Applied Design & Visual Communication Major

Combine your passion for art and communication.

The Applied Design and Visual Communication degree at Houghton prepares you for a variety of careers in art, design, media production and communication. Through courses in graphic design, video, photography, art history and media studies, you'll gain confidence in your ability to integrate faith, knowledge and creativity. Through this collaborative art and communication partnership, you'll gain skills in communication and media and studio experience with a variety of materials and techniques.

Degree Snapshot

Undergraduate - Bachelor's

Degree Types: BS, BFA

Program Credits: 124

Explore Courses & Degree Requirements Careers Meet the Faculty

What will I learn?

Photography student speaking with her professor.

Through Houghton’s Applied Design & Visual Communication major you will prepare for a career in the commercial arts as you:

Build a foundation in the essential digital tools involved in the production of graphics, print and digital media, and video
Master the tools and concepts of creating and manipulating images with digital technology
Explore the movie-making process with digital video
Examine the technical and practical aspects of lighting for photography and video
Understand the fundamentals of digital photography, including camera operation and file management
Gain introductory knowledge of the design, hosting and maintenance of webpages

Why study Applied Design & Visual Communication at Houghton?

State-of-the-art Facilities

Art and design students at Houghton have a light-filled, dedicated space to create in the Stevens Art Studio. The Digital Printing Lab provides students with a large, clean workspace for multiple design media and photography classes; cutting mats and drafting tools; large-format Epson inkjet printers; while the Forsyth Mac Lab provides access to the latest software for digital design and desktop publishing.

Explore Art Facilities & Equipment

Applied Design Internship

Add to your professional portfolio and apply your classroom knowledge in a real-world setting during your Applied Design internship. Internship positions may be available in a range of applied design industries, small businesses, artist studios, galleries and museums.

Prepare to Sell and Market Your Art

Interested in freelancing or owning your own business? Houghton offers an Art Business minor so you can learn the fundamentals of business, marketing and entrepreneurial practices to help launch your career.

Courses & Degree Requirements

Popular Courses

ART/COMM 115 Foundations of Digital Communication

This course explores the essential digital toolsets involved in the production of graphics, print and digital media, and video. Through lecture, demo, and studio projects, you will gain the foundational technical and design concepts necessary for creating effective visual messages in a digital studio environment.

ART 245/COMM 243 Graphic Design

This course is an introduction to the theory and practice of graphic design communication. Explore techniques for solving two-dimensional problems and how to translate verbal to visual form. You will also be introduced to computer design.

ART/COMM 224 Motion Media Design

This course focuses on the foundational concepts of communications design and time. In the studio you'll explore how images and design change over time in ways that enhance narrative or interactive communication. This includes time and motion explored as formal properties and the history of time-based communication and interactivity.

Degree Options

BS - 124 credits

45 credits
Required Courses

79 credits
Elective courses + general education

Degree Requirements

BFA - 124 credits

68-70 credits
Required Courses

54-56 credits
Elective courses + general education

Degree Requirements

Meet a Faculty Member

Having been nearly robbed by monkeys on a mountain in the Sichuan province of China, documenting the Ark of the Covenant's claimed location in Aksum, Ethiopia, photographing the rituals of Semana Santa in Antigua, Guatemala, Ryann Cooley has many stories to share. He says that his travels as a documentary photographer to over 50 countries have helped shape his ideas. Additionally, his years of advertising and editorial work in New York City–with clients including American Express, Intel, InStyle, and Vibe magazine–further refined his skills. In his current practice, Cooley classifies himself as a conceptual artist and educator working in a blend of mediums challenging the boundaries of photography. His work–which includes photography, mixed-media, sculpture, and immersive installations–exists on the fringe of photography, examining the relationship between a viewer and the image.