Prepare students to submit a portfolio of professional quality graphic design work to potential employers, clients, or graduate programs.
Objective
Typographic Design
Students will develop expertise in the use of type in graphic design, utilizing type as image, and combining image and type.
Indicator
Advanced Typography Portfolio
Students in the BFA Graphic Design program will be required to take ARTS 4325 Advanced Typographic Design. At the conclusion of this course, students will submit a portfolio for review. The portfolio will demonstrate
• an understanding of typographic standards • the ability to select type appropriate for a given project • the ability to organize typographic information in a logical, hierarchal manner • the ability to use type as image • the ability to employ type as an expressive visual element
Criterion
80 Or Higher
The graphic design faculty of 3 professors will evaluate portfolios from students at the completion of ARTS 4325 Advanceed Typorgraphic Design. Using a rubric that scores each aspect of the porfolio on a scale of 0-100, it is expected that 75% of the students will score at least 80 in each area.
Students taking the Graphic Design BFA Portfolio Review will be evaluated on Typographic Skills in the section "Aesthetic Sensitivity". These scores from a course earlier in the curriculum will be used for comparison to evaluate development of Typographic skills.
Finding
Improvement In Upper Level Course
28 Students were evaluated in the Spring 2015 Graphic Design BFA Portfolio Review. 25 of these students were taking the Review for the first time, 3 were repeating the Review after failing to pass it last year.
16 Students (57%) scored 8 or above in the "Aesthetic Sensitivity" section of Typographic Skills.
The Portfolios from ARTS 4325 Advanced Typographic Design yielded the following results:
• An understanding of typographic standards - 80% at or above 80
• The ability to select type appropriate for a given project - 93% at or above 80
• The ability to organize typographic information in a logical, hierarchal manner - 80% at or above 80
• The ability to use type as image - 80% at or above 80
• The ability to employ type as an expressive visual element - 80% at or above 80
In comparison to this year’s evaluation of typography from the BFA review, students in the upper level Advanced Typography course demonstrated a much higher typographic aptitude, with at least 80% scoring at or above 80% for each criterion.
Action
Evaluate Work From Senior Exhibition
Typographic skills are vital to the success of the Graphic Design student. This essential skill will continue to be evaluated. Future evaluations will be conducted using student work in the Graphic Design Senior Exhibition which is the capstone project of the Graphic Design BFA.
Objective
Proficiency As Illustrators
Graphic Design students will develop a communication centric approach to illustration, as well as the ability to create illlustrations utilizing analog and digital processes.
Indicator
Portfolio Of Illustrations
Students in ARTS 4331 Illustration will assemble a portfolio of Illlustrations from projects created in this class.
The projects will demonstrate the students' ability to
• employ a range of illustrative techniques • utilize visual metaphors as an illustrative solution • generate expressive design solutions within a concept focused design process.
Criterion
Compare With Baseline
The graphic design faculty of 3 professors will evaluate work in the portfolios using a rubric that scores each aspect of the criteria on a scale of 0-100. The scores will be compared with the scores from he previous year to determine progress or needs for improvement. It is expected that 75% of the students will score at 80 or higher.
Finding
Decline In Scores
Faculty evaluation of the portfolios show that 0% of the 16 students scored 80 or higher. The scores for "ability to utilize visual metaphors as an illustrative solution," and "ability to generate expressive design solutions within a concept focused design process" were significantly lower than the other two areas, with all the scores below 60. There was some confusion regarding the criteria and the instructor of the course submitted work from different assignments than the previous year. While this portfolio evaluation does not provide an accurate comparison with the portfolios used last year to create the baseline, it does indicate the objectives defined in the Indicator are not emphasized strongly enough in the course.
Action
Emphasize Objectives In Course Assignments
Graphic Design Faculty will meet to discuss strategies for emphasizing these criteria as course objectives for ARTS 4331. The Graphic Design Faculty feel that ARTS 4331 Illustration, as it is being taught, is of value as an elective course for students in Studio Art, and for students pursuing Teacher Certification, but recommend the creation of a Graphic Design specific Illustration course to address the communication centric approach to Illustration needed for Graphic Designers. This Graphic Design specific course will include the the addition of ARTS 3322 Typography as a prerequisite.
Objective
Students Will Create Digital Publications
Students will develop the ability to create publications for mobile devices and digital dsitribution.
Indicator
Advanced Typographic Portfolio
Graphic Design students will be required to take ARTS 4325, Advanced Typographic Design and produce a portfolio of work at the end of the semester.
The portfolio will include work that demonstrates the student's
• ability to use Adobe InDesign software to create a digital publication; • ability to gather, manage and assemble content into a unified digital experience; • ability to integrate interactive elelments into a publication design.
Criterion
75% Will Score At Least 80
The graphic design faculty of 3 professors will evaluate work in the senior exhibition from ARTS 4325, using a rubric that scores each aspect of the indicator on a scale of 0-100. This was a new objective last year, and data was gathered to create a baseline to measure improvement in the future. This years assessment will be compared with the baseline. It is hoped that at least 75% of the students will eventually score 80 or higher in each area.
Finding
Compare With Baseline
Baseline from 2013-14 evaluation:
• Ability to use Adobe InDesign: 46% scored above 80% • Ability to gather and manage content: 54% scored above 80% • Ability to integrate interactive elements: 69% scored above 80%
Results from 2014-15 evaluation:
• Ability to use Adobe InDesign: 87% scored above 80% • Ability to gather and manage content: 80% scored above 80% • Ability to integrate interactive elements: 67% scored above 80%
Action
Continue To Evaluate
The evaluation indicates improvement in the students' ability to use software and manage content. Their ability to integrate interactive elements remained close the baseline score. The Graphic Design Faculty will continue to develop the new curriculum and incorporate interactive design elements into digital publications. The Department of Art will search for new faculty with expertise in Motion Graphics and Interactive Design and will emphasize these courses in the Curriculum.