Graphic & Digital
Design Certificate

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Who Should Enroll

Students interested in visual communication
Graphic designers who want to master current best practices and software programs
Other design professionals who are interested in incorporating graphic design, illustration, multimedia design, and package design into their work
Digital designers and Web developers who need to learn the basics of graphic design and explore print formats

What You'll Gain

Basic design skills including concept, type, layout, and color
An understanding of the relationship between photography, type, color, and other elements that yield a legible, compelling composition
Training in industry-standard software
Fluency in the process of conceptualization, design development, and execution

How You'll Learn

Engaging video lectures and interviews with industry experts
Direct interaction with faculty practitioners at the top of their fields
Online collaboration in small classes, supported by video conferencing
Project-based learning focused on developing real-world skills and portfolio assets

Courses

Students complete a total of eight courses: five core courses (Color Theory, Introduction to Graphic Design, Digital Graphics with Illustrator, Digital Imaging with Photoshop, and Graphic Design History) and three electives.

Color Theory

Discover color and its implications for designers and artists. Study ideas about space and the use of color to solve spatial problems. Examine color harmony and the way colors interact, as well as color qualities and combinations.

Introduction to Graphic Design

Master design fundamentals and concept development in relation to typography, composition, and color. Explore the concept of visual communication in terms of the triad of message, form, and audience. Projects focus on the design process: ideation, research, prototyping, solution, and reflection.

Digital Graphics with Illustrator

Create curves, lines, and shapes to make objects that can be colored, manipulated, moved, duplicated, scaled, and rotated, generating smooth-lined, clean, scalable graphics or artwork for both print and the Web.

Digital Imaging with Photoshop

Acquire a working knowledge of this industry-standard software, used for print, webpages, animation, presentation, video production, and enhancement of traditional and digital photography.

Graphic Design History

This course covers the history of graphic design from the mid-19th century through the digital revolution. Examine influential movements including Arts and Crafts, Art Nouveau, Dada, Constructivism, De Stijl, Bauhaus, Neue Grafik, and DIY Punk, as well as today’s digital landscape.

Three Electives

Choose from elective offerings including Typography I, Digital Layout: Adobe InDesign, Graphic Design 2, Intro to Adobe Premiere Pro, Print Production in a Digital World, 3D Modeling Fundamentals, Introduction to Web and Mobile, Storytelling with Motion Graphics and Animation, Fundamentals of Illustrated Journalism and Memoir, Illustration as a Visual Language (half elective), Social Media Marketing (half elective), and Graphic Design Portfolio (half elective). (Two half electives must be completed in order to count towards one of your elective requirements).

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Why The New School?

The professional landscape as we’ve known it has changed dramatically, and ongoing learning is more important now than ever before. At The New School, we champion every student’s creativity and growth. By combining integrated disciplines with collaborative problem solving, we deliver an immersive, transformative learning experience. With the leadership of Parsons School of Design — a globally top-ranked design school — our faculty imparts the critical expertise students need to advance their careers or pivot to new ones in a constantly evolving world.