Visual Communication Design Graduate Curriculum Overview

Iridescent, web-like texture reflecting light.

Graduate Curriculum Overview

The Master of Fine Arts (MFA) program is designed to offer maximum flexibility in addressing the needs of each individual student. Following admission through a department, students design their two-year plan of study based on optimizing the offerings and opportunities available throughout SAIC.

Area	Credit Hours
Studio MFA 6009 Graduate Projects (21) MFA 6009 Exhibition (3)	24
Seminar Graduate Level Seminar	12
Art History ARTHI 5002 OR ARTHI 5120 (3) Art History Courses, 4000-level or above (9)	12
Electives—any course in any area at 3000-level or above Additional Graduate Projects sections used as electives must be approved by the Graduate Program Advisor Students interested in writing a thesis must take a research methodologies course elective	12
Participation in four graduate critiques
Participation in ONE of the following as appropriate to artistic practice: Graduate Exhibition, Graduate Performance Event, Graduate Screenings. Students who wish to use an alternative venue or presentation outside of these options must receive permission from the dean of graduate studies.
Total Credit Hours	60

*Students who wish to use an alternative venue or presentation outside of these options must receive permission from the Dean of Graduate Studies. The AIADO Department encourages students in their MFA design programs to participate in the AIADO and Fashion Graduate Exhibition.

Degree Requirements and Specifications
Completion schedule: You have a maximum of four years to complete your MFA in Studio degree. This includes time off for leaves of absence. Students will have access to studios for four semesters only.

Transfer credits: You must complete a minimum of 45 credit hours in residence at SAIC. You can request up to 15 transfer credits at the time of application for admission, which are subject to approval at that time. No transfer credits are permitted after a student is admitted.

Art History requirement: MFA students are required to take ARTHII 5002 Graduate Survey of Modern and Contemporary Art OR ARTHI 5120 Survey of Modern and Contemporary Architecture and Design. Art History courses must be at the 4000-level and above.

Undergraduate studio courses: Graduate students are permitted no more than one undergraduate studio course (3000-level and above) per semester without permission of the Dean of Graduate Studies. Courses at the 1000 and 2000-level are allowed only with permission.

Full-Time Status Minimum Requirement: 12 credit hours

MFA 6009 Graduate Projects
MFA 6009 Graduate Projects advising, an ongoing individual dialogue with a wide range of faculty advisors, is at the heart of the MFA program at SAIC, encouraging interdisciplinary study across the curriculum. Standard enrollment consists of two MFA 6009 Graduate Projects advisors, one graduate-level seminar, and an art history course each semester. The remainder of credits required for the full-time 15-credit hour load may include academic or studio electives. All MFA students must register for a minimum of one and no more than two MFA 6009 sections each semester. Students may request permission from the Graduate Program Advisor to take a third MFA 6009 section after priority registration.

In their final year, students must take one MFA 6009 Exhibitions section. The advising and grade for this course will be tied to the final exhibition. When taking undergraduate studio coursework, the student is responsible for understanding the faculty member’s expectations about completion of assignments, attendance, and any other criteria for earning credit. MFA students interested in completing a written thesis must take a research course and MFA 6009 Research section and obtain approval from the Associate Dean of Graduate Studies.

Graduate Critiques
As one of the principle means of assessment each semester, you will be required to participate in Critique Week, a week-long schedule of critiques during which classes are suspended.

Fall semester critiques are organized by department with panels representing the discipline. This provides you with an opportunity to understand the department’s expectations, have your work reviewed from a disciplinary point of view, and to reiterate the expectations for graduate study.

Spring semester critiques are interdisciplinary, with panel members and students from across SAIC disciplines. Interdisciplinary critiques allow for a broad range of responses to your work, and are intended to assess the success of your work for a more general, albeit highly informed audience. Critique panels include faculty, visiting artists, and fellow graduate students.

Graduate Exhibition or Equivalent
At the conclusion of your studies, you will present work in the SAIC Graduate Thesis Exhibition, other end-of-year events at SAIC, or the Gene Siskel Film Center—or arrange with the graduate dean or division chair for an alternative thesis of equal professional quality. Each year more than 200 graduate students exhibit work, screen videos and films, and present time-based works, writings, and performance to a collective audience of 30,000 people.

Students wishing to install work around prevalent themes, strategies or stylistic affinities can participate in a juried and curated section of the SAIC Graduate Thesis Exhibition. A faculty and staff committee conducts extensive studio visits and as a collaborative project with student participants, organizes and installs the show in designated space at the exhibition.

Undergraduate Courses
MFA students are advised to understand the expectations of their faculty when enrolled in undergraduate studio classes. Although graduate students are an asset to the group dynamic, faculty requirements for graduate students in undergraduate classes are variable. The student is responsible for understanding the faculty member's expectations about completion of assignments, attendance, and any other criteria for earning credit. To assure that graduate students are working at degree level, they are permitted no more than one undergraduate studio course (3000 level and above) per semester without permission of the dean of graduate studies. Courses at the 1000 and 2000 level are allowed only with permission.

