Communication Arts
The Communication Arts Department offers a broad and cross-disciplinary learning experience for BFA candidates majoring in Advertising, Graphic Design, and Illustration. Our rigorous curricula and surrounding initiatives focus on: research, formal application and experimentation, technological proficiencies, and innovative outcomes.
Students in the Communication Arts Department will:
- Understand fundamental theories, methodologies and tools of visual communication.
- View themselves as cultural producers who value both the creation of images, products and environments, and their relation to clients and audiences.
- Develop conceptual, technical and presentation skills linked to commercial applications and professional practices.
- Build competence in a broad range of media and methods for delivering images and texts.
- Develop collaboration skills and multidisciplinary methods of research, strategies, organization and analysis.
- Embrace and value problem-defining and problem-solving skills and processes.
- Demonstrate creativity and the power of effective communication through their work.
- Adopt a life-long sense of community responsibility.
- Successfully manage life-long careers in a changing and competitive workplace.
- Embrace a commitment to professionalism.
More content is available in the complete Course Description and Curricula (PDF)
Advertising Design
| Fall | Spring | |||
| Sophomore Year | COMD207/208 | Communication Studio I/II | 3.0 | 3.0 |
| COMD214/215 | Drawing + Painting I/II | 2.0 | 2.0 | |
| COMD218/219 | Typography I/II | 2.0 | 2.0 | |
| COMD232/233 | Practicum I/II | 2.0 | 2.0 | |
| Sophomore Studio Electives | 2.0 | 2.0 | ||
| AHCS220 | Contemporary Art Survey | 3.0 | ---- | |
| AHCS222 | History of Gr Des/Adv/Illus | ---- | 3.0 | |
| *ENGL202 | Sophomore English Requirements | 3.0 | ---- | |
| *SSC210/211/220 | Social Science | ---- | 3.0 | |
| Total Credits per Semester | 17.0 | 17.0 | ||
| Descriptions for courses listed in grey boxes are located in the Liberal Arts and Sciences section. | ||||
| Fall | Spring | |||
| Junior Year | ADVT300/301 | Advertising and Art Direction I/II | 3.0 | 3.0 |
| COMD332/333 | Practicum I/II | 2.0 | 2.0 | |
| ADVT354 | Professional Practice | ---- | 2.0 | |
| ADVT350 | Campaigns & Briefs | ---- | 2.0 | |
| ADVT351 | Copywriting | 2.0 | ---- | |
| Studio Electives | 2.0 | 2.0 | ||
| *ILMS300 | Integrated Learning Studio | 2.0 | ---- | |
| MATH336 | Introduction to Symbolic Logic | 3.0 | ---- | |
| NSCI307 | Natural Science | ---- | 3.0 | |
| AHCS310 | Art History Elective | 3.0 | ---- | |
| Art History, English, or Liberal Studies Elective | ---- | 3.0 | ||
| Total Credits per Semester | 17.0 | 17.0 | ||
| *This course may be taken in either fall or spring semester. | ||||
| Descriptions for courses listed in grey boxes are located in the Liberal Arts and Sciences section. | ||||
| Fall | Spring | |||
| Senior Year | ADVT400 | Advertising & Art Direction III | 2.0 | ---- |
| ADVT402 | Strategies in Marketing & Research | 2.0 | ---- | |
| COMD432/433 | Practicum I/II | 2.0 | 2.0 | |
| ADVT440 | Senior Project | ---- | 3.0 | |
| ADVT 403 | Special Topics | ---- | 2.0 | |
| ADVT470/471 | OnScreen Production & Concepts I/II | 2.0 | 2.0 | |
| ADVT452 | Advanced Copy Concepts | ---- | 2.0 | |
| Studio Electives | 2.0 | 2.0 | ||
| *LIBS440 | Senior Liberal Studies Capstone | ---- | 3.0 | |
| *ILML400 | Integrated Learning Lecture | 3.0 | ---- | |
