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Program Requirements

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Program Requirements

Graphic Design

Associate Degree 10-201-1

www.cvtc.edu
1-800-547-2882

Start Dates: August

Effective: August 2025

First Semester
Course # Course Title Credits Prerequisites/Comments
201-101 Drawing & Illustration Concept 3 Fall only | Program student; 201-111 or concurrent | 2nd 8 weeks Drawing and Illustration Concept is designed to help give the designers the basic concept and perspective of drawing before digital. The students will learn the fundamentals of drawing, typography drawing, sketching human forms, layout design, and other essential assets needed to help further their skills as designers.
Course #: 201-101
Title: Drawing & Illustration Concept
Credits: 3
Prerequisites/Comments: Fall only | Program student; 201-111 or concurrent | 2nd 8 weeks Drawing and Illustration Concept is designed to help give the designers the basic concept and perspective of drawing before digital. The students will learn the fundamentals of drawing, typography drawing, sketching human forms, layout design, and other essential assets needed to help further their skills as designers.
201-104 Photoshop Fundamentals 3 Fall only | Program student This course teaches photo manipulation and enhancement using the industry leading Adobe Photoshop software. Course will also cover composition images, illustration, color correction, file formats, scanning, importing into page layout documents, fixing damaged photos, understanding file size, resolution and quality and choosing correct color modes. This course will also cover content related to storing and organizing files.
Course #: 201-104
Title: Photoshop Fundamentals
Credits: 3
Prerequisites/Comments: Fall only | Program student This course teaches photo manipulation and enhancement using the industry leading Adobe Photoshop software. Course will also cover composition images, illustration, color correction, file formats, scanning, importing into page layout documents, fixing damaged photos, understanding file size, resolution and quality and choosing correct color modes. This course will also cover content related to storing and organizing files.
201-105 Typography Fundamentals 3 Fall only | Program student Typography Fundamentals is a course to help the learners and designers understand the principals and importance of typography. The students will learn more about the drawing and perspective art of typography, the terminology, history, digital form, and other aspects that are crucial to the design aspects of artistic and digital typography.
Course #: 201-105
Title: Typography Fundamentals
Credits: 3
Prerequisites/Comments: Fall only | Program student Typography Fundamentals is a course to help the learners and designers understand the principals and importance of typography. The students will learn more about the drawing and perspective art of typography, the terminology, history, digital form, and other aspects that are crucial to the design aspects of artistic and digital typography.
201-111 Graphic Design Foundation 3 Fall only | Program student | 1st 8 weeks In the Graphic Design Foundation Course, students will delve into history of graphic design and explore fundamental design elements such as line, shape, space, color, and texture through hands-on explorations and creative exercises. The course will provide a strong foundation in design principles and theories, including exploration of grid systems, page layouts, and composition techniques tailored for diverse design mediums. Introduction to Adobe Creative Suite programs.
Course #: 201-111
Title: Graphic Design Foundation
Credits: 3
Prerequisites/Comments: Fall only | Program student | 1st 8 weeks In the Graphic Design Foundation Course, students will delve into history of graphic design and explore fundamental design elements such as line, shape, space, color, and texture through hands-on explorations and creative exercises. The course will provide a strong foundation in design principles and theories, including exploration of grid systems, page layouts, and composition techniques tailored for diverse design mediums. Introduction to Adobe Creative Suite programs.
801-136 English Composition 1 3   This course is designed for learners to develop knowledge and skills in all aspects of the writing process. Planning, organizing, writing, editing, and revising are applied through a variety of activities. Students will analyze audience and purpose, use elements of research and format documents using standard guidelines. Individuals will develop critical reading skills through analysis of various written documents.
Course #: 801-136
Title: English Composition 1
Credits: 3
Prerequisites/Comments:   This course is designed for learners to develop knowledge and skills in all aspects of the writing process. Planning, organizing, writing, editing, and revising are applied through a variety of activities. Students will analyze audience and purpose, use elements of research and format documents using standard guidelines. Individuals will develop critical reading skills through analysis of various written documents.
  Total Credits: 15  
Total Credits: 15

