Visual Communication
Texas A&M University-Commerce has been an acknowledged leader in Visual Communication for over four decades. Numerous national and international awards attest to the reputation and creativity of our students and faculty alike. For many years Vis Com students have distinguished themselves in the New York-based One Show, CMYK Magazine, the American Advertising Federation (Addy) Awards, and the Adobe Achievement Awards. Students pursuing the BFA in Visual Communication complete their University Studies and art foundation courses on the main campus in Commerce. Advanced classes in art direction, copywriting, design, new media, and applied photography are taken at the Universities Center at Dallas (UCD) in downtown Dallas, a location that facilitates the entry of Vis Com students into the professional arena.
Entry into Visual Communication is by portfolio review. As a prerequisite to entering Visual Communication classes taught at the Universities Center at Dallas (UCD), students need to complete at least 24 hours of art foundation courses as prescribed in the undergraduate catalog and the student will have completed the University Studies requirements of A&M-Commerce. The student must have an overall GPA of at least 2.5 and an art foundations GPA of at least 3.0. Students having completed University Studies and art foundation requirements, who fail to present work according to the stated guidelines, will not be considered for entry into Visual Communication classes at the UCD.
All majors have an assessment system that students must pass in order to proceed in their major: a basic assessment will be administered after the third year and a concentration assessment will be administered after the fourth year. Students who do not pass their assessments will be required to correct deficiencies before continuing their program. Students will be advised of the most expedient way to correct deficiencies by faculty and may be required to repeat courses to strengthen and further develop their skills areas. All majors must pass their senior exit review prior to graduation. During the fourth and fifth years, all majors will be required to enter their work in various art shows. As with other university programs, students must pass their courses in their major with a minimum grade of “C”.
Texas A&M University-Commerce established a 2-plus-3 program in Visual Communication with Department of Fine Arts, Brookhaven College, facilitating the evaluation of course credits and ease of transfer for students from that institution. Transfer work for students from other institutions may be accepted for courses that are not directly compatible with the common course numbering system; the faculty reserves the right to delay accepting these courses until reviewing the student’s portfolio. Portfolio reviews for transfer students will generally occur late in the spring semester for students wishing to enter the program during the fall semester and late during the fall semester for students wishing to enter the program during the spring semester.