description & policies

Course description
In Introduction to Graphic Design you will learn to use the principles of visual communication and to combine them successfully with basic production techniques. Also, you will gain awareness of how important ethics and social responsibility are in the creation of visuals.

During this class you will take your first steps with Illustrator, a vector-based drawing software, Photoshop, an image processing tool, and InDesign. You will master these by completing class exercises and projects. Therefore, attendance is required (unexcused absences will affect your final grade) and deadlines are absolute. If you need to miss class, it is your responsibility to advise me in advance and to make up the work.

Important policies
All students are allowed one unexcused absence. Additional unexcused absences will result in a 2% reduction in your final grade. Excused absences (doctor’s note or cleared with me in advance) do not affect your grade. In addition, every five late arrivals will result in a 2% reduction in your final grade.

Students taking this course are expected to abide by the provisions and the spirit of the Honor Code of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Please let me know if you have any questions about your responsibility or my responsibility under the Honor Code and how it pertains to assignments for this class. The Instrument of Student Judicial Governance requires that you sign a pledge on all written work. Please include the following on all your written work, and sign your name next to it: “On my honor, I have neither given nor received unauthorized aid on this assignment.” For more information about the honor system at UNC, including other avenues for addressing question or concerns, please refer to the UNC Honor Code website.

Reasonable accommodations will be made for students with verifiable disabilities. In order to take advantage of available accommodations, students must register with The Academic Success Program for Students with LD/ADHD 962-7227, SASB North (Student and Academic Services Building), The Learning Center, 450 Ridge Road, Suite 2109, CB# 3447. For more information, see the UNC Learning Center:The Academic Success Program for Students with LD and ADHD.

The School of Journalism and Mass Communication’s accrediting body outlines a number of values you should be aware of and competencies you should be able to demonstrate by the time you graduate from our program. Learn more about them at this link.

No single course could possibly give you all of these values and competencies; but collectively, our classes are designed to build your abilities in each of these areas. In this class, we will address a number of the values and competencies, particularly in regards to "understanding concepts and applying theories in the use and presentation of images and information".

Organization of class time
Each class will consist of lecture/discussion. Some days will include lab time. In most cases students will use lab time to begin an assignment that is related to the class material. Students should plan to spend additional time outside of class to complete these assignments.