Second Semester
Course # Course Title Credits Prerequisites/Comments
201-102 Digital Illustration 3 Spring only | 201-101 and 201-104 This course addresses the concepts and techniques of creating illustration in vector and raster formats.
Course #: 201-102
Title: Digital Illustration
Credits: 3
Prerequisites/Comments: Spring only | 201-101 and 201-104 This course addresses the concepts and techniques of creating illustration in vector and raster formats.
201-103 Publication Design 3 Spring only | 201-105 and 201-111 This is a course in the use of the page layout software InDesign. The student will learn to utilize basic tools and key commands, place text and images, apply typographical formats, use text styles, manipulate tabs, and control design elements to create various publication designs. Design principles and process specific to publications will be emphasized. Creative assignments range from newsletters, magazines, and books to electronic publications.
Course #: 201-103
Title: Publication Design
Credits: 3
Prerequisites/Comments: Spring only | 201-105 and 201-111 This is a course in the use of the page layout software InDesign. The student will learn to utilize basic tools and key commands, place text and images, apply typographical formats, use text styles, manipulate tabs, and control design elements to create various publication designs. Design principles and process specific to publications will be emphasized. Creative assignments range from newsletters, magazines, and books to electronic publications.
203-102 Design Photography 3 Spring only Photography will be implemented into the curriculum to show and help students understand the importance photography is to design. Design Photography will introduce perspective, lighting, features of all cameras, Adobe Photoshop basics, and other assets of photography needs.
Course #: 203-102
Title: Design Photography
Credits: 3
Prerequisites/Comments: Spring only Photography will be implemented into the curriculum to show and help students understand the importance photography is to design. Design Photography will introduce perspective, lighting, features of all cameras, Adobe Photoshop basics, and other assets of photography needs.
699-115 Editing and Proofreading 3 Spring only, online only, 1st 8 weeks | 801-136 or 801-195 or 801-219 This course gives students skills and practice needed to edit communication for usage, capitalization, grammar, punctuation, and spelling. Students will apply theories and strategies to ensure communication products conform to industry style guides, to develop editor-writer relationships, and to provide audiences with clear ethical content.
Course #: 699-115
Title: Editing and Proofreading
Credits: 3
Prerequisites/Comments: Spring only, online only, 1st 8 weeks | 801-136 or 801-195 or 801-219 This course gives students skills and practice needed to edit communication for usage, capitalization, grammar, punctuation, and spelling. Students will apply theories and strategies to ensure communication products conform to industry style guides, to develop editor-writer relationships, and to provide audiences with clear ethical content.
809-195 Economics 3   Designed to give an overview of how a market-oriented economic system operates, and it surveys the factors which influence national economic policy. Basic concepts and analyses are illustrated by reference to a variety of contemporary problems and public policy issues. Concepts include scarcity, resources, alternative economic systems, growth, supply and demand, monetary and fiscal policy, inflation, unemployment and global economic issues.
Course #: 809-195
Title: Economics
Credits: 3
Prerequisites/Comments:   Designed to give an overview of how a market-oriented economic system operates, and it surveys the factors which influence national economic policy. Basic concepts and analyses are illustrated by reference to a variety of contemporary problems and public policy issues. Concepts include scarcity, resources, alternative economic systems, growth, supply and demand, monetary and fiscal policy, inflation, unemployment and global economic issues.
  Total Credits: 15  
Total Credits: 15

