Graphic and Digital Design minor or extended minor

FEATURES:

• Field trips enhance classroom learning
• Practicum provides work experience and industry contacts
• Co-op semester(s) provide paid work experience in your field of study
• Self-directed capstone projects and/or experiential learning
• Engage with the design industry through special events, guest lectures, study tours, design conferences, workshops, practicums, and mentorship opportunities

A minor or extended minor in Graphic and Digital Design adds a valuable professional qualification to your résumé and can lead to an entry-level position in the creative industry or to additional job opportunities in your chosen field of study.

A minor or extended minor in Graphic and Digital Design provides you with essential graphic and digital design skills in communication design and interactive design. This applied foundation introduces you to Adobe software, design thinking, creative processes, and professionals standards of practice.

• View program outline for Graphic and Digital Design minor in the UFV Academic Calendar
• View program outline for Graphic and Digital Design extended minor in the UFV Academic Calendar

The Graphic and Digital Design minor or extended minor can be applied to any degree program at UFV. Be sure to meet with your academic advisor to develop a program plan and ensure you can complete a Graphic and Digital Design minor or extended minor while earning pre-requisites for upper-level classes in your area of study.

BFA with minor in Graphic and Digital Design

The Graphic and Digital Design minor may be paired with a Visual Arts major and includes the completion of 27 credits, 12 at the lower level, and 15 at the upper level.

View the UFV Academic Calendar for a detailed list of Graphic and Digital Design required courses.

BFA with extended minor in Graphic and Digital Design

You can combine an extended minor in Graphic and Digital Design with another extended minor in one of five fine arts disciplines, including Art History and Visual Studies, Creative Writing, Media and Communication Studies, Theatre, and Visual Arts.

The Graphic and Digital Design extended minor offers optional streams in Dynamic Media, Interactive Design, Communication Design, or Visual Identity.

1. Dynamic Media: GD 203, GD 216, GD 303, or GD 403
   This stream is image-based and introduces motion graphics, video, kinetic typography, and character design for design projects and storytelling.
   
   
2. Interactive Design: GD 202, (GD 204 or CIS 145), GD 302, GD 304, or GD 358
   This stream focuses on design for digital screens including websites, tablets, and mobile devices. Students are introduced to interface design, development, UX, and content management.
   
   
3. Communication Design: MEDA222, GD101, GD254, GD 260, GD 317, GD 450, or GD 460
   This stream introduces publishing, promotion, information design, and social responsibility. The emphasis is on problem solving and human-centred solutions in print and digital media.
   
   
4. Visual Identity: MEDA222, GD 101, GD254, GD 260, GD 374, GD 375, GD 450, or GD 460
   This stream offers a foundation in communication design and introduces the field of brand identity including logo design, packaging design, digital marketing, and sustainability principles.

The Graphic Design extended minor includes the completion of 33 credits, 18 at the lower level, and 15 at the upper level.

View the UFV Academic Calendar for a detailed list of Graphic and Digital Design required courses.

The United Nations reports that the creative economy is one of the world’s fastest growing sectors for income generation, job creation, and export earnings.

More than 80,000 British Columbians are employed in the creative sector and the BC Budget 2019 plans on investing $15 million in making BC a leader in the arts. In fact, B.C.'s interactive and digital media sector is one of the fastest growing industries in B.C. at a rate of 11% per year, opening a variety of employment opportunities for visual influencers such as UX, web, and graphic designers.

But visual communicators are not only needed in creative occupations: graduates with graphic design training can harness the power of visual data in virtually any field, including technology, business, arts, and science.

Students wishing to take a minor in Graphic and Digital Design must be enrolled in a degree program at UFV and meet the eligibility requirements for declaration.

Please refer to your specific degree program in the UFV Academic Calendar for entrance requirements, declaration eligibility, and residency requirements.

Upon successful completion of the Graphic and Digital Design minor or extended minor, students will be able to:

• Demonstrate functional competence with principles of visual organization, visual language, typography, and theory as applied to visual communication problems.
• Analyze visual communication problems using critical thinking skills.
• Develop strategies for planning, producing, and disseminating visual communication.
• Utilize processes, tools and technology for graphic design practice.

Paula Funk
Phone: 604-504-7441, local 4722
Toll free: 1-888-504-7441, local 4722
Email: paula.funk@ufv.ca
or ask online