Cert in Design and Applied Arts

This certificate in graphic design comes from the art and design department and consists of six courses. Five are required: two-dimensional design, digital media, typography, layout and information design, and advanced graphic design. The sixth is a restricted elective. Choices for the elective include user experience strategy, visual thinking, a survey of graphic design, package design, digital illustration, advanced media design, special topics, professional work and career experience in art. Courses build on each other in sequence, with each level serving as a prerequisite for the next. The curriculum totals eighteen credit hours and is planned so that a student can finish in four semesters. Upper-level courses focus on layout, information design and advanced projects, so the sequence moves from basic skills toward more complex professional work.