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Graphic Arts and
Design

COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS

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The graphic arts and design major helps students creatively solve problems within art and design — including those involving issues of technical, aesthetic and conceptual knowledge — and familiarizes them with a variety of philosophical and stylistic approaches to contemporary art and design.

Students explore visual problem-solving strategies in print media by applying fundamental principles and elements of graphic design. Industry standard graphic design software, such as Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop, are taught and practiced. Benedictine has two dedicated Mac labs for design and art courses. We believe the most successful design professionals are not just graphic designers, but also skilled artists who must approach projects with an artistic eye. We teach students to solve more complex visual problems by exploring design elements, principles, contents and trends.

Students in the Graphic Arts and Design program have the opportunities to:

Explore the relationship between the history of graphic design, fine art and modern graphic design. Understand primary facets of design history, theory, and criticism from a variety of perspectives that interprets social and cultural influences of design objects.
Produce effective visual communication that indicates audiences and contexts, by reflecting the connections of human aspects and design decisions
Demonstrate elements and principles of design integrating form and content, image and text, concept and visualization, through best practice for design.

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BA Requirements - Lisle BA Requirements - Mesa Minor Requirements - Mesa

What Our Graduates Have Done With This Degree

Graphic Arts and Design Alumni

Our graphic arts and design graduates have had much success in finding employment in design professions in a variety of fields within the Chicagoland area and throughout the country.

Sample Courses

• GAD 2205: History of Graphic Design
• GAD 4300: Motion Graphics
• GAD 3360: Graphic Design II
• GAD 4393: Senior Portfolio

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Internship Experience

An internship experience is built directly into the curriculum, giving students valuable hands-on work experience in the graphic design field before graduation. Students are given job assignments and responsibilities in the professional design industry that apply the knowledge and skills they learned from previous course work.

Senior Portfolio

The preparation of a portfolio is an essential part of the transition from a graphic design student to a qualified designer. Senior graphic arts majors create both a physical portfolio and a digital portfolio demonstrating their acquired skills and personal interests in graphic design.

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