Courses

Title	Catalog	Instructor	Schedule
Introduction to Visual Communication	1001 (001)	Jiwon Son	Mon 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM In Person
Description This research, discussion, and critique course develops a visual and verbal vocabulary by examining relationships between form and content, word and image. Study includes symbolic association and the problem of effective communication in a highly complex culture. Prerequisites Corequisite: VISCOM 1002.	Class Number 1777	Credits 3	Department Visual Communication Design Area of Study Graphic Design Location Sharp 1117
Introduction to Visual Communication	1001 (002)	Riesling Dong	Tues 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM In Person
Description This research, discussion, and critique course develops a visual and verbal vocabulary by examining relationships between form and content, word and image. Study includes symbolic association and the problem of effective communication in a highly complex culture. Prerequisites Corequisite: VISCOM 1002.	Class Number 1778	Credits 3	Department Visual Communication Design Area of Study Graphic Design Location Sharp 1114
Introduction to Visual Communication	1001 (003)	Eliza Rosen	Wed 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM In Person
Description This research, discussion, and critique course develops a visual and verbal vocabulary by examining relationships between form and content, word and image. Study includes symbolic association and the problem of effective communication in a highly complex culture. Prerequisites Corequisite: VISCOM 1002.	Class Number 1779	Credits 3	Department Visual Communication Design Area of Study Graphic Design Location Sharp 1114
Introduction to Visual Communication	1001 (005)		Fri 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM In Person
Description This research, discussion, and critique course develops a visual and verbal vocabulary by examining relationships between form and content, word and image. Study includes symbolic association and the problem of effective communication in a highly complex culture. Prerequisites Corequisite: VISCOM 1002.	Class Number 1813	Credits 3	Department Visual Communication Design Area of Study Graphic Design Location Sharp 1114
Illustration Technologies Lab	1002 (002)	Kimberly Karen Viviano	Wed 6:45 PM - 8:00 PM All Online
Description Digital visualization is essential to all contemporary creative communication. This class will familiarize students with the syntax, tools and methods of vector-based drawing and reinforce analogies to traditional methods of image-making covered in the First Year Program. Students will begin with an introduction to the computer as a graphic design tool: the relationship of vector to raster graphics and the peripherals. The focus on building proficiency with industry-standard Adobe Illustrator software will be reinforced via tutorials and short design exercises which target specific topics and techniques covered during lectures. Students apply technical competencies to formal design problems during the second half of this course and in Beginning Graphic Design class. Prerequisites Corequisite: VISCOM 1001 or VISCOM 1101.	Class Number 1811	Credits 1.5	Department Visual Communication Design Area of Study Graphic Design Location Online
Illustration Technologies Lab	1002 (003)	Kimberly Karen Viviano	Wed 8:15 PM - 9:30 PM All Online
Description Digital visualization is essential to all contemporary creative communication. This class will familiarize students with the syntax, tools and methods of vector-based drawing and reinforce analogies to traditional methods of image-making covered in the First Year Program. Students will begin with an introduction to the computer as a graphic design tool: the relationship of vector to raster graphics and the peripherals. The focus on building proficiency with industry-standard Adobe Illustrator software will be reinforced via tutorials and short design exercises which target specific topics and techniques covered during lectures. Students apply technical competencies to formal design problems during the second half of this course and in Beginning Graphic Design class. Prerequisites Corequisite: VISCOM 1001 or VISCOM 1101.	Class Number 1780	Credits 1.5	Department Visual Communication Design Area of Study Graphic Design Location Online
Illustration Technologies Lab	1002 (004)	Richard Bresden	Thurs 3:30 PM - 4:45 PM In Person
Description Digital visualization is essential to all contemporary creative communication. This class will familiarize students with the syntax, tools and methods of vector-based drawing and reinforce analogies to traditional methods of image-making covered in the First Year Program. Students will begin with an introduction to the computer as a graphic design tool: the relationship of vector to raster graphics and the peripherals. The focus on building proficiency with industry-standard Adobe Illustrator software will be reinforced via tutorials and short design exercises which target specific topics and techniques covered during lectures. Students apply technical competencies to formal design problems during the second half of this course and in Beginning Graphic Design class. Prerequisites Corequisite: VISCOM 1001 or VISCOM 1101.	Class Number 1805	Credits 1.5	Department Visual Communication Design Area of Study Graphic Design Location Sharp 1108
Illustration Technologies Lab	1002 (005)	Richard Bresden	Thurs 5:00 PM - 6:15 PM In Person
Description Digital visualization is essential to all contemporary creative communication. This class will familiarize students with the syntax, tools and methods of vector-based drawing and reinforce analogies to traditional methods of image-making covered in the First Year Program. Students will begin with an introduction to the computer as a graphic design tool: the relationship of vector to raster graphics and the peripherals. The focus on building proficiency with industry-standard Adobe Illustrator software will be reinforced via tutorials and short design exercises which target specific topics and techniques covered during lectures. Students apply technical competencies to formal design problems during the second half of this course and in Beginning Graphic Design class. Prerequisites Corequisite: VISCOM 1001 or VISCOM 1101.	Class Number 1814	Credits 1.5	Department Visual Communication Design Area of Study Graphic Design Location Sharp 1108
Beginning Graphic Design	2001 (001)	Mary Krysinski	Mon 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM In Person
Description In this course students explore the principles of visual communication by creating two-dimensional printed comprehensive layouts, and three-dimensional mock-ups. Stress is placed on process and development of solutions to problems; idea and form exploration; research; image and text development; compositional structure and hierarchy; verbal, technical, and hand skills. The course also covers the technical aspects of graphic design such as printing methods, papers, and binding. Students will produce 3?4 finished pieces exploring the use of image and type in both single page format, multi-page format, and possibly three-dimensional format. These projects are to be included in the VCD department's obligatory portfolio review for advancement into the VCD intermediate courses. Prerequisites Prerequisite: VISCOM 1001 and 2011	Class Number 1782	Credits 3	Department Visual Communication Design Area of Study Graphic Design Location Sharp 1115
Beginning Graphic Design	2001 (002)	Jiwon Son	Tues 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM In Person
Description In this course students explore the principles of visual communication by creating two-dimensional printed comprehensive layouts, and three-dimensional mock-ups. Stress is placed on process and development of solutions to problems; idea and form exploration; research; image and text development; compositional structure and hierarchy; verbal, technical, and hand skills. The course also covers the technical aspects of graphic design such as printing methods, papers, and binding. Students will produce 3?4 finished pieces exploring the use of image and type in both single page format, multi-page format, and possibly three-dimensional format. These projects are to be included in the VCD department's obligatory portfolio review for advancement into the VCD intermediate courses. Prerequisites Prerequisite: VISCOM 1001 and 2011	Class Number 1783	Credits 3	Department Visual Communication Design Area of Study Graphic Design Location Sharp 1214
Beginning Graphic Design	2001 (003)	Mark Addison Smith	Wed 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM In Person
Description In this course students explore the principles of visual communication by creating two-dimensional printed comprehensive layouts, and three-dimensional mock-ups. Stress is placed on process and development of solutions to problems; idea and form exploration; research; image and text development; compositional structure and hierarchy; verbal, technical, and hand skills. The course also covers the technical aspects of graphic design such as printing methods, papers, and binding. Students will produce 3?4 finished pieces exploring the use of image and type in both single page format, multi-page format, and possibly three-dimensional format. These projects are to be included in the VCD department's obligatory portfolio review for advancement into the VCD intermediate courses. Prerequisites Prerequisite: VISCOM 1001 and 2011	Class Number 1803	Credits 3	Department Visual Communication Design Area of Study Graphic Design Location Sharp 1214
