BDes in Graphic Design

Degree Requirements

To earn a Bachelor of Design in Graphic Design degree from UIC, students need to complete university, college, and school degree requirements. The Graphic Design degree requirements are outlined below. Students should consult College of Architecture, Design, and the Arts section for additional degree requirements and college academic policies. A portfolio is not required for admission to the UIC School of Design. Work completed during the Design Foundation Year will be reviewed in late April in consideration for acceptance to the Bachelor of Design (BDes) in Graphic Design.

Summary of Requirements
Foundations Program25
General Education and Foundation Courses 34
Graphic Design Major Requirements 59
Electives outside the School of Design13-14
DLG 120UIC First-Year Dialogue Seminar (Required of new freshmen only) a1
Total Hours132
a

New freshmen are required to complete DLG 120 for one hour. These students will complete 13 hours of electives for the BDes in Graphic Design. All other students complete 14 hours of electives for the BDes in Graphic Design.

Foundations Program

Required Courses
DES 110Design Colloquium1
DES 1202D Form Studio4
DES 1303D Form Studio4
DES 140Design Drawing4
DES 150Digital Media Design I4
DES 160Design Photography4
DES 170Color Theory4
Total Hours25

General Education and Foundation Coursesa

Required Courses
ENGL 160Academic Writing I: Writing in Academic and Public Contexts3
ENGL 161Academic Writing II: Writing for Inquiry and Research3
Understanding the Individual and Society course a3
Understanding the Past course a3
Analyzing the Natural World course a,b4
Exploring World Cultures course a3
Understanding U.S. Society course a3
AH 110World History of Art and the Built Environment I c4
AH 111World History of Art and the Built Environment II c4
Art Elective4
Total Hours34
a

Students should consult the General Education section of the catalog for a list of approved courses in this category. Students may choose a General Education course that falls below the recommended semester hour value for a particular category as long as the student reaches a total of 24 hours of General Education distributed across the six categories.

b

Students who select a course worth less than 4 hours from the Analyzing the Natural World list will need to take an additional General Education Core course as part of their electives.

c

This course is approved for the Understanding the Creative Arts General Education category.

Graphic Design Major Requirements

Required Courses
DES 208Typography I: Form4
DES 209Typography II: Systems4
DES 220Form and Image Studio4
DES 250Digital Media Design II4
DES 251Digital Media Design III: Motion Design4
DES 308Typography III: Expression4
DES 309Typography IV: Advanced Topics4
DES 350Digital Media Design IV: Advanced Topics4
DES 410Senior Design Colloquium I1
DES 411Senior Design Colloquium II1
DES 480Graphic Design Thesis I4
DES 481Graphic Design Thesis II4
Select two of the following courses:8
DES 420
& DES 421
Professional Practice Project I
and Professional Practice Project II
DES 430
& DES 431
Interdisciplinary Product Development I
and Interdisciplinary Product Development II
DES 440
& DES 441
Design and Identity I
and Design and Identity II
DES 452
& DES 453
Information Aesthetics I
and Information Aesthetics II
DES Elective
DES 450Advanced Topics in Design3
or CS 426 Video Game Design and Development
Art History Requirement for the Major:
DES 235History of Design I: 1760-19253
DES 236History of Design II: 1925 to the Present3
Total Hours59

 Electives Outside the School of Design

Electives
Electives outside the School of Design a13-14
Total Hours13-14
a

New freshmen are required to complete DLG 120 for one hour. These students will complete 13 hours of electives for the BDes in Graphic Design. All other students complete 14 hours of electives for the BDes in Graphic Design.

UIC First Year Dialogue Seminar

Required Course
DLG 120UIC First-Year Dialogue Seminar (Required of new freshmen only)1
Total Hours1

Sample Course Schedule—Graphic Design

Plan of Study Grid
Freshman Year
Fall SemesterHours
DES 110 Design Colloquium 1
DES 120 2D Form Studio (S or F) 4
DES 130 3D Form Studio (S or F) 4
DES 160 Design Photography (S or F) 4
ENGL 160 Academic Writing I: Writing in Academic and Public Contexts 3
 Hours16
Spring Semester
DES 140 Design Drawing (S or F) 4
DES 150 Digital Media Design I (S or F) 4
DES 170 Color Theory (S or F) 4
ENGL 161 Academic Writing II: Writing for Inquiry and Research 3
DLG 120 UIC First-Year Dialogue Seminar (Required of new freshmen only) 1
 Hours15-16
Sophomore Year
Fall Semester
AH 110 World History of Art and the Built Environment I 4
DES 208 Typography I: Form 4
DES 250 Digital Media Design II 4
DES 220 Form and Image Studio 4
 Hours16
Spring Semester
AH 111 World History of Art and the Built Environment II 4
DES 209 Typography II: Systems 4
DES 251 Digital Media Design III: Motion Design 4
Understanding the Individual and Society course 3
General Elective 3
 Hours18
Junior Year
Fall Semester
DES 235 History of Design I: 1760-1925 3
DES 308 Typography III: Expression 4
DES 350 Digital Media Design IV: Advanced Topics 4
General Elective 4
Understanding the Past course 3
 Hours18
Spring Semester
DES 236 History of Design II: 1925 to the Present 3
DES 309 Typography IV: Advanced Topics 4
DES Elective 3
Analyzing the Natural World course 4
General Elective 3
 Hours17
Senior Year
Fall Semester
DES 480 Graphic Design Thesis I 4
Professional Practice Track  
Select one of the following: 4
DES 420
 Professional Practice Project I  
DES 430
 Interdisciplinary Product Development I  
DES 440
 Design and Identity I  
DES 452
 Information Aesthetics I  
General Elective 4
Exploring World Cultures course 3
 Hours15
Spring Semester
DES 410 Senior Design Colloquium I 1
DES 411 Senior Design Colloquium II 1
DES 481 Graphic Design Thesis II 4
Professional Practice Track  
Select one of the following: 4
DES 421
 Professional Practice Project II  
DES 431
 Interdisciplinary Product Development II  
DES 441
 Design and Identity II  
DES 453
 Information Aesthetics II  
ART Elective 4
Understanding U.S. Society course 3
 Hours17
 Total Hours132