GRAPHIC DESIGN
Program Overview
Earn your Certificate in Graphic Design — at home, at your own pace with the Continuing Education Center.
The Continuing Education Center program will teach you the essential knowledge and skills needed to use commercial software packages for graphic design in print and web-based applications. You'll learn the basics of graphic design theory and how to apply that theory using industry accepted software packages such as Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign.
The program also includes complimentary courses in typography and corporate and personal portfolio development. This program also includes the design software needed: Adobe Illustrator CS4, Adobe Photoshop CS4, and Adobe InDesign CS4.
Learning Objectives
Your coursework includes:
- Photo Image Editing 1 & 2
- Transforming Objects & Working with Layers and Patterns.
- Perception, Dynamic Balance, and Gestalt Principals
- Special Effects and Enhancements
- Corporate Design and Brand Strategy
- Color, Production tools and Procedures, and Web Design
- and much, much more.
Program Outline
Here's how it works
Your certificate program consists of courses designed to take you step-by-step toward understanding and mastering graphic design. Your first course will be sent to you as soon as your enrollment has been accepted. Other courses will follow as you complete your exams, so that you will always have the study materials and software needed for your coursework.
System requirements
You will need access to a Microsoft® Windows®-based computer to complete this program. The Continuing Education Center recommends the following computer specifications: IBM® compatible PC with Pentium® IV or better processor, Microsoft® Windows® XP or later as the operating system with 512MB of Memory (1024MB recommended), 1.3GB of free space, and DVD-ROM drive. You will also need Internet access and an email account.
This outline covers all the courses required for your certificate program. You complete the following courses in the order indicated:
GRD105 – Color Theory
Students learn about the relationship between colors and color as an aspect of light. They will also learn the different systems for organizing color and how to balance color in their work. Coverage of color in nature and culture and how this applies to design is also provided.
Lesson 1: Introduction to Color
Lesson 2: Color in Context and Practice
Lesson 3: Three-Dimensional Color
Textbook: Color Basics
GRD110 – Introduction to Graphic Design
This course covers the basic design principles for visual communication and how to incorporate the theories of Gestalt into graphic design assignments. The student will learn to differentiate between illustration and photography and the key factors for success when working with each form. The course also includes an introductory discussion of the latest graphic design software and how they are applied to modern graphic design.
Lesson 1: Introduction to Graphic Design
Lesson 2: Perception, Dynamic Balance, and Gestalt Principles
Lesson 3: Text Type, Layout, Illustration, and Photography in Design
Lesson 4: Color, Production Tools and Procedures, and Web Design
Textbook: Graphic Design Basics
GRD115 – Graphic Design and Production
This is an introductory course on the application of Adobe Illustrator software for design and production. Students will design and create an illustration, manipulate lines and shapes, and add text, color and special effects using Illustrator.
Lesson 1: Getting Started with Illustrator
Lesson 2: Transforming Objects & Working with Layers, Patters, and Brushes
Lesson 3: Filters, Effects, Appearance Attributes, and Graphs
Lesson 4: Using Symbols, Preparing for Printing and the Web
Lesson 5: Graphic Design and Production
Textbook: Adobe Illustrator CS4
Software: Adobe Illustrator CS4
GRD130 – Photo Image Editing 1
Students learn to use Adobe Photoshop as a professional image-editing program to produce high-quality images for print, web, or disc. Activities include the modification and enhancement of images, extracting selections from existing images, correcting flaws in existing images, optimizing images for the Web and creating buttons, rollovers and animations for Web page applications.
Lesson 1: Introduction to Photoshop
Lesson 2: Creating and Editing Graphic Files
Lesson 3: Adding Special Effect and Enhancements
Lesson 4: Adjusting Colors, Creating Shapes, Transforming Type
Lesson 5: Advanced Photoshop Techniques
Lesson 6: Creating Web Documents
Lesson 7: Photo Image Editing 1
Textbook: Adobe Photoshop CS4 Revealed
Software: Adobe Photoshop CS4
GRD135 – Photo Image Editing 2
Photo Image Editing 2, continues the development of student skills using Adobe Photoshop. This course focuses on advanced features of Photoshop including shortcuts, actions, and scripts, managing color settings, matching colors, creating duotones and tritones and using advanced filters and effects. The course concludes with the development of a Photoshop project that incorporates many of the advanced features of the software.
Lesson 1: Foundations
Lesson 2: Advanced Skills
Lesson 3: Image Projects
Lesson 4: Final Project
Textbook: Photoshop CS4 Essentials
GRD201 – Typography
Students learn to effectively communicate with an audience using the basic concepts of typography. The course includes a brief overview of the history of typography, followed by a tour of the key parts of a letterform. Students will also learn to identify classic typefaces, design with text and display type and how to apply their understanding of typography to design projects.
Lesson 1: Introduction to Typography
Lesson 2: Designing with Type
Lesson 3: Working with Typography
Textbook: Designing with Type
GRD205 – Electronic Publishing
Students learn the electronic publishing process using InDesign desktop publishing software. This course includes instruction on the preparation of content for placement in InDesign, the creation of set-up files for single and multipage documents, the layout of text and images on a page, the creation of master pages, full coverage of the tools associated with InDesign and concludes with a lesson on creating web pages using InDesign.
Lesson 1: InDesign Overview and Setup
Lesson 2: Working with Text and Layout
Lesson 3: Working with Color, Styles, and Graphics
Lesson 4: Final Output: Print, PDF, and Web Production
Textbook: Classroom in a Book Adobe InDesign CS4
Software: Adobe InDesign CS4
GRD212 – Corporate Design
This course focuses on basic guidelines and best practices for developing brand design skills. Students can expect to understand the components of brands, trace the evolution of branding and discuss the importance of established brand names. The course will also provide instruction on how to incorporate good design practice into a brand and to identify the elements found in successful brands.
Lesson 1: Introduction to Branding
Lesson 2: Creating Brands
Lesson 3: Showcasing Brands
Lesson 4: Graded Project
Textbook: Brand Strategy, Design, and Implementation of Design
GRD220 – Web Graphic Arts Design
Web Graphic Arts Design teaches students about creating Web graphics using PhotoShop and ImageReady. Students create graphics for use in Web design and other Web-based projects by completing hands-on and case projects and creating professional-level Web graphics for use in their electronic portfolios in the last semester of this course.
Lesson 1: Creating Web Graphics
Lesson 2: Layers, Type, and Background Images
Lesson 3: Creating Web Photo Galleries
Lesson 4: Integrating Imageready with Other Programs
Textbook: Photoshop CS4 for the Web
GRD225 – Portfolio Development
Takes students through the process of creating a portfolio and demonstrates how to present you and your work in a professional setting. Students learn to prepare verbal and visual presentations including cover letters, resumes and the physical portfolio. The course provides expert advice on how to highlight your best work and how to spot weaknesses in your personal portfolio. Students will learn to prepare traditional and digital portfolios and will understand the advantages and disadvantages of each format.
Lesson 1: Portfolio Preparation
Lesson 2: Types of Portfolios
Lesson 3: Design Fundamentals
Lesson 4: Interface Design
Lesson 5: Portfolio Presentation and the Interview
Lesson 6: Final Graded Project
Textbook: Portfolio Design
Online Library and Librarian
Students at the Continuing Education Center have access to an online library during their college studies. Students can use the library to do the required course research or for general reference and links to valuable resources. The library contains helpful research assistance, articles, databases, books, and Web links. A librarian is available to answer questions on general research-related topics via email and will assist students in research activities.
We reserve the right to change program content and materials when it becomes necessary.
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