Image Studio	2002 (001)		Wed 8:30 AM - 11:15 AM In Person
Description Image Studio is a course that challenges students to interpret, critically read text, conceptualize, and assess project parameters to implement design solutions. The creative process is a core focus throughout the assignments. The goal of this course is to explore the process of creating original imagery and visual information. We utilize digital and analog means to create design solutions to projects that also require fundamental explorations with typography. We explore a diverse means of image construction from paper collage to photography and Photoshop manipulation. Form studies examine design basics such as juxtaposition, repetition, and progression as well as the use of metaphor, analogy, and semiotics. The introduction of design context, audience awareness, and sequential narrative is also addressed. Prerequisites Prerequisite: VISCOM 1001 or VISCOM 1101.	Class Number 1785	Credits 3	Department Visual Communication Design Area of Study Graphic Design, Digital Imaging Location Sharp 1116
Image Studio	2002 (002)	Donald Pollack	Thurs 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM In Person
Description Image Studio is a course that challenges students to interpret, critically read text, conceptualize, and assess project parameters to implement design solutions. The creative process is a core focus throughout the assignments. The goal of this course is to explore the process of creating original imagery and visual information. We utilize digital and analog means to create design solutions to projects that also require fundamental explorations with typography. We explore a diverse means of image construction from paper collage to photography and Photoshop manipulation. Form studies examine design basics such as juxtaposition, repetition, and progression as well as the use of metaphor, analogy, and semiotics. The introduction of design context, audience awareness, and sequential narrative is also addressed. Prerequisites Prerequisite: VISCOM 1001 or VISCOM 1101.	Class Number 1784	Credits 3	Department Visual Communication Design Area of Study Graphic Design, Digital Imaging Location Sharp 1213
Image Studio	2002 (003)	Donald Pollack	Fri 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM In Person
Description Image Studio is a course that challenges students to interpret, critically read text, conceptualize, and assess project parameters to implement design solutions. The creative process is a core focus throughout the assignments. The goal of this course is to explore the process of creating original imagery and visual information. We utilize digital and analog means to create design solutions to projects that also require fundamental explorations with typography. We explore a diverse means of image construction from paper collage to photography and Photoshop manipulation. Form studies examine design basics such as juxtaposition, repetition, and progression as well as the use of metaphor, analogy, and semiotics. The introduction of design context, audience awareness, and sequential narrative is also addressed. Prerequisites Prerequisite: VISCOM 1001 or VISCOM 1101.	Class Number 1806	Credits 3	Department Visual Communication Design Area of Study Graphic Design, Digital Imaging Location Sharp 1213
Beginning Typography	2011 (001)	Martha Chiplis	Mon 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM In Person
Description This studio course explores typography's impact on language to create meaning, organization and tone. Students experiment in typographic composition and page structure with special regard to the flow and rupture of different text types and reading scenarios. Students learn the technical aspects of typography (specification and copyfitting), methods for composing dynamic multipage formats (combining digital and analog), and contexts (both historical and structural) for understanding the vast repository of typefaces. This course is a core requirement for the Visual Communication Design portfolio review. The framing text for this class is Ellen Lupton's Thinking with Type. But students will be introduced to numerous examples from the history of (predominantly Western) letterforms and concretized language. Understanding these historical forms in their contexts will reveal the logic behind the modern classification of digital type. Students produce weekly type projects which are critiqued and handed in as three project sets. The first set analyses letterforms, structurally and then programmatically. The next project set covers text setting and typographic compositions of increasing semantic and syntactic complexity. The last project is a multilingual, illustrated book layout where students engage the fundamental concept of 'structured variety' over a series of pages. Prerequisites Prerequisite: VISCOM 1001 or VISCOM 1101. Corequisite: VISCOM 2012.	Class Number 1786	Credits 3	Department Visual Communication Design Area of Study Digital Communication, Graphic Design, Books and Publishing Location Sharp 1213
Beginning Typography	2011 (002)	Jiwon Son	Wed 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM In Person
Description This studio course explores typography's impact on language to create meaning, organization and tone. Students experiment in typographic composition and page structure with special regard to the flow and rupture of different text types and reading scenarios. Students learn the technical aspects of typography (specification and copyfitting), methods for composing dynamic multipage formats (combining digital and analog), and contexts (both historical and structural) for understanding the vast repository of typefaces. This course is a core requirement for the Visual Communication Design portfolio review. The framing text for this class is Ellen Lupton's Thinking with Type. But students will be introduced to numerous examples from the history of (predominantly Western) letterforms and concretized language. Understanding these historical forms in their contexts will reveal the logic behind the modern classification of digital type. Students produce weekly type projects which are critiqued and handed in as three project sets. The first set analyses letterforms, structurally and then programmatically. The next project set covers text setting and typographic compositions of increasing semantic and syntactic complexity. The last project is a multilingual, illustrated book layout where students engage the fundamental concept of 'structured variety' over a series of pages. Prerequisites Prerequisite: VISCOM 1001 or VISCOM 1101. Corequisite: VISCOM 2012.	Class Number 1788	Credits 3	Department Visual Communication Design Area of Study Digital Communication, Graphic Design, Books and Publishing Location Sharp 1213
Beginning Typography	2011 (003)	Mary Krysinski	Thurs 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM In Person
Description This studio course explores typography's impact on language to create meaning, organization and tone. Students experiment in typographic composition and page structure with special regard to the flow and rupture of different text types and reading scenarios. Students learn the technical aspects of typography (specification and copyfitting), methods for composing dynamic multipage formats (combining digital and analog), and contexts (both historical and structural) for understanding the vast repository of typefaces. This course is a core requirement for the Visual Communication Design portfolio review. The framing text for this class is Ellen Lupton's Thinking with Type. But students will be introduced to numerous examples from the history of (predominantly Western) letterforms and concretized language. Understanding these historical forms in their contexts will reveal the logic behind the modern classification of digital type. Students produce weekly type projects which are critiqued and handed in as three project sets. The first set analyses letterforms, structurally and then programmatically. The next project set covers text setting and typographic compositions of increasing semantic and syntactic complexity. The last project is a multilingual, illustrated book layout where students engage the fundamental concept of 'structured variety' over a series of pages. Prerequisites Prerequisite: VISCOM 1001 or VISCOM 1101. Corequisite: VISCOM 2012.	Class Number 1787	Credits 3	Department Visual Communication Design Area of Study Digital Communication, Graphic Design, Books and Publishing Location Sharp 1117
Beginning Typography	2011 (004)	Jiwon Son	Fri 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM In Person
