Campuses:
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Twin Cities Campus
Graphic Design B.F.A.DESGN GARP Administration
College of Design
The graphic design program educates students in design thinking, design methods, design theory, creative problem solving, and visual and verbal literacy. An emphasis is placed on visual components: how humans communicate, perceive, interpret, and understand visual information. The program fosters flexibility, which enables graduates to adapt to social, cultural, and technological change in graphic design. The program's foundation is broadly based. Students begin with courses in fundamental aspects of visual studies. Upper division courses prepare them for graphic design positions in print and electronic media. An internship of 1 to 3 credits is required.
Program Delivery
This program is available:
Admission Requirements
Students must complete
5 courses
before admission to the program.
Freshman and transfer students are usually admitted to pre-major status
before admission to this major.
A GPA above 2.0 is preferred for the following:
Admission to pre-major status is decided by a competitive holistic review. Students must maintain an overall GPA of 2.50 during pre-major coursework. In addition, students must receive a minimum grade of C- or better in the required pre-major courses before going through portfolio review (not just a 2.50 GPA). Once students have achieved major status, they must maintain a GPA of 2.00.
Students must be admitted to the pre-major status program to take most of the pre-graphic design coursework.
For information about University of Minnesota admission requirements, visit the
Office of Admissions
website.
Required prerequisites
Pre-Graphic Design Courses
DES 1101W - Introduction to Design Thinking
[AH, WI]
(4.0 cr)
GDES 1311 - Foundations: Drawing and Design in Two and Three Dimensions
(4.0 cr)
GDES 1312 - Foundations: Color and Design in Two and Three Dimensions
(4.0 cr)
GDES 1315 - Foundations: The Graphic Studio
(4.0 cr)
DES 2101 - Design and Visual Presentation
(3.0 cr)
General Requirements
All students in baccalaureate degree programs are required to complete general University and college requirements including writing and liberal education courses. For more information about University-wide requirements, see the
liberal education requirements.
Required courses for the major, minor or certificate in which a student receives a D grade (with or without plus or minus) do not count toward the major, minor or certificate (including transfer courses).
Program Requirements
All coursework must be taken A-F (with the exception of the internship).
Presentations/Public Speaking
Business, Economics, or Marketing Courses
Students must select one course in either business, economics, or marketing.
ACCT 1xxx
or
ACCT 2xxx
or
ACCT 3xxx
or
ACCT 4xxx
or
ACCT 5xxx
or
APEC 1101 - Principles of Microeconomics
[SOCS, GP]
(4.0 cr)
or
APEC 1102 - Principles of Macroeconomics
(3.0 cr)
or
APEC 1251 - Principles of Accounting
(3.0 cr)
or
ECON 1xxx
or
ECON 2xxx
or
ECON 3xxx
or
ECON 4xxx
or
ECON 5xxx
or
MGMT 3xxx
or
MKTG 3xxx
Major Courses
Advanced Design Requirements
DES 3201 - Career and Internship Preparation for Design
(1.0 cr)
GDES 2399W - Design and its Discontents: Design, Society, Economy, and Culture
[WI]
(3.0 cr)
GDES 3312 - Color and Form in Surface Design
(4.0 cr)
GDES 3351 - Text and Image
(3.0 cr)
GDES 3352 - Identity and Symbols
(3.0 cr)
GDES 3353 - Packaging and Display
(3.0 cr)
GDES 4131W - History of Graphic Design
[WI]
(4.0 cr)
GDES 4196 - Internship in Graphic Design
(1.0-3.0 cr)
GDES 4345 - Advanced Typography
(4.0 cr)
GDES 4361W - Thesis Studio and Writing
[WI]
(3.0 cr)
GDES 4362 - Senior Thesis and Exhibition
(3.0 cr)
GDES 4363 - Graphic Design Portfolio
(3.0 cr)
Grand Challenge or Diversity and Social Justice
GCC 3xxx
or
GCC 5xxx
or
Take any course that fulfills the Diversity and Social Justice liberal education theme.
