Scott Ahrens

Career options and internship preparation. Presentations from working professionals, exploring skills needed for different design professions. Students reflect on the role of designers in society, discuss various graphic design career options, improve business communication skills, and learn about business ethics. This seminar helps students prepare for future studies, internships, and employment opportunities.

Visual representation of data. Explores design strategies with an emphasis on designing information for complex and dynamic systems. Assignments focus on research and content analysis, selecting and editing, organization, and the visual representation of static, dynamic, and interactive data. Issues such as how design can help people read data, and how data becomes information will be addressed.

Advanced special topics in Art+ Design. Topics of interest and relevance to advanced Art+ Design majors. Conceptual exploration and/or professional-level experiences may be related to one or more of the areas of study within the department Course can be repeated with change of content.

Pragmatic business aspects, skills needed for a career in design. Students create self-promotional materials and portfolios; write resumes, proposals, contracts and correspondence; and improve presentation, interview and job search skills. The course includes production practices, marketing methodologies, and professional etiquette and ethics; field trips to printers/vendors and design studios; and presentations from visiting professionals.

Capstone course. Students focus on their self-directed, multi-dimensional degree project. Students are encouraged to develop a personal approach to design, exploring their individual strengths and interests in the field. Guest critics and lecturers are in integral part of the course, which culminates in the Senior Exhibition.

Study under the supervision of a faculty member in an area not otherwise part of the discipline's course offerings. Conditions and hours to be arranged.