The Associate of Applied Business in Visual Communication & Design, Illustration degree program prepares students for careers in 2D and 3D illustration, animation, and digital design. The Illustration curriculum integrates the latest digital graphics applications and technologies with drawing and principles of visual communication and design. Throughout the program, students develop technical skills by exploring the fundamental concepts of form, design, communication, aesthetics, and creative problem-solving. In addition to learning how to create high-quality 2D and 3D illustrations for a wide range of creative and commercial projects, students learn about the various roles professional illustrators can play in the marketplace.
Program contact: Learn more
This degree program contains one or more embedded certificates which will be automatically awarded when the certificate requirements are completed. If you do not want to receive the embedded certificate(s), please notify the Office of the Registrar at RegistrarOffice@tri-c.edu.
Learn more about how certificate credits apply to the related degree.
Other Information
- Non-degree students may enroll in individual courses with departmental approval.
- Contact Program Coordinator, Program Manager, or Counselor for additional information
Program Learning Outcomes
This program is designed to prepare students to demonstrate the following learning outcomes:
- Apply effective verbal, written and visual communication skills to present a concept, idea, or portfolio to co-workers, clients, and other professionals.
- Follow directions, give and receive criticism, and work effectively in a team environment to solve visual communication problems.
- Research and assess technical and creative aspects of multiple projects to satisfy client needs and to continually evaluate and improve professional skills and practices.
- Apply knowledge of art history, theories, and principles to traditional and digital drawing and design skills for visual communication applications relevant to contemporary applied art markets.
- Develop career goals, applying basic business and financial skills, self discipline and motivation, versatility and adaptability, self promotion and communication skills to create a sustainable art business.
Suggested Semester Sequence
| First Semester | Credit Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| ART-1050 | Drawing I | 3 |
| VC-1000 | Visual Communication Foundation | 3 |
| VCIL-1142 | Illustration I | 3 |
| VCPH-1450 | Digital Imaging I | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| College Composition I | ||
| Honors College Composition I | ||
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| MATH-1190 | Algebraic and Quantitative Reasoning (Or Any Approved Ohio Transfer 36 Mathematics course) 1 | 3 |
| VC-1431 | Vector Graphics | 3 |
| VCIL-1640 | 3D Design | 3 |
| VCIL-2142 | Illustration II | 3 |
| Communication Requirements | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Third Semester | ||
| VC-2301 | Graphic Design and Illustration | 3 |
| VCIL-2040 | 3D Motion | 3 |
| VCIM-2271 | 2D Animation | 3 |
| VCIL-2341 | Illustration for Story | 3 |
| Arts and Humanities Requirements | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Fourth Semester | ||
| VC-2991 | Portfolio Preparation | 3 |
| Social and Behavioral Science/Natural Science Requirement | 3 | |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Life Drawing I | ||
| Game Design I: Introduction to Game Design | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| 3D Studio | ||
| Illustration Studio | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
ART-xxxx | Art Elective | |
VCXX-xxxx | Visual Communications elective | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 60 | |
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MATH-1100 Mathematical Explorations or MATH-1240 Contemporary Mathematics taken prior to Fall 2024 will be accepted to meet Mathematics requirements for this program.
MATH-1140, MATH-1141, MATH-1200, MATH-1270, and MATH-1280 can no longer count towards fulfilling the college-level mathematics requirement. These courses were re-classified as developmental mathematics by the state of Ohio in 2016. Tri-C established a 5-year transitioning window for students who had completed these courses prior to 2016 to apply them towards meeting graduation requirements, which expired in Summer 2021. It is highly recommended to see a counselor to determine the appropriate math required for your current major.