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Current Curricula

Design & Interactive Program

Program Objective

The Design Program is focused on providing the best possible training in the thinking, art, craft and technology for the design field. The program teaches strategic thinking, collaboration, theory, , layout design, mastery of design software, branding, dimensional and experiential design, and media (both traditional and emerging). The department works closely with the student during his/her tenure at The Circus to develop a portfolio and to offer all possible assistance in helping them secure employment in the best possible position.

The design program offers two concentrations for students in their second year – traditional and interactive. Traditional design is for students who enjoy print, branding, publication, packaging, environmental and more projects. Interactive design is for students who want to focus on the web, apps, games, and motion. The two concentrations aren’t exclusive and the portfolios show bits from both concentrations – it’s just the proportions of digital vs traditional projects that are different.

Upon graduation, a student has developed skills to create a variety of original, compelling brand communications, and they have a portfolio that enables them to compete for and secure a job in the commercial communication arts field.

So, what will you do in these classes? ​ ​

* – Indicates a teams class. ​ Design Curriculum by Quarter with Course Description

First Quarter GE102 Introduction to Creative Thinking 1.65 Credit Hours Techniques address the daily necessity for original thinking, facing the blank , creative diversity, productivity and overcoming rejection.

VS102 Introduction to 1.65 Credit Hours Lots of exercises introduce design elements and principles, research and visual storytelling; students develop a vocabulary for visual thinking and critical observation.

VS101 Typography 1 1.65 Credit Hours A variety of exercises explore type (on and off the computer) as a method for giving unique meaning, character and energy to letters and words. Attention is given to conceptual, practical and technical type choice and treatment. Typographic originality and discipline are stressed – down to the littlest detail.

VS203 Production Methodologies 1 1.65 Credit Hours Students learn the core technical skills they will need in future classes using Photoshop and InDesign.

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Second Quarter VS201 Typography 2 1.65 Credits Hours Builds on lessons from Type 1 with projects that address the word, the sentence, the (s), the page, layout, grids, manipulation and typographic details.

VS202 1.65 Credit Hours This class begins the exploration of color as a foundation of design; exercises and projects apply color theory to specific and diverse creative problems with varied media and dimension.

DS104 Trademarks 1.65 Credit Hours Students learn that a logo is a simple visual representation (a symbol!) of a brand and it’s personality – and it’s not as easy as it looks, even in -and-. Brands vary, some deadlines are weekly, others longer, but the clarity and development of the idea is most important – not the execution.

GE101 Strategy 1.65 Credit Hours Students learn to develop a creative strategy based on business principles, research, budgets, the competition, brand promises, messaging, and focused demographic (or psychographic) analyses.

Third Quarter VS401 Design Concepts 1.65 Credit Hours This class addresses the strategy/concept/design process by assigning a variety of creative problems. Strategy, concepting, new media, logos, 3-D, type, color and layout are addressed to create a clear, cohesive, communicative, original end product.

VS301 Typography 3 1.65 Credit Hours Adding to – and repeating – lessons from Type 2, the student addresses typography in a series or campaign, multiple pages, more grids, as well as more experimental type treatments (on and off the computer).

DV203 User Experience 1.65 Credit Hours Incorporates principles from Information and focuses on how the design and design principles affect the user’s ability to experience interactive content and projects.

CG904 Production Methodologies 2 1.65 Credit Hours A continuation of Production Methodologies, this class dives deeper into Photoshop and Illustrator, and allows more time to practice and experiment.

Fourth Quarter DS606 Branding* 1.65 Credit Hours Students create a brand and develop its logo, color palette, type choices, tone and attitude, as well as designing marketing materials, the digital experience, packaging, collateral, etc.

DS403 Package Design 1.65 Credit Hours Products still come in packages, so students will develop skills to create and design for a variety of 3-D problems.

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CG922 Interactive Design 1 1.65 Credit Hours This course introduces students to the concepts and best standards behind designing interfaces for interactive user experiences. The course will focus on interface terminology, application of color theory and typography for screen displays, grid systems, fluid layouts, usable navigation systems, and effectively communicate design decisions that solve user goals.

DV303 Motion Graphics 1 1.65 Credit Hours Students learn the fundamentals of using After Effects for motion graphics.

Choose your own adventure! At this , students pick a concentration, Traditional or Interactive. Classes for traditional concentration students are in , interactive concentration in . ​ ​ ​

Fifth Quarter DS504 Advanced Trademarks 1.65 Credit Hours This course continues to develop the student’s skill for symbolic thinking but adds color as well as creating a system of symbols or icons.

