Fine-Tune Your Creative Process in Visual Communication

Hone your skills as a designer by learning how to communicate a client’s needs using an array of visual communication tools. Cultivate your imagination and knowledge in graphic design, packaging, paper systems, and client visual brand development. Our program focuses on conceptual thinking, the creative process, and visual problem-solving. Build a professional portfolio of industry-relevant work for careers.

Instructor pointing towards a screen with students in the background

Career Possibilities

Our program prepares you for careers in graphic design, advertisement, and new media.

  • Creative Director
  • Design Director
  • Graphic Designer
  • Environment Designer
  • Exhibition Designer
  • Product Designer
  • Illustrator
  • Print Production Manager
  • Brand Manager
  • Design Consultant
  • Industrial Designer
  • Packaging Engineer

See Yourself Succeed with a Degree In Visual Communication

Young adult squished into a subway train, but still enjoying their handheld video game system.

Award-winning Work

You will enter competitions and showcases to display your skills and potentially win awards. Students have won national and international competitions and earned awards from Adobe Achievement Awards, The One Show, American Advertising Federation and Graphis, among others.

Student smiling around many computers.

Creative Spaces

Our varied and collaborative spaces offer multiple creative student outlets including state of the art computer labs, access to hi-end video equipment and alternative makers space equipment.

Mac computers showcasing digital media in a gallery.

Senior Exit Show

Upon graduation, you will participate in the Senior Exit Show, where your work will be displayed for professionals and alumni to view. In the past, students have received multiple job offers during the event.

Faculty of the art department in a gallery. Starting from the left Joshua Ege, Virgil Scott, Lee Hackett, Carlos Hernandez and Casey McGarr.

Career Readiness

Distinguished faculty and design professionals guide your development to help you acquire expertise, versatility and the experience needed to thrive in a complex and rapidly changing world.

Male instructor pointing at whiteboard with students watching
Student sitting on desk listening

What You Will Learn

A Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Visual Communication with a Design Concentration will offer you the opportunity to:

  • Cultivate your imagination and build a creative process
  • Learn from industry professionals and accomplished, recognized faculty
  • Gain access to equipment to make your concepts come to life; letterpress, screenprinting, RISO printer, 3-d printer and laser cutters
  • Apply conceptual thinking and visual problem-solving to acquire expertise
  • Participate in student competitions and internships
  • Build a dynamic portfolio

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

A degree in visual communication will offer you the opportunity to:

  • Focus on an applied conceptual skill set and develop conceptual thinking, visual problem-solving and an understanding of the creative process.
  • Learn to be a creative team leader and target specific market audiences to produce client branding, single ads and campaigns in the form of print, broadcast and interactive media.
  • Gain proficiency in creating headlines, copy, layout and storyboarding by partnering with copywriters, designers, photographers and illustrators.
  • Work on client-driven projects such as packaging, paper systems and visual branding development.
  • Pairs creative thinking and refined design skills with computer-based multimedia and motion design. Study how to create motion graphics, modeling, animation, video, gaming concepts, interactive web and mobile apps.
Student presenting design layouts on a whiteboard.

Course Delivery and Resources

Face-to-face classes are led by engaged faculty and industry professionals to provide instruction and mentorship to help find your point of difference.

First-year and Sophomore-level courses are taught on the Commerce campus. All upper-level Visual Communication courses are offered in Dallas where students are introduced to the dynamic design community of one of the nation's most vibrant cities. Shuttle service between the Commerce campus and Dallas allows students to reside in Commerce while attending classes in Dallas.

Undergraduate Program Costs

Program Costs

Tuition and fees for undergraduate students taking 12 credit hours are $4,212 for Texas residents and $9,108 for non-residents.

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  • 8750 N Central Expy.
  • Dallas, TX 75231

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