Proposal for
the establishment of a Concentration in Interactive Design to the Bachelor of
Fine Arts in Visual Communications
Presented by the taskforce appointed by the Dean of the
Raymond Nichols,
Professor of Art / Visual Communications,
John Courtright, Chair of the Department of
Communication,
Sandra Carberry, Chair of the Department of Computer
and Information Science, and Jerry Beasley, Chair of the Department of English
Additional important participants in the taskforce include
Hendrik-Jan
Francke, Assistant Professor of Art / Visual
Communications,
Elizabeth Perse, Acting Chair of the Department of
Communication
Debbie Andrews, Professor, and Rebecca Worley, Assistant Professor of the
Department of English
Carl Jacobson, Director of Management Information Services
Submitted
I. DESCRIPTION
This proposal is parallel to the establishment of an interdisciplinary Minor in Interactive Media. The Major in Interactive Design will be a new concentration in addition to the four existing concentrations in Visual Communications in the Department of Art. The four existing concentrations are advertising design, graphic design, applied photography, and illustration.
This new concentration will generally follow the existing curriculum for both advertising design and graphic design and will incorporate the four required disciplinary courses for the Minor in Interactive Media. The concentration will lead to the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree.
Interactive Media is defined here as the convergence of the media of television, film, radio and the Internet. The Minor in Interactive Media offers an educational experience for students interested in the development of relevant content and the study of the efficacy of its presentation over the Internet. With the already unmanageable flood of information available, it is crucial that the development and presentation of new content be easily accessible and useful or desirable.
The Visual Communications Group has taught Web
design for the past five years. Over the past three years we have had graduates
who have finished their education at
II. RATIONALE AND DEMAND
A. Institutional Factors
1.
The University has a documented and publicized presence at the forefront of the use of technology and has expended significant effort and resources to provide student and faculty ready access to the Internet and its almost endless body of content. The establishment of the Major in Interactive Design will balance and complete both the development and the contribution to the use of Internet-related technology through the added emphasis on the design/construction of Web sites along with their content.
2. Planning Process
A strong interest in Web design by the Visual Communications
Group brought together a group of faculty from core departments to originally
investigate the viability of offering a Minor in Interactive Media. The Dean of
the
While the planning for the minor was progressing, a group
of Visual Communications faculty including the
3. Impact on Other Programs
While there are individual classes in various areas of the
University, the establishment of a Major in Interactive Design should enhance
any and all areas. The nature of programs existing in CHEPP, the
We expect to draw our students from the same pool of students who typically are attracted to the Visual Communications Group.
4. Utilization of Existing Resources
As in the proposal for the minor, two of the four required classes are either being taught experimentally or are already regular offerings. CISC 103 will be taught for the first time this spring semester. The faculty who are intended to teach the courses are already on the full-time faculty at the University. A variety of existing computer sites are accessible and available for the teaching of these courses. In addition, the two elective courses can be approved from current established courses.
Within the Visual Communications Group, the
B. Student Demand
1. Enrollment Projections
While serious reductions in the dotcom industry have slowed the growth of Internet-based companies, the need for the design of Web sites is still strong. Clearly the Internet is becoming the most widele used communication tool. Employment potential will remain good for well-educated graduates with interactive skills.
With the broad application of Web-based content, student and employer interest in such an experience should be high. Based on discussions with students either in our department or students who are looking at our department, we expect enrollment demands to be start with three to five students who will be incorporated into the Visual Communications curriculum and will generally share a vast percentage of classes with students concentrating in advertising design and graphic design.
2. Specific Student Clienteles
Visual Communications already attracts students who are interested in Web-based design work. Students majoring in graphic design or advertising design need familiarity and experience with Web design already. The concentration will provide a designation for those students who want to concentrate specifically on the production of Web sites, allowing them to focus more in depth on complex issues of functionality and content matters.
Admission into Visual Communications is already quite
competitive with two portfolio reviews at the end of the first and second
years. Due to burgeioning enrollment the
C. Transferability
Transferability will be limited. Due to the reputation and the number of students normally interested in Visual Communications, we will not transfer credit for any of our regularly offered courses in order to discourage any more enrollment pressure than we currently have.
