual communications program prepares students for careers in the print, web, and digital media design fields.
Talk with your advisor about adapting the first year course sequence for your individual goals. You must apply and be admitted into the program to take the second year courses. Second year program courses must be taken in sequence. A limited number of part-time spots is available.
Scroll to the end for the list of electives.
Year 1
| Description | Theory and practice of drawing in various mediums with a range of subject and of aesthetic approaches. Emphasis on studio work integrated with slides, lecture, discussion and out-of-class work. (Hp) |
| Enrollment Requirements | None |
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| Description | In this hands-on studio art course, students will gain the foundational knowledge and skills used in 2-dimensional art and design fields such as drawing, painting, printmaking, and visual communications. Topics include the creative process, 2-dimensional concepts, design elements and strategies, and composition. Students will focus on individual projects, working directly with a variety of basic tools, materials, and processes common to 2-dimensional design fields. Students will learn to use supportive critique strategies to discuss their own work and the work of their peers. (Hp) |
| Enrollment Requirements | None |
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| Description | In this hands-on studio art course, students will gain the foundational knowledge and skills used in 3-dimensional art and design fields such as sculpture, architecture, and crafts. Topics include the creative process, 3-dimensional concepts, design elements and strategies and composition. Students will work directly with a variety of traditional studio art tools, materials and processes which may include digital design and digitally guided tools. Students will use supportive critique strategies to discuss their own work and the work of their peers. (Hp) |
| Enrollment Requirements | None |
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| Description | This course helps students become more effective writers in academic and professional settings. Students learn to enter ongoing academic conversations, analyze and use secondary sources to formulate, develop, revise, and communicate ideas in writing, and shape their message to different purposes, audiences, and media. (CC) |
| Enrollment Requirements | Completion of ENGL 95 or placement in ENGL& 101. |
| Course Attributes |
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Total credits this quarter: 11 or 15
Career exploration: Find your people! Attend area-of-study activities and connect with clubs related to your career goals. Find out where students in your pathway go to study.
Career exploration: Start keeping a portfolio of your best work. Ask your art instructors for tips.
Career exploration: Explore the Inspiration links at aiga.org.
Career exploration: Visit museums with design and art exhibits.
Action item: Meet with your advisor to build your degree plan.
Action item: Have your transfer-in credits evaluated.
Action item: Meet with the visual communications faculty lead for information about the program.
Action item: Visit the Intercultural Center, the Learning Center and the library.
| Description | Approach to art appreciation designed to develop an understanding of visual art forms, and to develop the vocabulary necessary to discuss them. Content will focus on issues and concepts in contemporary art. Topics include the purpose and function of art, creative process, and visual and design elements that go into the making of art. (Hw) |
| Enrollment Requirements | Placement in ENGL& 101 |
| Course Attributes |
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| Description | History of graphic design and illustration from ancient culture through the present with an emphasis on early twentieth century to current concepts and trends. (Hwg) |
| Enrollment Requirements | Placement in ENGL& 101 |
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| Description | Historical developments in Western art from 18th century to the mid-20th century. Focus on European and American art. (Hwg) |
| Enrollment Requirements | Placement in ENGL& 101 |
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| Description | This course examines the principles and practice of visual communications. Includes the design process, layout, basic web design, and preparation of art and copy for reproduction. It introduces the basics of graphics software (page layout, illustration, web design, and image editing) as tools of the design process. (Hp) |
| Enrollment Requirements | None |
| Course Attributes |
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| Description | Formerly BUSAD 100. Mathematical applications in business involving word problems. (UE) |
| Enrollment Requirements | None |
| Course Attributes |
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Total credits this quarter: 13 or 15
Career exploration: Watch films or listen to podcasts about design, designers, illustrators, print production, advertising, typography, and marketing.
Career exploration: Explore the resources on the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion page under the Membership & Community menu at aiga.org.
Career exploration: Visit the Learning Center to work with the tutors in visual communications or other topics if needed.
Action item: Collect and refine previous work or create new work for the portfolio you'll submit in April as part of your program application.
