Program Overview

Introduction to the Visual Communication Design Program

The Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Design with a concentration in Visual Communication Design empowers students to craft compelling visual solutions that effectively elucidate, entertain, and inspire audiences. Visual Communication, also known as Graphic Design, permeates every aspect of our surroundings, presenting ideas, providing instructions, influencing choices, and narrating stories.

Program Overview

At KU, the Visual Communication Design program encourages students to question conventional approaches and concepts by fostering creative exploration, hands-on inquiry, and systematic design research. Through our program, they become innovative practitioners and socially-engaged leaders, ready to thrive in the ever-evolving professional landscape.

Careers

We equip our students to excel as graphic designers, UX/UI developers, marketing creatives, and versatile communicators across various disciplines. Career options for visual communication designers are expansive, including branding, fashion, advertising, mobile and web UX/UI design, publishing, packaging design, corporate marketing, exhibition and environmental design, motion graphics, and more.

Program Details

• Degree Plan
• Course Listing
• Certificate in Book Arts
• Faculty
• Alumni Spotlights

Curriculum

Imagination, inquiry, craft, and collaboration animate our rigorous studio environment. Through a sequenced progression of studio projects, coursework, and career-focused experiences, you will expand your capabilities as a designer and gain critical insights into how to develop effective, accessible, and inclusive solutions for diverse audiences and consumers.

Resources

From letterpresses to laser cutters, the opportunities to expand skillset through hands-on discovery are built into the learning experience. Visual Communication Design studio spaces, maker spaces, and labs provide all the space, tools, and experiences needed to become the designer you aspire to be. You will have access to a wide range of tools to explore the relationship between conceptual inquiry and practical problem-solving.

Internship Spotlight

Bhroovi Gupta wasn’t content with keeping her design talents confined to the classroom. Through her internship at renowned Kansas City firm Whiskey Design, the VisCom student's formidable future in the field has taken shape.

At A Glance

• Recognized as the Best School at the National Student Conference 7 times.
• Earned accolades across various categories, including best senior portfolio, best junior portfolio, best sophomore portfolio, and best of show award.
• The small studio size of 15 to 20 students provides personalized instruction and fosters the chance to develop a network of friends and future colleagues.
• Currently over 270,900 jobs in Graphic Design related fields. About 22,800 openings for graphic designers are projected each year, on average, over the decade, according to the US Bureau of Labor.

Visual Communication Student Awards

• ADDY Award: Ahn Can awarded Addy for Memory Box Capture, an app that captures memories, not clutter.
• Design Outside Studio: Annie Myers poster concepts for Leave No Trace, a collaborative project between the University of Montana and KU Visual Communication students.
• AIGA KC Award: Anna Matuella awarded Juror’s Choice from Mig Reyes for IFF Conference Branding.
• AIGA KC Award: Tim Do awarded a Juror’s Choice Award for Peach Typeface, a sans serif typeface inspired by hand-painted signage.
• National Student Show: Connor O'Neil awarded Best Senior Portfolio from the DSVC National Student Show.