Graphic Design Major
Program Overview
Program Overview
The Graphic Design Major at Virginia Tech is a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree that focuses on visual communication design. The program is designed to provide students with a comprehensive education in graphic design, including principles of 2D and 3D art and design, visual communication, and art history.
Program Curriculum
The program curriculum includes a combination of core requirements, major requirements, restricted electives, and free electives. The core requirements include:
- ART 1204: Principles of 2D Art and Design (3 credits)
- ART 1214: Principles of 3D Art and Design (3 credits)
- ART 2385: Survey of the History of Western Art (3 credits)
- Historical Depth: ART 3XXX (Art History course from List A) (3 credits)
- Select one of the following:
- ART 3784: European and American Art Since 1900 (for Creative Technologies, Studio, and Art/Art History majors) (3 credits)
- ART 3774: History of Modern Graphic Design (for Graphic Design, and Art/Art History majors) (3 credits)
- Capstone Experience: Select one of the following:
- ART 4575: Advanced Visual Communication Design (Graphic Design majors) (3 credits)
- ART 4894: Senior Studio (CT and Studio majors; must have senior standing in Studio or CT) (3 credits)
- ART 4384: Topics in Art History (Art/Art History majors) (3 credits)
The major requirements include:
- ART 1614: Principles of Visual Communication Design (3 credits)
- ART 2565: Typography (Graphic Design majors only) (3 credits)
- ART 2566: Typography (3 credits)
- ART 2575: Introduction to Graphic Design (3 credits)
- ART 2576: Introduction to Graphic Design (3 credits)
- ART 3565: Intermediate Graphic Design I and II (3 credits)
- ART 3566: Intermediate Graphic Design II (3 credits)
- ART 3900: Bridge Experience (0 credits)
- ART 4584: Advanced Typography (3 credits)
The restricted electives include:
- ART XXXX: Graphic Design Elective from list D below (3 credits)
- ART XXXX: Graphic Design Elective from list D below (3 credits)
- ART XXXX: Graphic Design Elective from list D below (3 credits)
- ART XXXX: Graphic Design Elective from list D below (3 credits)
- ART XXXX: Art Elective from list B (3 credits)
- ART XXXX: Art Elective from list B or C below (3 credits)
The free electives include:
- Select remaining credits to equal 120 (12 credits)
Pathways to General Education
The program also includes Pathways to General Education requirements, which include:
- Pathways Concept 1 - Discourse: Select 6 hours in Pathway 1f (6 credits) and 3 hours in Pathway 1a (3 credits)
- Pathways Concept 2 - Critical Thinking in the Humanities: ART 2386: Survey of the History of Western Art (3 credits) and select one additional course in Pathway 2 (3 credits)
- Pathways Concept 3 - Reasoning in the Social Sciences: Select 6 hours in Pathway 3 (6 credits)
- Pathways Concept 4 - Reasoning in the Natural Sciences: Select 6 hours in Pathway 4 (6 credits)
- Pathways Concept 5 - Quantitative and Computational Thinking: Select 3 hours in Pathway 5f (3 credits), 3 hours in Pathway 5a (3 credits), and 3 hours in Pathway 5f OR Pathway 5a (3 credits)
- Pathways Concept 6 - Critique and Practice in Design and the Arts: ART 1404: Principles of Drawing (6A) (3 credits) and ART 1604: Principles of 4D Art & Design (6D) (3 credits)
- Pathways Concept 7 - Critical Analysis of Identity and Equity in the United States: 3 credits may be double-counted with another core concept (3 credits)
Satisfactory Progress Toward Degree
The University requires every department to establish benchmarks by which their majors can demonstrate that they are making satisfactory progress toward a degree. In addition to the University requirement for satisfactory progress, in the case of the Graphic Design major, these benchmarks are:
- Students must maintain a C- or better in required Foundations courses (ART 1204 Principles of 2D Art and Design, ART 1214 Principles of 3D Art and Design, ART 1404 Principles of Drawing, ART 1604 Principles of 4D Art & Design).
- Upon having attempted 72 semester hours (including transfer, AP, advanced standing and credit by exam) an Art student must have completed at least 6 credits towards this major with a 2.0 overall GPA and have a minimum 2.0 in-major GPA.