| LIBS404 | Senior Project/Research Paper | 2.0 | ---- | |
| Total Credits per Semester | 15.0 | 16.0 | ||
| *This course may be taken in either fall or spring semester. | ||||
| Descriptions for courses listed in grey boxes are located in the Liberal Arts and Sciences section. | ||||
Graphic Design
| Fall | Spring | |||
| Sophomore Year | COMD207/208 | Communication Studio I/II | 3.0 | 3.0 |
| COMD214/215 | Drawing + Painting I/II | 2.0 | 2.0 | |
| COMD218/219 | Typography I/II | 2.0 | 2.0 | |
| COMD232/233 | Practicum I/II | 2.0 | 2.0 | |
| Sophomore Studio Electives | 2.0 | 2.0 | ||
| AHCS220 | Contemporary Art Survey | 3.0 | ---- | |
| AHCS222 | History of Gr Des/Adv/Illus | ---- | 3.0 | |
| *ENGL202 | Sophomore English Requirements | 3.0 | ---- | |
| *SSC210/211/220 | Social Science | ---- | 3.0 | |
| Total Credits per Semester | 17.0 | 17.0 | ||
| Descriptions for courses listed in grey boxes are located in the Liberal Arts and Sciences section. | ||||
| Fall | Spring | |||
| Junior Year | COMD300/301 | Communication Studio III/IV | 3.0 | 3.0 |
| COMD310/311 | Typography III/IV | 2.0 | 2.0 | |
| COMD332/333 | Practicum I/II | 2.0 | 2.0 | |
| COMD354 | Professional Practice | 2.0 | ---- | |
| Studio Electives | ---- | 4.0 | ||
| *ILMS300 | Integrated Learning Studio | 2.0 | ---- | |
| MATH336 | Introduction to Symbolic Logic | 3.0 | ---- | |
| NSCI307 | Natural Science | ---- | 3.0 | |
| AHCS310 | Art History Elective | 3.0 | ---- | |
| Art History, English, or Liberal Studies Elective | ---- | 3.0 | ||
| Total Credits per Semester | 17.0 | 17.0 | ||
| *This course may be taken in either fall or spring semester. | ||||
| Descriptions for courses listed in grey boxes are located in the Liberal Arts and Sciences section. | ||||
| Fall | Spring | |||
| Senior Year | COMD440 | Senior Project | ---- | 3.0 |
| COMD432/433 | Practicum I/II | 2.0 | 2.0 | |
| COMD472-477 | Sr. Digital Electives | 2.0 | 2.0 | |
| Studio Electives | 6.0 | 6.0 | ||
| *LIBS440 | Senior Liberal Studies Capstone | ---- | 3.0 | |
| *ILML400 | Integrated Learning Lecture | 3.0 | ---- | |
| LIBS404 | Senior Project/Research Paper | 2.0 | ---- | |
| Total Credits per Semester | 15.0 | 16.0 | ||
| *This course may be taken in either fall or spring semester. | ||||
| Descriptions for courses listed in grey boxes are located in the Liberal Arts and Sciences section. | ||||
Illustration
| Fall | Spring | |||
| Sophomore Year | COMD207/208 | Communication Studio I/II | 3.0 | 3.0 |
| COMD214/215 | Drawing + Painting I/II | 2.0 | 2.0 | |
| COMD218/219 | Typography I/II | 2.0 | 2.0 | |
| COMD232/233 | Practicum I/II | 2.0 | 2.0 | |
| Studio Elective -or- | 2.0 | ---- | ||
| ILUS320 | Drawing Intensive | ---- | 2.0 | |
| AHCS220 | Contemporary Art Survey | 3.0 | ---- | |
| AHCS222 | History of Gr Des/Adv/Illus | ---- | 3.0 | |
| *ENGL202 | Sophomore English Requirements | 3.0 | ---- | |
| *SSC210/211/220 | Social Science | ---- | 3.0 | |
| Total Credits per Semester | 17.0 | 17.0 | ||
| Descriptions for courses listed in grey boxes are located in the Liberal Arts and Sciences section. | ||||
| Fall | Spring | |||
| Junior Year | ILUS300/301 | Communication Studio III/IV | 3.0 | 3.0 |
| ILUS310/311 | Drawing & Painting for Illustration | 2.0 | 2.0 | |
| ILUS332/333 | Practicum I/II | 2.0 | 2.0 | |
| ILUS354 | Professional Practice | 2.0 | ---- | |
| Studio Electives | 2.0 | 2.0 | ||