Third Semester
Course # Course Title Credits Prerequisites/Comments
201-106 Graphic Design Project Mgmt 3 Fall only | 201-102 and 201-103 and 201-104 This course introduces students to the fundamentals of project management within the context of graphic design. Students will learn how to plan, organize, and execute brand-focused design projects from concept to completion. Emphasis is placed on identifying client goals, understanding target audiences, and developing strategic, creative solutions that align with both. Through guided project development, students will create a cohesive brand identity while gaining experience in managing timelines, deliverables, and feedback.
Course #: 201-106
Title: Graphic Design Project Mgmt
Credits: 3
Prerequisites/Comments: Fall only | 201-102 and 201-103 and 201-104 This course introduces students to the fundamentals of project management within the context of graphic design. Students will learn how to plan, organize, and execute brand-focused design projects from concept to completion. Emphasis is placed on identifying client goals, understanding target audiences, and developing strategic, creative solutions that align with both. Through guided project development, students will create a cohesive brand identity while gaining experience in managing timelines, deliverables, and feedback.
201-107 Motion Graphics 3 Fall only | 201-102 and 201-104 Motion Graphics is an introduction to the basic principles of animation for the creation of compelling graphics. The course covers advanced workflows using Adobe products to create motion graphics for a variety of media platforms. By the end of the course, students will have developed skills to bring their creative visions to life through animation.
Course #: 201-107
Title: Motion Graphics
Credits: 3
Prerequisites/Comments: Fall only | 201-102 and 201-104 Motion Graphics is an introduction to the basic principles of animation for the creation of compelling graphics. The course covers advanced workflows using Adobe products to create motion graphics for a variety of media platforms. By the end of the course, students will have developed skills to bring their creative visions to life through animation.
201-110 Print Production 3 Fall only | 201-102 and 201-103 and 201-104 and 201-105 Practical training in production of digital composition. The student learns to solve realistic print and digital design problems from rough layout through production by completing a variety of increasingly complex assignments. Develop knowledge of the digital printing process, apply skills to full production level projects and challenges. Course content covers color management, automated workflows, cost estimating, troubleshooting and production scheduling.
Course #: 201-110
Title: Print Production
Credits: 3
Prerequisites/Comments: Fall only | 201-102 and 201-103 and 201-104 and 201-105 Practical training in production of digital composition. The student learns to solve realistic print and digital design problems from rough layout through production by completing a variety of increasingly complex assignments. Develop knowledge of the digital printing process, apply skills to full production level projects and challenges. Course content covers color management, automated workflows, cost estimating, troubleshooting and production scheduling.
801-198 Speech 3   Explores the fundamentals of effective oral presentation to small and large groups. Topic selection, audience analysis, methods of organization, research, structuring evidence and support, delivery techniques, and other essential elements of speaking successfully, including the listening process, form the basis of the course.
Course #: 801-198
Title: Speech
Credits: 3
Prerequisites/Comments:   Explores the fundamentals of effective oral presentation to small and large groups. Topic selection, audience analysis, methods of organization, research, structuring evidence and support, delivery techniques, and other essential elements of speaking successfully, including the listening process, form the basis of the course.
809-198 Intro to Psychology 3   This introductory course in psychology is a survey of the multiple aspects of human behavior. It involves a survey of the theoretical foundations of human functioning in such areas as learning, motivation, emotions, personality, deviance and pathology, physiological factors, and social influences. Additional topics include research methods, biological and environmental impacts, development, sensation and perception, consciousness, intelligence and stress. This course directs the student to an insightful understanding of the complexities of human relationships in personal, social, and vocational settings.
Course #: 809-198
Title: Intro to Psychology
Credits: 3
Prerequisites/Comments:   This introductory course in psychology is a survey of the multiple aspects of human behavior. It involves a survey of the theoretical foundations of human functioning in such areas as learning, motivation, emotions, personality, deviance and pathology, physiological factors, and social influences. Additional topics include research methods, biological and environmental impacts, development, sensation and perception, consciousness, intelligence and stress. This course directs the student to an insightful understanding of the complexities of human relationships in personal, social, and vocational settings.
  Total Credits: 15  
Total Credits: 15

