Course Description:

In the Mass Communication Foundations (MCF) - Graphic Design course, students will learn their roles as communicators and problem solvers in every phase of production. In an extension of the Mass Communications Course, students use a project-oriented approach, students communicate with customers to understand and address client needs, and use critical, creative and design thinking to identify problems and generate solutions in support of Department of Defense (DoD) themes and messages.

Students learn to conceptualize and use design thinking and the design process, and apply the key elements and principles of design as they create distinctive visual designs, communicating themes and messages accurately and thoughtfully into graphic design products. Students will examine and apply brand identity in the design process, and gain skills in digital illustration and page layout, applying best practices in typography, color theory, layout, composition, and visual hierarchy to print, interactive and Internet design projects. In a project-oriented approach, instruction includes managing creative workflow through project-management best practices. Students will to conceptualize ideas through traditional and digital techniques and the use of digital drawing tablets. They learn graphic design concepts and skills, with emphasis on design and layout techniques, as well as image composition, editing tools, and managing color and format while creating products for delivery across multiple platforms.

Students will learn and apply various vector- and raster-based design techniques, including shading, blending and color application, and use design software to create vector- and raster-graphics, create animation, and learn to package their products into interactive multimedia products for use in web and browser-based platforms, and in multiple print applications. In the course capstone, each student will produce a portfolio of their work. They will demonstrate their design skills and abilities in an individual presentation to peers, faculty and staff, and will receive both peer and instructor feedback and critique on their presentations.

Location: 6500 Mapes Road, Ft. Meade, Md.