What is a minor in graphic design and why is it important?

Graphic design has emerged as an important asset in many industry sectors, including digital arts, communications and media production, architecture, business, computer science, and engineering. In these various contexts, design enhances communication through sophisticated and entertaining visual formats. Contemporary examples include social media and web platforms, which utilize animated graphics, typography, background, color palette, and layout to effectively present information. Entrepreneurs and product designers develop an ideation process in order to translate an object’s functionality into a distinctive, memorable, and pleasing user experience. The success of a presentation—whether in a business environment or classroom—depends on a sophisticated presentation incorporating motion graphics, typography, and stylized look or feel.

Technological advancements including augmented reality and rapid prototyping present further opportunity for innovating the way that a product is delivered, sold, and experienced. Through the HIVE (Home of Innovation, Visualization, and Exploration), graphic design students will have access to advanced visualization tools to push the possibilities of any design goal.

The Minor in Graphic Design is designed to provide students from across the university visual communication strategies, digital manipulation skills, and fundamental knowledge of industry standards, technologies, and terminologies, along with creative thinking and problem solving. This minor is in line with the New York Institute of Technology mission of offering career-oriented, professional education.

Upon successful completion of the Minor in Graphic Design, students will be able to:

1. Apply principles of visual organization to information in the context of their discipline
2. Present visual content in effective and aesthetically pleasing ways
3. Generate media that will help explore, develop, and refine their communications
4. Demonstrate diverse knowledge and skills required to perform professionally in an evolving creative work environment

The Minor in Graphic Design is open to all majors. Candidates do not need to present a portfolio to show proficiency in Adobe programs. The minor will consist of 15 credits made up of the four core courses* and one elective.

* Courses from other New York Tech majors can be considered acceptable substitutes for the minor’s required courses. For the substitution(s) to be considered, the student must earn at least a grade of “C” in the course considered for the substitution. Students who wish to request a course substitution should contact the Department of Digital Arts and Design chairperson.