Graphic Design
The Associate in Applied Science (AAS) in Graphic Design develops the knowledge and skills required in the areas of photography, digital imaging, and graphic design. The coursework includes creating graphic designs, including images, layouts, typography, packaging, motion and interactive graphics, and branding in various print and digital media. This degree prepares students for employment and upgrades the skills of persons employed in occupations such as production artists, graphic designers, freelance artist-designers, and art directors. A Certificate of Completion (CCL) in Graphic Design is also available.
Details
Field of Interest
Visual and Performing Arts
Degree Type
Associate in Applied Science (AAS)
Academic Plan
Graphic Design (DEG)
Academic Plan Code
3201
Total credits required
61-68
Catalog Year
2024-2025
Effective Term
Fall 2024
Notes
Students must earn a grade of C or better in all courses within the program.
What You'll Learn
- Create complex designs to project specifications, demonstrating professional competence in research, planning, production, and presentation.
- Apply critical thinking skills, the creative process, and historical and visual literacy to solve complex visual, technical, and conceptual problems.
- Critique design solutions to evaluate their effectiveness.
- Apply industry standard tools and research to develop effective media, designs, and workflows.
- Demonstrate collaborative practices.
- Communicate design solutions that meet audience needs and recognize cultural and individual differences.
- Create a collection of works (e.g., capstone, internships, and/or portfolio) that reflect professional competency.
- Apply relevant knowledge, skills, and habits of mind to seek career opportunities in the field.
Career statistics
Successful completion of this degree may lead to employment in a variety of different occupations and industries. Below are examples of related occupations with associated Arizona-based wages* for this degree. Education requirements vary for the occupations listed below, so you may need further education or degrees in order to qualify for some of these jobs and earn the related salaries. Please visit with an academic advisor and/or program director for additional information. You can click on any occupation to view the detail regarding education level, wages, and employment information.
Art Directors
$79,070 Show expanded career information for Art Directors
Commercial and Industrial Designers
$105,580 Show expanded career information for Commercial and Industrial Designers
Graphic Designers
$56,090 Show expanded career information for Graphic Designers
Photographers
$44,090 Show expanded career information for Photographers
* Career and wage information provided by Pipeline AZ using data, reports, and forecasts which are generated using government data sources. Sources
Course Sequence by Term
The following is the suggested course sequence by term. Please keep in mind:
- Students should meet with an academic advisor to develop an individual education plan that meets their academic and career goals. Use the Degree Progress Report Tool in your Student Center to manage your plan.
- The course sequence is laid out by suggested term and may be affected when students enter the program at different times of the year.
- Initial course placement is determined by current district placement measures and/or completion of 100-200 level course and/or program requirements.
- Degree and transfer seeking students may be required to successfully complete a MCCCD First Year Experience Course (FYE) within the first two semesters at a MCCCD College. Courses include FYE101 and FYE103. Course offerings will vary by college. See an academic, program, or faculty advisor for details.
- Consult with your faculty mentor or academic advisor to determine educational requirements, including possible university transfer options, for your chosen career field.
Full-time Sequence
Full-time status is 12 credits to 18 credits per semester.
Term 1
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ENG101 or ENG107 |
First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL | Critical course | FYC or FYC | 3 | |
| Mathematics | Mathematics Area | Critical course MAT14+ recommended for students planning to transfer to a university | 3–6 | ||
| AVC100 | Introduction to Digital Arts | 1 | |||
| AVC177 | Digital Photographic Imaging I | Critical course Gateway course | 3 | ||
| ART111 or ART116 |
Drawing I or Life Drawing I | 3 | |||
| ART113 or AVC114 |
Color or Digital Color | 3 | |||
| FYE101 or FYE103 |
Introduction to College, Career and Personal Success or Exploration of College, Career and Personal Success | 1–3 |
Term 2
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ENG102 or ENG108 |
First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL | FYC or FYC | 3 | ||
| CRE101 | College Critical Reading and Critical Thinking | OR Equivalent as indicated by assessment | L | 0–3 | |
| ARH101 or ARH102 or ARH110 |
Art from Prehistory Through Middle Ages or Art from Renaissance to Modernism or History of Graphic Design | Students who intend to transfer should choose either ARH101 or ARH102 to fulfill the [HU] requirement for transfer | H, HU or H, HU or None | 3 | |
| AVC169 | 2D Media Design | 3 | |||
| AVC178 | Digital Arts Studies | Critical course | 3 | ||
| AVC183 | Digital Graphic Arts I | Critical course | 3 |
Term 3
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| COM100 or COM110 or COM225 or COM230 |
Introduction to Human Communication or Interpersonal Communication or Public Speaking or Small Group Communication | SB or SB or L or SB | 3 | ||
| AVC142 | Introduction to Digital Photography | 3 | |||
| AVC/MMT190 | Art of Web Site Design | 3 | |||
| AVC248 or ART255 |
Design Self Promotion or Art Marketing | 3 | |||
| AVC283 | Digital Graphic Arts II | 3 |
Term 4
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SB | Social & Behavioral Sciences | SB | 3 | ||
| SG or SQ |
Natural Sciences General or Natural Sciences Quantitative | SG or SQ | 4 | ||
| AVC280AA or AVC280AB or AVC280AC or AVC297AA or AVC297AB or AVC297AC |
Digital Media Arts and Design Capstone or Digital Media Arts and Design Capstone or Digital Media Arts and Design Capstone or Commercial Art Internship or Commercial Art Internship or Commercial Art Internship | 1–3 | |||
| RE | Restricted Electives | 3 | |||
| Elective | General Elective | Select additional courses 100-level or higher to complete the minimum credits required for this degree. Consult with the Program Director or an Academic Advisor. | 0–3 |
Restricted Electives
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AVC175 | Electronic Publishing Design I | 3 | |||
| AVC289 | Computer Illustration | 3 | |||
| AVC103 | Typography in the Digital Age | 3 | |||
| AVC150 | Multimedia Storytelling | 3 | |||
| AVC192 | Advanced Web Presentation Design | 3 | |||
| AVC200 | Animation and Interactivity | 3 | |||
| AVC210 | Design Tools for Imagery, Production, and Publishing | 3 | |||
| AVC/THO246 | Digital Fabrication | 3 |
Part-time Sequence
Part-time status is 11 credit hours or less.