- Students must successfully complete their BFA exhibition (ART 4576 Advanced Visual Communication Design).
Prerequisites
This check sheet contains elective courses that may have prerequisites not listed on this checksheet. Please see your advisor or consult the Undergraduate Course Catalog for more information.
Graduation Requirements
Pathways General Education Requirements
Students are responsible for completing the Pathways General Education requirements that are in effect when they enter the university. The university requires students to complete course work from all seven areas of the Curriculum for Pathways General Education.
GPA Requirements
Students must maintain a 2.0 GPA. In-major GPA requires a grade of C- or better to successfully complete an ART course. In-major GPA is calculated on all ART courses.
Foreign Language Requirement
Students who do not successfully complete at least two units of a single foreign language, classical language or American Sign Language during high school must successfully complete six semester hours of a single college level foreign language or classical language at the college level. These semester hours are in addition to those normally required for graduation. Please see the course catalog for details.
Approved Elective Courses
List A: Art History Elective Course Options
- ART 3004: Topics in Art History (3 credits)
- ART 3024: History of Global Print Culture (3 credits)
- ART 3034: Survey of Latin American Art and Architecture (3 credits)
- ART 3044: Art and Architecture of India (3 credits)
- ART 3054: Islamic Art and Architecture (3 credits)
- ART 3064: Arts of China and Japan (3 credits)
- ART 3074: Egyptian Art and Architecture (3 credits)
- ART 3084: Greek Art and Architecture (3 credits)
- ART 3174: Introduction to Archaeology (3 credits)
- ART 3184: Roman Art and Architecture (3 credits)
- ART 3284: Medieval Art and Architecture (3 credits)
- ART 3384: Renaissance Art and Architecture (3 credits)
- ART 3484: Baroque and Rococo Art and Architecture (3 credits)
- ART 3584: Nineteenth Century European Art: Neoclassicism to Post-Impressionism (3 credits)
- ART 3674: History of Photography (3 credits)
- ART 3684: African-American Art (3 credits)
- ART 3884: American Art to 1914 (3 credits)
List B: 2XXX ART Elective Course Options
- ART 2514: Drawing Concepts (3 credits)
- ART 2524: Introduction To Painting (3 credits)
- ART 2554: Introduction To Sculpture (3 credits)
- ART 2604: Introduction to Creative Technologies (3 credits)
- ART 2664: Introduction to Photography (3 credits)
- ART 2704: 3D Computer Animation (3 credits)
List C: 3XXX/4XXX ART Elective Course Options
- ART 3504: Topics in Digital Art and Design (3 credits)
- ART 3514: Topics In Drawing (3 credits)
- ART 3524: Topics In Painting Media (3 credits)
- ART 3554: Topics In Sculpture (3 credits)
- ART 3564: Topics in Photography (3 credits)
- ART 3574: Topics In Graphic Design (3 credits)
- ART 3604: Topics in New Media Art (3 credits)
- ART 3704: Topics in Computer Animation (3 credits)
- ART 4504: Topics in Multimedia Studio (3 credits)
- ART 4514: Interarts Studio (3 credits)
- ART 4524: Pictorial Arts Studio (3 credits)
- ART 4534: (3 credits)
- ART 4544: Computer Animation Studio (3 credits)
- ART 4554: Spatial Arts Studio (3 credits)
- ART 4564: Exhibition Design And Display (3 credits)
- ART 4804: New Media Art Theory (3 credits)
List D: 3XXX/4XXX Graphic Design Electives
- ART 3574: Topics In Graphic Design (3 credits)
- ART 3954: Study Abroad With approval from Graphic Design program chair (1-19 credits)
- ART 4504: Topics in Multimedia Studio (3 credits)
- ART 4754: Internship With approval from Graphic Design program chair (1-19 credits)
- ART 4964: Field Study With approval from Graphic Design program chair (1-19 credits)
- ART 4974: Independent Study With approval from Graphic Design program chair (1-19 credits)
- ART 4994: Undergraduate Research With approval from Graphic Design program chair (1-19 credits)