The Graphic Design program is committed to teaching professional skills that allow students to plan and execute visual communication according to the needs of audiences in specific contexts. Our students gain a thorough understanding of the principles of design, theories of communication, and strategies for problem solving, by working on a wide range of projects that apply cognitive, social and cultural human factors to inform, instruct and persuade. In addition to developing solid professional skills, courses in our curriculum explore emerging design practices, and theoretical concerns with focus on the cultural, technical, and communicative potential of graphic design.<br><br>The program is structured as a sequence of core studios in design fundamentals, typography, image-making, and history courses, that progressively introduce form and concept-development skills across a range of media. As students enter their junior and senior years, they apply their skills to real-world, contemporary design problems by interacting with a wide range of clients, organizations, and local communities through the Internship and Design Studio programs.<br><br>At the end of the program, students build a professional portfolio that prepares them for entry-level positions in a variety of areas within graphic design. Our program is connected to the national professional community through a close affiliation with AIGA and to the international education and professional design communities through student and faculty exchange programs. The diversity of our students as well as San Diego's location at the border of Mexico and the Pacific Rim provide a rich multicultural environment for exploration and experimentation.