The bachelor’s degree in graphic design combines creativity and visual communication. Students get skills to design advertising, informative, and corporate communication campaigns, leading or collaborating in multidisciplinary teams. They excel in graphic creation, fostering innovation, and proving connections in a world where image is paramount.
This program trains professionals capable of creating creative and effective visual solutions through messages and concepts in various contexts. This may include the design of logos, advertising campaigns, signage, stands, graphic pieces for editorial projects, web pages, advertising material, and packaging, using technological tools, concept development, and the planning and execution of graphic and advertising projects. The essence of this program is the connection between creativity, aesthetics, and visual communication, which makes it a fundamental discipline.
Mission
To cooperate with society by training creative and innovative professionals with research and critical thinking skills to solve visual communication problems.
Vision
To be a regional reference in visual communication as a critical factor for innovation and developing solutions for society.
* Undergraduate tuition/fees:
The Constitution of the Republic of Ecuador in its Article 356, among other principles, establishes that third-level public higher education will be tuition/fees free. Zero cost education is linked to the academic responsibility of the students.
Number of admitted students per academic year
Number of graduates per year
Number of enrolled students per academic year
Graphs show the figures in real time, at the time of the query
We are looking for creative and resourceful students who have:
Keen sense of aesthetics
Handcraft skills
Technical skills
Visual literacy
Highly motivated to create innovative graphic products.
Start your university career by learning about the requirements on the ESPOL Admissions page. Click the following link:
http://www.admision.espol.edu.ec/proceso-de-admision/postulacion
Experience the ESPOL journey!
Article 356 of the Constitution of the Republic, among other principles, establishes that public higher education at the undergraduate level shall be free of charge, and that this gratuity is linked to the academic responsibility of students.
Additionally, if an ESPOL student wishes to apply for a scholarship, they must meet the requirements. To learn more, click the following link:
https://www.bienestar.espol.edu.ec/becas-y-ayudas-economicas
EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES
Graduates of the Graphic design degree program should be able after graduation to:
To perform professionally as graphic creatives in developing projects, helping design management in companies at strategic, functional, and operational levels to make them more competitive and solve professional challenges at national and international levels.
To be an entrepreneurial leader who, through research and innovation, designs concepts and communication products with analytical and critical vision, according to the needs, becoming a transformer of the same.
Following market and technological advances, to develop new skills and knowledge through continuing education in using and applying new methodologies, techniques, and learning.
Achieve achievements or recognition due to ethical and responsible actions in their professional and personal activities with society.
COMPETENCIES
1. Effective Communication
Communicate effectively orally and in writing with clarity and creativity in diverse contexts and perspectives.2. Learning Strategies
Apply learning strategies, managing information and digital content according to learning demands and communication uses.3.Value Propositions
Argue value proposals from art, design, and communication, considering technical, economic, environmental, social, and cultural aspects.4. Research and Experimentation
Approach sociocultural, artistic, and historical objects of study and their experimentation and research through qualitative and quantitative methodologies for knowledge generation and ethical management.5.Ethical Responsibility
Promote ethical responsibilities in professional issues and formulate informed judgments, considering the impact of solutions in social, environmental, economic, and global contexts.6. Teamwork
Function effectively as a proactive team member or leader, able to respect, understand, and evaluate work across various disciplines to achieve given goals.7. Professional English
The ability to communicate effectively with various audiences/diverse professional contexts in English.8. Analytical Research
The ability to conduct research from different approaches, groups of people, and contexts for its application in design and visual communication solutions.9. Conceptualization of Ideas
The ability to design visual products and communication systems from conceptualization, applying principles of aesthetics, visual literacy, and creativity.10. Technological Tools
Using technology critically to address products, systems, and visual communication proposals.
First Year
Descripción:
This basic course presents the relationship between art and technology; on how the technologies of the different eras allowed the birth of new artistic expressions. It ranges from the historical antecedents of classical art, its evolution and direct link with design, technology and digital, to the conception of art in motion and audiovisuals. Finally, it is recognized and experimented with various creative processes linked to the aesthetic generation. This course aims to promote the student in a participatory and constructive criticism, which encourages the formation of principles in relation to artistic trends and the creation of creative proposals.
Descripción:
This subject of basic training allows the understanding of the bases of technical drawing, the recognition of geometric shapes reaching basic geometry and the systems of dihedral and axonometric representation. The planes, their elements in projections and perspective are analyzed. Specific images are made of elements that signify and / or objectively communicate issues related to graphic design, audiovisual production and product design.
Descripción:
In this course, students apply the Design Thinking methodology to identify, analyze real-life problems or needs, to design innovative solutions. Students work in multidisciplinary teams to present solution proposals that add value to customers/users from private companies, public organizations and non-profit organizations.
Descripción:
This basic and general education subject presents grammatical structures to produce a simple paragraph based on a writing program. Additionally, it allows the identification of a specific argument in oral and written communication. It also considers learners’ personal opinions about different topics related to social, academic, and professional aspects. It includes the necessary vocabulary to make comparisons between present and past, books or movies description, creation of simple students’ profile, opinions about inventions, formal apologies and tell past events.
