California University of Pennsylvania
Guidelines for New Course Proposals
University Course Syllabus
Approved: 2/4/13
Department of Art and Design
A.

Protocol
Course Name:
Course Number:
Credits:
Prerequisites:

Graphic Design Studio 3
ART 427
3
ART 127, Intro to Graphic Design, ART 227, Graphic
Design Studio 1, ART 327, Graphic Design Studio 2
Maximum Class Size (face-to-face): 22
Maximum Class Size (online):
(Choose which one is appropriate or both if applicable)
B.

Objectives of the Course:
The ability to create effective communication design which will support the
marketing and advertising strategies available to the client is an essential skill for
the designer. An awareness of current strategies and how they relate to design is
necessary for advancement in the field.

C.

Catalog Description:
In this course the student will create portfolio quality pieces which reflect current
marketing and advertising strategies. Students will build upon their previous
technical experience in QuarkXPress and Adobe Illustrator, while developing
advanced technical experience with Adobe Photoshop.

D.

Outline of the Course:

A.

The Creative Process
1. Advertising: Strategy and Creativity
a.
What Makes an Idea Creative/
b. The Creative Personality
c.
Characteristics of Creative People
d. Creative Thinking
2. The Creative Concept
3. The Message Strategy

4.

5.

a.
Content Approaches
b. Sales Approaches
c.
Stylistic Approaches
d. Formats and Formulas
e.
Executions
Images and Advertising
a.
The Power of the Visual
b. The Purpose of the Visual
c.
Art Direction
Words and Advertising
a.
Copywriting
b. Stylistics
c.
Structure

B.

Creating Print Advertising
1. Print Advertising
a.
The Print Foundation
b. Newspaper Advertisements
c.
Magazine Advertisements
2. Writing For Print
a.
Headlines
b. Other Display Copy
c.
Body Copy
3. Print Production
a.
The Art
b. The Type
c.
Halftone Reproduction
d. Color Reproduction
e.
Printing Processes
f.
Binding and Finishing

C.

Creating Television Advertising
1. Characteristics of the Television Environment
2. The Nature of Commercials
a.
Message Strategy
b. The Entertainment Factor
3. Planning and Producing Television Commercials
a.
Scripts and Storyboards
b. Television Terminology
c.
The Team
4. Message Trends
a.
Length and Content

b.

Image Manipulation

D.

Creating Direct-Response Advertising
1. Direct-Response Advertising
a.
Direct Marketing
b. Direct Mail
2. Characteristics of Direct Response
a.
Tightly Targeted
b. Interactive
c.
Measurable Action
d. Objectives
e.
Data Bases
3. The Players
a.
Advertisers
b. Agencies
c.
Consumers
4. The Media of Direct Response
a.
Direct Mail
b. The Catalog Marketplace
c.
Print Media
d. Broadcast Media
5. Telemarketing
a.
Costs
b. Characteristics
c.
The Message
d. Using Information

E.

Creating Yellow Pages and Out-of-Home Advertising
1. Yellow Pages Advertising
a.
The Audience
b. Functions of the Ad
2. Posters
a.
Development of the Poster
b. Message Design
3. Outdoor Advertising
a.
The Outdoor Industry
b. Message Design
c.
Production
4. Transit Industry
a.
The Industry
b. The Audience
c.
Message Design

5.
6.

F.

Movie Advertising
a.
Do You Get What You Pay For?
b. Message Design
Innovative Media
a.
Sales Messages
b. Reminder Messages
c.
Action Messages

Advertising Campaigns
1. The Structure of the Campaign Plan
a.
Situation Analysis
b. Advertising Strategy
c.
Creative Plan
d. Direct-Response Plan
e.
Sales Promotion Plan
f.
Media Plan
g. Research and Evaluation
h. Campaign Budget

Da. Detailed Topical Outline of the Course: Advertising
A.

Advertising Principles (overview)
1. The Characteristics of Great Ads
2. The World of Advertising
a.
Reaching the Consumer
b. Defining Advertising
c.
Types of Advertising
d. Roles of Advertising
3. The Three Players
a.
The Advertiser
b. The Advertising Agency
c.
The Media
4. The Evolution of Advertising
a.
The Ancient Period (Town Criers-Babylonia, Egypt, and Greece)
b. The Age of Print (Movable Type-Gutenberg)
c.
The Formative Years (mid 1880s)

B.