Description This studio course explores typography's impact on language to create meaning, organization and tone. Students experiment in typographic composition and page structure with special regard to the flow and rupture of different text types and reading scenarios. Students learn the technical aspects of typography (specification and copyfitting), methods for composing dynamic multipage formats (combining digital and analog), and contexts (both historical and structural) for understanding the vast repository of typefaces. This course is a core requirement for the Visual Communication Design portfolio review. The framing text for this class is Ellen Lupton's Thinking with Type. But students will be introduced to numerous examples from the history of (predominantly Western) letterforms and concretized language. Understanding these historical forms in their contexts will reveal the logic behind the modern classification of digital type. Students produce weekly type projects which are critiqued and handed in as three project sets. The first set analyses letterforms, structurally and then programmatically. The next project set covers text setting and typographic compositions of increasing semantic and syntactic complexity. The last project is a multilingual, illustrated book layout where students engage the fundamental concept of 'structured variety' over a series of pages. Prerequisites Prerequisite: VISCOM 1001 or VISCOM 1101. Corequisite: VISCOM 2012.	Class Number 1815	Credits 3	Department Visual Communication Design Area of Study Digital Communication, Graphic Design, Books and Publishing Location Sharp 1117
Type Technologies Lab	2012 (001)		Tues 3:30 PM - 4:45 PM In Person
Description This class is a co-requisite with Beginning Typography and closely couples with the activities of this particular studio course. The lab components will introduce students to page layout software (namely Adobe InDesign), its terminology and its specific functions, its relationship to other software packages, techniques for composing and outputting digitally, and the technical aspects of digital typography. This information will be reinforced via tutorials and short design exercises which target specific topics and techniques covered during lectures. As the semester progresses, this class also functions as a working lab for the Beginning Typography studio class, allowing students to work on the same project across both classes and receive technology assistance from the instructor. This crossover reinforces the links between digital and non-digital composing and terminologies. Prerequisites Corequisite: VISCOM 2011 or VISCOM 1102.	Class Number 1789	Credits 1.5	Department Visual Communication Design Area of Study Graphic Design, Digital Imaging Location Sharp 1115
Type Technologies Lab	2012 (002)		Tues 5:00 PM - 6:15 PM In Person
Description This class is a co-requisite with Beginning Typography and closely couples with the activities of this particular studio course. The lab components will introduce students to page layout software (namely Adobe InDesign), its terminology and its specific functions, its relationship to other software packages, techniques for composing and outputting digitally, and the technical aspects of digital typography. This information will be reinforced via tutorials and short design exercises which target specific topics and techniques covered during lectures. As the semester progresses, this class also functions as a working lab for the Beginning Typography studio class, allowing students to work on the same project across both classes and receive technology assistance from the instructor. This crossover reinforces the links between digital and non-digital composing and terminologies. Prerequisites Corequisite: VISCOM 2011 or VISCOM 1102.	Class Number 1790	Credits 1.5	Department Visual Communication Design Area of Study Graphic Design, Digital Imaging Location Sharp 1115
Type Technologies Lab	2012 (003)	Kristin J Maksymiw	Thurs 3:30 PM - 4:45 PM In Person
Description This class is a co-requisite with Beginning Typography and closely couples with the activities of this particular studio course. The lab components will introduce students to page layout software (namely Adobe InDesign), its terminology and its specific functions, its relationship to other software packages, techniques for composing and outputting digitally, and the technical aspects of digital typography. This information will be reinforced via tutorials and short design exercises which target specific topics and techniques covered during lectures. As the semester progresses, this class also functions as a working lab for the Beginning Typography studio class, allowing students to work on the same project across both classes and receive technology assistance from the instructor. This crossover reinforces the links between digital and non-digital composing and terminologies. Prerequisites Corequisite: VISCOM 2011 or VISCOM 1102.	Class Number 1791	Credits 1.5	Department Visual Communication Design Area of Study Graphic Design, Digital Imaging Location Sharp 1115
Type Technologies Lab	2012 (004)	Kristin J Maksymiw	Thurs 5:00 PM - 6:15 PM In Person
Description This class is a co-requisite with Beginning Typography and closely couples with the activities of this particular studio course. The lab components will introduce students to page layout software (namely Adobe InDesign), its terminology and its specific functions, its relationship to other software packages, techniques for composing and outputting digitally, and the technical aspects of digital typography. This information will be reinforced via tutorials and short design exercises which target specific topics and techniques covered during lectures. As the semester progresses, this class also functions as a working lab for the Beginning Typography studio class, allowing students to work on the same project across both classes and receive technology assistance from the instructor. This crossover reinforces the links between digital and non-digital composing and terminologies. Prerequisites Corequisite: VISCOM 2011 or VISCOM 1102.	Class Number 1816	Credits 1.5	Department Visual Communication Design Area of Study Graphic Design, Digital Imaging Location Sharp 1115
Type and Image in Motion	2041 (001)		Fri 8:30 AM - 11:15 AM All Online
Description 2041 - Type + Image in Motion is a studio based introduction to the design of motion graphics. We will examine the methodologies, theories, visual and auditory principles, technical issues of motion design with an emphasis on the interplay of movement, time, imagery, typography and sound within the digital environment. The course focuses on the role motion plays in creating expressive and communicative experiences. Students will critically analyze and create a range of motion studies, and investigate the visual grammar and creative strategies of the time-based communication and motion graphics utilizing storyboarding and two-dimensional animation, Readings, screenings and discussions will provide students with a historical overview of motion design and time-based media. We will examine the work of various influential motion designers both past and present. Readings and lectures cover the theoretical foundations of the field, and assignments provide hands-on, project-based experience with production. Weekly in-class tutorials will be provided by the instructor and the student will be required to develop a working knowledge of software appropriate to concepts of time-based media. Students should expect to develop comprehensive storyboards and produce three short digital videos. The completed motion design studies and visual investigations will be presented in group and individual critiques during the course of the semester. Prerequisites Prerequisite: VISCOM 1002 or VISCOM 2941.	Class Number 1792	Credits 3	Department Visual Communication Design Area of Study Graphic Design, Digital Imaging, Animation Location Online
Design Strategies	2900 (086)	Kimberly Karen Viviano	Tues 8:30 AM - 11:15 AM In Person
Description What are the concerns that drive one's creative practice? How does one set the terms for its future development? Sophomore Seminar offers strategies for students to explore, reflect upon, and connect common themes and interests in the development of an emerging creative practice that will serve as the basis of their ongoing studies at SAIC and beyond. Students will examine historical and contemporary influences and contextualize their work in relation to the diverse art-worlds of the 21st Century. Readings, screenings, and field trips will vary each semester. Presentations by visiting artists and guest speakers will provide the opportunity for students to hear unique perspectives on sustaining a creative practice. One-on-one meetings with faculty will provide students with individualized mentorship throughout the semester. During interdisciplinary critiques, students will explore a variety of formats and tools to analyze work and provide peer feedback. The class mid-term project asks students to imagine a plan for their creative life and devise a self-directed course of study for their time at school. The course concludes with an assignment asking students to develop and document a project or body of work demonstrating how the interplay of ideas, technical skills, and formal concerns evolve through iteration, experimentation and revision. Prerequisite: Must be a sophomore to enroll. Prerequisites Prerequisite: Must be a sophomore to enroll.	Class Number 2146	Credits 3	Department Visual Communication Design Location Sharp 1108
Design Strategies	2900 (087)	Riesling Dong	Wed 12:15 PM - 3:00 PM In Person
