This course is approved by the Kansas Board of Regents for guaranteed transfer among all Kansas Regents public postsecondary institutions. Additional courses may also be eligible for transfer. Please visit a JCCC counselor or the JCCC Registrar's office, and the Transfer Kansas portal to learn more.
The graphic design field is highly competitive for both salaried and freelance positions. There is a demand for designers with above-average talents and graphic art skills. Opportunities in the field range from entry-level layout and production to art director positions.
Demonstrated abilities are most often the key to obtaining a position in the graphic design field. JCCC has structured its graphic design program to help the student develop a comprehensive portfolio. The student's have an opportunity to have their work critiqued by a team of professionals every year. These professionals working in the field, along with the faculty, will help develop the student's skills in creative problem solving and in the use of materials, processes, tools and equipment. Outstanding studio and computer facilities are available for working on class projects. The two-year curriculum consisting of 67 credit hours leads to an associate of applied science degree.
Some GDES courses are typically offered in the fall semester only, and some courses are typically offered in the spring semester only.
Important: Please enroll in the CDTP sections identified in the credit class search as a Graphic Design Qualifier section. The content of these CDTP sections places emphasis on the Graphic Design career specific application of the Adobe Creative Suite to industry standards for digital production and is reserved for students enrolling in the Qualifier semester courses.
It is recommended that you enroll in these CDTP classes in sequence in the Qualifier semester.
(Major Code 2290; State CIP Code 50.0409)
Graphic Design Program web page
Associate of Applied Science Degree
Qualifier Semester
| ART 124 | Design 2D | 3 |
| GDES 120 | Introduction to Graphic Design* | 3 |
| CDTP 145 | Desktop Illustration I: Illustrator | 1 |
| CDTP 135 | Desktop Photo Manipulation I: Photoshop | 1 |
| CDTP 140 | Desktop Publishing I: InDesign | 1 |
| Total Hours | 9 | |
Fall Semester
| ART 129 | Design Color | 3 |
| GDES 125 | Graphic Processes* | 3 |
| GDES 130 | Drawing and Media Methods I* | 3 |
| GDES 132 | Typography* | 3 |
| ENGL 121 | Composition I* | 3 |
| Total Hours | 15 | |
Spring Semester
| ART 127 | Design 3D* | 3 |
| GDES 131 | Drawing and Media Methods II* | 3 |
| GDES 134 | Layout Design* | 3 |
| Humanities Electives ^ | 3 | |
| Social Science and/or Economics Elective ^ | 3 | |
| Total Hours | 15 | |
| ^ |
Fall Semester
| GDES 230 | Drawing and Media Methods III* | 3 |
| GDES 231 | Advanced Typography* | 3 |
| GDES 235 | Production Methods* | 3 |
| Humanities Electives ^ | 3 | |
| Total Hours | 12 | |
| ^ |
Spring Semester
| Technical/Studio Elective (see below) | 1 | |
| GDES 236 | Electronic Production* | 3 |
| GDES 244 | Communication Systems* | 3 |
| GDES 245 | Advanced Design Practice* | 3 |
| GDES 272 | Professional Preparation* | 3 |
| Science and/or Math Elective ^ | 3 | |
| Total Hours | 16 | |
| ^ |
Technical/Studio Electives
| ANI 130 | Motion Graphics and Effects* | 3 |
| ARCH 210 | Design History & Society | 3 |
| ART 130 | Drawing I | 3 |
| ART 135 | Painting I | 3 |
| ART 172 | Watercolor Painting | 3 |
| CDTP 155 | Desktop Photo Manipulation II: Photoshop* | 1 |
| CDTP 160 | Desktop Publishing II: InDesign* | 1 |
| CDTP 165 | Desktop Illustration II: Illustrator* | 1 |
| GDES 275 | Graphic Design Internship* | 1 |
| Note: A graphic design major may apply to this internship course if the student is also enrolled in or has completed all fourth-semester studio courses. | ||
| WEB 110 | HTML and CSS | 3 |
| WEB 125 | Digital Video Tools | 1 |
| WEB 233 | Visual Storytelling | 3 |
Total Program Hours: 67