Communication Design Certificate students come to MassArt to prepare for a design career, build their professional skills, or to brand entrepreneurial ventures.
Students build skills in branding, print and digital publications, app and website design, packaging, event promotions, information design, and environmental graphics. Graduates of the full program enjoy careers as visual designers, brand strategists and designers, graphic designers, UX and UI designers, and product designers.
The program is fully remote, with synchronous meetings that allow you to build relationships with experienced faculty and other design students. Class meetings are generally held on weekday evenings to accommodate those who work full-time.
Alicia Mason-Guild, Communication Design Certificate, Communication Design
Cambridge Science Festival, Design, 2022
Liz Higgins, Design Certificate Student, Communication Design
Design101 Project, Design, 2022
Frankie Salvatore, Communication Design Student, Communication Design
Graphic Design 2 Project, Design, 2022
The program offers three stackable certificates that can be completed in just over two years:
Level 1 (4 courses) provides a foundation in communication design, giving you a solid foundation of basic design skills that can be applied in your work and life. Level 1 can be completed as a stand-alone certificate or as a foundation for Level 2.
Level 2 (3 courses and 1 non-credit workshop) pushes students to advance their skills in typography and brand design, enter the world of UX Design, gain skills in interactive design for web and mobile, and build their own professional portfolios. Level 2 gives graduates the skills to obtain a paid internship or junior designer position.
Level 3 (4 courses) challenges students to conceive of and design complex, comprehensive design systems at a more creative and sophisticated level. Level 3 gives graduates the portfolio and skills to launch a career as a professional designer.
Both Level 2 and Level 3 include portfolio reviews, in which students present their work to panels of professional designers.
Certificate Learning Outcomes
Students who complete the Communication Design Certificate program are expected to be able to demonstrate the following learning outcomes.
Students who complete all three tiers of the Communication Design Certificate are expected to demonstrate the following learning outcomes which are essential skills and knowledge for entry into professional design practice. Note: Completion of Level 1 or Levels 1 and 2 represent significant progress toward the following outcomes.
- Design complex visual communications systems including consumer brands, print and digital publications, promotional and information campaigns, websites, apps, packaging and signage.
- Develop and apply original, engaging design concepts that effectively communicate an intended idea and/or message to a defined audience
- Apply visual design skills (including composition, color, and type/image integration), information design skills, professional typesetting techniques, and creative typography to a variety of communication design projects
- Apply principles and processes of UX and UI design to the planning and design of interactive experiences for desktop, mobile, and other screen-based media
- Identify a community problem or need and research, develop, and design an effective solution.
- Employ skills in collaboration by effectively providing critical feedback to others and integrating feedback from various sources into one’s own designs.
- Practice professional design process including research, idea generation, design iteration, presentation, incorporation of feedback, technical execution, and craft to a variety of communication design projects.
- Utilize industry-standard design software and art media in creating designs, mock-ups, and prototypes.
- Create an entry-level portfolio suitable for job search in professional Communication Design, UX Design and Graphic Design
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