Graphic Design Undergraduate Major (BFA, HBFA)
The Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Graphic Design (GD) is an exciting and rigorous program at OSU. The disciplinary foundations of graphic design are rooted in visual problem solving, design theory and history, as well as professional practices that tie into business and marketing for specific audiences. Examples of the work graphic designers engage in include both print and digital media such as the design of:
- branding and visual identities
- publication design (magazines, newspapers, catalogs)
- information design
- package design
- exhibition design
- interactive design (Web, video)
The discipline of graphic design is constantly changing due to new technologies, broader target audiences, and softer boundaries between disciplines. Students learn to be adaptable, flexible and collaborative in how they work. Graphic designers are creative thinkers and makers and may have strengths and interests in drawing, printmaking and photography.
The Graphic Design major is a professional program. Entering students are designated as Pre-Graphic Design majors (Major Code: 479).
The pre-professional Graphic Design program typically takes one year to complete. After completing the pre-professional program requirements, students may apply to the professional Graphic Design program. Students will not be permitted to take professional Graphic Design course work without acceptance into the professional Graphic Design program. If admitted into the professional Graphic Design program, it will take students three additional years to complete the professional program regardless of transfer credit standing.
Admission into the professional Graphic Design program is subject to a competitive application process. To apply and be considered for admission, all pre-professional students must meet the following requirements:
- Be declared as a Pre-Graphic Design major.
- Have completed and received a C– or better in ALL courses within the Pre-Graphic Design major by the end of spring term before applying.
Criteria for acceptance. Students will be evaluated on the following:
- Completion and grade in GD 126 GRAPHIC DESIGN PRO APPLICATION.
- Completion and grades in GD Foundation courses: ART 101 *INTRODUCTION TO THE VISUAL ARTS, ART 115 2-D CORE STUDIO, ART 121 DIGITAL CORE STUDIO, and ART 131 DRAWING CORE STUDIO.
- Competion and grades in Bacc Core First-Year Skills Requirements: WR 121 *ENGLISH COMPOSITION, Speech course (choose one: COMM 111 *PUBLIC SPEAKING, COMM 114 *ARGUMENT AND CRITICAL DISCOURSE, or COMM 218 *INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION) and College Level Math course: MTH 105 *INTRODUCTION TO CONTEMPORARY MATHEMATICS or higher.
- Overall GPA.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Baccalaureate Core 1 | ||
| Select 48-49 credits | 48-49 | |
| Pre-Graphic Design Core 1 | ||
| ART 101 | *INTRODUCTION TO THE VISUAL ARTS | 3 |
| ART 115 | 2-D CORE STUDIO | 4 |
| ART 121 | DIGITAL CORE STUDIO | 4 |
| ART 131 | DRAWING CORE STUDIO | 4 |
| GD 126 | GRAPHIC DESIGN PRO APPLICATION | 2 |
| Lower-Division Graphic Design Professional Core 1 | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| *INTRODUCTION TO WESTERN ART: PREHISTORY TO THE HIGH MIDDLE AGES | ||
| *INTRODUCTION TO WESTERN ART: GOTHIC TO BAROQUE | ||
| *INTRODUCTION TO WESTERN ART: NEOCLASSICISM TO CONTEMPORARY | ||
| *INTRODUCTION TO ASIAN ART | ||
| *PHOTOGRAPHY: HISTORY, TECHNOLOGY, CULTURE AND ART | ||
| ART 263 | DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY | 4 |
| GD 200 | GRAPHIC DESIGN TECHNOLOGY AND PRODUCTION 1 | 4 |
| GD 220 | GRAPHIC DESIGN TECHNOLOGY AND PRODUCTION 2 | 4 |
| GD 224 | INTERACTIVE DESIGN 1 | 4 |
| GD 226 | TYPOGRAPHY 1 | 4 |
| GD 228 | PROCESS: MAKING AND MEANING | 4 |
| GD 230 | GRAPHIC DESIGN PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT | 2 |
| GD 269 | GRAPHIC DESIGN HISTORY | 3 |
| GD 499 | SPECIAL TOPICS | 1-16 |