The Advertising Environment: Ethics and Regulation (overview)
1. Advertising Ethics
a.
Ethical Criteria

b.
2.

3.
4.

5.

6.

7.

C.

Advertising Principles of American Business (American Advertising
Federation)
Ethical Issues in Advertising
a.
Taste and Advertising
b. Stereotyping in Advertising
c.
Advertising to Children
d. Advertising Controversial Products
Advertising and the Law
a.
Advertising and the First Amendment
Government Regulatory Agencies
a.
Federal Trade Commission
b. Food and Drug Administration
c.
Federal Communication Commission
FTC Concerns with Advertising
a.
Deception
b. Reasonable Basis for Making a Claim
c.
Reinforcement of False Beliefs
d. Comparative Advertising
e.
Endorsements
f.
Demonstrations
g. Bait
FTC Remedies for Deceptive and Unfair Advertising (overview)
a.
Corrective Advertising
b. Substantiating Advertising Claims
c.
Consumer Redress
Self-Regulation
a.
National Agencies
b. Local Regulation: BBB
c.
Regulation of Advertising

Advertising and the Marketing Process (overview)
1. The Concept of Marketing
a.
The Idea of a Market
b. Types of Markets
c.
Marketing Approaches
2. Marketing Elements
a.
Product Qualities
b. Internal and External Environment
3. The 4Ps of Marketing
a.
Product
b. Physical Distribution
c.
Pricing

d.

Promotion

D.

Advertising Agencies (overview)
1. The Agency World
2. How Agencies are Paid
3. Why Hire an Agency?
a.
Expertise and Objectivity
b. Staffing and Management
c.
Conflicts and Loyalty
4. Changes in the Agency World
a.
Megamergers
b. High-Productivity Agencies
c.
Squeezing the Middle
d. The Mom & Pop Shop

E.

The Consumer Audience (overview)
1. Consumer Behavior
2. Influences of You as a Consumer
a.
Social and Cultural Influences
b. Reference Groups
c.
Personal Influence
d. Psychological Influences
3. Audience Descriptors
a.
Demographics
b. Psychographics

F.

Strategic Research (overview)
1. Strategy and Testing
a.
Qualitative and Quantitative Research
2. Marketing and Advertising Research
a.
Exploratory Research
b. The Research Springboard
c.
The Research Process
d. Conducting Research
e.
Focus Groups
3. Message Development Research
a.
Preparation
b. Diagnosis

G.

Strategy and Planning (overview)
1. The Marketing Plan
a.
Situation Analysis

2.
3.
4.
5.

H.

b. Problems and Opportunities
c.
Marketing Objectives
d. Marketing Strategies
e.
Implementation and Evaluation
The Advertising Plan
a.
Advertising Strategy Decisions
The Advertising Budget
a.
Setting the Budget Level
b. Working Within Your Budget
An Advertising Campaign Plan
Creative Platforms
a.
Appeals
b. Associations
c.
Selling Premises

How Advertising Works (overview)
1. How Ads Really Work
a.
Competition
b. Processing
c.
Inattention
d. Avoidance
e.
Information
f.
Breakthrough Advertising
2. The Psychology of How an Ad Works
a.
Perception
b. Cognition
c.
Slogan Test
d. Persuasion
3. How Brand Images Work
a.
Transformation Advertising

Db. Detailed Topical Outline of the Course: Adobe Photoshop
A.

Working With Files and Layers
1. Opening an EPS File
2.
Merging Layers
3.
Making Selections in a Layer
4.
Saving a File With Layers

B.

Understanding Color
1. Looking at Color Models
2. Selecting a Palette for the Color Display

3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

Making Color Corrections
Adjusting Tonal Ranges With the Levels Command
Adjusting Tonal Ranges With the Curves Command
Adjusting Tonal Ranges With the Selective Color Command
Adjusting the Color Balance of an Image
Making Selective Color Corrections
Displaying the File in CMYK Mode
Color-Correcting an Individual Channel

C.

Scanning, Resolution, and Resizing
1. Scanning Basics
2. How Resolution Affects File Size and Display
3. Changing Image Size and Resolution
4. Combining Images With Different resolutions
5. Changing the Size of the Canvas

D.

