Advertising Design
Visual Communications
A.A.S. Degree (D)
The Advertising Design Option of the Visual Communications program is a focused curriculum aimed at training new professional creative talent for the information age. Communicating visual information requires imagination, skill, and talent. While developing skills in key software for print and web communications, the program stresses the use of innovative, creative problem solving. A professional in the visual communication industry is involved in a range of projects, including traditional print items such as brochures, informational graphics, illustrations, signage, and branded campaigns. Graduates of the program may enter careers as in-house designers for corporations, publishers, schools, retailers, and design firms. Many students work as independent, self-employed designers.
Program Graduate Competencies
The Program Graduate Competencies listed below identify the major learning goals related to your specific program of study and identify the knowledge and skills you will have when you graduate to be successful in your chosen field.
- Integrate the principles and elements of design into cohesive problem solving techniques for advertising design assignments.
- Create or evaluate and select, illustrative or photographic imagery for use in effectively evoking a response within an ad-design solution's target market.
- Critique design solutions and develop strategies for strengthening their conceptual and technical effectiveness.
- Structure a problem solving strategy for delivery of the client's message to his market, making efficient use of current design, production, and delivery technologies.
- Synthesize components of ad-design solutions into cohesive presentations that are technically and conceptually effective.
- Integrate professional, ethical, and legal standards into business practice.
Core Curriculum Competencies
The Core Curriculum Competencies listed below identify what you will be able to do as a graduate, regardless of your program of study. You will acquire these core competencies through general education courses and program-specific coursework. You will be expected to use relevant technology to achieve these outcomes:
- Apply clear and effective communication skills.
- Use critical thinking to solve problems.
- Collaborate to achieve a common goal.
- Demonstrate professional and ethical conduct.
- Use information literacy for effective vocational and/or academic research.
- Apply quantitative reasoning and/or scientific inquiry to solve practical problems.
Graduation Requirements
Core Courses
Program/Major Courses
Program/Major Support Courses
Suggested Pathway to Graduation (Course Sequence Sheet)
Semester 1
Semester 2
Semester 3
Semester 4
Approved Electives
Select one (1) social science elective.
To complete program requirements, you must pass the above courses and earn at least 62 credits. The number of courses and credits required for graduation may be more depending on your need for developmental education courses and the elective choices you make (if electives are a part of the program). Some programs also have college-level courses that you must take if you do not score at a certain level on the College Placement Test. If this applies to your program, the courses are listed at the top of the sequence sheet before the first semester of the course list.
VSCAASADD