These requirements are for students who matriculated in academic year 2025-2026. Students who matriculated prior to fall 2025 should refer to the Archives to view the requirements for their Bulletin year.
Summary of Requirements
The Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Graphic and Interactive Design may be conferred upon a student by recommendation of the faculty and upon the satisfactory completion of a minimum of 126 semester hours of credit with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.00. All Graphic and Interactive Design majors must complete the BFA curriculum and General Education requirements.
- Minimum grades of C- or better in 顿贰厂听2001, 顿贰厂听2002 , and 顿贰厂听2003 along with an approved portfolio review are required to enter the Graphic and Interactive Design聽major.聽The purpose of the mandatory feedback session is to assist students in their planning聽and set them up for success in selecting and completing their chosen discipline.
- The required Graphic and Interactive Design courses must be completed with a C- or better to fulfill major requirements.聽
Major Requirements for BFA in Graphic and Interactive Design
Sophomore Requirements
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| 顿贰厂听2001 | Introduction to Design and Illustration | 3 |
| 顿贰厂听2002 | Introduction to Digital Tools | 3 |
| 顿贰厂听2003 | Introduction to Typography | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours | 9 | |
Note:
Graphic and Interactive Design majors who plan to study abroad should do so in the second semester of their sophomore year if they plan to graduate in four years. These students should see the Area Head for advising prior to leaving.
Protocol for Portfolio Reviews
There will be two portfolio feedback cycles in the Design and Illustration (DES) department each academic year: the end of the Fall semester (December) and the end of the Spring semester (May). The portfolio reviews will take place in the week after final studio course reviews. Specific dates for the reviews will be announced at the beginning of each semester in the 顿贰厂听2001 classes. They will also be posted on the Design and Illustration Canvas group. All full-time DES faculty will serve on the Portfolio Feedback Committee.
Applicants must have completed all Tyler Foundations courses (or had approved transfer courses as noted by the Tyler Admissions Office) and the three (3) prerequisites for the major: 顿贰厂听2001, 顿贰厂听2002, and in 顿贰厂听2003 with a C-minus or better
Application and Feedback
Application forms for students who wish to major in Graphic and Interactive Design will be available for eligible students in the department's Design and Illustration Canvas group.
Students who have completed or who are currently enrolled in the three prerequisites for the Graphic and Interactive Design major (顿贰厂听2001, 顿贰厂听2002, and 顿贰厂听2003) and intend to submit an application for the mandatory portfolio feedback session will be able to obtain an application form, template, and detailed application instructions on Canvas by mid-semester.
Incomplete or late portfolio feedback applications will not be reviewed, but students may re-apply for the next review cycle.
Following the Portfolio Feedback session, students will receive their feedback and acceptance to their chosen major. All students must confirm their intent to major by the deadline or they will forfeit their admission and will need to re-apply in the next portfolio feedback cycle.
Junior Requirements
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| 顿贰厂听3001 | Design and Illustration | 3 |
| 顿贰厂听3002 | Digital Tools | 3 |
| 顿贰厂听3101 | Typography 1 | 3 |
| 顿贰厂听3102 | Typography 2 | 3 |
| Select one DES Studio Elective from the list below | 3 | |
| One additional Studio Elective is required and is strongly recommended to be taken from the DES or additional Studio Electives listed below | 3 | |
| Design or Illustration History Requirement | ||
| Select one of the following: | 4 | |
础搁罢贬听2601 | History of Modern Graphic Design | |
础搁罢贬听2676 | History of Illustration | |
础搁罢贬听2696 | Graphic Design Theory | |
顿贰厂听3401 | History of Modern Graphic Design | |
顿贰厂听3403 | History of Illustration | |
顿贰厂听3497 | Graphic Design Theory | |
| Total Credit Hours | 22 | |
Note:
In the junior year, Typography 1 and 2 must be taken in sequence (顿贰厂听3101 in Fall / 顿贰厂听3102 in Spring).
Senior Requirements
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| 顿贰厂听3103 | Typography 3 | 3 |
| Select two DES Studio Electives from the list below | 6 | |
| One additional Studio Elective is required and is strongly recommended to be taken from the DES or additional Studio Electives listed below | 3 | |
| Capstone Requirements | ||
| 顿贰厂听4096 | Capstone: Thesis | 3 |
| 顿贰厂听4101 | Capstone: GAID Portfolio | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours | 18 | |
Note:
- Additional 3000-level DES courses may be taken as studio electives.
