Sample Degree Plan: B.F.A. in Graphic Design

The Department of Art and Design at Southern Miss offers the professional B.F.A. degree with an emphasis in
Graphic Design.

As in the department's other programs, all students must first successfully complete the Art Foundations course series in order to become eligible for application to a specific art/design degree plan. Upon completion of these first year courses the student is prepared to apply for admission into the Graphic Design area.

Foundation requirements:

All students are admitted into the Department of Art and Design as art majors. 15 hours of designated general education requirements must be completed with a 2.0 overall grade point average. Students must complete ART 101, ART 102, ART 111, ART 112, and ART 113, for a total of 15 credit hours, achieving a 2.5 GPA on these courses or permission of the department chair.

When a student is in the last semester of completing the foundation requirements, the student should contact his advisor in his/her area of concentration. The review process for acceptance into an area of study is determined by the faculty within that area.

Year One_Foundations_30 credit hours:

FALL Semester_15 credit hours SPRING Semester_15 credit hours
ART-101, Drawing I - 3 cr ART-102, Drawing II - 3 cr
ART-111, Design I - 3 cr ART-112, Design II - 3 cr
ENG-101 - 3 cr ART-113, 3D Design - 3 cr
HIS-101 - 3 cr ENG-102 - 3 cr (writing intensive)
MAT-101 - 3 cr University Core Course - 3 cr

As the first-year (or the transfer) student nears completion of the foundation course sequence, he/she must apply for admission into a specific Art/Design curriculum through the main office of the Department of Art and Design. Full admission into the Graphic Design area of study requires the student to successfully complete:

1. The above listed Art Foundation courses (or their equivalent taken at another institution), maintaining a 2.5 cumulative grade point average (GPA) in all college course.

2. An adjudicated assessment of the student's studio portfolio by Department of Art and Design faculty members within the student's chosen area (Graphic Design) of study.

Note that art and design majors pursuing the BFA degree in Graphic Design are required to own or lease a specifically equipped, Macintosh laptop computer as a prerequisite for all 300 level and above graphic design courses in order to meet course requirements and to interface with operating systems, software and equipment in the department's digital studios.

Click the Hardware and Software for detailed information.

Year Two_34 credit hours:

FALL Semester_16 credit hours SPRING Semester - 18 credit hours
ART-312, Digital Page Layout (Quark/InDesign) - 3 cr ART-311, Digital Visualization (Illustrator) - 3 cr
ART-341, Graphic Design I_Production - 3 cr ART-313, Digital Imaging (Photoshop) - 3 cr
ART-342, Graphic Design II_Typography - 3 cr ART-343, Graphic Design III_Presentation - 3 cr
ART-332 , Art History I - 3 cr ART Studio Elective - 3 cr
University Core Course Lab + SCI - 4 cr ART-334, Art History II - 3 cr
  ENG-203 or other 3 cr - 3 cr

• ART-341, 342, 343 can be taken out of sequence and two of the three per semester.

 

 

Year Three_34 credit hours:

FALL Semester_16 credit hours SPRING Semester_18 credit hours
ART-344, Illustration - 3 cr ART-441, Graphic Communication II - 3 cr
ART-441, Graphic Communication I - 3 cr ART-442, Interactive (Web) Design I - 3 cr
Art History Elective, 400 Level - 3 cr ART Studio Elective - 3 cr
University Core (SCM 111 recommended) - 3 cr ART-415, Graphic Design History - 3 cr
University Core Course Lab + SCI - 4 cr University Core Course/Writing Intensive - 3 cr
University Core Course - 3 cr  

Wrinting Intensive Courses:
• A student is required to have 3 writing intensive courses, ENG-102, the capstone class ART-448, and any 400 level art history course satisfies this requirement.

Year Four_27 credit hours
FALL Semester - 15 credit hours SPRING Semester - 12 credit hours
ART-441, Graphic Communication III - 3 cr ART-444, Portfolio - 3 cr
ART-443, Interactive (Web) Design II - 3 cr ART-448, Senior Project/Writing Intensive - 3 cr
ART Studio Elective - 3 cr Art Studio Elective - 3 cr
ART Studio Elective - 3cr General Elective - 3 cr
University Core Course - 3 cr  

• The three ART-441 series (9 hours total) can only be taken at the rate of 3 hours (one course) per semester.

Total Degree Hours: 124 Hours

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