Electives
Two of the three electives must be GDES designated courses. Other GDES topics courses or GDES field study may be used for this requirement. See your advisor.
Take exactly 3 course(s) from the following:
·
DES 3131 - User Experience in Design
(4.0 cr)
·
DES 3141 - Technology, Design, and Society
[TS]
(3.0 cr)
·
DES 3311 - Travels in Typography
(3.0 cr)
·
DES 3341 {Inactive}
(3.0 cr)
·
DES 5165 - Design and Globalization
(3.0 cr)
·
DES 5168 - Evidence-Based Design
(3.0 cr)
·
DES 5185 - Human Factors in Design
(3.0 cr)
·
GDES 2350 {Inactive}
(1.0-4.0 cr)
·
GDES 2361 - Design Process: Photography
(3.0 cr)
·
GDES 3311 - Illustration
(3.0 cr)
·
GDES 4330 {Inactive}
(4.0 cr)
·
GDES 4371 - Data & Information Visualization
(3.0 cr)
·
GDES 4350 {Inactive}
(3.0 cr)
·
GDES 5311 - Illustration
(3.0 cr)
·
GDES 5341 - Interaction Design
(3.0 cr)
·
GDES 5342 - Advanced Web Design
(3.0 cr)
·
GDES 5372 {Inactive}
(3.0 cr)
·
GDES 5383 - Digital Illustration and Animation
(3.0 cr)
·
GDES 5386 - Fundamentals of Game Design
(3.0 cr)
·
GDES 5388 {Inactive}
(3.0 cr)
·
GDES 5399 {Inactive}
(3.0 cr)
·
DES 2701 - Creative Design Methods
(3.0 cr)
·
PDES 2702 - Concept Sketching
(3.0 cr)
·
PDES 3711 - Product Innovation Lab
(4.0 cr)
Upper Division Writing Intensive within the Major
Students are required to take one upper division writing intensive course within the major. If that requirement has not been satisfied within the core major requirements, students must choose one course from the following list. Some of these courses may also fulfill other major requirements.
Take 0 - 1 course(s) from the following:
·
ARCH 3411W - Architectural History to 1750
[HIS, GP, WI]
(3.0 cr)
·
ENGL 3027W - The Essay
[WI]
(4.0 cr)
·
GDES 4131W - History of Graphic Design
[WI]
(4.0 cr)
·
GDES 4361W - Thesis Studio and Writing
[WI]
(3.0 cr)
·
WRIT 3029W - Business and Professional Writing
[WI]
(3.0 cr)
·
WRIT 3562W - Technical and Professional Writing
[WI]
(4.0 cr)
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Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Course Equivalencies: | Des 1101W/Des 1101V |
Grading Basis: | A-F only |
Typically offered: | Every Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Grading Basis: | A-F or Aud |
Typically offered: | Every Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Grading Basis: | A-F or Aud |
Typically offered: | Every Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Grading Basis: | A-F or Aud |
Typically offered: | Every Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Grading Basis: | A-F only |
Typically offered: | Every Fall |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Course Equivalencies: | Comm 1101/Comm 1101H/PSTL 1461 |
Typically offered: | Every Fall, Spring & Summer |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Grading Basis: | A-F only |
Typically offered: | Every Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Course Equivalencies: | Econ 1101/1165 ApEc 1101/1101H |
Typically offered: | Every Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Course Equivalencies: | ApEc 1102/Econ 1102/1105/1112 |
Typically offered: | Every Spring |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Course Equivalencies: | Acct 2050/ApEc 1251/Dbln 2051 |
Grading Basis: | A-F only |
Typically offered: | Every Fall |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Course Equivalencies: | ArtS 1701/ArtS 2701 |
Typically offered: | Every Fall, Spring & Summer |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Grading Basis: | A-F only |
Typically offered: | Every Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Grading Basis: | A-F only |
Typically offered: | Every Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Grading Basis: | A-F only |
Typically offered: | Every Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 1.0 [max 1.0] |
Grading Basis: | A-F only |
Typically offered: | Every Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Course Equivalencies: | GDes 2399W/GDes 2399V |
Grading Basis: | A-F only |
Typically offered: | Every Fall |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Grading Basis: | A-F only |
Typically offered: | Every Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Grading Basis: | A-F or Aud |
