Communication Design, B.S.

The Communication Design B.S. helps you to develop skills in visual design, web design, game design and interactive media to fulfill the needs of these industries. You’ll gain a broad-based understanding of current technologies and applications along with knowledge of design, communication, and management skills.

Required Courses

In order to graduate, you will also need to complete your General Education and university requirements . CD students must maintain a minimum GPA of 2.0 and must earn a C- or above in each course that serves as a pre-requisite to a more advanced course.

Complete all of the following courses with a grade of C- or above in order to fulfill pre-requisites to more advanced courses:
CST 201 - Media Tools I Units: 3
CST 227 - Design Fundamentals Units: 3
CST 251 - Web Tools Units: 3
CST 300 - Major ProSeminar Units: 4
CST 304 - Typography Units: 4
CST 330 - Media Tools II Units: 3
CST 346 - Human-Computer Interaction Units: 3
Complete all of the following courses:
CST 202 - Drawing for Digital Media Units: 2
CST 202L - Drawing for Digital Media Lab Units: 1
CST 236 - Computing for Designers Units: 3
CST 252 - Scripting for Multimedia Units: 3
CST 302 - History of Communication Design Units: 3
CST 345 - Visual Thinking Units: 3
CST 446 - User Research and Experience Design Units: 3
CST 462S - Race, Gender, Class in the Digital World Units: 3
CST 498 - Communication Design Capstone Units: 3

Communication Design Electives

All CD students must complete five (5) units of CD elective coursework from the list below, and not used in fulfillment of concentration requirements:

CST 322 - Environment Modeling Units: 2
CST 323 - Character Design Units: 2
CST 327 - Experimental Typography Units: 3
CST 352 - Web Scripting Units: 4
CST 375 - Brand Strategies for Designers Units: 3
CST 377 - Business of Design Units: 3
CST 390 - Portfolio Development Units: 1-3
CST 422 - Level Design Units: 2
CST 423 - Character Animation Units: 2
VPA 307 - Diverse History of Contemporary Art Units: 4
VPA 310 - Mixed Media Units: 4
VPA 316 - Photography as Art Units: 2 and
VPA 316L - Photography as Art Lab Units: 2

Concentrations

Select one of the following concentrations to complete the requirements of the Communication Design major.

Please note: Twelve (12) of the units taken to complete a concentration (all of which are upper division) may not be used in fulfillment of other minors or concentrations.

Web Design Concentration Effective April 10, 2022 enrollment to the Web Design Concentration is suspended until further notice.

Visual Design Concentration

Game Design & Interactive Media Concentration

Learning Outcomes

MLO 1: Professional Communication

Demonstrate the ability to understand, analyze, and evaluate information, ideas, and insights from multiple perspectives through written, oral, visual, and electronic means of communication, and explain its significance at an advanced collegiate level. More specifically, graduates should be able to:

Receive information, ideas, and arguments through active listening and effective reading skills;
Communicate effectively with a range of audiences through college level writing;
Communicate effectively with a range of audiences through well-organized, precise, and effective oral presentations.

MLO 2: User-centered Design

Demonstrate the systematic application of design principles, tools, user-centered design methodology and processes to develop complex systems that facilitate meaningful interactions. More specifically, graduates should be able to:

Apply knowledge of design history, communication theories, and aesthetic principles to solve design problems;
Analyze a problem and identify, define, and implement appropriate solutions;
Design, implement, and evaluate effectiveness and efficiency of a design project to meet desired needs.

MLO 3: Computing and Programming

Apply computer programming concepts, tools, and skills to solve communication design problems. More specifically, graduates should be able to:

Identify right tools and programming solutions to address design problems;
Design, develop, implement, and evaluate a technology infused design project to meet desired needs.

MLO 4: Professional Ethos

Demonstrate professionalism through team work, punctuality, integrity, reliability, and commitment to ethical action through rigorous evaluation from multiple perspectives. More specifically, graduates should be able to:

Function effectively on teams with diverse individuals from diverse backgrounds to accomplish a common goal;
Analyze the local and global impact of computing and design on individuals, organizations, community, society, and the world;
Understand and apply professional, ethical, legal, security, and social responsibilities in the service of community, society, and world.

MLO 5: Application and Synthesis

Apply core communication design knowledge, theories, methods, and practices to address new and complex real-world challenges and opportunities. More specifically, graduates should be able to:

Apply design and development principles, tools, and methods in communication design in the construction of design of varying complexity in a way that demonstrates comprehension of the tradeoffs involved in design choices.