CATALOG 2011-2012 - The Art Institutes

GRAPHIC
DESIGN
ASSOCIATE OF APPLIED SCIENCE: 7 QUARTERS
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
Glossy magazines, digital media, corporate stationery, television graphics, billboards - all are composed
of images, design, and printed words that work together to sell products and services, or to convey
messages. This is the fundamental concept of graphic design, and it’s the basis of some of today’s
most dynamic fields - advertising, publishing, television and interactive communications.
The Graphic Design Associate degree program at The Art Institutes International Minnesota is the first
step toward a career in commercial graphics. Initially, students develop an understanding of color and
composition, design and typography, and have the opportunity to learn accurate drawing skills. As they
progress through the program, students have the opportunity to learn to offer effective solutions.
PROGRAM MISSION
The mission of the Graphic Design Associate degree program is to provide a focus on conceptual
thinking while developing graphic design technical and creative skills, including an introduction to
the theory and practice of print and web design production, electronic publishing, graphic imagery,
and sales promotion. Graduates are prepared to enter in entry-level positions in the graphic design
field through practice of lifelong learning. Graphic Design graduates are prepared to work and
meet the challenges of the continually changing marketplace and Graphic Design profession.
PROGRAM STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES
1. Technical - Graduates will demonstrate competencies in industry-specific computer
software programs within the context of producing concrete projects. This includes
technical aspects of prepress, output, and quality reproduction, as well as web design
2. Design - Graduates will incorporate aesthetics and formal concepts of layout and
design. This includes spatial relationships; communication legibility and effectiveness;
interrelationships among imagery and text; balance; typography; and color theory
3. Visual Communication - Graduates are able to verbally articulate the vision
behind their creative work and explain and promote their solutions
4. History / Concepts - Students will demonstrate design concepts and relate these to historical and
contemporary trends and social context by producing successful visual solutions to assigned problems
5. Design Professionalism - Graduates will demonstrate professional presentation;
articulation of knowledge of graphic design and visual problem solving
THE ART INSTITUTES INTERNATIONAL MINNESOTA