D. Graduate / Professional Program Access
Visual Communications graduates tend to go directly into industry versus graduate school, but opportunities could include entering students with the Major in Interactive Design for advanced graduate programs that focus on interactive design, special effects, animation, interactive design, game design and the like.
E. Demand and Employment Factors
It is difficult to imagine many instances where an employer wouldn’t find benefit in an employee who had an understanding of the planning, development and production of Web sites. Because the development of most Web sites is in fact the combined effort of a variety of people working on a variety of tasks, a student with a Major in Interactive Design should have the ability to work within the required team environment, should understand the responsibilities of the various participants, and should be able to contribute in different areas and at different levels to the relevance and optimum usefulness of a site.
F. Regional / State / National Factors
1. Advantages Over Regional Programs
The most significant advantage a student majoring in Interactive Design at Delaware is that the concentrated environment within Visual Communications gives them exposure to and familiarity with graphic design, advertising design, photography, illustration and other applied design issues that are rarely, if ever, accessible in other colleges and universities. Most quality programs available to students tend to occur at the graduate level. This program will allow a student with the aptitude and right interest to get started quicker and in a very supportive design environment.
Another important advantage is the ability to take the interdisciplinary courses which are now being offered to fulfill the Minor in Interactive Media. This will provide a wonderful experience that is not available at many good art schools because they lack the breadth of departments supported by a major university.
2. Accrediting / Professional Mandates
G. Other Strengths
1. Special Features
The retrieval of content from the Internet is entrenched everywhere. Pages are added by the hundreds of thousands every day judging by the amount searched through Google, currently almost 2.5 billion pages. Humanity is being buried in data. It is apparent that the next crucial stage is an improvement in the value and accessibility of the data and not simply in its mass. The manner and style with which information is presented is crucial as the amount of information becomes more and more unmanageable.
2. Collaborative Arrangements
The collaborative arrangement between the four core departments sponsoring the Minor in Interactive Media will offer a wonderful interdisciplinary component to this major that isn’t found in the other Visual Communications concentrations.
While there are no current outside collaborators we would expect to start approaching people and companies as soon as this is approved. We already have a long line of associations with interactive studios and advertising agencies with interactive departments which should blossom as soon as we can offer the specific concentration of Interactive Design. Access to internship possibilities already exist for any student who wants it.
III. ENROLLMENTS, ADMISSIONS AND FINANCIAL AID
A. Enrollment Limitations / Criteria
Students who choose the Interactive Design concentration will simply flow out of the students who are now drawn to VC. Our enrollment in the second year of our program is limited to45. We already offer Web design classes and conseqently students who pursue this focus will follow the existing class structure, but with a more focused direction.
B. Admission Requirements
1. Criteria
Students seeking the Major in Interactive Design will follow the same procedure we’ve used in Visual Communications for the past 22 years. Each applicant must submit a portfolio, be interviewed and write an essay of intent for admission into the second year. Another portfolio review and interview is required before starting the third year. This system has proven to be quite effective and we expect that students headed toward Interactive Design will follow the same process.
2. Transfer Policy
At present, Visual Communications will not accept transfer credit for any course beyond the foundation courses (first year). We have no plans to alter that procedure.
3. Retention Policy
There is an attrition rate that has been in existence in Visual Communictions for the past 22 years where students must successfully pass portfolio reviews at the end of their first year and second year. While our drop out or rejected rate is real, this process of distilling the student enrollment to the best students is one that students fully understand when they apply to come here. It is worth noting that we also seldom lose students once they are accepted to the junior level.
D. Student Expenses and Financial Aid
1. Extraordinary Required Student Expenses
2. Graduate / Professional Studies Financial Support
III. CURRICULUM SPECIFICS
A. Degree Awarded
Bachelor of Fine Arts in Visual Communications with an Interactive Design concentration.
B. Curriculum
1. Requirements
The curriculum parallels the Bachelor of Fine Arts in Visual Communications with a Graphic Design concentration except as noted.
College requirements are the same as for other Visual Communications’ concentrations but for two exceptions.
1) Art History requirements are only six credit hours (versus a proposed change of from nine to twelve which is being made at this same time).