- The Capstone: Thesis (顿贰厂听4096) and Capstone: GAID Portfolio (顿贰厂听4101) are offered in spring semesters only. These two courses must be taken in addition to the required DES courses listed above.
- 鈥�顿贰厂听4096聽is one of the two required writing intensive courses. The other writing intensive course must be聽顿贰厂听3596聽or an Art History course.
DES Studio Electives
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| 顿贰厂听3531 | Brand Identity for Hospitality | 3 |
| 顿贰厂听3532 | Brand Identity for Sports | 3 |
| 顿贰厂听3533 | Brand Identity for Museums | 3 |
| 顿贰厂听3541 | Form Making | 3 |
| 顿贰厂听3542 | Design for Digital Marketing | 3 |
| 顿贰厂听3543 | Design for Advertising | 3 |
| 顿贰厂听3544 | Design Activism | 3 |
| 顿贰厂听3545 | Typeface Design | 3 |
| 顿贰厂听3546 | Packaging Design | 3 |
| 顿贰厂听3547 | Wayfinding | 3 |
| 顿贰厂听3548 | Design Sprints | 3 |
| 顿贰厂听3549 | Editorial Design | 3 |
| 顿贰厂听3551 | Lettering Design | 3 |
| 顿贰厂听3552 | Illustrated Book Design | 3 |
| 顿贰厂听3553 | Poster Design | 3 |
| 顿贰厂听3554 | Illustration for Design | 3 |
| 顿贰厂听3555 | Murals | 3 |
| 顿贰厂听3556 | Illustrated Journalism | 3 |
| 顿贰厂听3557 | Stylized Figure for Illustration | 3 |
| 顿贰厂听3558 | Illustrated Scenes and Settings | 3 |
| 顿贰厂听3559 | Icons and Illustration Systems | 3 |
| 顿贰厂听3561 | Motion Design | 3 |
| 顿贰厂听3562 | Creative Coding | 3 |
| 顿贰厂听3563 | Advanced Digital Tools | 3 |
| 顿贰厂听3564 | Accessible Design | 3 |
| 顿贰厂听3565 | Design Systems | 3 |
| 顿贰厂听3566 | Service Design | 3 |
| 顿贰厂听3667 | 3 | |
| 顿贰厂听3568 | Design Research Methods | 3 |
| 顿贰厂听3569 | 3D Product Design and Animation | 3 |
| 辞谤听础搁罢听3041 | 3D Product Design and Animation | |
| 顿贰厂听3571 | Event Design | 3 |
| 顿贰厂听3572 | Entrepreneurial Design | 3 |
| 顿贰厂听3573 | Design Studio | 3 |
| 顿贰厂听3585 | Internship | 3 |
| 顿贰厂听3596 | Studio Management | 3 |
| 顿贰厂听3651 | 3 | |
| 顿贰厂听3841 | Design and Illustration Workshop in Japan 1 | 6 |
| 顿贰厂听3842 | Design and Illustration Workshop in Rome | 3 |
| 顿贰厂听3201 | User Experience/User Interface (UX/UI) Design 1 | 3 |
| 顿贰厂听3202 | User Experience/User Interface (UX/UI) Design 2 | 3 |
| 顿贰厂听3301 | Illustration 1 | 3 |
| 顿贰厂听3302 | Illustration 2 | 3 |
- 1
顿贰厂听3841 is a six-credit course; it may fulfill the six-credit elective requirement.
Additional Recommended Studio Electives
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| 础搁罢听1702 | Artist Books, Zines and Independent Publishing | 3 |
| 础搁罢听2205 | Book Structures | 3 |
| 础搁罢听3511 | Digital Drawing | 3 |
| 础搁罢听2011 | Socially Engaged Arts Practices in Communities | 3 |
| 础搁罢听2601 | Digital Photography I | 3 |
| 础搁罢听2602 | Digital Imaging | 3 |
| 础搁罢听2061 | Moving Image and Sound | 3 |
| 础搁罢听3614 | The Photo Book: Making and Understanding | 3 |