course description

The senior degree project will focus on each student’s unique topic, in what will serve as the culmination of the graphic design undergraduate education. The degree project will be addressed both theoretically and practically, through extensive research, writing, visual experimentation, class discussion and personal insight. The goal of this course is to define, plan, develop and complete a professional-level design project. The goal of the project is to investigate how graphic design can affect (or change or influence or enhance or subvert or challenge) a thing (or place or experience) of personal interest to the student. This project should reflect the quality of the student’s design education and is considered instrumental to entering professional design practice.

course objectives 

• Conduct self-initiated research on a design topic at an advanced level

• Apply research knowledge to the thoughtful creation of appropriate design artifacts

• Explain the process and findings of a chosen topic at an advanced level

• Hold a perspective on issues surrounding a chosen topic

• Make connections between visual communication and other subjects

• Structure a significant design exploration at an advanced level, including setting deadlines, documenting and exhibiting the results of the exploration (online and at the senior show)

course structure

• A self-initiated design project of 13 weeks duration

• Weekly design process blog posts

• Presentations of design in-process

• Public exhibition (+ online) of finished project artifacts

• Final set of files delivered to instructor at the end of the semester, following specifications