Term 1
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | Mathematics Area | Critical course MAT14+ recommended for students planning to transfer to a university | 3–6 | ||
| AVC100 | Introduction to Digital Arts | 1 | |||
| AVC177 | Digital Photographic Imaging I | Critical course Gateway course | 3 | ||
| FYE101 or FYE103 |
Introduction to College, Career and Personal Success or Exploration of College, Career and Personal Success | 1–3 |
Term 2
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ENG101 or ENG107 |
First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL | Critical course | FYC or FYC | 3 | |
| ART111 or ART116 |
Drawing I or Life Drawing I | 3 |
Term 3
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ART113 or AVC114 |
Color or Digital Color | 3 | |||
| ENG102 or ENG108 |
First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL | FYC or FYC | 3 | ||
| CRE101 | College Critical Reading and Critical Thinking | OR Equivalent as indicated by assessment | L | 0–3 |
Term 4
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ARH101 or ARH102 or ARH110 |
Art from Prehistory Through Middle Ages or Art from Renaissance to Modernism or History of Graphic Design | Students who intend to transfer should choose either ARH101 or ARH102 to fulfill the [HU] requirement for transfer | H, HU or H, HU or None | 3 | |
| AVC169 | 2D Media Design | 3 |
Term 5
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AVC178 | Digital Arts Studies | Critical course | 3 | ||
| AVC183 | Digital Graphic Arts I | Critical course | 3 |
Term 6
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| COM100 or COM110 or COM225 or COM230 |
Introduction to Human Communication or Interpersonal Communication or Public Speaking or Small Group Communication | SB or SB or L or SB | 3 | ||
| AVC283 | Digital Graphic Arts II | 3 |
Term 7
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AVC142 | Introduction to Digital Photography | 3 | |||
| AVC/MMT190 | Art of Web Site Design | 3 |
Term 8
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AVC248 or ART255 |
Design Self Promotion or Art Marketing | 3 | |||
| SB | Social & Behavioral Sciences | SB | 3 |
Term 9
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SG or SQ |
Natural Sciences General or Natural Sciences Quantitative | SG or SQ | 4 | ||
| RE | Restricted Electives | 3 |
Term 10
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AVC280AA or AVC280AB or AVC280AC or AVC297AA or AVC297AB or AVC297AC |
Digital Media Arts and Design Capstone or Digital Media Arts and Design Capstone or Digital Media Arts and Design Capstone or Commercial Art Internship or Commercial Art Internship or Commercial Art Internship | 1–3 | |||
| Elective | General Elective | Select additional courses 100-level or higher to complete the minimum credits required for this degree. Consult with the Program Director or an Academic Advisor. | 0–3 |
Restricted Electives
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AVC175 | Electronic Publishing Design I | 3 | |||
| AVC289 | Computer Illustration | 3 | |||
| AVC103 | Typography in the Digital Age | 3 | |||
| AVC150 | Multimedia Storytelling | 3 | |||
| AVC192 | Advanced Web Presentation Design | 3 | |||
| AVC200 | Animation and Interactivity | 3 | |||
| AVC210 | Design Tools for Imagery, Production, and Publishing | 3 | |||
| AVC/THO246 | Digital Fabrication | 3 |
Course Area Key
Gateway Course = Generally the first major-specific course in a pathway.
Critical Course = A course that is highly predictive of future success in a pathway.
- FYC = First Year Composition
- H = Historical Awareness
- HU = Humanities, Fine Arts, and Design
- L = Literacy & Critical Inquiry
- SB = Social-Behavioral Sciences
- SG = Natural Sciences General
- SQ = Natural Sciences Quantitative
Disclaimer
Students must earn a grade of C or better for all courses required within the program.
Course Sequence total credits may differ from the program information located on the MCCCD curriculum website due to program and system design.
View MCCCD’s official curriculum documentation for additional details regarding the requirements of this award (https://aztransmac2.asu.edu/cgi-bin/WebObjects/MCCCD.woa/wa/freeForm13?id=187297).
At Maricopa, we strive to provide you with accurate and current information about our degree and certificate offerings. Due to the dynamic nature of the curriculum process, course and program information is subject to change. As a result, the course list associated with this degree or certificate on this site does not represent a contract, nor does it guarantee course availability. If you are interested in pursuing this degree or certificate, we encourage you to meet with an advisor to discuss the requirements at your college for the appropriate catalog year.
Previous Catalog Years
The pathway map presented above is for the current catalog year and is the intended pathway map for new students. All previous catalog years for this pathway map are available at the link below.
Previous catalog years for Associate in Applied Science (AAS) in Graphic Design