BACHELOR OF FINE ARTS IN GRAPHIC DESIGN

 “Graphic design is complex combinations of words and pictures, numbers and charts, photographs and illustrations that, in order to succeed, demands the clear thinking of a particularly thoughtful individual who can orchestrate these elements so they all add up to something distinctive, or useful, or playful, or surprising, or subversive or somehow memorable.” –Jessica Helfand

Curriculum
The Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in graphic design is rigorous and challenging. The program emphasizes conceptual design methods, appropriate aesthetics, history, writing development, verbal articulation, and training in technology that prepare the student to enter the graphic design profession. Students have opportunities to explore all aspects of graphic design, such as packaging, illustration, information design, advertising design, web design, multimedia design, and book design. Each graphic design major’s progress is individually reviewed at the end of the sophomore year, and much of the junior year is devoted to preparing design work for a group show in the Guggenheim Gallery. Seniors complete a semester-long internship in the graphic design profession, as well as participate in a required portfolio review jointly sponsored by the Orange County Chapter of the AIGA (American Institute of Graphic Arts) and Chapman’s graphic design program. Courses include numerous visiting lecturers and professionals, field trips, gallery shows and real-world client projects.

Facilities
The graphic design program has two 24-station Macintosh computer labs equipped with scanners, color printers, and plotters. With generous access to both the labs and the other studio spaces in the department, the student's creative life can continue 24 hours a day. The lab software is updated every year and computers are replaced every three years.

Faculty
The graphic design faculty are working professionals as well as experienced design professors. Students meet one-on-one with their professors for advising and mentoring and for committee meetings. Please feel free to contact Professor Eric Chimenti (chimenti@chapman.edu), Professor Claudine Jaenichen (jaeniche@chapman.edu) or the Department of Art office at (714-997-6729) for further information.  Learn more about our faculty members. 

For a tracking sheet of classes offered and more information, click here.