Communication Arts
Communication Arts prepares students creatively, intellectually, and technically to meet the rigors of a dynamically evolving array of design professions.
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BFA majors in Advertising Design, Graphic Design and Illustration. The department inspires students not only to value structure, surface, and form, but also to consider the engagements and interactions of design with clients, audiences, and the culture at large. Graduates are well prepared to enter a world in which boundaries between disciplines are constantly changing. As creative problem solvers accustomed to teamwork, they bring interdisciplinary skills to meet new challenges. Students learn how to link concept and context, as well as process and principles.
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More content is available in the complete Course Description and Curricula (PDF)
Advertising Design
| Fall | Spring | |||
| Sophomore Year | COMD207/208 | Communication Studio I/II | 3.0 | 3.0 |
| COMD214/215 | Drawing + Painting I/II | 2.0 | 2.0 | |
| COMD218/219 | Typography I/II | 2.0 | 2.0 | |
| COMD232/233 | Practicum I/II | 2.0 | 2.0 | |
| Sophomore Studio Electives | 2.0 | 2.0 | ||
| AHCS220 | Contemporary Art Survey | 3.0 | ---- | |
| AHCS222 | History of Gr Des/Adv/Illus | ---- | 3.0 | |
| *ENGL202 | Sophomore English Requirements | 3.0 | ---- | |
| *SSC210/211/220 | Social Science | ---- | 3.0 | |
| Total Credits per Semester | 17.0 | 17.0 | ||
| Descriptions for courses listed in grey boxes are located in the Liberal Arts and Sciences section. | ||||
| Fall | Spring | |||
| Junior Year | ADVT300/301 | Advertising and Art Direction I/II | 3.0 | 3.0 |
| COMD332/333 | Practicum I/II | 2.0 | 2.0 | |
| ADVT354 | Professional Practice | ---- | 2.0 | |
| ADVT350 | Campaigns & Briefs | ---- | 2.0 | |
| ADVT351 | Copywriting | 2.0 | ---- | |
| Studio Electives | 2.0 | 2.0 | ||
| *ILMS300 | Integrated Learning Studio | 2.0 | ---- | |
| MATH336 | Introduction to Symbolic Logic | 3.0 | ---- | |
| NSCI307 | Natural Science | ---- | 3.0 | |
| AHCS310 | Art History Elective | 3.0 | ---- | |
| Art History, English, or Liberal Studies Elective | ---- | 3.0 | ||
| Total Credits per Semester | 17.0 | 17.0 | ||
| *This course may be taken in either fall or spring semester. | ||||
| Descriptions for courses listed in grey boxes are located in the Liberal Arts and Sciences section. | ||||
| Fall | Spring | |||
| Senior Year | ADVT400 | Advertising & Art Direction III | 2.0 | ---- |
| ADVT402 | Strategies in Marketing & Research | 2.0 | ---- | |
| COMD432/433 | Practicum I/II | 2.0 | 2.0 | |
| ADVT440 | Senior Project | ---- | 3.0 | |
| ADVT 403 | Special Topics | ---- | 2.0 | |
| ADVT470/471 | OnScreen Production & Concepts I/II | 2.0 | 2.0 | |
| ADVT452 | Advanced Copy Concepts | ---- | 2.0 | |
| Studio Electives | 2.0 | 2.0 | ||
| *LIBS440 | Senior Liberal Studies Capstone | ---- | 3.0 | |
| *ILML400 | Integrated Learning Lecture | 3.0 | ---- | |
| LIBS404 | Senior Project/Research Paper | 2.0 | ---- | |
| Total Credits per Semester | 15.0 | 16.0 | ||
| *This course may be taken in either fall or spring semester. | ||||
| Descriptions for courses listed in grey boxes are located in the Liberal Arts and Sciences section. | ||||
Graphic Design
| Fall | Spring | |||
| Sophomore Year | COMD207/208 | Communication Studio I/II | 3.0 | 3.0 |
| COMD214/215 | Drawing + Painting I/II | 2.0 | 2.0 | |
| COMD218/219 | Typography I/II | 2.0 | 2.0 | |
| COMD232/233 | Practicum I/II | 2.0 | 2.0 | |
| Sophomore Studio Electives | 2.0 | 2.0 | ||
| AHCS220 | Contemporary Art Survey | 3.0 | ---- | |
| AHCS222 | History of Gr Des/Adv/Illus | ---- | 3.0 | |
| *ENGL202 | Sophomore English Requirements | 3.0 | ---- | |
| *SSC210/211/220 | Social Science | ---- | 3.0 | |
| Total Credits per Semester | 17.0 | 17.0 | ||
| Descriptions for courses listed in grey boxes are located in the Liberal Arts and Sciences section. | ||||
| Fall | Spring | |||
| Junior Year | COMD300/301 | Communication Studio III/IV | 3.0 | 3.0 |
| COMD310/311 | Typography III/IV | 2.0 | 2.0 | |
| COMD332/333 | Practicum I/II | 2.0 | 2.0 | |
| COMD354 | Professional Practice | 2.0 | ---- | |
| Studio Electives | ---- | 4.0 | ||
| *ILMS300 | Integrated Learning Studio | 2.0 | ---- | |
| MATH336 | Introduction to Symbolic Logic | 3.0 | ---- | |
| NSCI307 | Natural Science | ---- | 3.0 | |
| AHCS310 | Art History Elective | 3.0 | ---- | |
| Art History, English, or Liberal Studies Elective | ---- | 3.0 | ||
| Total Credits per Semester | 17.0 | 17.0 | ||
| *This course may be taken in either fall or spring semester. | ||||
| Descriptions for courses listed in grey boxes are located in the Liberal Arts and Sciences section. | ||||
| Fall | Spring | |||
| Senior Year | COMD440 | Senior Project | ---- | 3.0 |
| COMD432/433 | Practicum I/II | 2.0 | 2.0 | |
| COMD472-477 | Sr. Digital Electives | 2.0 | 2.0 | |
