Undergraduate Programs

Program Requirements

Students who complete a bachelor of arts (BA) degree in art with a graphic design concentration will develop a broad, deep, and critical engagement with visual culture from many different periods and places. You’ll learn to conceptualize and produce visual art, be introduced to standards of professional practice in applied and fine art, and be prepared to work in a business or nonprofit setting as a graphic designer.

Major Requirements

36 hours of major coursework
12 credits co-requirements
120 total credits for graduation

Required courses: ART 1030, 1040, 1100, 2000 (minimum 2 semesters), 2020, 2040 or 2050, 2060, 2080, 2081, 3081, 3082, 4010, 4011, and 4970 (taken for 4 sh);

Art History Requirement: ART 2019; and one additional course selected from the following: ART 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, or 2018;

Electives (4 sh): Art History or Art Studio beyond the above requirements.

Co-requirements: Communications: COMM 2150, 3100, 3480; Business and Economics: BSE 2211, 2610, 3510

Participation in Fourth-Year Show/Curatorial Project required.

Academic Catalog  Core Curriculum

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Course Descriptions

The following descriptions are a sample of courses you may take as an art major. For a complete list of required courses, please review the academic catalog.

Introduction and application of the elements of visual language. Studies in shape, color, line, texture, and value as they relate to two-dimensional art.


Elements of visual language as they apply to three-dimensional art. Projects based on the study of volume, space, line, color, and texture.


Line, tone, and composition in relation to a variety of subjects, such as still-life, architecture, figure, and landscape. Media will include pencil, ink, charcoal, Conte crayon, ink wash, etc.


This creative ensemble welcomes all students interested in art to register. This experience ushers students into the collaboration of art making and the organization of creative events. It fosters student interaction with and investment in Chicago's rich artistic landscape. Activities include studio and institutional visits, service projects both on and off campus, guest speakers, performances, and discussions. Course is variable credit and repeatable. Experienced students will have the opportunity to direct projects and activities.


Development of technical and conceptual skills involved in painting. Both direct and indirect techniques are stressed in oils and acrylics.


This course is an exploration of relief woodcuts and linoleum block printing. Various approaches to relief, along with both the history and theory of the techniques, are investigated.


This course explores a variety of intaglio printing processes such as etching, engraving, drypoint, and aquatint. Students create plates with metal and plastic using traditional and contemporary techniques in black and white as well as color.


This course will introduce students to camera mechanics, digital processing techniques and photographic criticism. Students will explore creative techniques and operations with digital cameras.


This course is an introduction to the basic principles of visual communication, including an introduction to problem-solving strategies, symbolic association, and the problem of effective communication in a global culture. Students will explore the relationships between form and content, word and image, and practice the selection, organization and presentation of information in the form of text and images.


This course considers advanced concepts in visual communication, including an introduction to user-based design theory. Students will explore the world of print media through a series of case studies, and practice single page compositions, multi-page compositions, and the integration of form, image, and text. Lab.


This class familiarizes students with the vocabulary, tools, and methods of vector-based drawing and reinforces ties to traditional media. Advanced concept in illustration software programs.


This class familiarizes students with the vocabulary, tools and methods of raster-based drawing and photo editing, and reinforces ties to traditional media. Advanced concepts in photo editing programs.


This course provides a culminating experience for the art major. It will help art students prepare for a professional life by supporting and directing the development of a focused fourth-year project. The course will deal with such topics as preparations for professional shows, integration of theory and practice, integration of art historical precedent, organizing and mounting art exhibitions, and development of a professional portfolio.


A continuation of the fourth-year seminar.


An apprentice experience in the professional world of art. The University has a working arrangement with several design studios, offices, and advertising agencies. Please refer to the Internship Section of the catalog for further internship requirements and guidelines.

Study of the art produced on the continent of Africa. This course will include analysis of social and cultural traditions and how they have shaped visual arts from region to region. This course may cover art from any period, ancient through contemporary.


Study of the art produced in North, Central and South America. Analysis of indigenous religious traditions and social structures and the way they have shaped the visual arts in the Americas. The art will be studies before contact with European civilization and after conquest and colonization.



Study of Grecian and Roman art from B.C.E. 800 to C.E. 500. Architecture, sculpture, painting, and ceramics will be some of the art forms studied. Attention will be given to how the art produced by these two societies is similar and how it diverges.


Early Christian, Byzantine and Medieval art which was produced from about 300 C.E. to 1300 C.E. will be studied. The course will trace the development of Christian art from its origins in Roman art and culture to its full flowering in the Byzantine and Gothic styles.


Study of art produced in Europe between the years of 1400 C.E. and 1700 C.E. The course will study painting, sculpture, and architecture and will analyze the roles of the Reformation and the counter-Reformation as they impacted European Art.


Study of art produced primarily in Europe and America in the nineteenth century. The course will study various media including some or all of the following: painting, photography, architecture, and sculpture. Focus on major movements which may include Neoclassicism, Romanticism, Realism, and/or Impressionism will structure analysis of the culture and society during this period.


The art of the first half of the 20th century produced primarily in Europe and America. All forms of modern visual expression will be included but the primary focus will be upon the arts of painting, photography, sculpture, and architecture.


The art of the second half of the 20th century and the art of the 21st century. The course will study all forms of visual expression including new media as well as covering art theory. A substantial portion of the course will focus on the art produced in America but art from around the world will also be studied.


The course examines the connections between Graphic Design history and contemporary design trends. Students will explore a variety of design influences through lectures, research assignments, and design exercises. Study will focus on design developments from the industrial revolution to the present.


This course develops students' media, digital, and news literacy skills. Students construct a media product and learn to critique media messages and technologies. Required for admission to the Media Studies major and prerequisite for most upper-level courses in the major.


This course addresses the development of major U.S. media industries, including newspapers, magazines, radio, television, the Internet, and social media. It focuses on the impact of media innovations on culture, and the ways established media adapt to innovations.


Using case studies, this course explores a range of ethical issues confronted by media practitioners. A moral reasoning process is used to evaluate conflicting values, apply ethical theories, and evaluate to whom ethical loyalty is due.


An introduction to basic economic concepts and models. An aggregate and analytical view of economic analysis focusing on national income, employment, the price level, and economic growth. The theory of income determination, fiscal policy, monetary policy, and the international economy. Current issues and policies in macroeconomics including studies on labor force and job structure. Historical review and development of economic doctrines.


An introduction to the marketing function in private and public organizations, designed to provide students with an overview of marketing concepts, tools, and methods of analysis. The course takes a practical, managerial approach to managing the marketing process. Steps in the marketing process, including market research, segmentation, targeting, positioning, and the four P's (product, place, price, promotion) are explored, along with concepts of customer value and satisfaction, competitive analysis, brand strategy, consumer behavior, advertising, and the impact of the internet on marketing strategy and implementation.


This course covers public relations and corporate communications strategies. Topics include agency management, crisis strategies, personnel strategies, branding, and ethics. Analysis and writing of print, electronic, and oral messages to achieve organizational objectives i.e., writing backgrounders, boiler plates, fact sheets, press releases, speeches, newsletters, brochures, feature stories, annual reports, and intro bytes.