BFA Graphic Design

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»BFA Graphic Design Learning Outcomes

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  1. Oral and Written Communication: Students will develop oral and written competencies used across design practice and research. These include the ability to critically engage with theoretical texts, articulate conceptual and creative development, and communicate the intent and impact of their own work as well as provide constructive critique of the work of others and engage critical debate of ideas.
  2. Critical Thinking: Students will be able to apply critical thinking to analyze design problems, evaluate creative solutions, and articulate a unique perspective that reflects their individual ideas, values, and creative identity. Their design decisions will be informed to address client, user needs, and design as a medium for provocation, debate, and reflection that thoughtfully considers aesthetic qualities, values, and ethics.
  3. Information Literacy: Students will demonstrate the ability to research, analyze, and apply information across diverse design contexts. They will create and develop design solutions that respond to the specifications and requirements of communication, interaction, and socio-technical problems. Through a sequence of required courses, students gain proficiency in the techniques, methods, and critical frameworks necessary for effective execution of form, content, and experience across multiple media and modalities.
  4. Professional Development: Students will engage in professional design experiences that demonstrate competency with industry standards and practices. In addition, the program prepares students for diverse career and academic pathways, including graduate study and design research. Students develop the ability to navigate professional, scholarly, and critical contexts, positioning them to contribute to both applied and exploratory domains of design,
  5. Quantitative Reasoning: Students will learn to understand, communicate, and interpret quantitative information and mathematical ideas in the context of design practice. This includes professional applications such as tracking and coordinating time in relation to pay, quoting work for clients, invoicing, managing taxes, and coordinating bids from vendors, as well as introductory applications of quantitative reasoning in design research.
  6. Design Methods & Making: Students will demonstrate fluency with design methods, processes, and tools through active exploration and making. They will engage in experimentation, prototyping, and material investigation as integral parts of design inquiry. By applying diverse approaches—from practical to speculative—students will develop the ability to critically and creatively shape design outcomes across varied contexts, materialities, and media.