Graphic designers
create the visuals we know and love.
Graphic design is an exciting and dynamic field. Graphic designers create images and page layouts for all kinds of publications, from websites to advertisements. Courses in graphic design teach students use technology to create images, layouts and other designs. Prerequisites for graphic design courses include language, computer science, visual art and art history.
Visual Arts Courses
Graphic design is a subset of visual art. The basic aesthetic principles of graphic design, such as matching colors and proportional spacing, are inherited from the classical visuals arts. Because of this, many graphic design faculties require that their students take courses in visual arts before they begin their graphic design coursework. The required art courses may include drawing, two dimensional design and three dimensional design. Graphic design students specializing in animation may need to take courses in photography and film editing.
Humanities Courses
Because graphic design is an arts program, aspiring graphic design students must complete core curriculum in the arts and humanities. These courses usually include English literature, English composition and art history. Graphic designers need to be able to select images and page layouts to match text, and doing this requires the ability to read between the lines and understand literature. Courses in the humanities refine graphic art students' abilities in this area.
Technical Courses
In the 21st century, graphic design is as much about technology as art. Graphic designers use all sorts of technologies in their line of work, from digital cameras to digital illustration software to page layout software. Because graphic designers use computers so much, graphic design students are usually expected to take prerequisites in computer related subjects. These courses include computer graphics, word processing and web design.
Public Speaking
Graphic designers work extensively with professionals in other fields. Whether they work in advertising, print media or web development, graphic designers must coordinate extensively with writers, photographers and programmers. In order for creative teams to stay coordinated, all members must possess superb communication skills. If these skills are lacking, team members will be unable to interpret each other's vision. Graphic design students at some schools must take courses in public speaking in order to hone their interpersonal communication skills so they can communicate professionally with their peers.
Tags: design students, Graphic designers, courses include, graphic design, take courses, Because graphic