About
The B.S. in Graphic Design & Media will prepare students for careers in design and creative visual media fields. The program’s rigorous sequenced curriculum emphasizes hands-on design practice, integrating the building of formal and technical skills with critical analysis, theory, and research. Students will learn the professional skills and competencies necessary to compete in the global marketplace for graphic arts, media and visual design.
Accreditation
For information regarding accreditation at UNLV, please head over to Academic Program Accreditations.
Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of the B.S. in Graphic Design & Media, students will be able to:
- Demonstrate fluency in technology and state of the art software applications used in design professions.
- Employ a workflow strategy appropriate to the technical and creative needs of a given context.
- Analyze and critically respond to examples of design verbally and in written form.
- Apply research to identify and focus design problems, in the context of a client and audience relationship.
- Apply multiple ideation and analytical strategies throughout the design process.
- Formulate original and appropriate design responses to observed conditions or cultural contexts.
- Assemble a competitive portfolio of quality works of design and media appropriate to the student’s focus and career goals. The portfolio works will demonstrate a range of creative strategies and original solutions effective within identified design, communication, and social contexts.
Career Possibilities
Graphic Designer, Web Designer, Communications Specialist, Publication Designer, Multimedia Designer, Art Director, Creative Director, Advertising Designer, Motion Graphics Specialist, Animator, Concept Artist, Visual Marketing Director, Environmental Designer, UI Specialist, Brand Manager, Photo Imaging Specialist, Infographics Designer, Typographer, Illustrator.
Requirements
Graphic Design and Media (BS)
The Bachelor of Science (BS) in Graphic Design & Media will prepare students for careers in design and creative visual media fields. The program's rigorous sequenced curriculum emphasizes hands-on design practice, integrating the building of formal and technical skills with critical analysis, theory, and research. Students will learn the professional skills and competencies necessary to compete in the global marketplace for graphic arts, media and visual design.
Please see the College of Fine Arts, Department of Art web page for information about department programs, faculty and facilities. Degree worksheets and 4/5 year plan for the major are available on the UNLV Degrees Directory.
Learning Objectives
Upon completion of the BS in Graphic Design & Media, students will be able to:
- Demonstrate fluency in technology and state of the art software applications used in design professions.
- Employ a workflow strategy appropriate to the technical and creative needs of a given context.
- Analyze and critically respond to examples of design verbally and in written form.
- Apply research to identify and focus design problems, in the context of a client and audience relationship.
- Apply multiple ideations and analytical strategies throughout the design process.
- Formulate original and appropriate design responses to observed conditions or cultural contexts.
- Assemble a competitive portfolio of quality works of design and media appropriate to the student's focus and career goals. The portfolio works will demonstrate a range of creative strategies and original solutions effective within the identified design, communication, and social contexts.
Career Possibilities
Graphic Designer, Web Designer, Communications Specialist, Publication Designer, Multimedia Designer, Art Director, Creative Director, Advertising Designer, Motion Graphics Specialist, Animator, Concept Artist, Visual Marketing Director, Environmental Designer, UI Specialist, Brand Manager, Photo Imaging Specialist, Infographics Designer, Typographer, Illustrator.
Program Application Requirements
Each spring, a panel of Graphic Design faculty will review the work of qualifying students for acceptance into the Graphic Design & Media program. Students who are selected to the program may continue taking the remaining Graphic Design & Media core courses. Students who are not recommended for the program may either change majors or reapply the following year. Students may apply for the program up to two times.
APPLICATION PROCESS
Required Courses
In order to qualify for the Graphic Design Program Portfolio Review, students must have a cumulative GPA of at least 2.3 in all Art- and Design-related coursework. The students must have completed and have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 in the following prerequisites courses in order to apply to the program with at least a 2.3 GPA in each:
Students are encouraged to meet with a College of Fine Arts advisor—with their transcript or degree worksheet—the semesters prior to application in order to discuss course progression. Students can retake prerequisite courses in which they do not receive a 2.3 GPA in order to meet the course requirements must retake courses and meet the GPA standards before applying to the Graphic Design Program. Students also should be enrolled in, or already completed,
Transfer students must meet with a College of Fine Arts advisor—with their transcript—the semester prior to application in order to determine course equivalencies. Transfer students must also meet with the Graphic Design Program Coordinator, with their current portfolio of work, to assess the design projects developed thus far. Students who do not meet the course equivalencies and do not possess a portfolio of comparable work will be advised to take prescribed courses in order to meet the program requirements.
Portfolio and Application
After confirming that the course requirements have been met, students may apply for the Graphic Design & Media program by submitting a portfolio that includes the following:
- A portfolio of projects completed within Graphic Design & Media core courses.
- Supportive work from other art or design-related courses or projects created outside of the university.
Specifications for the portfolio application and the deadline of application will first be announced during the Fall semester each year. Applications are due early in the Spring semester.
NOTE: The Graphic Design & Media curriculum is designed for students to graduate in a spring semester. Please see your academic advisor for more information regarding your progression and intended graduation date.
Advising
Please see advising information at the UNLV College of Fine Arts Student Advising Center.
Accreditation
For information regarding accreditation at UNLV, please head over to Academic Program Accreditations.
