Graphic Design Course Syllabus

Mrs. Foster, M.A.

Graphic Design Course Website | www.urbanprepfoster.weebly.com
Room #!
"# $mail | %foster&urbanprep.org
"# Cell | '(.)'(.*+'!
,ffice -ours | Mon.ay /0!!1/0'!!pm
2hurs.ay /0!!1/0'!pm
Introduction:
Urban Prep Academies Graphic Design curriculum is intended to introduce young men to the field of art
and design while supporting the schools mission of preparing young men for collegiate success.
Specifically, students are given opportunities to eplore artistic design used to communicate simple to
comple forms of personal epression, advertising and mar!eting, and social and political commentary.
"he program focuses on surveying the art of graphic design from a historic to contemporary perspective.
Course Description:
Students will employ the use of various design software applications to accomplish effective
design. #oung men at Urban Prep will utili$e artistic elements and principles of design to
demonstrate an understanding of both analog media %drawing with pencil and paper, etc.& and
digital media '' using up'to'date computer tools %graphics hardware and software ' for drawing,
painting, layout, typography, scanning, and photography&. Urban Preps primary focus for this
curriculum is for young men to understand the utility and portability of their artistic graphic
design wor! and how it correlates to pathways toward college and careers.
Graphic design is the creative planning and eecution of visual communication. Graphic
designers create a combination of shapes, forms, words and images, in order to reproduce them in
a multitude of two dimensional %paper, cloth, plastic, video, computer, signage& and three
dimensional %fabricated or manufactured& mediums.
Urban Prep students will understand that graphic design has an inherent purpose or function
which is to epress, inform, and influence the thoughts and actions of its audience. "hese
valuable s!ills and more will contribute positively toward the Urban Prep young mans ability to
communicate, thin! critically, and ma!e educated choices in the future.
"his is an introductory course. Prior computer !nowledge and(or eperience is not a necessary
re)uirement for this course* the instructor will provide all information needed to be successful.
Course Text:
Gatta, +evin, and ,laire -owbray Golding. Communicating through graphic .esign. .orcester, -ass./
Davis, 0121. Print.
Course Objectives:
Art Making: Students will demonstrate and apply !nowledge of the arts, disciplines, techni)ues
and processes to communicate original wor!.
Art Literacy: Students will analy$e how elements of art, principles of design and epressive
)ualities contribute to the visual characteristics, content, purpose and message of wor!s of art.
Interpretation & va!uation: Students will use higher'order critical thin!ing abilities to
demonstrate an understanding of art criticism and aesthetic theory. Students will eplore universal
Mrs. Foster Page 1
Graphic Design Course Syllabus
concepts and themes as related to art. Students will reflect upon and assess the characteristics and
merits of their wor! and the wor! of others.
Making Connections: Students will use analytical and problem'solving s!ills to draw personal,
historical, and cultural connections to art.
Course "oa!s:
.or! pro#essiona!!y individually and within a design team.
3dentify opportunities for design $it%in an array o# careers which are available.
va!uate designs %personal and others& for audience, meaning, and effectiveness.
Use the e!e&ents and princip!es o# design in a decisive fashion.
'!an a design pro4ect according to a clients needs.
5uild a design gradually using t%u&bnai! sketc%es and &ockups.
,reate attractive !ayouts that communicate messages effectively.
Use co!or to communicate ideas to others.
Use typograp%y and s%ape effectively in a design.
Course xpectations:
3n this course, students are epected to adhere to the 6Acceptable Use of ,omputers and 7aptops Policy8
as outlined on pages 9'2: in Urban Prep ,harter Academy ,ode of ,onduct.
What can students expect fro this course acadeically!
5asic !nowledge of elements of art and principles of design.
A variety of challenging design pro4ects.
,lear instructions and demonstrations for using materials and pro4ect completion.
;ncouragement and guidance in constructively evaluating personal and peer artwor!.
A clear grading policy and fre)uent formal or informal progress reports.
<espect for students input, ideas, and personal interests.
What " expect fro students in this course beha#iorally$
Students are epected to (e responsib!e/ ,omplete class assignments within the allotted class
timeframe. ,omplete wor! with integrity and high )uality. 5ring the re)uired materials to
;=;<# class meeting.
Students are epected to (e respect#u!/ Present yourself in a respectful way towards your
instructor and your classmates. "his class will re)uire patience. "reat computer e)uipment and
other materials with respect.
Students are epected to (e on ti&e/ 6"o be on time is to be early, to be early is to be on time. 3t
is easy to be ordinary. 3t ta!es courage to ecel* ecel we must> "o be on time>8
)e*uired Course Materia!s:
<e)uired "echnology and +eyboarding course materials include/
Personal set of small ear bud headphones %?o large headphones, i.e. 5eats&
Pen(Pencil
?oteboo!
Mrs. Foster Page %
Graphic Design Course Syllabus
va!uation
.here applicable, student wor! will be graded and GPAs will be calculated based on a @.1 scale utili$ing
letter grades %see chart below&. Urban Prep will not record the grade of D* below average , wor! is
unacceptable. "he Urban Prep Grading scale is as follows/
A +,-./0012 C3 +4.4,12
A. +,0.,512 C +4-.4612
(3 +74.7,12 C. +40.4512
( +7-.7612 8 +0.6,12
(. +70.7512
<egular progress feedbac! will be provided by the instructor and is also available upon re)uest. Student
progress information can be found in Power School/ https/((urbanprep.powerschool.com(public(
Gra.es at schools within the "rban #rep Aca.emies networ3 are calculate. base. on the following
criteria.
Preparation &'(')*D+*, -.
#unctual
Flash Dri4e
#en
Fol.er
$ar bu.s
S/ills Practice 10.
-omewor3 assignments
$ngage. participation in1class wor3
S/ills Chec/s %0.
Do15ows
$6it 2ic3ets
7n1class Daily Design 83ill
Pro1ects %-.
Wee3ly Design Challenges
9ui::es ;i.e. 4ocabulary re4iews<
2ests 30.
Design = >ocabulary 2ests
Design Assessments
Mrs. Foster Page 4
Absenteeis&9 Late $ork
3n the event students are absent from school, it is t%eir responsibi!ity to recover the re)uired coursewor!
missed. .or! -US" be submitted within 2 wee! of a students return* unless an alternate agreement is
made with the instructor. .ithout absence, late wor! will ?A" be accepted.
?#lease note0 2he instructor has the right to e4aluate on a case1by1case basis.
Graphic Design Course Syllabus
Ackno$!edge&ent
:tudent
As a Graphic Design stu.ent, 7 ac3nowle.ge that 7 ha4e rea. this syllabus in completion an. un.erstan. the
e6pectations of this class. 7 un.erstan. that my efforts in the class will .irectly impact my results an. commit to
being e6ceptional.
BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB
8tu.ent 8ignature Date
'arent
As the guar.ian of @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@, 7 ac3nowle.ge that 7 ha4e rea. this syllabus
in completion an. un.erstan. the e6pectations of this class. 7 un.erstan. that my sonAs efforts in the class will
.irectly impact his results. 7 commit to helping him be e6ceptional.
BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB
Guar.ian 8ignature Date
Mrs. Foster Page 3