Description What are the concerns that drive one's creative practice? How does one set the terms for its future development? Sophomore Seminar offers strategies for students to explore, reflect upon, and connect common themes and interests in the development of an emerging creative practice that will serve as the basis of their ongoing studies at SAIC and beyond. Students will examine historical and contemporary influences and contextualize their work in relation to the diverse art-worlds of the 21st Century. Readings, screenings, and field trips will vary each semester. Presentations by visiting artists and guest speakers will provide the opportunity for students to hear unique perspectives on sustaining a creative practice. One-on-one meetings with faculty will provide students with individualized mentorship throughout the semester. During interdisciplinary critiques, students will explore a variety of formats and tools to analyze work and provide peer feedback. The class mid-term project asks students to imagine a plan for their creative life and devise a self-directed course of study for their time at school. The course concludes with an assignment asking students to develop and document a project or body of work demonstrating how the interplay of ideas, technical skills, and formal concerns evolve through iteration, experimentation and revision. Prerequisite: Must be a sophomore to enroll. Prerequisites Prerequisite: Must be a sophomore to enroll.	Class Number 2147	Credits 3	Department Visual Communication Design Location Sharp 1108
Intermediate Graphic Design	3001 (001)	Donald Pollack	Mon 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM In Person
Description Experiments in visual communication challenge the student to further refine visual thinking and integrate basic studies through applied problems. The importance of flexibility of approach is stressed at this level. Through experimentation, the problem is defined and organized; imagery and message are manipulated; awareness of potential solutions is increased. A student's portfolio must be pre-approved by the visual communication department for enrollment in this course. Prerequisites Prerequisite: Student must pass VISCOM Portfolio Review, please message VISCOM for more details on portfolio reviews	Class Number 1794	Credits 3	Department Visual Communication Design Area of Study Graphic Design Location Sharp 1116
Intermediate Graphic Design	3001 (002)	Mark Stammers	Tues 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM In Person
Description Experiments in visual communication challenge the student to further refine visual thinking and integrate basic studies through applied problems. The importance of flexibility of approach is stressed at this level. Through experimentation, the problem is defined and organized; imagery and message are manipulated; awareness of potential solutions is increased. A student's portfolio must be pre-approved by the visual communication department for enrollment in this course. Prerequisites Prerequisite: Student must pass VISCOM Portfolio Review, please message VISCOM for more details on portfolio reviews	Class Number 1793	Credits 3	Department Visual Communication Design Area of Study Graphic Design Location Sharp 1116
Intermediate Typography	3011 (002)	Timothy Bruce	Wed 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM In Person
Description This course explores the power and beauty of typography as a delivery mechanism for information, narrative structures and alternate forms of expression. Working with form, space and meaning, students can expect to learn how to organize complex verbal information into cohesive typographic systems and hierarchical configurations; how to create sophisticated grid systems and enhance functionality through navigation and structural consistency within a multiple page/screen environment; how to work with intertextuality, non-linearity, dramatic pacing and experimental typography as an emotive voice. Suggested readings and screenings vary and may include Thinking With Type (Lupton, 2010), Letter Fountain (Pohlen, 2015), The Elements of Typographic Style (Bringhurst, 2004), The Complete Manual of Typography (Felici, 2012), Typographic Design: Form and Communication (Carter, Day, Meggs, 2012). In addition, students will examine the application and effects of typographic design in historical and modern-day contexts with a primary focus on print media. Students will work on assignments of varying complexity and duration. Assignments are structured to build skills, understanding and confidence in typographic manipulation, and are designed to yield valuable components of the student?s portfolio. Prerequisites Prerequisite: Student must pass VISCOM Portfolio Review, please message VISCOM for more details on portfolio reviews	Class Number 1795	Credits 3	Department Visual Communication Design Area of Study Graphic Design, Books and Publishing Location Sharp 1115
Intermediate Typography	3011 (003)	Mark Stammers	Fri 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM In Person
Description This course explores the power and beauty of typography as a delivery mechanism for information, narrative structures and alternate forms of expression. Working with form, space and meaning, students can expect to learn how to organize complex verbal information into cohesive typographic systems and hierarchical configurations; how to create sophisticated grid systems and enhance functionality through navigation and structural consistency within a multiple page/screen environment; how to work with intertextuality, non-linearity, dramatic pacing and experimental typography as an emotive voice. Suggested readings and screenings vary and may include Thinking With Type (Lupton, 2010), Letter Fountain (Pohlen, 2015), The Elements of Typographic Style (Bringhurst, 2004), The Complete Manual of Typography (Felici, 2012), Typographic Design: Form and Communication (Carter, Day, Meggs, 2012). In addition, students will examine the application and effects of typographic design in historical and modern-day contexts with a primary focus on print media. Students will work on assignments of varying complexity and duration. Assignments are structured to build skills, understanding and confidence in typographic manipulation, and are designed to yield valuable components of the student?s portfolio. Prerequisites Prerequisite: Student must pass VISCOM Portfolio Review, please message VISCOM for more details on portfolio reviews	Class Number 1817	Credits 3	Department Visual Communication Design Area of Study Graphic Design, Books and Publishing Location Sharp 1116
Interface and Structure: Web Design	3045 (001)	Mark Stammers	Thurs 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM In Person
Description HTML defines the structure of a web page, while CSS lends style by controlling the presentation of elements. This online course caters to students with little or no prior coding experience. Through hands-on coding modules, students will use a text editing program to acquire proficiency in standards-compliant HTML and CSS. A strong emphasis on redundancy will ensure that coding concepts are fully understood and best practices reinforced. Students will undertake research, design, and coding tasks to create a fully functional, responsive website. With a solid understanding of HTML and CSS, students will explore opportunities to develop dynamic web pages that adapt seamlessly to different devices and screen sizes. Additionally, students will investigate interface possibilities, evaluate site navigation opportunities, and analyze the effectiveness of various page structures in communicating information effectively and efficiently. There are no prerequisites for this course. Prerequisites Prerequisite: Student must pass VISCOM Portfolio Review, please message VISCOM for more details on portfolio reviews	Class Number 1804	Credits 3	Department Visual Communication Design Area of Study Social Media and the Web Location Sharp 1108
Letterpress Bookworks	3111 (001)	Catherine Ruggie-Saunders	Mon 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM In Person
Description Students in this course will design and produce visual communication via the letterpress method, with emphasis upon the integration of materials, structure, and content. Instruction encourages an interdisciplinary approach with a thrust toward expanding the medium?s boundaries. Lectures and video documentaries provide an historical and cultural context for type design and the printing revolution. A field trip will provide exposure to the expanding applicability of letterpress in contemporary design, as well as exemplars from the past six centuries. Demonstrations will acquaint students with both classical and current approaches to using the tactile voice of letterpress. Students should expect to work with single sheet formats, traditional books, artist's books, and 3-D sculptural multiples, to be presented in group critiques. This course may be repeated for credit, with students creating letterpress bookworks through self-initiated projects. Prerequisites Prerequisite: VISCOM 2011 or permission of instructor.	Class Number 1798	Credits 3	Department Visual Communication Design Area of Study Books and Publishing Location Sharp 1308
Letterpress Bookworks	3111 (002)	Catherine Ruggie-Saunders	Fri 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM In Person