Converting Images
1. About Modes, Image Types, and Channels
2. Converting an Image for Color Separations
3. Converting to Lab Mode
4. Converting to CMYK
5. Converting to Multichannel Mode
6. Converting to Indexed Color
7. Creating a Duotone
8. Creating a Tritone and Adjusting the Ink Distribution
9. Creating Illustrative Effects
10. Using Filters
11. Converting a Color Image to a Bitmapped Image
12. Combining Images into a Composite Image

E.

Producing Color Separations and Printing
1. Printing Introduction
2. Producing a Color Separation
3. Working With Out-of Gamut Colors
4. Correcting Out-of-Gamut Colors
5. Customizing Separation Options
6. Selecting and Printing File Options
7. Specifying Settings for Different Image Types

F.

Importing and Exporting Files
1. Understanding Compression
2. Saving a File in JPEG Format

3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
E.

Importing Adobe Photoshop Files
Saving a File in EPS Format
Exporting a Path to Adobe Illustrator
Using a Path in Adobe Illustrator
Placing Adobe Illustrator Files

Teaching Methodology:
Traditional Classroom Methodology
This course is designed to provide the student with 60 hours of studio instruction
per semester (typically four hours per week). Instruction will occur using, but
not limited to, lecture, assignments, critiques, and demonstrations.

F.

Text
Specifications for an appropriate text or supportive material will be provided by
the instructor.

G.

Assessment Activities:
Traditional Classroom Assessment
Students will be assessed using exams, quizzes, homework assignments,
individual assignments, and group assignments.
A
90 – 100%
B
80 – 89%
C
70 – 79%
D
60 – 69%
F
59% and below

H.

Accommodations for Students with Disabilities:
Accommodations for Students with Disabilities

Students with disabilities:
• Reserve the right to decide when to self-identify and when to request
accommodations.
• Will register with the Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) each semester to
receive accommodations.
• Might be required to communicate with faculty for accommodations, which
specifically involve the faculty.

•

Will present the OSD Accommodation Approval Notice to faculty when
requesting accommodations that involve the faculty.

Requests for approval for reasonable accommodations should be directed to the Office for
Students with Disabilities (OSD). Approved accommodations will be recorded on the
OSD Accommodation Approval notice and provided to the student. Students are expected
to adhere to OSD procedures for self-identifying, providing documentation and requesting
accommodations in a timely manner.
Contact Information:
• Location:
Azorsky Hall – Room 105
• Phone:
(724) 938-5781
• Fax:
(724) 938-4599
• Email:
osdmail@calu.edu
• Web Site:
http://www.calu.edu/current-students/studentservices/disability/index.htm
I.

Supportive Instructional Materials, e.g. library materials, web sites, etc.
A list of library materials will be provided by the instructor.
Additional Information for Course Proposals

J.

Proposed Instructors:
Graphic Designer or any qualified faculty member of the Department of Art and
Design.

K.

Rationale for the Course:
Required for Graphic Design majors to have an comprehensive understanding of
their discipline.

L.

Specialized Equipment or Supplies Needed:
No, but this class needs to be taught in a graphics design lab.

M.

Answer the following questions using complete sentences:
1.

Does the course require additional human resources? (Please explain)
No additional human resources are required for this course.

2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

N.

Does the course require additional physical resources? (Please explain)
No additional physical resources are required for this course.
Does the course change the requirements in any particular major?
(Please explain)
Yes it changes the requirements for the Graphic Design major.
Does the course replace an existing course in your program? (If so, list the
course)
No this course does not replace an existing course.
How often will the course be taught?
This course will be taught once per academic year.
Does the course duplicate an existing course in another Department or
College? (If the possibility exists, indicate course discipline, number, and
name)
No, this course is not a duplication of an existing course.

If the proposed course includes substantial material that is traditionally taught
in another discipline, you must request a statement of support from the
department chair that houses that discipline.
N/A

O.

Please identify if you are proposing to have this course considered as a menu
course for General Education. If yes, justify and demonstrate the reasons
based on the categories for General Education. The General Education
Committee must consider and approve the course proposal before
consideration by the UCC.
No