BFA IN VISUAL COMMUNICATION DESIGN

The BFA in Visual Communication Design (VCD) degree program is offered to outstanding students who are preparing for design and art studies, careers, and professional activity beyond the undergraduate level. The BFA in VCD degree requires 120 hours of credits with up to ninety (90) semester hours focused on design, studio, and art history coursework.

Designers explore a variety of visual communication design topics dealing with diverse messages and audiences. Students interested in pursuing a career in design, including visual communication design, graphic design, motion graphics, animation, digital media, etc. may apply to the BFA in VCD degree. Students planning to graduate in four years with a BFA in VCD degree should aim to complete their Foundation Core in their Freshman year and take the appropriate Studio Core classes in their sophomore year.

Academic Performance

The BFA in VCD degree provides students with a human-centered approach to making and thinking as designers. Students learn through digital and hand’s-on-making design challenges to develop critical narrative skills and refine their ability to think conceptually. Individual projects and research prepare each student to think flexibly in an international community that is continually being influenced by new ideas, tools, and technologies. The Visual Arts Building, design computer classroom, and design and fabrication studio facilities offer undergraduate students ample research, design, and production space and access to cutting-edge technology, and open-source and industry-standard software and tools for design exploration.

Students must earn a grade of C or better in all courses taken to satisfy department requirements. Courses in the major must be taken for a letter grade. To obtain a BFA in VCD degree in the Department of Visual Arts students must have a minimum 3.00 overall UW-total institutional GPA, and a 3.25 GPA in all major courses at the time of graduation.

Academic Advisors

BFA candidates work closely with their academic advisors to plan a program of upper-division coursework to meet their artistic and professional goals and objectives and to define an area of concentration and development. 

 

Application

A formal application is made to the program for acceptance into the BFA in VCD degree program. Applications must be submitted at least three semesters prior to the applicant's anticipated graduation. A favorable faculty review of the application materials is required before a student is declared a candidate for the BFA in VCD degree. Applicants must have achieved the following at the time of application to the BFA in VCD degree: 

• • C or better in all major classes 

  • 3.25 GPA or above within major classes 

  • 3.00 or above overall UW total institutional GPA 

  • Successful completion of ART 2000: Portfolio Review 

Undergraduate majors proceed with meeting the USP requirements for the B.A. in Studio Art and balance with foundation, art history, and studio core requirements in the major until formally accepted as a BFA in VCD degree candidate. The application does not automatically guarantee acceptance into the BFA in VCD degree program. 

 

Final Year 

During their final year and in conjunction with the spring BFA exhibition, students enroll in two sequential capstone courses: BFA Capstone I (fall) and II (spring), and VCD Sr. Design Studio (spring). The courses outline the deadline and requirements for the BFA exhibition as well as coordinating mentoring of B.F.A. candidates. If faculty deem their work insufficient, they reserve the right to exclude the work from the exhibition and withhold the BFA degree. Students transferring to the Department of Visual Arts who have completed their foundation core and successfully passed portfolio review are eligible to apply for a BFA in VCD degree after one semester in the [program. 

 

What to include with your Submittable application:

1. Portfolio: 

10-20 artwork images & image list.  

2. Statement: 

Discuss your interest in pursuing an art degree and also state your professional goals. One-page typed, double spaced, no more than 500 words. 

3. References: 

If references are members of the Art and Art History Program please include a list of reference names. If references are not UWYO Art and Art History Program faculty members, three letters of reference must be submitted with your application.   

Remember to ask your faculty references for permission to use them on your application!  

4. Transcripts: 

 Include a PDF copy of your degree evaluation.  

 

Deadline:

DEADLINE for application November 1st and March 1st by 11:59 p.m.

 

For more information on the BFA in Visual Communication Design degree:  

Please contact the Department of Visual Arts Office: faoffice@uwyo.edu