| Upper-Division Graphic Design Professional Core 1,2 | ||
| ART 367 | *HISTORY OF DESIGN | 3 |
| GD 312 | ^CONTEMPORARY ISSUES IN DESIGN | 3 |
| GD 325 | GRAPHIC DESIGN: COLLABORATIVE PROCESSES | 4 |
| GD 326 | TYPOGRAPHY 2 | 4 |
| GD 327 | TYPOGRAPHY 3 | 4 |
| GD 328 | INTERACTIVE 2 | 4 |
| GD 419 | PORTFOLIO REVIEW | 3 |
| GD 420 | PROFESSIONAL PRACTICES | 3 |
| GD 424 | BRAND IDENTITY SYSTEMS | 4 |
| GD 426 | GRAPHIC DESIGN CAPSTONE 1 | 3 |
| GD 427 | CAPSTONE 2 | 4 |
| Electives | ||
| 100/200 Lower-Division Electives from ART, GD, or NMC | 12 | |
| 300/400 Upper-Division Electives from ART, GD, or NMC | 20 | |
| General Electives | 11 | |
| Total credits required to graduate with the BFA is 180 | ||
| Total Hours | 180-196 | |
| * | Baccalaureate Core Course (BCC) |
| ^ | Writing Intensive Course (WIC) |
| 1 | Courses cannot be counted twice to fulfill the requirements of the major |
| 2 | Required upper-division courses is 60 |
Major Code: 779
Pre-Graphic Design Major Code: 479
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | |
| ART 115 | 2-D CORE STUDIO | 4 |
| ART 121 | DIGITAL CORE STUDIO | 4 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| *PUBLIC SPEAKING | ||
| *ARGUMENT AND CRITICAL DISCOURSE | ||
| *INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION | ||
| Bacc Core (DPD) | 3 | |
| General Elective | 1 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Winter | ||
| ART 101 | *INTRODUCTION TO THE VISUAL ARTS | 3 |
| ART 131 | DRAWING CORE STUDIO | 4 |
| WR 121 | *ENGLISH COMPOSITION | 3 |
| GD Lower-Division Elective | 4 | |
| Hours | 14 | |
| Spring | ||
| ART 206 | *INTRODUCTION TO WESTERN ART: NEOCLASSICISM TO CONTEMPORARY (or Lower-Division Art History) | 3 |
| GD 126 | GRAPHIC DESIGN PRO APPLICATION | 2 |
| MTH 111 | *COLLEGE ALGEBRA | 4 |
| Bacc Core (SPI) | 3 | |
| GD Lower-Division Elective | 4 | |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| GD 200 | GRAPHIC DESIGN TECHNOLOGY AND PRODUCTION 1 | 4 |
| GD 226 | TYPOGRAPHY 1 | 4 |
| GD 2xx | 2 | |
| Bacc Core (Physical Lab Science) | 4 | |
| Hours | 14 | |
| Winter | ||
| ART 263 | DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY | 4 |
| GD 224 | INTERACTIVE DESIGN 1 | 4 |
| GD 269 | GRAPHIC DESIGN HISTORY | 3 |
| Bacc Core (Biological Lab Science) | 4 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| GD 220 | GRAPHIC DESIGN TECHNOLOGY AND PRODUCTION 2 | 4 |
| GD 228 | PROCESS: MAKING AND MEANING | 4 |
| GD Lower-Division Elective | 4 | |
| Bacc Core (Lab Science) | 4 | |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| GD 326 | TYPOGRAPHY 2 | 4 |
| GD 328 | INTERACTIVE 2 | 4 |
| GD Upper-Division Elective | 4 | |
| Bacc Core (WR II) | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Winter | ||
| GD 325 | GRAPHIC DESIGN: COLLABORATIVE PROCESSES | 4 |
| GD Upper-Division Elective | 4 | |
| GD Upper-Division Elective | 4 | |
| Bacc Core (Literature and Arts) | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| ART 367 | *HISTORY OF DESIGN | 3 |
| GD 312 | ^CONTEMPORARY ISSUES IN DESIGN | 3 |
| GD 327 | TYPOGRAPHY 3 | 4 |
| HHS 231 | *LIFETIME FITNESS FOR HEALTH | 2 |
| PAC Course | 1 | |
| General Elective | 2 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| GD 420 | PROFESSIONAL PRACTICES | 3 |
| GD 424 | BRAND IDENTITY SYSTEMS | 4 |
| Bacc Core (Cultural Diversity) | 3 | |
| General Elective | 5 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Winter | ||
| GD 419 | PORTFOLIO REVIEW | 3 |
| GD 426 | GRAPHIC DESIGN CAPSTONE 1 | 3 |
| GD Upper-Division Elective | 4 | |
| Bacc Core (Upper-division CGI) | 3 | |
| General Elective | 2 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| GD 427 | CAPSTONE 2 | 4 |
| GD Upper-Division Elective | 4 | |
| Bacc Core (Upper-division STS) | 3 | |
| Bacc Core (Western Culture) | 3 | |
| General Elective | 2 | |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Total Hours | 181 | |
| * | Baccalaureate Core Course (BCC) |
| ^ | Writing Intensive Course (WIC) |