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The Visual Communication Design program prepares students to meet industry and societal communication challenges through design. The curriculum focuses on developing, planning, and executing visual solutions for modern cultural issues. Learners combine approaches like prototyping, aesthetics, user experience, technology, and contextual awareness to create strategies for print, digital, and physical environments. Instructors prioritize design goals over production techniques, fostering creative visual concepts that educate, influence, or guide users across various applications.
The program's excellence is demonstrated through multiple prestigious student awards, scholarships, and notable publications. Leading international design publications - Novum (Germany), IDEA (Japan), and Art and Design (China) - have highlighted the University of Washington's Visual Communication Design program in comprehensive features about design education.
As one of the School's most popular undergraduate offerings, Visual Communication Design has developed over two decades into a professional-focused curriculum serving corporate, institutional, and public sector needs. This rigorous program stresses visual problem-solving, structural organization, and information theory. Coursework encompasses typography, information architecture, design systems, exhibition planning, publication layout, digital media, and visual development techniques.
Student must have a High School Qualification.
Due to limited testing availability from COVID-19, the UW will accept the Duolingo’s English Test for autumn 2021 applicants. A minimum score of 105 will be required for admission. The TOEFL iBT special home edition and the IELTS Indicator at home exam will also be accepted for 2021 international freshman applicants.
English proficiency
TOEFL (iBT) - Minimum score required: 76, Recommended score: 92 or higher
IELTS - Minimum score required: 6.0, Recommended score: 7.0 or higher