Description Students in this course will design and produce visual communication via the letterpress method, with emphasis upon the integration of materials, structure, and content. Instruction encourages an interdisciplinary approach with a thrust toward expanding the medium?s boundaries. Lectures and video documentaries provide an historical and cultural context for type design and the printing revolution. A field trip will provide exposure to the expanding applicability of letterpress in contemporary design, as well as exemplars from the past six centuries. Demonstrations will acquaint students with both classical and current approaches to using the tactile voice of letterpress. Students should expect to work with single sheet formats, traditional books, artist's books, and 3-D sculptural multiples, to be presented in group critiques. This course may be repeated for credit, with students creating letterpress bookworks through self-initiated projects. Prerequisites Prerequisite: VISCOM 2011 or permission of instructor.	Class Number 1797	Credits 3	Department Visual Communication Design Area of Study Books and Publishing Location Sharp 1308
Package Design	3131 (001)	Jacob Ristau	Thurs 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM In Person
Description Students produce simple and complex three-dimensional studies. Principles of abstraction combined with packaging construction techniques serve as the basis for developing solutions. A variety of assignments are given that explore the integration of typography, image, and form. Prerequisites Prerequisite: VISCOM 2001 and VISCOM 2011.	Class Number 1799	Credits 3	Department Visual Communication Design Area of Study Graphic Design, Product Design Location Sharp 1114
Truth, Perception and Story-Telling in Artists' Books	3191 (001)	Alex Karenina Kostiw	Tues 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM In Person
Description Stories are a fundamental way that we share and understand information to make meaning. Storytelling, then, is in part an investigation of ?truths??of various realities that shape how we see the world. The intersection of content, internal narrative structure, and physical form, storytelling can illuminate ?truths? in ways that cause us to more deeply examine our perceptions, ideas, and beliefs. This course focuses on notions of truth in expression: how a fictional approach can express emotional truths; how multiple and contradictory views of a situation can reveal a truth; and how perceptions and beliefs can be called into question through story construction. A selection of readings and works, as well as visits to the Joan Flasch Artists' Book Collection, will provide examples of traditional vs. nontraditional, linear vs. nonlinear, and fiction vs. nonfiction narratives. Together with exercises in paper-based forms, they are starting points for exploring physical structures, methods, and devices of narrative discourse. The course treats the book form in broad terms: sequencing that reveals content or meaning over time. In 3-4 projects, students will develop their own content, work within project parameters to construct stories through image and/or text, and experiment with possibilities in narrative structure and form, whether paper-based or in other media. Prerequisites Prerequisite: VISCOM 3001	Class Number 1825	Credits 3	Department Visual Communication Design Area of Study Digital Communication Location Sharp 1213
Letterpress Broadside Editions	3211 (001)	Martha Chiplis	Tues 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM In Person
Description The poster (broadside) has a rich heritage in culture, design, and art. Some of the forms that will be explored in this course are political and social justice posters, advertising window cards, public notices, music posters, magician?s joke cards, and the work of contemporary letterpress printers. Students will be exposed to the history, layout structures, and graphic vocabularies of the poster format via lectures, handouts, video documentaries, and visits to local collections such as the Newberry Library. Through instructor demonstrations and student practice in the well-equipped SAIC letterpress studio, students will explore the relationship between form and content in design, become familiar with the names and parts of type, learn how to set type correctly, how to print well, and more. Students will develop their own contemporary interpretations of the poster form by writing, designing, revising, and printing broadsides via letterpress. A convergence of old and new technologies?wood and metal type, relief matrices, and the reproductive capabilities of digitally-based photopolymer?will be used.	Class Number 1807	Credits 3	Department Visual Communication Design Area of Study Books and Publishing Location Sharp 1308
Designer-Citizen	3292 (001)		Mon 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM In Person
Description What is the role of the designer-citizen? In this course, we will explore both the possibilities and limitations of design as a catalyst for change. Throughout the semester, we will discuss the work of a wide range of designers, artists, activist groups, and organizations, including: John Heartfield, Emory Douglas, See Red Women¿s Workshop, ACT UP, Theaster Gates, Pedro Reyes, Lauren Williams, Sang Mun, the Design Justice Network, and the Center for Urban Pedagogy. Students will be encouraged to think about the course title as an open question ¿ what does it mean to be a designer-citizen?¿ and to develop their own answers to that question through research, writing, and studio practice.	Class Number 1809	Credits 3	Department Visual Communication Design Area of Study Economic Inequality & Class, Graphic Design, Art/Design and Politics Location Sharp 1217
Type Design and Lettering	3311 (001)	Mary Krysinski	Tues 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM In Person
Description Typeface design is a specialized sub-category of typography. Not every graphic designer designs type, every designer must be proficient in the more general topic of typography for their profession. Type design differs from typography because it involves the design and production of letterforms, which are a part of typography, but does not involve the details and setting of type in a format that conveys a particular message. This course is for students who want to learn the technical skills necessary to design a font that can be used in a professional setting, and with the software tools used by graphic designers. Students will learn about the history of type design, and explore various methods of letterform drawing, learning the minute details and characteristics required for legibility. This will be used as a basis for experimenting with different styles of letterforms to create their own font, and learn how to use the necessary software to publish their font for commercial use. Readings by type designers will be included: 'Designing Type' by Karen Cheng, and 'House Industries Lettering Manual' by Ken Barber are two of the books which readings will be taken from. 'Sign Painters: The Movie' is one of the movies that will be shown. Guest speakers from the Chicago area will be brought in. Students will be expected to produce one complete font design by the end of the semester. Before starting their font, smaller assignments will be given which involve different lettering techniques, researching and drawing a historical style of lettering, and semi-weekly readings. Prerequisites Prerequisite: VISCOM 3011 or a Graduate Student	Class Number 1829	Credits 3	Department Visual Communication Design Area of Study Graphic Design Location Sharp 1115
Professional Practice	3900 (001)	Kimberly Karen Viviano	Tues 12:15 PM - 3:00 PM In Person
Description This course includes guidance on the preparation and design of a resume and business card; the planning, development and design of an online portfolio; interview strategies and techniques; professional connections with practicing designers; and resources and advice for locating and contacting various types of design employers. This course is ideal for visual communication students preparing for internships or seniors preparing for entrance into the design profession. This course may be repeated. Prerequisites Prerequisite: VISCOM 3001 and 3011 and a 2900 course	Class Number 1820	Credits 3	Department Visual Communication Design Area of Study Graphic Design Location Sharp 1108
Professional Practice	3900 (002)	Alex Karenina Kostiw	Thurs 12:15 PM - 3:00 PM In Person
Description This course includes guidance on the preparation and design of a resume and business card; the planning, development and design of an online portfolio; interview strategies and techniques; professional connections with practicing designers; and resources and advice for locating and contacting various types of design employers. This course is ideal for visual communication students preparing for internships or seniors preparing for entrance into the design profession. This course may be repeated. Prerequisites Prerequisite: VISCOM 3001 and 3011 and a 2900 course	Class Number 1821	Credits 3	Department Visual Communication Design Area of Study Graphic Design Location Sharp 1115
Scientific Illustration	3921 (001)	Margaret Macnamara, Jennifer Lobo	Tues 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM In Person
