Visual Communication: Design

The Certificate of Completion (CCL) in Visual Communication: Design is designed to prepare students for employment and upgrade the skills of those already employed in the graphic communications field. Coursework and hands-on experiences build knowledge and skills including design principles, typography, complex layout, digital color, industry-standard software, marketing tools and objectives and proper file creation for successful output to multimedia and variable devices. Employment opportunities are available in a variety of fields including, but not limited to, graphic design, publication design, branding, illustration, digital prepress, user experience/user interface and creative direction. Students interested in continuing their studies may choose to pursue the Associate in Applied Science (AAS) in Visual Communication (3052) where these courses apply.

Details

Field of Interest

Visual and Performing Arts

Degree Type

Certificate of Completion (CCL)

Academic Plan

Visual Communication: Design (CER)

Academic Plan Code

5983

Total credits required

39-40

Catalog Year

2024-2025

Effective Term

Fall 2023

Admission criteria

None

Notes

Students must earn a grade of C or better in all courses within the program.

What You'll Learn

Develop visual concepts in response to communication problems including visual organization of information hierarchy.
Apply principles of design, history, theory, and criticism from a variety of perspectives for effective visual communication.
Critique designs to evaluate their effectiveness.
Utilize industry standard software to produce effective solutions to client-based problems.
Demonstrate professional and collaborative practices (e.g., communication, presentation, time management, organization, and legal and ethical considerations).
Communicate design ideas and solutions that recognize diverse opinions and cultural and individual differences.
Demonstrate the use of appropriate typography and font management.
Utilize calibration, characterization, definitions, and profiles of digital color to ensure color consistency across outputs.
Use digital prepress concepts and techniques to design, create, and evaluate electronic files for successful output to digital devices.
Apply the fundamentals of digital marketing tools and methods for complex segments as they relate to graphic design.
Create a portfolio of work that reflects current industry practices.

Successful completion of this certificate may lead to employment in a variety of different occupations and industries. Below are examples of related occupations with associated Arizona-based wages* for this certificate. Education requirements vary for the occupations listed below, so you may need further education or degrees in order to qualify for some of these jobs and earn the related salaries. Please visit with an academic advisor and/or program director for additional information. You can click on any occupation to view the detail regarding education level, wages, and employment information.

Art Directors

$79,070 Show expanded career information for Art Directors

Desktop Publishers

$40,630 Show expanded career information for Desktop Publishers

Graphic Designers

$56,090 Show expanded career information for Graphic Designers

Prepress Technicians and Workers

$45,650 Show expanded career information for Prepress Technicians and Workers

* Career and wage information provided by Pipeline AZ using data, reports, and forecasts which are generated using government data sources. Sources

Course Sequence by Term

The following is the suggested course sequence by term. Please keep in mind:

Students should meet with an academic advisor to develop an individual education plan that meets their academic and career goals. Use the Degree Progress Report Tool in your Student Center to manage your plan.
The course sequence is laid out by suggested term and may be affected when students enter the program at different times of the year.
Initial course placement is determined by current district placement measures and/or completion of 100-200 level course and/or program requirements.
Degree and transfer seeking students may be required to successfully complete a MCCCD First Year Experience Course (FYE) within the first two semesters at a MCCCD College. Courses include FYE101 and FYE103. Course offerings will vary by college. See an academic, program, or faculty advisor for details.

Part-time

Part-time Sequence

Part-time status is 11 credit hours or less.

Fall Semester (Term 1)

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Fall Semester (Term 1)
Course Number	Course Name	Requisites	Notes	Credits
AVC100	Introduction to Digital Arts		OR Permission of Department	1
AVC180AD	Designer's Tools: Adobe Illustrator	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in AVC100 or permission of Instructor.		1
AVC180AE	Designer's Tools: Adobe Photoshop	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in AVC100 or permission of Instructor.		1
AVC180AS	Designer's Tools: Adobe InDesign	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in AVC100 or permission of Instructor.		1
AVC181	Graphic Design I	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in AVC100 or permission of Instructor.		3
AVC103	Typography in the Digital Age	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in AVC100 or permission of Instructor.		3

Spring Semester (Term 2)

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Spring Semester (Term 2)
Course Number	Course Name	Requisites	Credits
AVC104	Cross-Media Marketing for Designers		3
AVC177	Digital Photographic Imaging I	Prerequisites or Corequisites: AVC100 or permission of Instructor.	3
AVC169	2D Media Design	Prerequisites or Corequisites: AVC100 or permission of Instructor.	3

Fall Semester (Term 3)

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Fall Semester (Term 3)
Course Number	Course Name	Requisites	Credits
AVC291	Digital Prepress	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in AVC100 or permission of Instructor.	3
AVC182	Graphic Design II	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in AVC181 or permission of Instructor.	3
AVC114	Digital Color		3

Spring Semester (Term 4)

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Spring Semester (Term 4)
Course Number	Course Name	Requisites	Credits
AVC215	Advanced Electronic Publishing	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in AVC175.	3
AVC248	Design Self Promotion		3
AVC296WA	Cooperative Education	Prerequisites: Completion of at least twelve (12) college credits minimum 2.6 grade point average and be able to obtain a position related to students academic or career goals (students present job may qualify or permission of instructor Corequisites: Must be concurrently enrolled in at least one class which is related to student's major or career interest or with permission of the instructor.	1

Disclaimer

Students must earn a grade of C or better for all courses required within the program.

Course Sequence total credits may differ from the program information located on the MCCCD curriculum website due to program and system design.

View MCCCD’s official curriculum documentation for additional details regarding the requirements of this award (https://aztransmac2.asu.edu/cgi-bin/WebObjects/MCCCD.woa/wa/freeForm11?id=180742).

At Maricopa, we strive to provide you with accurate and current information about our degree and certificate offerings. Due to the dynamic nature of the curriculum process, course and program information is subject to change. As a result, the course list associated with this degree or certificate on this site does not represent a contract, nor does it guarantee course availability. If you are interested in pursuing this degree or certificate, we encourage you to meet with an advisor to discuss the requirements at your college for the appropriate catalog year.

Previous Catalog Years

The pathway map presented above is for the current catalog year and is the intended pathway map for new students. All previous catalog years for this pathway map are available at the link below.

Previous catalog years for Certificate of Completion (CCL) in Visual Communication: Design