In everyday life, we are all consumers of graphic design. From the products we buy and the books and magazines we read, to computer games and Internet graphics, visual communication designers use a variety of media and technologies to target, engage, entertain, and motivate an audience. The visual communication design professional today must possess the creative sensibilities, the communication skills, and the strategic business acumen to understand different audiences and multiple mediums. These visual and technical skills are enormously valued by the business community, advertising agencies, product designers, and design firms, each needing individuals who work fluently with multimedia and emerging communications technologies.

The Visual Communication Design program emphasizes appropriate strategic communication through a design process that includes research, analysis, conceptualization planning, and realization. This process leads to innovative visual communication solutions for contemporary design problems that are local to global in scope. Students integrate theory and method, culture and context, environmental and human factors, traditional and contemporary technologies, and visual aesthetics to develop comprehensive design strategies. These strategies are applied to physical artifacts (books, brochures, packaging), digital media (websites, CD-ROMs, video games, animation/film, kiosks, interface), and environments (exhibits, sign systems). The objective is to provide communication design strategies that inform, educate, direct, and communicate effectively.

Visual Communication Design students have the opportunity to collaborate with Industrial Design students and participate in a program—InnovationSpace—that focuses on integrated innovation and is a transdisciplinary enterprise with partners in the schools of business and engineering at ASU.

The Visual Communication Design program is actively involved with the American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA), playing a critical role in the development and facilitation of national and regional initiatives.

Students interested in videography, production, cartoon design, illustration, styling, and photography should consult with the School of Art in the Herberger College of Fine Arts.