Description This class will begin with a demonstration on traditional drawing techniques used to illustrate scientific material. Students will develop pencil and ink renderings as well as watercolor illustrations of animal, plant and insect species. Work will also include relevant habitat and scale information. Each Class will include a lecture and /or visit behind the scenes to a lab at the Field Museum. Working scientists will expose the students to common collection methods as well as specimen preparation such as bird and mammal taxidermy. Course work will be described at the beginning of each class. Midterm critiques, small groups of 5, will determine and promote individual projects to be presented in the Final Critiques.	Class Number 1800	Credits 3	Department Visual Communication Design Area of Study Illustration, Art and Science Location Field Museum Basement
Scientific Illustration	3921 (001)	Margaret Macnamara, Jennifer Lobo	Tues 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM In Person
Description This class will begin with a demonstration on traditional drawing techniques used to illustrate scientific material. Students will develop pencil and ink renderings as well as watercolor illustrations of animal, plant and insect species. Work will also include relevant habitat and scale information. Each Class will include a lecture and /or visit behind the scenes to a lab at the Field Museum. Working scientists will expose the students to common collection methods as well as specimen preparation such as bird and mammal taxidermy. Course work will be described at the beginning of each class. Midterm critiques, small groups of 5, will determine and promote individual projects to be presented in the Final Critiques.	Class Number 1800	Credits 3	Department Visual Communication Design Area of Study Illustration, Art and Science Location Field Museum Basement
Natural History Illustration	3922 (001)	Olivia Petrides	Mon 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM In Person
Description This course deals with painting plants, birds, reptiles and mammals. Botanical structure and basic anatomy are covered, as well as specific morphological information on textures, scales, feathers, and fur. Classes are held at the Lincoln Park Zoo, the Garfield Park Conservatory, the Chicago Botanic Garden (Fall Semester only) and the Field Museum of Natural History. We tour and work with specimens in the Field Museum research areas as well as work in the public collections. The most difficult part of this class is drawing a moving creature. Tackling this issue at the zoo enables the student to understand structure in the light of behavior and physical action. The importance of seeing and drawing live animals cannot be underestimated. Watercolor and gouache are used, so basic painting methods, color mixing, color layering and spatial dynamics are emphasized. This is an excellent class in which to improve observational skills. A point of departure for the course will be historical scientific illustrators such as Maria Sybilla Meriam, John James Audubon, Louis Agassiz Fuertes, as well as contemporary artists and illustrators like Walton Ford and Alexis Rockman. There is a new assignment each class, with many examples on an assignment sheet provided for guidance. There is a group critique every week, with discussion of how each student solved problems of accurate representation. Students are expected to have 10 excellent pieces by the end of the semester, to be presented at the final critique.	Class Number 1801	Credits 3	Department Visual Communication Design Area of Study Illustration, Art and Science Location Field Museum Basement
Heavy Cardboard: Designing Boardgames	4020 (001)	Stephen Farrell, Jacob Ristau	Wed 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM In Person
Description This course explores boardgame design as an expression of data visualization and user interface (UI) within a play environment. Teams of students will develop their chosen research areas into fun, strategic, well-crafted integrations of theme, game mechanics and world order. Resource management will provide a framework for developing mechanics, while playtesting and prototyping will drive teams¿ iterative process. The only way to truly understand how boardgames work is to play boardgames and analyze the play experience. To this end, much of our in-class time will be spent 1.) playing existing games that highlight certain game mechanics and levels of difficulty, and 2.) repeatedly play-testing each others' evolving games. How does each game immerse us? Do their themes come forth and flow through the game mechanics? Are they fun, unpredictable, balanced? How does each one situate its players in a point of view? How does graphic design facilitate immersion and theme and an understanding of structures and actions. Lectures, team presentations, and individual team meetings with teachers will supplement game play. The course will begin with one-week studio exercises focused on theming, game mechanics and visualization techniques for boardgames. Over the semester, teams of students will research, design and prototype a Eurostyle boardgame of their choosing. The final will include a prototype of the game, rulebook, and overview teach video. Prerequisites Student must have completed one of VISCOM 3002/3045/4535/4590, or be a graduate student.	Class Number 1831	Credits 3	Department Visual Communication Design Location Sharp 1117
Heavy Cardboard: Designing Boardgames	4020 (001)	Stephen Farrell, Jacob Ristau	Wed 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM In Person
Description This course explores boardgame design as an expression of data visualization and user interface (UI) within a play environment. Teams of students will develop their chosen research areas into fun, strategic, well-crafted integrations of theme, game mechanics and world order. Resource management will provide a framework for developing mechanics, while playtesting and prototyping will drive teams¿ iterative process. The only way to truly understand how boardgames work is to play boardgames and analyze the play experience. To this end, much of our in-class time will be spent 1.) playing existing games that highlight certain game mechanics and levels of difficulty, and 2.) repeatedly play-testing each others' evolving games. How does each game immerse us? Do their themes come forth and flow through the game mechanics? Are they fun, unpredictable, balanced? How does each one situate its players in a point of view? How does graphic design facilitate immersion and theme and an understanding of structures and actions. Lectures, team presentations, and individual team meetings with teachers will supplement game play. The course will begin with one-week studio exercises focused on theming, game mechanics and visualization techniques for boardgames. Over the semester, teams of students will research, design and prototype a Eurostyle boardgame of their choosing. The final will include a prototype of the game, rulebook, and overview teach video. Prerequisites Student must have completed one of VISCOM 3002/3045/4535/4590, or be a graduate student.	Class Number 1831	Credits 3	Department Visual Communication Design Location Sharp 1117
Interface and Interaction: Design Experiences	4041 (001)	Elliott Morton Beazley	Mon/Wed 6:45 PM - 9:15 PM In Person
Description What are the factors that drive a product designer¿s practice, and how do user empathy, Design Thinking, and human-centered design create effective, navigable experiences? In this course, students will analyze atomic theory, research design systems, and deploy responsive products using tools that generate semantic code. A critical examination of interaction trends, from service design to multi-channel narratives, will uncover the complexities of architecture, journey mapping, microinteractions, and animation. Students will deploy code to a live environment for quality assurance and audience-based usability testing. Readings and screenings typically include Brad Frost, author of Atomic Design, as the primary point of departure. The class will also examine works, tutorials, and interviews with Nicholas Felton from Apple, Elizabeth Churchill at Google, Vlad Magdalin from Webflow, and Dylan Field at Figma. Resources for students will include access to Mobbin.com as well as Apple¿s Human Interaction Guidelines (HIG) and Google¿s Material 3. Tutorials will also be provided for Lottie animation, 3D Spline, and advanced content management systems. Coursework will vary but typically includes weekly tutorial exercises, creation of digital artifacts like journey maps, an individual midterm project, and an individual final project. Critiques will be screen-based on a variety of devices, including projector, desktop, tablet and/or handset. Prerequisites Must have completed VISCOM 3001 or be a VISCOM PBACC/MFA Student	Class Number 2144	Credits 3	Department Visual Communication Design Location Sharp 1108
Identity Systems	4121 (001)	Jacob Ristau	Mon 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM In Person
