Visual Communication: Communication Arts Technology
The Communication Arts Technology program provides students with the knowledge, skills, and a portfolio needed for entry-level employment as a graphic designer, commercial photographer, web designer, videographer, or video editor. These fields involve the use of specialized software combined with creativity, design, and problem solving skills to communicate an effective visual message for TV, web and interactive media, product packaging, and advertising layout. This program focuses on developing the creativity and software skills necessary to be competitive in these fields. Many courses include hands-on lab hours with one-on-one assistance from the instructors. The program is completed with an internship in the student’s specialty field that allows the student to transfer academic skills to a professional environment. Students and graduates of the Communication Arts Technology program have won numerous design, photography, and video awards in the creative industry.
Employment of graphic designers, photographers, web designers, videographers, and video editors is expected to grow as demand for their products continues to increase from advertisers, publishers, video production studios, and computer design firms. Graduates may be employed as graphic designers at newspapers, print shops, advertising agencies, photographic studios, multimedia shops, web design shops, television broadcasting stations, film and video production studios, department stores, corporations or non-profit agencies.
Progression in the Visual Communication: Communication Arts Technology Program is contingent upon the achievement of a grade of a “C” (2.0) or higher to advance in Visual Communication programs.
Suggested two-year schedule for Visual Communication: Communication Arts Technology
Advertising Design Track
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| VCA 106 | Creative Typographical Design | 3 |
| VCC 150 | Mac Basics | 3 |
| ART 110 | Drawing I | 3 |
| VCA 173 | Basic Advertising Design | 3 |
| VCA 163 | Basic Photography | 3 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| VCM 220 | Webpage Design | 3 |
| VCA 174 | Publication Design | 3 |
| VCA 164 | Portrait Photography | 3 |
| VCA 132 | Illustration For Advertising | 3 |
| VCC 166 | Photoshop Basics | 3 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| ART 106 | Renaissance Through Modern Art History | 3 |
| VCM 140 | Digital Video | 3 |
| VCM 115 | 2-D Animation | 3 |
| VCA 273 | Corporate Design | 3 |
| VCC 266 | Advanced Photoshop | 3 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| Natural Sciences | ||
| Social/Behavioral Sciences | 3 | |
| VCA 274 | Advertising Design | 3 |
| VCA 290 | Folio Seminar | 3 |
| VCA 299 | Practicum | 4 |
| Credits | 13 | |
| Summer | ||
| ENG 101 | Writing I | 3 |
| MAT 110 | Applied Mathematics | 3 |
| OR Higher-Level Mathematics Course | ||
| Credits | 6 | |
| Total Credits | 64 | |
Commercial Photography Track
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| VCA 106 | Creative Typographical Design | 3 |
| VCC 150 | Mac Basics | 3 |
| ART 110 | Drawing I | 3 |
| VCA 173 | Basic Advertising Design | 3 |
| VCA 163 | Basic Photography | 3 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| VCM 220 | Webpage Design | 3 |
| VCA 171 | Advertising Design II | 3 |
| VCA 164 | Portrait Photography | 3 |
| VCA 132 | Illustration For Advertising | 3 |
| VCC 166 | Photoshop Basics | 3 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| ART 106 | Renaissance Through Modern Art History | 3 |
| VCM 140 | Digital Video | 3 |
| VCM 115 | 2-D Animation | 3 |
| VCA 263 | Product Photography | 3 |
| VCC 266 | Advanced Photoshop | 3 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| Natural Sciences | 3 | |
| Social/Behavioral Sciences | 3 | |
| VCA 264 | Commercial Photography | 3 |
| VCA 290 | Folio Seminar | 3 |
| VCA 299 | Practicum | 4 |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Summer | ||
| ENG 101 | Writing I | 3 |
| MAT 110 | Applied Mathematics | 3 |
| Or Higher-Level Mathematics Course | ||
| Credits | 6 | |
| Total Credits | 67 | |
Webpage Design Track
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| VCA 106 | Creative Typographical Design | 3 |
| VCC 150 | Mac Basics | 3 |
| ART 110 | Drawing I | 3 |
| VCA 173 | Basic Advertising Design | 3 |
| VCA 163 | Basic Photography | 3 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| VCM 220 | Webpage Design | 3 |
| VCA 171 | Advertising Design II | 3 |
| VCA 164 | Portrait Photography | 3 |
| VCA 132 | Illustration For Advertising | 3 |
| VCC 166 | Photoshop Basics | 3 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| ART 106 | Renaissance Through Modern Art History | 3 |
| VCM 140 | Digital Video | 3 |
| VCM 115 | 2-D Animation | 3 |
| VCM 130 | UI/UX Design I | 3 |
| VCC 266 | Advanced Photoshop | 3 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| Natural Sciences | 3 | |
| Social/Behavioral Sciences | 3 | |
| VCM 230 | Advanced Webpage Design | 3 |
| VCA 290 | Folio Seminar | 3 |
| VCA 299 | Practicum | 4 |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Summer | ||
| ENG 101 | Writing I | 3 |
| MAT 110 | Applied Mathematics | 3 |
| OR Higher-Level Mathematics Course | ||
| Credits | 6 | |
| Total Credits | 67 | |