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IU Indianapolis Bulletin » Schools » Herron School of Art and Design » Undergraduate » Degree Programs » Bachelor of Fine Arts » Visual Communication Design


 Visual Communication Design

The BFA in Visual Communication Design is a professional undergraduate degree for students to gain theoretical and applied experience that will prepare them for numerous careers within the design discipline.

Visual Communication Design majors prepare for their career by integrating design studies with coursework in the liberal arts and sciences on the IU Indianapolis campus.

Successful students achieve all the learning outcomes defined by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (Herron's accrediting body) and AIGA (the professional association for design) as essential competencies for design professionals.

Degree requirements

General Education

30 credits corresponding to IU Indianapolis Indiana College Core.

Foundation Studies

20 credits

Art History, Theory, and Criticism and professional development

12 credits distributed as follows:

  • HER-H101 History of Art I (3 cr.) (may be used to fill Arts/Humanities General Education requirement)
  • HER-H102 History of Art 2 (3 cr.) (may be used to fill Arts/Humanities General Education requirement)
  • HER-V214 History of Visual Communication (3 cr.)
  • HER-V201 Making Meaning (3cr.)

Major Studio Requirements

The VCD curriculum is a sequence of Design Studios, support studios, and several Design Labs. In the junior and senior years, students select from several VCD electives in addition  to taking prescribed courses.

Students must complete 9 credits of 400-level coursework in their area of focus with all prerequisites and co-requisites for those courses. 

36 credits distributed as follows:

HER-V210 Foundations of Graphic Design (3 cr.)

HER-V211 Typography I (3 cr.)

HER-V251 Typography II (3 cr.)

HER-V308 Design Lab (1.5 cr.)

HER-V311 Typography III (3 cr.)

HER-V340 Design in Context (3 cr.)

HER-V408 Advanced Design Labs (1.5 cr. each / need 3 sections)

HER-V453 Internship (3 cr.)

HER-V230 Brand Identity Design (3cr.)

HER-V325  Kinetic Design (3cr.)

HER-V430  Cross-Cultural Design (3cr.)

HER-V200  Design, Media, and Culture  (3cr.)

Academic elective (3 cr.)

Total:  125 credits

Tracks

  • Graphic Design
  • Digital Experience Design
  • Design Strategy
Recommended Associated Subjects for Academic Electives:
  • Anthropology and cultural studies
  • Business
  • Communication and rhetoric
  • Engineering
  • History
  • Psychology and human factors

Recommended Associated Subjects for Studio Electives:

  • Book Arts
  • Drawing
  • Emerging Technologies
  • Illustration
  • Photography
  • Printmaking
  • Time-based media / Video

Last updated: March 2023