The Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art Direction degree program prepares students with a strong foundation in drawing skills, design and typography along with creative problem solving.

The curriculum offers students opportunities for exploration of typography, advertising art, environmental design, storyboarding, corporate branding design and photography.

During art direction classes, students also develop leadership and collaboration skills as teams work to conceptualize visual solutions. Students develop a breadth of knowledge and a context for their work through the humanities and sciences course requirements. The faculty bring experience as professionals to the classroom and create challenging coursework modeled on industry practice.

Students complete the program with the development of a professional art direction portfolio which represents their individual vision and creative problem-solving skills through a variety of campaigns using typography, infographics, storyboards, illustrations and photography.

Art Direction Outcomes

The program objectives of the Academy’s Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Art Direction are to provide a rigorous learning experience that offers technical instruction, fosters artistic growth and prepares students for a career in art direction. Upon completion of the program, a student will be able to:

  1. Design and produce advertising campaigns using print, web and other media.
  2. Collaborate as a team with copywriters, photographers, illustrators, multimedia artists, and graphic and web designers.
  3. Conceptualize visual solutions (e.g. illustration, photography and typography) to communicate brand and identity.
  4. Present a portfolio/website of art direction that shows a variety of campaigns that includes typography/graphics, storyboards, illustrations or photography.
  5. Create copy written such as advertising headlines, body copy or scripts for storyboards.

Career Opportunities

  • Art Director
  • Junior Art Director
  • Creative Director
  • Associate Creative Director
  • Design Director
  • Creative Group Head
  • Creative Lead

Curriculum

122 Total Credits Required for the BFA Degree in Art Direction

Semester 1
Fundamentals of Art I5 Semester Credit Hours
Beginning Life Drawing I5 Semester Credit Hours
College Composition I3 Semester Credit Hours
College Success Seminar1 Semester Credit Hour
Semester 2
Fundamentals of Art II5 Semester Credit Hours
Beginning Life Drawing II5 Semester Credit Hours
Anatomy3 Semester Credit Hours
Semester 3
Illustraion I5 Semester Credit Hours
Typography II5 Semester Credit Hours
Art History I3 Semester Credit Hours
Oral Communication3 Semester Credit Hours
Semester 4
Illustration II5 Semester Credit Hours
Typography II5 Semester Credit Hours
Art History II3 Semester Credit Hours
(One of two) Film and Society or Introduction to Psychology3 Semester Credit Hours
Semester 5
Art Direction I5 Semester Credit Hours
(One of two) Introduction to Photographic Imaging or Advertising5 Semester Credit Hours
Quantitative Literacy3 Semester Credit Hours
(One of four) Film and Society; Film and Society: World Cultures; Introduction to Psychology; or Adulthood: Relationships, Wellness, Stress and Longevity3 Semester Credit Hours
Semester 6
Art Direction II5 Semester Credit Hours
(One of two) Introduction to Photographic Imaging or Advertising5 Semester Credit Hours
(One of three) Advanced Anatomy; Intro to Lab Science; or Vision, Light and Color3 Semester Credit Hours
(One of four) Film and Society; Film and Society: World Cultures; Psychology; Adulthood: Relationships, Wellness, or Stress and Longevity3 Semester Credit Hours
Semester 7
(Two of nine) Illustration: Advertising Art; Storyboarding; Corporate Branding Design; Editorial/Book Design; Digital Pre-press Production; Packaging Design; Environmental Design; Web Design I; or Studio Lighting and Techniques10 Semester Credit Hours
Advanced Illustration5 Semester Credit Hours
Semester 8
Portfolio: Illustration5 Semester Credit Hours
(One of nine) Illustration: Advertising Art; Storyboarding; Corporate Design Branding; Editorial/Book Design; Digital Pre-press; Packaging Design; Environmental Design; Web Design I; or Studio Lighting and Techniques5 Semester Credit Hours
(One of five) Survey of American Illustration; History of Graphic Design; 20th Century and Contemporary Art History; Art History: Renaissance and Baroque; or World Art3 Semester Credit Hours
College Composition II3 Semester Credit Hours

Portfolios