| Studio Electives | 6.0 | 6.0 | ||
| *LIBS440 | Senior Liberal Studies Capstone | ---- | 3.0 | |
| *ILML400 | Integrated Learning Lecture | 3.0 | ---- | |
| LIBS404 | Senior Project/Research Paper | 2.0 | ---- | |
| Total Credits per Semester | 15.0 | 16.0 | ||
| *This course may be taken in either fall or spring semester. | ||||
| Descriptions for courses listed in grey boxes are located in the Liberal Arts and Sciences section. | ||||
Illustration
| Fall | Spring | |||
| Sophomore Year | COMD207/208 | Communication Studio I/II | 3.0 | 3.0 |
| COMD214/215 | Drawing + Painting I/II | 2.0 | 2.0 | |
| COMD218/219 | Typography I/II | 2.0 | 2.0 | |
| COMD232/233 | Practicum I/II | 2.0 | 2.0 | |
| Studio Elective -or- | 2.0 | ---- | ||
| ILUS320 | Drawing Intensive | ---- | 2.0 | |
| AHCS220 | Contemporary Art Survey | 3.0 | ---- | |
| AHCS222 | History of Gr Des/Adv/Illus | ---- | 3.0 | |
| *ENGL202 | Sophomore English Requirements | 3.0 | ---- | |
| *SSC210/211/220 | Social Science | ---- | 3.0 | |
| Total Credits per Semester | 17.0 | 17.0 | ||
| Descriptions for courses listed in grey boxes are located in the Liberal Arts and Sciences section. | ||||
| Fall | Spring | |||
| Junior Year | ILUS300/301 | Communication Studio III/IV | 3.0 | 3.0 |
| ILUS310/311 | Drawing & Painting for Illustration | 2.0 | 2.0 | |
| ILUS332/333 | Practicum I/II | 2.0 | 2.0 | |
| ILUS354 | Professional Practice | 2.0 | ---- | |
| Studio Electives | 2.0 | 2.0 | ||
| *ILMS300 | Integrated Learning Studio | 2.0 | ---- | |
| MATH336 | Introduction to Symbolic Logic | 3.0 | ---- | |
| NSCI307 | Natural Science | ---- | 3.0 | |
| AHCS310 | Art History Elective | 3.0 | ---- | |
| Art History, English, or Liberal Studies Elective | ---- | 3.0 | ||
| Total Credits per Semester | 17.0 | 17.0 | ||
| *This course may be taken in either fall or spring semester. | ||||
| Descriptions for courses listed in grey boxes are located in the Liberal Arts and Sciences section. | ||||
| Fall | Spring | |||
| Senior Year | ILUS402 | Adv Illustrative Applications | 2.0 | ---- |
| ILUS440 | Senior Project | ---- | 3.0 | |
| COMD432/433 | Practicum I/II | 2.0 | 2.0 | |
| COMD472-477 | Sr. Digital Electives | 2.0 | 2.0 | |
| Studio Electives | 4.0 | 6.0 | ||
| *LIBS440 | Senior Liberal Studies Capstone | 3.0 | ---- | |
| *ILML400 | Integrated Learning Lecture | ---- | 3.0 | |
| LIBS404 | Senior Project/Research Paper | 2.0 | ---- | |
| Total Credits per Semester | 15.0 | 16.0 | ||
| *This course may be taken in either fall or spring semester. | ||||
| Descriptions for courses listed in grey boxes are located in the Liberal Arts and Sciences section. | ||||
| Department Heads | |
| Department Chair, Kali Nikitas | |
| Assistant Chair, Barbara Maloutas |
Students design and produce communication materials for non-profit clients as well as the College. For students intent on pursuing traditional careers in graphic and advertising design and illustration, from print to the Web, the curriculum provides a broad educational experience that values problem-solving and conceptual thinking, promotes collaboration, and builds competence communicating not only in two- and three-dimensions, but also 4D, time-based media. Communication Arts core courses and electives are taught by a faculty team of industry professionals, many of whom are leaders in their field.
Careers/Positions:
| Advertising Animation Art Direction Art Traffic Coordination Book Design Branding and Identity Design Broadcast Design Character Development Children's Book Illustration Copywriting Collateral Design Content Development Creative/Design Direction Editorial Illustration Environmental Graphic Design |
Exhibition Design Illustration Interactive Media Packaging Design Photography Print design Print Production Publication Design Storyboarding Signage + Wayfinding Design Textile Design Web Design |
Selected employers include:
| ABC, Inc. and partners Adams Morioka Anthropologie Apple itunes Autry National Center Bau-Da Design Lab Capitol Records Chiat/Day Conde Nast Publications Deutsch Inc, L.A. DeVa Communications Disney Consumer Products Eisbar Gehry Partners GUESS? Guitar Center Hallmark I Design Studio IE Design + Communications Interscope Records Los Angeles County Museum of Art Los Angeles Magazine |
Mattel Maverick Records Maxx Marketing Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Metropolitan Transit Authority, L.A. Museum of Contemporary Art, L.A. Neuron Ogilvy Worldwide Nuby Technology Quiksilver Sony Music Target Tornado Design Twentieth Century Fox Univision 34, KMEX-TV U.S. News and World Report Von Dutch Warner Bros. Records WB Network Young & Rubicam |
Department Life
Spotlight
Musically Speaking:Kali Nikitas & Rich Shelton
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Contact Info
comarts@otis.edu
(310) 665-6840
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9045 Lincoln Boulevard
Los Angeles, California 90045
Telephone 310 665 6800