Undergraduate | BDES

Communication Design

Ki Ayo? by Prachi Popat. Ki Ayo? is a common greeting in Kutchi which translates to ‘How are you?’ This practice space is aimed at reconnecting with my Kutchi culture—finding new ways to engage with its dialect and traditions keeping today’s socio-cultural context in mind. A collage of brightly colored, vintage-style prints featuring stylized portraits of women and jewelry. The prints use bold colors such as neon pink, orange, red, green, and brown, with overlapping layers and text in both English and Hindi. Words like “CHOLEY,” “KYA BOLE CHUDIYAN,” “BADTAMEEZ,” “Jewar-Gehenna,” and “Lucchi” are visible across the different prints. The compositions mix patterns, faces, and accessories, giving the piece a pop-art aesthetic with a handmade, screen-printed feel.
Undergraduate | BDES

Communication Design

Overview

Create powerful visual messages and unforgettable experiences.

The field of communication design is evolving rapidly, and thoughtful visual storytelling is increasingly in demand.

At ECU, you will learn to create engaging narratives and experiences that shape how people perceive, think and interact with the world.

A close-up of a student wearing headphones and using a stylus on a drawing tablet, while a large monitor in front of her displays a grid of colorful images. She works intently in a modern computer lab.

What You’ll Learn

This program blends theory and practice, exploring communications design’s cultural, historical and ethical dimensions. While working on real-world projects, you will develop a strong foundation in typography, motion graphics, interactivity and publication design.

In your later years, flexible electives will allow you to tailor your studies to your interests, whether they include wayfinding, information design or art direction.

Collaborative learning and critical inquiry will help you cultivate a socially and ecologically conscious design practice, preparing you for a dynamic career in communication design.

Program Highlights

  • Build expertise in typography, motion graphics, interactivity and publication design
  • Work on real-world projects that develop your problem-solving and storytelling skills
  • Collaborate with peers and engage in ethical, social and ecological design practices
  • Personalize your education through studio electives or by choosing a minor
  • Graduate with a strong portfolio that showcases your creative and strategic thinking
A woman holding a phone looks at student projects displayed on a long table and wall. Others stand nearby, examining prints, booklets, and digital work. The setting is a gallery-like exhibition space with natural light.
A collection of pink and black DIY punk-inspired merchandise arranged on a white surface. Items include a pink cardboard carrying case with the word “JUNK” spelled out in cutout letters, booklets, keychains, stickers, buttons, and zines. Some text on the items reads: “The porn industry is just a marketing campaign for the sex trafficking industry,” “It’s a great day to dump your racist boyfriend,” “Feeling punk making junk,” and “Button Pins.” The overall aesthetic is bold, activist, and DIY.
A wide shot of a computer lab where many students work at large monitors and drawing tablets. The room is bright, with posters of animated films on the walls. Students focus on digital projects in a collaborative classroom environment.
two-page spread with abstract graphic textures in yellow, green, and magenta. Faded outlines of buildings and windows appear in blocks of color. Black text overlays the design, posing reflective questions: “Who came before me?”, “Where is home right now?”, “How do you create belongingness in unfamiliarity?”, “Who led me to be here today?”, and “Where did my family’s story begin?”. The layout combines layered imagery with contemplative typography.
Two students collaborate in a brightly lit print studio. In the foreground, a wooden table displays several freshly printed sheets featuring blue and purple abstract illustrations. In the midground, one student in a brown top and black skirt leans over a large white digital printer, carefully inserting a component into its open side. Another student, wearing a black beanie and denim overalls, stands beside her, smiling as she observes. The background features a pegboard with tools, a wall covered in colorful swatch charts, and a computer monitor displaying a document. A sign reading “Top Riso Colours” is visible near the window.
Two attendees at an art exhibition view books mounted on a white wall. From behind, one person with brown hair in a bun and a light green clip holds a small sketchbook with comic-style drawings. The other, with vibrant blue-green hair in a ponytail and a pink shirt, gently touches an open book displaying handwritten text and sketches. Several other colorful, fanned-out books are displayed on the wall as part of the installation.
A close-up of a student wearing headphones and using a stylus on a drawing tablet, while a large monitor in front of her displays a grid of colorful images. She works intently in a modern computer lab.

Next: Program Structure

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