Nicole Roberts MFA Thesis Visual Component Artwork - Savannah ...

Frequent debates occur over which curricular
components are ‘sacred cows,’ but the solution is
tangibly resolved only in a handful of programs like
Rhode Island School of Design (risd) and University
of Cincinnati’s College of Design, Architecture,
Art, and Planning (daap). risd’s Bachelor of Fine
Arts (bfa) degree is a typical four-year program
offering the expected course requirements, such as
foundations, liberal arts, electives, and various design
studios. Above and beyond the bfa curriculum, risd
also offers an optional fifth year of coursework,
which results in a Bachelor of Graphic Design (bgd)
degree. This additional year enables students to
acquire 6 credit hours of professional internships
(as opposed to zero required for the bfa). It also
incorporates 12 more graphic design studio credit
hours, 9 additional art and design elective credit
hours, and 3 more liberal arts credit hours. risd’s
solution is a win-win for both educators and students.
RISD 2009–2010 Undergraduate
Graphic Design Curriculum comparing
BFA & BGD credit hour distribution
The need for additional time beyond the fourth
year is addressed, along with the preservation of
established coursework to compensate for the lack of
time. By giving students this option, it allows them to
gauge their competency level versus their career goals
during their senior year of the design program and
decide if the additional year is warranted.
In contrast, daap in Cincinnati, Ohio also offers
a five-year program, yet it is treated as a standard
requirement to obtain a Bachelor of Science in
Graphic Design, not a supplemental add-on. As a
result, graphic design majors graduate from daap
with a year and a half of professional practice
experience, and are therefore better prepared to enter
into the full-time workplace over other students with
little to no experience.
Another curricular concept that is rarely
visualized within design school publications is their
evaluation process of student work. Due to the
increase in complexity of today’s design programs,
portfolio reviews for admissions is more necessary
than ever. 70% of professors polled are against open
admission policies and believe that portfolios should
be required for acceptance into reputable graphic
design programs. This process favorably catches
students who may need preliminary instruction
prior to delving into the rigorous graphic design
studio courses, yet it also creates an adverse aura
of exclusivity surrounding the program itself.
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