What can I do with my major?
Career Opportunities
- Advertising Art Director
- Animator
- Artworker
- Creative Director
- Graphic Designer
- Illustrator
- Printmaker
- Production Designer, Theatre/Television/Film
Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design
Graphic Design deals with visual communications - the interaction of words and images to inform, educate, persuade, or advocate. It seeks to inform, educate, persuade, and advocate through the interaction of words and images.
The objective of the Graphic Design Program at American International University is to enable students to become innovative, intelligent, and responsible designers. AIU's program educates students to think broadly about design, to focus on the informational and problem-solving nature of graphic design, and to visualize their design ideas. Graduates of the program are prepared to tackle a wide variety of career opportunities in design. These include areas such as publication design, exhibition design, multimedia design, instructional material design, package design, web page design, and architectural signage. The program will cover the following areas of study:
- Information Design;
- Address situations through concepts skills and methodologies, to be innovative designers that impacts others’ lives;
- User-based design where students learn to design for people through human interaction;
- To discover the world around them and innovatively communicate those ideas in creative ways;
- An interdisciplinary and collaborative endeavor.
Degree Requirements
The School of Architecture and Design offers two majors: Graphic Design and Interior Design.
School of Architecture and Design Requirements
Students in the Bachelor of Fine Arts in the Graphic Design program must complete a minimum of 121 credits including satisfaction of all degree requirements of AIU. All course work must be completed in accordance with the academic rules of AIU and those of the department.
| General Education Requirements | 36 credits |
| School Core Requirements | 24 credits |
| Major Requirements | 61 credits |
Total Credits Required for Degree 121 credits
General Education Requirements
American International University has established seven competencies that form the foundation of the learning outcomes in our courses. Upon successful completion of the General Education program, students will be able to demonstrate:
- Critical thinking
- Effective communication
- Ethical reasoning
- Global self-awareness
- Information literacy
- Mathematical and scientific reasoning
- Quantitative and IT Literacy
Required Graphic Design Courses
All Graphic Design students must complete the following courses. Students are responsible for observing all course prerequisites and limitations.
- Intro to Visual Communication
- Typography I
- Graphic Design I
- Introduction to Animation
- Typography II 3
- Illustration I
- Interactivity in Graphic Arts
- Graphic Design II
- Branding
- Illustration II 3
- History of Graphic Design
- Graphic Design III
- Packaging Design
- Information Design
- Internship
- Senior Design Project I
- Senior Design Project II
- ARD/ARH/GRD Elective (see list)
- ARD/ARH/GRD Elective (see list)
- Design Studio Elective (any ARD/GRD/IDE course)
GraphicDesign Electives
- Time Based Art & Design
- Intermediate Drawing
- History of Modern Design I
- Landscaping
- History of Modern Design II
- Twentieth Century Art
- Contemporary Art
- Printmaking Techniques
- Advertising Design
- Web-Based Design
- Publication Design
- Graphic Design Portfolio
- Advanced Typography
- Interactivity
- Special Topics
- Directed Project in Graphic Design
Welcome, New Students!
Once you arrive on campus, you will become part of a community where students and faculty make the most of every moment. An atmosphere where ideas, events, and exciting opportunities ensure a rich and satisfying university experience.