Action item: Verify that you'll have completed these four prerequisites for the visual communications program before Year 2 starts: ART 112; ART 115 or ART 116; ART& 100, ART 114, ART 205, or ART 215; ART 185
Action item: Apply for next year's financial aid.
| Description | Study of culture and society with a cross-cultural perspective of human adaptation to the bio-cultural environment. Topics include technology, resource consumption and economics, medicine, family, social groups, political systems, religion, expressive arts, language, values, culture change, human impact on the environment, and globalization. (SSwdgs) |
| Enrollment Requirements | Placement in ENGL& 101 |
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| Description | Surveys the knowledge and methods of the discipline of psychology. Emphasis include an overview of current knowledge in major areas of psychology, accessing and assessing information about behavior, skills inscientific reasoning and critical thinking. (SS) |
| Enrollment Requirements | None |
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| Description | Study of human group life emphasizing socialization, social structure,and social interaction patterns. Class work augmented by individual study experience situations. (SSd) |
| Enrollment Requirements | None |
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or ORAL COMMUNICATIONS click for list (5 credits)
Electives See below for options (3 to 9 credits)Take the number of elective credits you need so that your 100- and 200-level credits, not including the Year 2 VISCM courses, will add up to at least 38 credits.
Total credits this quarter: 8-14
Career exploration: Choose electives that support your career goals.
Action item: Turn in your visual communications program application form, fee, and portfolio in early April of your first year for admission into VISCM classes in your second year.
Year 2
| Description | Study of the design of letterforms, the function of type, and the useof type as a design element. Required preparation: program admittance.(UE) |
| Enrollment Requirements | None |
| Course Attributes |
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| Description | Illustration principles and techniques using vector-based software. Course covers the creation of illustrations for editorial, advertising and information graphics purposes. Required preparation: program admittance. (UE) |
| Enrollment Requirements | None |
| Course Attributes |
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| Description | Advanced Photoshop skills in preparing raster images for print, web, and digital publishing. Topics include: color management, image resolution, color correction, clipping paths, masks, sharpening, retouching, and compositing techniques. Required preparation: program admittance.(UE) |
| Enrollment Requirements | None |
| Course Attributes |
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Total credits this quarter: 13
Career exploration: Using job search posting, consider design employment possibilities and research the kind of education and experience that is required for an entry-level position.
Career exploration: Follow design related entities on social media.
Career exploration: Research general strategies for time management.
Action item: Check in with the visual communications faculty lead.
Action item: If transferring courses that are not direct transfer courses to WCC arrange any needed course substitution forms with the visual communications faculty lead.
| Description | Application of layout and typographic principles to the design of identity systems, publications and collateral materials such as brochures,newsletters, catalogs. Emphasis on learning page layout software and preparation of art and copy for print reproduction. Required Preparation: program admittance; (UE) |
| Enrollment Requirements | None |
| Course Attributes |
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| Description | Study of commercial print processes and digital preparation of artwork for reproduction. Topics include: printing process, project workflow,industry standard graphic file formats, digital color foundations, preflight, quality issues, paper stock, bindery processes, business relationships, quoting print jobs. (UE) |
| Enrollment Requirements | None |
| Course Attributes |
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| Description | Fundamentals of web design and site development using coding and web authoring software. Topics include: site planning, workflow, usability, interface and layout design, cross-platform issues, HTML/CSS, image optimization, and web typography. Required preparation: program admittance. (UE) |
| Enrollment Requirements | None |
| Course Attributes |
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Total credits this quarter: 15
Career exploration: Volunteer for simple design projects for family and/or friends to find opportunities to use and develop your design skills.
Career exploration: Explore any readily available design industry connections to identify and reach out to possible mentors in the profession.
Action item: Refine and archive design projects from fall quarter.
| Description | Further study of layout and publication design including the use of grid systems for multipage publications. Course covers document creation for print and digital publication and addresses issues of layout design for mobile devices such as eBook readers and tablets. Required preparation: program admittance and VISCM 250. (UE) |
| Enrollment Requirements | Completion of VISCM 250 |
| Course Attributes |
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| Description | Further study and application of web design principles and site development. Course covers designing for mobile and desktop screen sizes, grid systems for web layout, using HTML/CSS and jQuery for animation and interactivity. program admittance; VISCM 280. (UE) |
| Enrollment Requirements | Completion of VISCM 280 |
| Course Attributes |
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| Description | Fundamentals of video production with focus on creating and preparingvideo for streaming on the Web. Topics include: content development, digital video/audio production, digital editing techniques, file formats and compression for Web delivery. Program admittance required. (UE) |
| Enrollment Requirements | None |
| Course Attributes |
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Total credits this quarter: 15
Career exploration: Volunteer for simple design projects for small non-profit organizations to find opportunities to use and develop your design skills.