Typically offered: | Every Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Course Equivalencies: | GDes 3352/GDes 3352H |
Grading Basis: | A-F only |
Typically offered: | Every Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Grading Basis: | A-F only |
Typically offered: | Every Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Grading Basis: | A-F or Aud |
Typically offered: | Every Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 1.0 -3.0 [max 3.0] |
Course Equivalencies: | ADes 4196/IGDes 4196/Hsg 4196/ |
Grading Basis: | S-N only |
Typically offered: | Every Fall, Spring & Summer |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Grading Basis: | A-F or Aud |
Typically offered: | Every Fall, Spring & Summer |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 4.0] |
Course Equivalencies: | GDes 4361W/GDes 4361V |
Grading Basis: | A-F only |
Typically offered: | Every Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 4.0] |
Course Equivalencies: | GDes 4362/GDes 4362H |
Grading Basis: | A-F only |
Typically offered: | Every Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Grading Basis: | S-N only |
Typically offered: | Every Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Grading Basis: | A-F only |
Typically offered: | Every Fall |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Grading Basis: | A-F only |
Typically offered: | Every Spring |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Course Equivalencies: | Des 3311/DesI 3010 |
Grading Basis: | A-F only |
Typically offered: | Every Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Course Equivalencies: | Des 4165/Des 5165 |
Grading Basis: | A-F or Aud |
Typically offered: | Every Fall |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Grading Basis: | A-F or Aud |
Typically offered: | Periodic Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Grading Basis: | A-F or Aud |
Typically offered: | Every Fall |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Grading Basis: | A-F only |
Typically offered: | Every Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Prerequisites: | GDes 1311 or ArtS 1101 or PDES 3702 or LA 1301 or Arch 3250 or Arch 2301 or instructor permission |
Grading Basis: | A-F only |
Typically offered: | Every Spring |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Course Equivalencies: | GDes 4371/GDes 5371 |
Grading Basis: | A-F only |
Typically offered: | Every Spring |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Grading Basis: | A-F only |
Typically offered: | Every Spring |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Course Equivalencies: | DHA 4384/GDES 5341 |
Grading Basis: | A-F or Aud |
Typically offered: | Every Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Grading Basis: | A-F or Aud |
Typically offered: | Every Spring |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Grading Basis: | A-F or Aud |
Typically offered: | Periodic Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Grading Basis: | A-F or Aud |
Typically offered: | Periodic Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Grading Basis: | A-F only |
Typically offered: | Every Fall |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Grading Basis: | A-F only |
Typically offered: | Every Fall |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Course Equivalencies: | PDes 3711/PDes 5711 |
Grading Basis: | A-F only |
Typically offered: | Every Spring |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Course Equivalencies: | Arch 3411W/Arch 3411V |
Grading Basis: | A-F or Aud |
Typically offered: | Every Fall |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Course Equivalencies: | EngC 3027W/EngL 3027W |
Typically offered: | Every Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Grading Basis: | A-F or Aud |
Typically offered: | Every Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 4.0] |
Course Equivalencies: | GDes 4361W/GDes 4361V |
Grading Basis: | A-F only |
Typically offered: | Every Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Course Equivalencies: | EngL 3029W/Writ 3029W |
Typically offered: | Every Fall, Spring & Summer |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Course Equivalencies: | Writ 3562V/Writ 3562W |
Grading Basis: | A-F only |
Typically offered: | Every Fall, Spring & Summer |