Course Description
Design Portfolio & Self Promotion is a senior-level course to aid the student in their upcoming transfers from classroom to the professional world. Topics and issues related to professional practices for professional designers are covered in this course. There is a strong focus on the production of a professional presentation of the student’s creative work and self promotion for the purpose of employment and business opportunities.
For information regarding prerequisites for this course, please refer to the Academic Course Catalog.
Course Guide
View this course’s outcomes, policies, schedule, and more.*
*The information contained in our Course Guides is provided as a sample. Specific course curriculum and requirements for each course are provided by individual instructors each semester. Students should not use Course Guides to find and complete assignments, class prerequisites, or order books.
Rationale
Most college graduates entering the field of art and graphic design work for employers such as advertising agencies, design groups, art galleries, or museums, at least at first. To be competitive with other job applicants and increase the likelihood of landing jobs, graduates will need well-honed job-seeking skills. For example, they will need to determine their areas of interest, talent, and expertise; to know where to look to find jobs in these arenas; and to market them well.
As part of this effort, they must have self-promotional materials ready, such as a resume, cover letter, and a presentation of their work. Another part of this effort is “doing well” during interviews. While there are many factors at play during interviews, applicants who are familiar with professional practices and issues in the creative industry will have an edge on the competition.
Graduates also need to be prepared for not only the discrepancy between secular and Christian values in the workplace but also for possible conflicts of conscience as specific jobs are assigned. Christians in the creative arts are greatly needed to help offset the predominantly humanistic and liberal perspective of much of today’s media.
Course Assignment
Textbook readings and lecture presentations
No details available.
Course Requirements Checklist
After reading the Course Syllabus and Student Expectations, the student will complete the related checklist found in the Course Overview.
Discussions (2)
Discussion boards are collaborative learning experiences. Therefore, the student is required to provide a thread of at least 400 words in response to the provided prompt for each discussion. After reading all of the classmates’ threads, the student will select 2 threads and reply to each using at least 200 words.
Discussion Critiques (2)
Discussion boards are collaborative learning experiences. Therefore, the student is required to provide a thread of at least 150-200 words in response to the provided prompt for each discussion. After reading all of the classmates’ threads, the student will select 2 threads and reply to each using at least 150 words.
A review of work the student has completed in preparation for the Portfolio Project Final Assignment. The focus of this assignment is for the student to collect, organize, and critically evaluate 8-10 pieces of their creative work. The student will be reviewing past coursework, self-directed projects, freelance/commissioned work, and expanding select pieces as needed.
The student will complete reflection questions, sketches, mood board, and digital logo drafts to begin creating an identity package to help them brand themselves and their work in hopes to procure future employment.
The student will refine sketches and finalize logo and brand elements to create an identity package to help them brand themselves and their work in hopes to procure future employment.
The student will create a resume and cover letter that reflect their personal brand identity and are tailored to a real job listing. These two professional documents are essential tools for applying to jobs after graduation. This assignment will help the student organize their experiences and craft a cover letter that can be customized for different opportunities.
The student will establish a professional online presence that reflects their personal brand and visual identity. These platforms should consistently represent their tone, style, and quality of work.
The student will complete sketches for layout design to begin the creation of the Portfolio Project Final Assignment. This will help the students showcase their work in hopes to procure future employment.
This is the student’s final, polished portfolio design. It should showcase their best work while clearly communicating their brand identity, professionalism, and design thinking in hopes to procure future employment. The students are expected to apply the feedback they received on previous comp and sketches to improve and refine the final layout.
Quizzes (6)
Each quiz will cover the Learn material for the assigned Module: Week. Each quiz will be open-notes, contain multiple-choice and true/false questions, and have a 30-minute time limit.
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