Visual Communications Core (VCC)

Introduces the concepts, vocabulary, and processes used in relation to visual communication. Includes various disciplines such as advertising, animation, audio, graphic design, multimedia, printing, production, and video. Identifies career paths and specific job skills within the visual communication field. Lecture: 3.0 credits (45 contact hours).

Explores the use of type as a major element of design. Emphasizes the selection of appropriate type styles and fonts for a variety of media and content. Includes using type as a creative tool to produce interesting, type-only designs. Lecture/Lab: 3.0 credits (90 contact hours).

Explore the elements and principles of design to develop skills in producing creative design concepts for various media forms. Provides an opportunity to apply concepts in the process of design and project planning. Explores the graphic design disciplines, career competencies and expectations, and ethics to consider in graphic design. Lecture/Lab: 3.0 credits (90 contact hours).

Introduces students to computer technologies that are specific to the visual communication industry and fulfills the digital literacy requirements. Develops primary skills using Adobe InDesign, Adobe Illustrator, and Adobe Photoshop. Lecture/Lab: 3.0 credits (90 contact hours).

Explores Adobe Lightroom and Adobe Photoshop techniques needed to edit photographs. Emphasizes proper importing, photo management, and workflow for editing. Includes discussions on file formats and importance of shooting in Camera RAW for editing purposes. Integrated Lecture/Lab: 3 credits (90 contact hours).

Introduces students to career opportunities that exist in the print, sign, and graphics industry. Covers a variety of topics, such as completing a job ticket, estimating, outsourcing and vendor partnerships, inventory control and ordering, and understanding workflow and production schedules. Introduces software, tools, and equipment used in the print, sign, and graphics industry. Lecture: 3 credits (45 contact hours).

Introduces Apple/Mac computer technology. Emphasizes industry specific needs, including hardware and software. Presents basic uses of the Internet, email, file management and computer ethics. Includes an introduction to computer illustration, electronic publication, and digital imaging software. This course fulfills the computer/digital literacy requirement. Lecture: 3.0 credits (45 contact hours).

Develops skills to correct, enhance, and manipulate digital photos, create image composites, and prepare images for the print and web using Adobe Photoshop. Introduces raster graphics and their use in the visual communication industry. Focuses on creating raster graphics from simple to increasingly complex images and designs. Lecture/Lab: 3.0 credits (90 contact hours).

Develops skills to create illustrations and vector graphics for a variety of media using Adobe Illustrator. Focuses on creating vector graphics from simple to increasingly complex designs. Lecture/Lab: 3.0 credits (90 contact hours).

Provides students with advanced knowledge and skills in computer illustration. Creation of vector graphics and complex designs will be the focus of this course. Students must receive a letter grade of "C" or better. Lecture/Lab: 3.0 credits (90 contact hours).

Introduces concepts, vocabulary, and processes used in relation to the design and production of graphics for various media and promotional materials. Provides students with knowledge and training of various production equipment along with software applications used to design graphics. Students must receive a final grade of "C" or better to advance in all Visual Communication courses. Lecture/Lab: 3.0 credits (90 contact hours).

Introduces students to the technologies to produce t-shirts and other apparel. Provides students with knowledge and training of various equipment and procedures to properly prepare graphics for these printing technologies. Provides students with training in appropriate software applications used to design and prepare graphics for a variety of processes. Lecture/Lab: 3.0 credits (90 contact hours).

Provides foundational knowledge of the steps and procedures used to prepare, troubleshoot, and correct files for digital printing of collateral materials and booklets. Utilizes skills to create and utilize PDF files. Explores the importance of proper imposition and page-layout of various publications. Provides knowledge and training of various digital printing, finishing, and binding techniques used in the industry. Lecture/Lab: 3.0 credits (90 contact hours).

Develops skills in page design and layout using Adobe InDesign software. Applies concepts and mechanics to create a single- and multi-page documents. Integrates various file types to create a finished product in Adobe InDesign. Lecture/Lab: 3.0 credits (90 contact hours).

Provides advanced skills in page design and layout using Adobe InDesign software. Design and creation of a variety of complex and multi-page documents will be the focus of this course. Students must receive a letter grade of "C" or better. Lecture/Lab: 3.0 credits (90 contact hours).

Explores the creative ideation process to develop a corporate identity and brand. Uses the creative brief process to research, design, and create corporate identities, logos, graphic standards, and other corporate designs. Lecture/Lab: 3.0 credits (90 contact hours).

Explores techniques in the creative ideation process to design professional corporate identities, product labels, promotional items, collateral materials, signage, and advertising campaigns. Emphasizes the use of graphics standards for corporate branding and advertising. Lecture/Lab: 3.0 credits (90 contact hours).

Explores latest trends of new media technology related to the visual communication field. Topics will be specified by instructor according to latest trends in the region that could include social media, interactive media, advertising and marketing trends and a variety of media technologies. Integrated Lecture/Lab: 3 credits (90 contact hours).

Provides advanced skills in computer graphics using Adobe InDesign, Photoshop, and Illustrator. Focuses on creation of a variety of complex designs, vector graphics, and multi-page documents will be the focus of this course. Lecture/Lab: 3.0 credits (90 contact hours)

Explores advanced techniques in the creative ideation process to design professional corporate identities and packaging. Introduces concepts, theories, terminology, design, and production of hard and soft wall three-dimensional packaging and product labels. Emphasizes creative problem solving, specifications, and legal requirements for the packaging industry. Integrated Lecture/Lab: 3 credits (90 contact hours).

Develops advanced skills to digitally manipulate, enhance, and create composite photographs. Applies advanced principles, concepts, and techniques for graphic design and digital photography. Focuses on creation and manipulation of graphics for complex images and designs. Lecture/Lab: 3.0 credits (90 contact hours).

Provides students with the basic skills using Adobe Acrobat to produce and utilize PDF documents. Students must receive a letter grade of "C" or better. Lecture: 3.0 credits (45 contact hours).

Explores advanced techniques using Adobe and specialty software to create and prepare graphics for a variety of print, sign and graphic production. Focuses on gaining advanced skills in design concepts and preparing images that focuses on wide format printing. Integrated Lecture/Lab: 3 credits (90 contact hours).

Introduces concepts, vocabulary, and processes used to design and produce vehicle wraps, wall wraps, and other large format graphics and signage. Focuses on the operation of wide format printers and other specialty printers. Utilizes raster images processor (RIPs) and presents basic workflow processes. Explains the properties and use of cast vs. calendared vinyl and other specialty vinyl, perforated vinyl, and a variety of substrates for signage. Integrated Lecture/Lab: 3 credits (135 contact hours).

Introduces materials, equipment, and processes used for finishing techniques of vehicle wraps, wall wraps, and other large format graphics and signage. Provides knowledge in the operation of a variety of laminators, cutters, and finishing machines. Covers tools and supplies for preparation and installation of printed graphics, and techniques used to install graphics. Integrated Lecture/Lab: 3 credits (90 contact hours).

Provides supervised on-the-job work experience related to the students educational objectives. Students participating in Internships do not receive compensation for their work. Co-Op/Internship: 3 credits (180 contact hours).

Provides supervised on-the-job work experience related to the student's educational objectives. Student participating in the Practicum do not receive compensation. Practicum/Internship: 3 credits (180 contact hours).