Graphic Design

This degree provides entry-level graphic design skills and lower division major preparation courses for students preparing for transfer to a BA or BFA program in graphic design. Students pursuing this degree must work with a counselor and faculty advisor to develop an education or career plan that meets their educational or career goals.

As noted in our 2023 Program Review: The number of AA degrees conferred by the Digital Art and Design Program increased by 550% between 2019-2020 and 2021-2022. The Digital Art and Design Program accounted for 4.1% of the AA degrees conferred in 2019-2020 and 15.9% of those conferred in 2021-2022. The splitting of Digital Art AA and Graphic Design AAs will most likely lower the number, as students will be split between 2 degrees. However, with enrollment climbing, the number should not change too drastically. DART enrollment caps at 18 students. Online classes cap at 25. Most of our classes are offered in-person. DART 160 and DART 170 have only been offered intermittently since 2018, thus there is very little data for enrollment projections. 

(Please see attached Program Narrative for chart of sections and Year 1/2 projections) 

Program Goals and Objectives:

 A. Program Goal: CTE - Purpose: Better provide students a clearer path for career and transfer preparation in graphic design 

B. Program Learning Outcomes Upon satisfactory completion of the program, students will be able to: 

1. Critically analyze and evaluate the aesthetic, cultural, and political development of art, architecture, and design in historic and contemporary cultures. 

2. Create and present finished images and graphics for professional applications based on principles of effective design and communication. 

3. Translate concepts and visual experiences into images, designs, or tactile forms. 

4. Evaluate and critique graphic design work and receive criticism from others independently and collaboratively. 

5. Express artistic and design concepts and intents in written and oral formats.

The Graphic Design AA currently exists within the Digital Art and Graphic Design AA. A stand-alone AA will better serve students pursuing a career or transfer in Graphic Design. The guided pathway for the stand-alone AA is clear and easy for students to understand. The Labor Market Information Report from August 2023 indicates that there is an undersupply of approximately 1,750 workers in this field. Napa Valley College, along with Santa Rosa Junior College and Solano Community College can continue to supply degrees in this field without danger of over saturating the market. To successfully sustain this program, DART needs improved coordination and support from IT to maintain computer labs. Software and equipment quickly become obsolete in this field. Regular maintenance, updates and on-site technical expertise are needed for the labs. Students receive support from NVC via free access to Adobe Creative Cloud and library laptop loans. Students have responded in end-of-term surveys that these supports are critical for them to pursue their educational plans. The continued support for free Adobe CC student accounts will go far towards student equity. The special library laptops must be on the same cycle as the labs to maintain consistency and student support. DART currently has one full-time faculty member and anywhere between 1 – 4 part-time instructors. We need to develop a stable pool of instructors. The industry provides higher salaries than NVC and has lured away several instructors. Along with NVC’s location, there is difficulty in finding instructors who are willing to teach on campus. Labs were coordinated with the Photography full-time faculty member who has since retired. Labs are now maintained solely through DART. In effect, this makes DART responsible for Photography needs as well. Hiring another full-time faculty member would go a long way in continuing support for students pursuing this degree.

The courses in this degree are shared with other programs mostly in ARTH, ARTS and PHOT. Due to Photography’s faculty retirement and the loss of a full-time faculty member in ARTS, we have not been able to meet student demand as we do not have enough part-time instructors to cover the losses. Thus, some courses have been impacted or not offered. The department does not anticipate a large increase in enrollments as a result of this new degree; however, it will better serve the needs and interests of the current student population at NVC. This degree will be housed in the Visual Arts Department, a part of the Division of Arts and Humanities at NVC.

Please see attached Advisory Board minutes supporting this degree submission and Program Narrative for the details of the required core classes (12 units), and the restricted electives from Art History, Digital and Studio Arts that were too extensive for the table above.  

The Labor Market Information Report from August 2023 indicates that there is an undersupply of approximately 1,750 workers in this field. • Santa Rosa Junior College has Certificates in: o Virtual Production (3D and gaming) o Graphic Design o Graphic Design Certificate of Achievement • Solano Community College has an AA in ART with a Graphic Design emphasis.