2023-2024 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
    Dec 05, 2024  
2023-2024 Undergraduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Art, Graphic Design Concentration, B.A.


For Art Majors interested in a career in graphic design or preparation for graduate study in graphic design, the Graphic Design Concentration (21 additional credits) offers industry related training in this field. Though highly creative, we aim for students to be prepared for positions in the professional field. Graphic Design is a focus in visual communication, where we take the students comprehension of color, balance, and composition into a real-life industry related context. Students who choose to study a concentration in Graphic Design will be challenged with client and design research, design history and theory, layout, typography, printing, comping, and presentation. At Westfield, our students are enhanced by their studies in the Fine Arts, which they bring into their design related courses in the form of custom illustrations. Students should expect to have training in editorial design, collateral design, package design, 3D modeling and printing, print specification and pricing, visual design systems (branding), experimental methods, environmental design, digital resources, and user experience design.  

Requirements for Art Majors


One of the following:


Note:


** Students completing Art Teacher Licensure Programs must take ART 0108  Introduction to Computer Graphics as their art elective.

Art majors are required to take ART 0106  and ART 0107 , to satisfy the Appreciation of the Arts requirement of the common core.

Art majors must complete a minimum of 27 credits of course work within the Art Department at Westfield State. Students are advised to consult their advisors for information on course sequencing and general core requirements.

Art majors intending to pursue graduate work beyond their major are advised to take additionally recommended studio courses of their choice. It is also advisable to include more than the minimum requirements in Art History.

Graphic Design Concentration For Art Majors


Note:


*Three one-credit courses in the computer graphics area, such as Photoshop, Quark Express, or Illustrator, may be substituted for ART 0212 .

Graphic Design Internship


The Graphic Design Internship prepares the student for work in the Graphic Design field. The Internship is usually an on campus or off campus placement in a department that needs a graphic designer.  We also place students in outside advertising agencies, marketing companies, or graphic design firms/boutiques.  Alternative class scheduling can be arranged, if necessary.  Internships are from 3 - 12 credits.  

For a Graphic Design internship placement, a student must have completed ART 0210 and ART 0228 and have a cumulative grade point average of 2.8 and a Art Major / Graphic Design Concentration of a 3.0.  Acceptance is by application (which can be found on the department’s webpage) and approval of the Graphic Design Coordinator, the Department Chairperson, and the Career Center.  For more information on internships, please visit the Internship Requirement document on the Art Department’s webpage.  

Additional Graduation Requirements


All students must meet the University Graduation Requirements  and complete a common core of studies, distributed among the different academic areas as detailed in the Common Core .