Fourth Semester
Course # Course Title Credits Prerequisites/Comments
Elective 3  
Course #:
Title: Elective
Credits: 3
Prerequisites/Comments:  
104-148 Web Fundamentals 3 Spring only | 104-122 or (201-102 and 201-104) Web Fundamentals will demonstrate to students how websites are built, understand the importance of SEO, CMS, and other essential attributes that clients will need to have a competitive edge on the web. Students will learn web design with HTML 5 and CSS 3, use of Google Attributes including fonts, and analytics designing digital ads and webpages in Adobe Photoshop, and learn how to bring everything into a single project.
Course #: 104-148
Title: Web Fundamentals
Credits: 3
Prerequisites/Comments: Spring only | 104-122 or (201-102 and 201-104) Web Fundamentals will demonstrate to students how websites are built, understand the importance of SEO, CMS, and other essential attributes that clients will need to have a competitive edge on the web. Students will learn web design with HTML 5 and CSS 3, use of Google Attributes including fonts, and analytics designing digital ads and webpages in Adobe Photoshop, and learn how to bring everything into a single project.
201-108 Graphic Design Capstone 3 Spring only | Program student; 201-101 and 201-106 and 201-107 and 201-110 and 203-102 and 201-111 and 699-115 This course has learners apply their graphic design skills in real-world client projects to better prepare them for careers in the graphic design industry. Learners strengthen their ability to communicate professionally, outline project requirements, manage deadlines, and deliver design solutions.
Course #: 201-108
Title: Graphic Design Capstone
Credits: 3
Prerequisites/Comments: Spring only | Program student; 201-101 and 201-106 and 201-107 and 201-110 and 203-102 and 201-111 and 699-115 This course has learners apply their graphic design skills in real-world client projects to better prepare them for careers in the graphic design industry. Learners strengthen their ability to communicate professionally, outline project requirements, manage deadlines, and deliver design solutions.
201-109 Graphic Design Portfolio 3 Spring only | Program student; 201-101 and 201-106 and 201-107 and 201-110 and 203-102 and 201-111 and 699-115 Graphic Design Portfolio will be the course the students will gather all their materials throughout the program and prepare to have their graphic design materials showcased for future employers. The student's work will be evaluated by fellow instructors and others in the marketing and graphic design fields to prepare them for graduation.
Course #: 201-109
Title: Graphic Design Portfolio
Credits: 3
Prerequisites/Comments: Spring only | Program student; 201-101 and 201-106 and 201-107 and 201-110 and 203-102 and 201-111 and 699-115 Graphic Design Portfolio will be the course the students will gather all their materials throughout the program and prepare to have their graphic design materials showcased for future employers. The student's work will be evaluated by fellow instructors and others in the marketing and graphic design fields to prepare them for graduation.
804-134 Mathematical Reasoning 3   All college students, regardless of their college major, need to be able to make reasonable decisions about fiscal, environmental, and health issues that require quantitative reasoning skills. An activity based approach is used to explore numerical relationships, graphs, proportional relationships, algebraic reasoning, and problem solving using linear, exponential and other mathematical models. Students will develop conceptual and procedural tools that support the use of key mathematical concepts in a variety of contexts. This course may be used as the first of a two part sequence that ends with Quantitative Reasoning as the capstone general education math requirement.
Course #: 804-134
Title: Mathematical Reasoning
Credits: 3
Prerequisites/Comments:   All college students, regardless of their college major, need to be able to make reasonable decisions about fiscal, environmental, and health issues that require quantitative reasoning skills. An activity based approach is used to explore numerical relationships, graphs, proportional relationships, algebraic reasoning, and problem solving using linear, exponential and other mathematical models. Students will develop conceptual and procedural tools that support the use of key mathematical concepts in a variety of contexts. This course may be used as the first of a two part sequence that ends with Quantitative Reasoning as the capstone general education math requirement.
  or  
or
804-189 Introductory Statistics 3   Students taking this course will learn to display data with graphs, describe distributions with numbers, perform correlation and regression analyses, and design experiments. They will use probability and distributions to make predictions, estimate parameters, and test hypotheses. They will learn to draw inferences about relationships including ANOVA.
Course #: 804-189
Title: Introductory Statistics
Credits: 3
Prerequisites/Comments:   Students taking this course will learn to display data with graphs, describe distributions with numbers, perform correlation and regression analyses, and design experiments. They will use probability and distributions to make predictions, estimate parameters, and test hypotheses. They will learn to draw inferences about relationships including ANOVA.
  Total Credits: 15  
Total Credits: 15

Course Title

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Course Description

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Minimum Program Credits Required: 60

2.0 Minimum Program Cumulative GPA Required for Graduation
If a student does not enroll in any courses at CVTC for two or more consecutive semesters, the student will be required to reapply with Admissions. Students must abide by any changes in admission requirements and degree requirements.

Updated: 7/17/2025 3:24 p.m.  |  Printed: 8/12/2025 4:40 p.m.

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