Two new majors in Graphic Design

Media Department will be offering two new major tracks beginning in the fall of 2016: Information Design and Visual Narrative, both in the programme of Visual Communication Design (was: Graphic Design).

Recognizing that Visual Communication Design is a broad field that is quickly becoming specialized, the Department of Media has selected a targeted focus on Information Design and Visual Narrative that will take advantage of the expertise already found at Aalto and allow the department to achieve excellence in emerging fields.

It has been estimated that humanity doubles its data every two years. The demand for well-designed visual presentation of information is rapidly expanding. Information design is a skill with applications far beyond the traditional design professions. Information designers shape data-driven messages in order to make knowledge accessible visually. Aalto’s new major practices the communication of information with imaginative methods fostering efficient and effective understanding.

Information design is a highly interdisciplinary field, combining skills from graphic design, interaction design, and computer science. At the intersection of design and technology, Aalto is uniquely positioned to provide the eclectic mix of expertise needed for teaching the topic. The major is informed by visual communication, science and engineering, business intelligence, cartography, journalism, and service design.

Information Design students will emerge from the programme with skills allowing them to work in publication design, visual/data journalism, geoinformatics, and data analysis. Some courses include: Dynamic Visualization Design, Critical Design, and Interactive Visualization.

Visual Communication Design is changing rapidly. Aesthetics remain an important part of solutions that now include new forms such as storytelling, experiences, and authorship. Boundaries between disciplines are quickly disappearing. Visual Narrative is an exciting, emerging field that touches on many disciplines, and brings together a synthesis of skill sets from graphic design, writing, interactive media, film and games.

The Visual Narrative major at Aalto is founded with the methodologies of design and storytelling. The major blends creative writing with the digital technologies that are transforming all narratives—in comic books and games, on film and the web—into hybrid visual media. Students use visual communication design, writing, interactive media, film and games to focus on visualizing personal expression. Visual Narrative students will emerge from the programme with their own narrative tools and a unique, self-initiated body of work, preparing them to be the storytellers of tomorrow. Some courses include: Hybrid Literature, Storytelling, and Visual Narrative.

More about our programmes, faculty, and how to apply can be found on our new website: http://graphicdesign.aalto.fi

For more information contact Professor in Visual Communication Design, Zachary Dodson, zachary.dodson@aalto.fi