Academic Catalog 2024-2025

Design

College of Arts & Humanities
Department of Art & Design

Program Description and Features

The B.A. in Design provides students with a rich, multifaceted design education in the areas of print, web, interactive, photography, and motion design. The pedagogy of the program is set in learning by doing. Its distinctive upper-division courses are structured with level I courses to focus on principles of design, and technical skills around type and image-making through a series of multiple assignments. Upper-division level II courses focus on the conceptualization and execution of single semester-long projects.

Students are introduced to professional practices through individual and group projects by creating a professional portfolio, reviewed by a panel of professional designers, by participating in nationwide design competitions, and by an opportunity to work with clients through the AIGA student-run design group. A two-semester portfolio class helps students build strong career objectives in the field of design, with an internship placement in collaboration with the Career Center. Students also experience creating work for social change and environmental impact and are exposed to the work of a broad, multicultural range of artists/designers and historical, contemporary art/design movements.

The B.A. in Design is committed to offering students a more flexible schedule to allow them to participate in internships and work by providing all of the design courses as blended courses, meeting once a week face-to-face in a classroom, and 50% online, it is the only CSU program in the arts with such a modality. On-campus, classes are held in two specialized Mac Labs running the latest industry design software: Adobe Creative Cloud. Majors in Design also have free access to it for home-usage. Laser cutters and 3D printers have been recently acquired to provide students with the latest innovative technology.

The Minor in Design provides students with an introduction to the fundamentals of print, media, and graphic design.

The Minor in Digital Graphics provides students with an introduction to motion design fundamentals.

The Minor in Photography provides students with an introduction to the fundamentals of photography.

Academic Advisement

Advising for Art & Design majors and minors is done by Art and Design faculty members as well as the College of Arts and Humanities advisors.  Students must stop by the Department of Art and Design to be assigned to an advisor. The advisor will facilitate the student's smooth passage through his/her educational experience. Students must consult their advisors each semester before registration to discuss their program. For General Education information and advisement, contact the University Advisement Center located in WH 220, (310) 243-3538.

Preparation

High school students planning to major in design at CSU Dominguez Hills will be best prepared by taking a maximum variety of art and/or design courses offered in their school. In addition, they should have some general exposure to the history of art.

Community College transfer students seeking admittance to the CSU Dominguez Hills Department of Art and Design will be best prepared by having completed the equivalent of the following CSU Dominguez Hills lower division art courses:

  • Introduction to Design Applications (DGN 110)
  • 2-D Design (ART 170)
  • 3-D Deign (ART 171)
  • Drawing I (ART 179 )

Students should be aware that community college courses do not satisfy upper-division course requirements. 

Student Organizations

CSUDH AIGA Student Group, Advisor Michele Bury

Scholarships

Please contact the Department of Art and Design for additional scholarship requirements.

Graduation With Honors

Undergraduate students may be candidates for graduation with Honors in Art if they meet the following criteria:

  1. A minimum of 36 units in residence at CSU Dominguez Hills;
  2. A minimum grade point average of 3.5 in all courses used to satisfy the upper-division requirements for the Art major