2) The
following three courses outside of the
CISC 103: Introduction to Computer Science with Web Applications
ENGL 413: Designing Online Information
COMM 408: New Media Project Development
Major requirements are the same as for the Graphic Design concentration
Interactive Design Concentration
ART 302: Graphic Design I
ART 303: Graphic Design II
ART 304: Advertising Design I
ART 307: New Media Design
ART 403: Portfolio Preparation I
ART 405: Portfolio Preparation II
ART 407: Advanced New Media Design (twice)
Two of the following:
ART 303
ART 305
ART 310
ART 311
2. Sample Curriculum
The curriculum sequence is the same as for the Graphic Design concentration with the exception that the required non-art courses will most logically be taken during the third and beginning of the fourth year.
3. Approvals from Affected Departments
The three other department included in the proposal to establish a Minor in Interactive Media and the required classes they are offering (also required of the Interactive Design Concentration) will gain by contributions from students with this more indepth focus into interactive design.
4. University / College / Departmental Requirements
All relationships between courses only impact the Visual Communications program.
V. RESOURCES AVAILABLE
A. Learning Resources
The Internet itself serves as a ready resource to help educate students through the discovery of high quality content, as well as the demonstration of content which lacks proper usability. Side-by-side comparisons will confirm the value of the educational experience students receive.
Outside evaluators have confirmed our belief in the value of our extensive participation in speakers, field trips and workshops.
The accessibility of online information through the services supplied by Morris Library is also an important existing resource. While it is often reasonable to encourage an improvement in the library resources, there is already a clear commitment on the part of the University with regard to the value of the Internet. Based on this it is reasonable to say that the demands of our proposal have been foreseen and most of what we would need is currently available or will probably be part of the normal library puchases.
The University enjoys an unusually ideal location in
proximity to the top Internet pacesetting companies found in the major
metropolitan areas of
B. Faculty / Administrative Resources
Faculty resources are already in place with full-time faculty scheduled to teach the appropriate classes.
C. External Funding
While we have not sought external funding at this point, the adoption of this proposal will offer a highly desirable visiblity which should both incur the necessity of additional University support as well as increase the opportunity for attracting willing benefactors.
IV. RESOURCES REQUIRED
A. Learning Resources
Computer access in classroom situations will continue to be an important priority. The speed at which the Internet can be accessed and tools that best utilize its potential are required in a timely manner. The ability to bring outside speakers and take field trips is critical to heighten the academic potential of the various courses and keep abreast of frequent changes in the field.
B. Personnel Resources
For initiating this proposal, highly qualified faculty are currently in place.
C. Budgetary Needs
At the level of initial implementation no specific funds beyond what is currently provided are being requested.
IV. IMPLEMENTATION AND EVALUATION
A. Implementation Plan
The classes and a pool of students to pull from to start the program are already in place.
B. Evaluation Plan
1. Internal Evaluation, other than standard program review
Visual Communications already has an extensive and well-practiced evaluation process which involves the observations and opinions of all VC faculty and will accommodate the Interactive Design program.
2. Criteria for External Evaluation
Visual Communications currently involves its students in a number of professional portfolio reviews along the East Coast in which Interactive Design students will be included. Our extensive internship program also provides us with indepth feedback from industry.
III. APPENDICES
A. Accreditation Criteria (if appropriate)
B. Letters of Collaborative Agreement
C. Transfer / Retention Policy
D. Letters of Approval from Contributing Departments
E. Other Pertinent Documents
Thu,
____________________________________________________________
SUBJECT: RE: Minor in Interactive
Media...
Date:
From: Suzanne Alchon salchon@Udel.edu
To: Raymond
Nichols rnichols@Udel.edu
The Department
of Art enthusiastically supports the new Minor in
Interactive Media. Our observation within
this department is that the number of students interested in the study of
interactive media is growing steadily; and this trend only promises to
accelerate in the future. Such
interdisciplinary programs are especially exciting, not only for students, but
also for the faculty involved. Given the
importance of this particular topic, this program has the potential to bring
national attention to the college and the university. On behalf of the Department of Art, I
recommend approval of this proposal.
Suzanne Alchon
Suzanne Alchon
Associate Professor
and Acting Chair
Department of
Art
302.831.2244
302.831.0505
(fax)