Visual Communication A.B.
Chair: Associate Professor Hannam
Visual Communications focuses on designing compelling visual messages for diverse audiences across media. Grounded in the principles of visual language and graphic design theory, the program equips students to solve real-world communication challenges through strategic thinking and creative problem-solving.
Students learn to design and craft visual content for a variety of formats—including publications, advertising, websites, mobile apps, and motion graphics—while developing fluency in typography, layout, branding, user experience, and emerging media. Through studio practice and applied projects, students gain the tools to design with purpose and clarity in an increasingly connected and visual world.
The Visual Communication A.B. degree requires a total of 62 semester hours to complete. This includes 2 hours in IDS and 8 hours in ART, along with all required courses in the Visual Communication major. Students must also complete an additional 8-9 credits selected from courses in COM, CTA, DCM, JOU, MEA, STC, or VSC programs.
(See School of Communications for additional program requirements and course descriptions)
Major Requirements:
Required courses: 39-40 sh
| COM 1000 | Communications in a Global Age | 4 sh |
| COM 2000 | Inclusive Communications | 2 sh |
| COM 2200 | Creating Multimedia Content | 4 sh |
| VSC 2580 | Vis Com I: Fundamentals of Design | 4 sh |
| VSC 2600 | Fundamentals of Typography | 4 sh |
| VSC 3180 | Writing & Research in Design | 4 sh |
| VSC 3580 | Vis Com II: Studio Practices in Design | 4 sh |
| VSC 3600 | Contemporary Practices in Design | 4 sh |
| COM 3985 | Communications Internship | 1 or 2 sh |
| COM 4000 | Media Law and Ethics | 4 sh |
| VSC 4970 | Vis Com III: Visual Communication Capstone | 4 sh |
Choose one: 4 sh
Additional requirements for the Communication Design A.B.: 10 sh
| IDS 1150 | Public Speaking | 2 sh |
| ART 1120 | Introduction to Art in Two Dimensions | 4 sh |
| ART 2600 | Introduction to Photography and Digital Art | 4 sh |
Elective (8-9 sh)
Select 8-9 semester hours of elective courses from the following programs: COM, CTA, DCM, JOU, MEA, STC, or VSC. A minimum of 62 semester hours are required to complete this major.
Total Credit Hours: 62
REQUIRED MINOR, DOUBLE MAJOR OR SEMESTER ABROAD:
To promote academic depth, all students must complete a minor, double major outside of the School of Communications or a semester abroad (totaling 12 credit hours or more) in an Elon-approved program. Study USA programs do not qualify as a semester abroad.
Total Credit Hours: 62