Description This is an advanced studio course focusing on developing the methodology and skill sets required to shape a comprehensive visual identity system for commercial application. Students explore various practical facets of identity development: research, communication strategy, visual form, graphic standards, and implementation, with particular emphasis on mark-making, testing and refinement. Multiple approaches to identity design are examined and explored, including static, iterative, dynamic and kinetic systems. Suggested readings and screenings vary and may include excerpts from Graphic Design, Now in Production (Blauvelt, 2011), Designing Brand Identity (Wheeler, 2013), Marks of Excellence (Mollerup, 2013), Logo Design Love (Airey, 2015), Signs and Symbols, Their Design and Meaning (Frutiger, 1978), Graphic Design/The New Basics (Lupton, 2015), and Saul Bass?s Bell System Pitch. The identity work of major branding firms, such as Pentagram, Sagmeister, and Chermayeff & Geismar & Haviv are examined as well as the work of independent, highly regarded design professionals. Students will work on a progressive sequence of assignments as a way to build skills, learning and confidence in a didactic manner, culminating in a large-scale identity system, prepared for professional grade presentation. Prerequisites Prerequisite: VISCOM 3001 and VISCOM 3011.	Class Number 1802	Credits 3	Department Visual Communication Design Location Sharp 1114
Identity Systems	4121 (002)	Michael Konetzka	Tues 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM In Person
Description This is an advanced studio course focusing on developing the methodology and skill sets required to shape a comprehensive visual identity system for commercial application. Students explore various practical facets of identity development: research, communication strategy, visual form, graphic standards, and implementation, with particular emphasis on mark-making, testing and refinement. Multiple approaches to identity design are examined and explored, including static, iterative, dynamic and kinetic systems. Suggested readings and screenings vary and may include excerpts from Graphic Design, Now in Production (Blauvelt, 2011), Designing Brand Identity (Wheeler, 2013), Marks of Excellence (Mollerup, 2013), Logo Design Love (Airey, 2015), Signs and Symbols, Their Design and Meaning (Frutiger, 1978), Graphic Design/The New Basics (Lupton, 2015), and Saul Bass?s Bell System Pitch. The identity work of major branding firms, such as Pentagram, Sagmeister, and Chermayeff & Geismar & Haviv are examined as well as the work of independent, highly regarded design professionals. Students will work on a progressive sequence of assignments as a way to build skills, learning and confidence in a didactic manner, culminating in a large-scale identity system, prepared for professional grade presentation. Prerequisites Prerequisite: VISCOM 3001 and VISCOM 3011.	Class Number 1818	Credits 3	Department Visual Communication Design Location Sharp 1217
d.Studio	4900 (001)	Mark Stammers	Wed 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM In Person
Description d.STUDIO is a Visual Communication Design department, consent only, advanced Capstone course run in collaboration with SAIC?s Marketing & Communications department. Students work with internal SAIC clients in a quasi-professional setting on real-world design projects and apply their skills to an array of print and digital media platforms to meet the messaging requirements of the client. Students work on two significant projects in a semester, and receive critical feedback on their progress at every stage of the design process via one-on-one, group, and client-led critiques and discussions. Students create professional-looking mood boards, facsimile mockups, and digital presentations to promote their ideas. The client awards the design commission for a project to the student whose concept best aligns with their communication needs. The client then works with the student to help bring the project to a successful conclusion. Communication possibilities include advertisements, animation, app design, direct mail, identity, invitations, packaging, postcards, posters, publications, and signage. Prerequisites Student must have completed VISCOM 3001 and 3011, must also have completed a 3900 class or be a graduate student.	Class Number 1822	Credits 3	Department Visual Communication Design Area of Study Digital Communication, Graphic Design, Product Design Location Sharp 1217
Advanced Graphic Design	4900 (001)	Georgia Bockos	Thurs 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM In Person
Description In this course students further develop their ability to undertake complex design problems involving typography and imagery to create meaningful solutions. Emphasized is the development of a point of view through a professional lens. It is the culmination of the beginning graphic design and intermediate graphic design course thread by taking a deeper exploration of visual communication design through the creation of systems, interventions, and speculations. In this course, students will be exposed to the work of contemporary print and digital designers and studios such as Second Story, Studio A and Appetite Engineers. Readings, lectures and course work will address the role of applicable design theory and methodologies to create, develop and articulate a concept based on extensive research and strategic thinking for clear communication objectives Coursework will vary as determined by the instructor, but will comprise a minimum of two projects. Basic parameters will be established by the instructor with final outcomes resulting in fully functional digital interactions and/or printed and possibly bound experiences. Assigned projects are user-centered, come with constraints, and have targeted audiences. Outcomes are open-ended physical experiences or digital interactions. Professional practice components are addressed, including making visual audits, writing project briefs, crafting strategies, presenting concepts, and thoroughly developing visual iterations and refinements. Prerequisites Student must have completed VISCOM 3001 and 3011, must also have completed a 3900 class or be a graduate student.	Class Number 1824	Credits 3	Department Visual Communication Design Area of Study Digital Communication, Graphic Design, Books and Publishing Location Sharp 1116
Design Thesis Seminar	4900 (001)	Stephen Farrell, Piotr Michura	Thurs 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM In Person
Description In this team-taught studio course, students have the opportunity to explore a specific design problem in the student's area of concentration and develop it thoroughly and comprehensively as a thesis throughout the semester. Work is carried out independently and discussed once a week in a critique seminar format. Students formally present their work at various points throughout the semester. Final work is presented to an outside panel of industry professionals. Students must submit a proposal to be admitted to Advanced Studio and have the signature of one of the two instructors to register for this course. Open to seniors and post-baccalaureates only. Readings and research materials for this class are largely directed by each student?s thesis and supplemental material suggested by the course instructors and classmates. Materials are presented to the class alongside work progress for discussion. Students should expect to produce a body of work consisting of finished pieces during the semester and a presentation detailing their process and trajectory, to be presented in a culminating course critique with an outside panel. Prerequisites Prerequisite: 3900 course or graduate student	Class Number 1823	Credits 6	Department Visual Communication Design Area of Study Graphic Design Location Sharp 1217
Design Thesis Seminar	4900 (001)	Stephen Farrell, Piotr Michura	Thurs 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM In Person
Description In this team-taught studio course, students have the opportunity to explore a specific design problem in the student's area of concentration and develop it thoroughly and comprehensively as a thesis throughout the semester. Work is carried out independently and discussed once a week in a critique seminar format. Students formally present their work at various points throughout the semester. Final work is presented to an outside panel of industry professionals. Students must submit a proposal to be admitted to Advanced Studio and have the signature of one of the two instructors to register for this course. Open to seniors and post-baccalaureates only. Readings and research materials for this class are largely directed by each student?s thesis and supplemental material suggested by the course instructors and classmates. Materials are presented to the class alongside work progress for discussion. Students should expect to produce a body of work consisting of finished pieces during the semester and a presentation detailing their process and trajectory, to be presented in a culminating course critique with an outside panel. Prerequisites Prerequisite: 3900 course or graduate student	Class Number 1823	Credits 6	Department Visual Communication Design Area of Study Graphic Design Location Sharp 1217

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Visit the graduate admissions website or contact the graduate admissions office at 312.629.6100, 800.232.7242 or gradmiss@saic.edu.

Curriculum & Courses

Graduate Curriculum Overview

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