The Minor in Visual Communication Design is a 20-credit-hour minor introducing students to the principles, methods, and tools that shape how ideas, messages, and information are communicated through visual form. Students gain experience conceptualizing and developing design solutions across print, digital, and environmental media – integrating typography, imagery, and composition into cohesive systems that inform, engage, and inspire.
Through hands-on coursework and iterative critique, students develop the ability to plan, design, and present visual communication across diverse contexts. Coursework emphasizes clarity of message, typographic refinement, hierarchy, branding, and publication design—skills that are highly transferable across industries and disciplines.

The curriculum focuses on:

• Typography and visual hierarchy
• Branding and identity systems
• Publication and editorial design

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Design Studies Requirements (12)
VISC 105	Introduction to Visual Communication Design	4
VISC 301	Principles of Graphic Design	4
ADS 341	History of Design	3
ADS 320	KU Design Professional Lecture Series	1
Electives (select 2)		8
IXD 105	Foundations of Digital Design
VISC 202	Typography I
VISC 204	Visual Communication Second-Year Studio I
VISC 310	Letterpress
VISC 410	Digital Letterpress
VISC 414	Publication and Editorial
VISC 415	Motion Design
VISC 425	Environmental Graphics
VISC 440	Bookmaking
Total Hours		20

Total Required Credit Hours, 300+ Level (Jr/Sr) Credit Hours:

The minor consists of at least 20 credit hours, 12 credit hours must be completed at the 300+ level (Jr/Sr level).

Residency Requirements:

At least 9 credit hours of courses required for the minor must be completed at KU.

GPA Requirements:

A minimum GPA of 2.0 is required across all courses taken for the minor.

Specific Course Requirements:

Admission is prerequisite to enrolling in all courses for the minor except ADS 320, ADS 341.