| *ILMS300 | Integrated Learning Studio | 2.0 | ---- | |
| MATH336 | Introduction to Symbolic Logic | 3.0 | ---- | |
| NSCI307 | Natural Science | ---- | 3.0 | |
| AHCS310 | Art History Elective | 3.0 | ---- | |
| Art History, English, or Liberal Studies Elective | ---- | 3.0 | ||
| Total Credits per Semester | 17.0 | 17.0 | ||
| *This course may be taken in either fall or spring semester. | ||||
| Descriptions for courses listed in grey boxes are located in the Liberal Arts and Sciences section. | ||||
| Fall | Spring | |||
| Senior Year | ILUS402 | Adv Illustrative Applications | 2.0 | ---- |
| ILUS440 | Senior Project | ---- | 3.0 | |
| COMD432/433 | Practicum I/II | 2.0 | 2.0 | |
| COMD472-477 | Sr. Digital Electives | 2.0 | 2.0 | |
| Studio Electives | 4.0 | 6.0 | ||
| *LIBS440 | Senior Liberal Studies Capstone | 3.0 | ---- | |
| *ILML400 | Integrated Learning Lecture | ---- | 3.0 | |
| LIBS404 | Senior Project/Research Paper | 2.0 | ---- | |
| Total Credits per Semester | 15.0 | 16.0 | ||
| *This course may be taken in either fall or spring semester. | ||||
| Descriptions for courses listed in grey boxes are located in the Liberal Arts and Sciences section. | ||||
| Department Heads | |
| Department Chair, Kali Nikitas | |
| Assistant Chair, Barbara Maloutas |
| Student Work | ||
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ALI Student Work
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Students design and produce communication materials for non-profit clients as well as the College. For students intent on pursuing traditional careers in graphic and advertising design and illustration, from print to the Web, the curriculum provides a broad educational experience that values problem-solving and conceptual thinking, promotes collaboration, and builds competence communicating not only in two- and three-dimensions, but also 4D, time-based media. Communication Arts core courses and electives are taught by a faculty team of industry professionals, many of whom are leaders in their field.
Careers/Positions:
| Advertising Animation Art Direction Art Traffic Coordination Book Design Branding and Identity Design Broadcast Design Character Development Children's Book Illustration Copywriting Collateral Design Content Development Creative/Design Direction Editorial Illustration Environmental Graphic Design |
Exhibition Design Illustration Interactive Media Packaging Design Photography Print design Print Production Publication Design Storyboarding Signage + Wayfinding Design Textile Design Web Design |
Selected employers include:
| ABC, Inc. and partners Adams Morioka Anthropologie Apple itunes Autry National Center Bau-Da Design Lab Capitol Records Chiat/Day Conde Nast Publications Deutsch Inc, L.A. DeVa Communications Disney Consumer Products Eisbar Gehry Partners GUESS? Guitar Center Hallmark I Design Studio IE Design + Communications Interscope Records Los Angeles County Museum of Art Los Angeles Magazine |
Mattel Maverick Records Maxx Marketing Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Metropolitan Transit Authority, L.A. Museum of Contemporary Art, L.A. Neuron Ogilvy Worldwide Nuby Technology Quiksilver Sony Music Target Tornado Design Twentieth Century Fox Univision 34, KMEX-TV U.S. News and World Report Von Dutch Warner Bros. Records WB Network Young & Rubicam |
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9045 Lincoln Boulevard
Los Angeles, California 90045
Telephone 310 665 6800