DS506 Publication Design 1.65 Credit Hours Students create and design a publication (print and digital) that speaks about a subject with a clearly ​ ​ defined visual tone and personality. It’s like Creative Thinking and Type 3 had a baby.

TM713 Integrated Teams* 1.65 Credit Hours Students work in teams to further the application of strategic storytelling and user experience to create an engaging branding and/or advertising project.

DS520 Brand Extension* 1.65 Credit Hours ​ Students from varied disciplines come together as a team to concept and develop an extension of an existing brand in an effort to enhance the client’s opportunities for revenue. The deliverables cross all media and dimension.

DV530 Interactive Design 2 1.65 Credit Hours ​ This course further explores interactive layouts and interface design. Students craft full concept directions while strengthening communication, collaboration and direction skills.

Sixth Quarter VS302 Advanced Color Theory 1.65 Credit Hours This class digs deeper into the world of color. In-class exercises prove applicable color theories, and outside assignments implement the principles as they apply to specific, longer-term creative projects and problem-solving.

DS603 E​ xperiential Design 1.65 Credit Hours This class focuses on building real world experiences for retail and branded events. , , wayfinding/signage, digital signage and motion, collateral; a lot goes into experiential design.

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TM501 /Photographer Teams * 1.65 Credit Hours ​ ​ and photographers are paired to solve various problems, across varying media, that involve concepting and producing compelling original imagery.

GE976 Deathmatch 1.65 Credit Hours ​ ​ Projects are diverse and, as in real life, deadlines are short – usually weekly. So students must learn to ​ ​ think and work quickly. There may be some situations where the weekly assignment involves a teammate – usually a writer who needs help. The work is judged weekly, which determines the grades for the class.

DV630 Interactive Design 3 1.65 Credit Hours ​ ​ This course further explores interactive layouts and interface design. Students craft full concept directions while strengthening communication, collaboration and direction skills. Some assignments will be entered in various design competitions.

DV100 Web Development 1 1.65 Credit Hours ​ This is an introduction to HTML and CSS, the primary tools needed for building web pages.

Seventh Quarter DS### Personal Branding 1.65 Credit Hours This class helps students prepare for the job market by building their own brand, from logo to letterhead, business card to portfolio website.

DS803 Capital Campaign 1.65 Credit Hours ​ Students will conceive and design materials (from a case statement to website) used in a money-raising campaign for a non-profit company.

GE222 Board Games* 1.65 Credit Hours ​ A designer and copywriter partner to create and develop a board game (associated with an existing brand). Throughout the process, the team works on game-play, packaging, all the pieces necessary, advertising and a digital component.

Elective 1.65 Credit Hours

DV201 Web Development 2 1.65 Credit Hours ​ ​ Students explore the fundamentals of responsive using various techniques and work-flows. Students build on the foundations established in the previous quarter to obtain a mastery of HTML and CSS.

ID### Digital Teams 2* 1.65 Credit Hours ​ ​ Designers and Developers team up to create and actually build working interactive experiences for the web and other media.

DV### Interactive Design 4 1.65 Credit Hours ​ Designers are released from the shackles of what’s technologically or financially feasible in today’s world and work on “blue-sky” interactive design challenges.

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Eight Quarter GR801 Graduate Portfolio Review / Job Preparation 1.65 Credit Hours This class focuses on perfecting projects, with in-depth project critiques, and the presentation of the projects. Application of personal branding through all media is addressed. The job contact, interviewing, salaries, negotiations, working with recruiters, professionalism, and presentation are discussed. There will be some portfolio reviews by guests from the industry. Time management is key. It’s very stressful – the end is near, in a way.

TM310-0 Presenting Your Concepts 1.65 Credit Hours th All 8 ​ quarter students will learn how to sell work, themselves, and perfect the presentation skills for an ​ interview, a client pitch, or an elevator. There will be in-class and out-of-class exercises. They’ll write a graduation speech.

GR804 Perfecting The Portfolio 1.65 Credit Hours This class works in tandem with the Graduate Portfolio Review class but focuses almost solely on the projects – two or three brains being better than one. Same with sets of eyeballs. Show work, critique it, improve it, repeat. Quickly.

Elective 1.65 Credit Hours

Additional classes (1.65 credits each) could be offered depending upon circumstances: ​ ​ ​ SuperTeams * Branded Environmental/Experiential Design Advanced Branding * Character Development Advanced Character Development Corporate Social Responsibility * for Design Corporate Identity (Brand Standards) DES/CW Teams * Gamification

Additional possible electives, which can come from any other department: Independent Study /Lighting for Non-Photographers Photography Boot-Camp Interactive Development classes Motion I & II Cinema-4D Web Development II & III Game Development * Writing for Non-writers Video Editing

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