Career exploration: Cultivate opportunities to build work experience through work study or part-time design industry related work.
Action item: Apply to graduate.
Action item: Refine and archive design projects from winter quarter.
Action item: Decide to take either Design Lab or Internship in summer in consultation with the visual communications faculty lead.
| Description | Supervised design practice in which students solve graphic design andweb design problems for local small non-profit organizations. Studentswill work individually or in teams with the organizations and will complete those studio projects in the campus lab. Required preparation: program admittance. (UE) |
| Enrollment Requirements | None |
| Course Attributes |
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| Description | The student will complete a visual communications internship that offers experience-based learning in a structured, supervised, and career-related setting. Measurable internship learning outcomes are collaboratively created by the student, internship supervisor, and faculty mentor. The student will develop professional readiness skills needed for the visual communications field. Repeatable with program permission. VISCM 190 courses above 5 credits can be arranged with permission from a Co-op Coordinator. Required preparation: program admittance and placement in ENGL& 101. (UE) |
| Enrollment Requirements | None |
| Course Attributes |
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| Description | Fundamentals of developing web sites using open source content management systems (CMS). Topics include: CMS functionality for web management needs, content organization, developing graphics for theme-based layouts, modifying theme design through HTML, CSS and scripting. Required preparation: program admittance. (UE) |
| Enrollment Requirements | None |
| Course Attributes |
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| Description | Standard professional and business practices in the graphic and web design profession with emphasis on the preparation of a portfolio of the student's work. Other topics include: resume writing, interviewing, portfolio presentations, business contracts, copyright law, recordkeeping, and taxes. Required preparation: program admittance. (UE) |
| Enrollment Requirements | None |
| Course Attributes |
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Total credits this quarter: 9
Note: This quarter is completed during summer at the end of year 2 of the program.
Career exploration: Most of summer quarter is spent preparing to search for a job or start a freelance business - resumes and portfolio (print and web versions) will be completed.
Career exploration: Identify references, collect contact information, and solicit letters to prepare for transition after graduation.
Career exploration: Consider opportunities for further design specialization and/or enhance your capabilities through self-study and/or further education.
Action item: Refine and archive design projects from spring quarter.
Action item: If looking for employment after graduation, begin job search prior to the end of the quarter.
Action item: If your intention is to freelance, begin the process of setting up a small business.
Action item: Graduate!
Electives
Note: If you took a course from this list as a prerequisite for the VISCM program, it cannot also count as an elective.
- ART& 100 Art appreciation (3 or 5 credits)
- ART 114 History of graphic design (5 credits)
- ART 118 Mixed media/collage (5 credits)
- ART 123 Water based media (3 or 5 credits)
- ART 134 The art of color (3 or 5 credits)
- ART 175 Printmaking: relief and monotype (3 or 5 credits)
- ART 179 2D animation (5 credits)
- ART 187 Computer art (3 or 5 credits)
- ART 200 Figure drawing I (3 or 5 credits)
- ART 205 Western art from 18th to mid-20th century (3 or 5 credits)
- ART 215 Art from WWII to the present (3 or 5 credits)
- ART 221 Painting (3 or 5 credits)
- BTEC 101 Intro to business computing (5 credits)
- BTEC 121 Word processing I (3 credits)
- BTEC 122 Business document design (5 credits)
- BTEC 161 Database management I (3 credits)
- BTEC 181 Intro to presentation software (3 credits)
- BUS 108 Principles of marketing (5 credits)
- BUS 190 Business internship (3 to 5 credits)
- CIS 105 Computer operating systems I (4 credits)
- CIS 205 Operating systems II (5 credits)
- CS 120 HTML fundamentals (5 credits)
- FILM 101 Intro to film (3 or 5 credits)
- IDS 170 Intro to sustainability (5 credits)
- IDS 180 Visual media and culture (5 credits)
- PHIL& 115 Critical thinking (3 or 5 credits)
- VISCM 190 Visual communications internship (3 to 5 credits)
Take internship credits close to the end of the program. Internship counts as either a core course or an elective, but not both. You must have at least a 2.5 GPA in program courses.