Three Policies
Department of Graphic Design
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Purposes and Educational Goals (Diploma Policy)
The field of graphic design has expanded as the social environment has changed, and the role of designers has also expanded dramatically. Visual communication plays a crucial role in realizing innovation. Amid this changing social environment, we believe the mission of the Graphic Design Department is the development of artists who utilize their own unique qualities to present ideas for the future.
The Graphic Design Department cultivates the basic ability to communicate visually, as well as the ability to respond flexibly to changing times. We aim to cultivate artists who are interested in various things, who can discover issues that interest them, connect with society and present their ideas, and uphold the future of design.
To that end, students steadily acquire visual, compositional, and expressive ability, and diverse approaches, techniques, and ideas, which form the basis of visual communication design. Furthermore, after acquiring a high level of expertise, planning and proposal ability, these artists are intended to be capable of discovering new value, expressing and proposing it effectively.
Students who have achieved the goal of acquiring practical visual communication skills and specialized expertise receive bachelor’s (BFA) degrees.
Curriculum Policy
The Graphic Design Department systematically organizes a curriculum based on the following policies.
The curriculum is divided into introductory courses in the first and second years, and specialized courses in the third and fourth years, but basic classes also include sophisticated and specialized content, and foster an awareness of the uses of design in society from an early stage.
Basic classes develop the fundamentals of visual communication. The first year consists of introductory classes, in which students absorb the basic theory and practice of rendering, color, form, composition and typography through hands-on work and using computers. In the second year, students learn various methods, techniques and approaches to ideas that firm up their basic skills. As well as rendering, they learn about editing, animation, web design, video, posters, typography, photography, signs, 3D design and so forth. They also strengthen their English skills in their areas of specialization.
In applied education, students select multiple classes from three courses: art direction (formulating plans for problem solving, effective idea conception and communication), creation (formulating plans that enhance one’s own potential in visual communication), and graphic design (planning for communication, various modes of idea conception and communication), and acquire advanced expertise, planning ability and powers of expression. In the latter half of the fourth year, they complete a graduation project as a culmination of their studies.
The results of study are evaluated based on criteria specified in advance. These results are then utilized for further improvement of educational methods.
Admissions Policy
Visual communication has the power to change the world in rich and varied ways, and this is also the mission of designers.
The Graphic Design Department is looking for students committed to creative communication design. As well as designers, this includes various people such as directors and artists who are interested in creative work, imaginative, curious, sensitively attuned, and have a strong desire to learn design, and who are willing to continue working tenaciously.
To meet needs in a wide range of visual communication areas, instruction is offered by teachers with experience and knowledge of graphic design. In this program students develop their individuality and grow into designers with the skills, knowledge and abilities needed by society.
The admission examination assesses basic skills necessary for visual communication such as observation and expression, conception and execution, and ability to get ideas across, and the unique character and sensibilities of each person are discovered.
After studying drawing, which tests ability to observe and express, and color composition, which tests ability to conceive and realize ideas, students are evaluated on their imagination and communicative ability. In addition, their creativity is comprehensively evaluated from various viewpoints.