University Graduation Requirements
Please see
for complete information.Graphic Design and Media (BS) Degree Requirements - Total 120 Credits
General Education Requirements - Subtotal: 38-46 Credits
First-Year Seminar - Credits: 3
English Composition - Credits: 6
Second-Year Seminar - Credits: 3
Constitutions - Credits: 4-6
- Select one of the following courses or combination of courses:
- One of the following:
- HIST 100 - Historical Issues and Contemporary Society
- ECON 200 - Capitalism, Constitutions and American Ideals
- PSC 101 - Introduction to American Politics
- OR
- HIST 101 - United States: Colonial Period to 1877
- AND one of the following:
- HIST 102 - United States Since 1877
- HIST 217 - Nevada History
- PSC 100 - Nevada Constitution
Mathematics - Credits: 3
- MATH 120 - Fundamentals of College Mathematics
- or higher, excluding MATH 122 and MATH 123
Distribution Requirement - Credits: 19
Please see
for more information.- Humanities and Fine Arts:
- Automatically satisfied by Major requirements
- Social Science: 9 credits (see note 1)
- One course each from three different fields
- Life and Physical Sciences and Analytical Thinking: 10 credits
- Life and Physical Science -7 credits
- Two courses; at least one course must have a lab
- Analytical Thinking - 3 credits
Select one of the following courses:- COM 104 Critical Thinking in Public ArgumentLoading from UNLV Catalog…
- COM 217 Argumentation and DebateLoading from UNLV Catalog…
- PHIL 102 Critical Thinking and ReasoningLoading from UNLV Catalog…
Multicultural and International- Credits: 0-6 credits
Multicultural, one 3 credit course required
International, one 3 credit course required (see note 2)
These courses may overlap with general education and major requirements. A single course may not meet the multicultural and international requirements simultaneously. Visit the Provost webpage for the list of approved Multicultural and International courses.
Major Requirements - BS in Graphic Design and Media - Subtotal: 69
Communications - Credits: 3
Foundation Requirements - Credits: 21
Design Program Requirements - Credits: 24
The core Graphic Design & Media courses are meant to be completed in sequence. Students will take GRC 210 and GRC 250 simultaneously, ideally in the fall semester. These two courses are required prior to applying to the program and progressing to the upper division Graphic Design & Media courses. Application to the program takes place during the spring semester.
Design Electives - Credits: 9
Select 3 of the following:
Art or Design Electives - Credits: 3
At least 3 credits from an upper-division ART or GRC course.
Capstone Requirement - Credits: 3
The Capstone course is the final core requirement for the Graphic Design& Media program. It is only offered in the spring semester. Students in the Capstone course are expected to graduate at the end of the semester.
Art History Requirements - Credits: 6
Select 2 of the following:
- ART 434 - Topics in Contemporary Art
- ART 462 - History of Medieval Art
- ART 463 - History of Early Renaissance Art
- ART 464 - High Renaissance and Mannerist Art
- ART 465 - History of Northern Renaissance Art
- ART 466 - History of Renaissance and Baroque Architecture
- ART 467 - History of Southern Baroque Art
- ART 468 - History of Northern Baroque Art
- ART 469 - History of Eighteenth-Century Art I
- ART 470 - History of Eighteenth-Century Art II
- ART 472 - History of Art in the Nineteenth Century
- ART 473 - Twentieth Century Art
- ART 474 - History of American Art
- ART 475 - History of Photography
- ART 476 - Topics in Performance and Media Art
- ART 477 - Art Since 1945
- ART 479 - Artistic Traditions of the Southwest
- ART 480 - Art of China
- ART 481 - Art of Japan
- ART 485 - Contemporary Artists in Context
- ART 493 - Individual Study in Art History (see note 3 below)
- ART 495 - Special Topics in Art History
General Electives - Credits: 5-13
Credits to be selected in consultation with advisor.
Total Credits: 120
Of the 120 credits required, 39 of these must be in upper-division course work (300-400).
Notes:
- Social Science: One course each from three different fields for a total of nine credits. Courses used to satisfy the Constitutions requirement may not be used to meet Social Sciences distribution requirements. AAS and ANTH constitute one field.
- Students must take ART 261to satisfy the international requirement.Loading from UNLV Catalog…
- ART 493(1 credit) may be taken only after completing at least one 400-level art history course with a B or better.Loading from UNLV Catalog…
- GRC 380is a Milestone Experience course for Graphic Design and Media B.S.Loading from UNLV Catalog…
- GRC 480is a Culminating Experience course for Graphic Design and Media B.S.Loading from UNLV Catalog…
Documents/Downloads
Contacts
Department of Art
The Department of Art at UNLV offers undergraduate and graduate degrees that enable students to find success in the unparalleled creative environment of Las Vegas. Our students develop traditional and professional skills that help them define their unique styles, engage with cutting edge technology, and mix traditional and contemporary skills that build towards professional practice.
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College of Fine Arts
The College of Fine Arts provides an academic experience that heightens awareness of the physical, intellectual, and cultural world. We diligently prepare students for professional employment and/or post-graduate study in their artistic area.