Descripción:
This is a basic subject which is part of the transversal axis of the Product Design, Graphic Design and Production for Media careers. It is a first year course in the curriculum and it is conceived as an introduction to mathematics, providing notions of elementary algebra, geometry and trigonometry in the study of the design, production and appreciation of artistic pieces. The main idea of the course is to promote in the student the development of skills that allow them to use techniques, methods and procedures of a mathematical nature in order to enrich their work in the field of art, design and audiovisual communication, for this the mathematical exercise not only in the operational and numerical aspect but also in the strengthening of geometric intuition.
Descripción:
In this course, the student analyzes the impact of scientific discoveries in the processes of artistic creation. A historical tour is carried out, which starts from the influence of mathematics on the use of artistic harmony in the field of Classical Greece (Plato, Aristotle, Pythagoras), study the science and aesthetics of the Renaissance (appearance of perspective, Leonardo da Vinci) and concludes with the tremendous crises (artistic, philosophical and scientific) of the 20th century, at which time some theories developed in the field of natural sciences (Theory of Relativity, Quantum Theory or String Theory) which have a notable impact on video art, experimental cinema and in the artistic vanguards (cubism, futurism, constructivism)
Descripción:
This is a professional training course for the careers of Graphic Design, Product Design and Media Production. It offers an approach to academic drawing as a tool for reflection and construction, focusing on observation, visual analysis, and synthesis of the environment. Different aspects of drawing are studied, such as volume, composition, and the human figure, at rest and in movement. Drawing is applied in its analytical and expressive variants using line and shade.
Descripción:
The subject belongs to the professional curricular organization unit and is aimed at students of Graphic Design and Production for the Media. It presents from the political, social, economic and cultural point of view, the evolution of the main artistic manifestations from prehistory to the present. Western, Latin American and Ecuadorian artworks are analyzed as part of visual communication, valuing the dialogue between knowledge and interculturality in the context of a globalizing reality.
Descripción:
The course presents students with strategies to solve common problems in various professional fields through the design and implementation of solutions based on the use of a programming language. It covers the basic principles so that the student can read and write programs; emphasizing the design and analysis of algorithms. In addition, it introduces students to the use of development and debugging tools.
Descripción:
This subject of basic formation and general education presents the grammatical structures for the production of an academic paragraph, through the development of the writing program in a transversal way. In addition, it allows the identification of specific arguments in oral and written communication, considering the production of one's own criteria on different topics of a social, academic or professional nature. The necessary vocabulary is also applied to refer to the different forms of communication, share work experiences and the use of digitl technology, tell short stories about interpersoanl relationship and personalities, and comment on the future of the environment.
Second Year
Descripción:
The subject belongs to the professional curricular organization unit and is aimed at Graphic Design students. It presents the evolution of Graphic Design from prehistory to the present. Graphic image of the Western, Latin American and Ecuadorian tradition are analyzed as part of visual communication, emphasizing the dialogue between design as craftsmanship and tradition, and as technology and globalization.
Descripción:
This subject of professional formation approaches the theory of the communication from the basic concepts and on his process. In addition, the different types of audiences and the vision of communication in mass markets, subcultures and countercultures are defined, placing the communicator within the communication process together with the client and the public. The importance of semiology in mass culture is presented from the presentation options, image modes and mediatization. Finally, cultural consumption is evidenced as sociocultural and communicational phenomena from a visual perspective.
Descripción:
This professional training course of Graphic Design career is based on the theory of color, visual composition, the diversity of styles and the visualization of different pictorial works in the history of art. Experiments with different techniques of pictorial creation, mainly with water-soluble materials such as watercolor, acrylic, collage and mixed techniques with dry materials such as charcoal and watercolor, or markers and acrylic, among others. The first unit approach in a practical way, the fundamental concepts of visual production, color theory and composition. In the second part, once the basic criteria have been consolidated, a more personal search is carried out for experimentation of styles and defense of concepts to graphic proposals that show the development of their own visual language.
Descripción:
In this subject, we study the development of the academic prosumer profile of the students, which should be consolidated throughout each individual's life, based on the processing of complex, holistic, and critical thinking. We aim to foster understanding and the production of academic knowledge through rigorous analysis of realities and readings from various academic/scientific sources.
Descripción:
The Statistics course provides students with the basic knowledge that will help them convert a data set into useful information for making decisions in scenarios of uncertainty. It encompasses different methods of tabulation and data analysis, the introduction of the concept of probability as a measure of uncertainty and mathematical models of discrete and continuous random variables. Additionally, analysis techniques such as regression and hypothesis testing of population parameters are included.
Descripción:
This subject of basic instruction and general education presents grammatical topics for the elaboration of an outline and a structured composition, through the development of the writing program in a transversal way. In addition, it allows the identification of arguments in oral and written communication on contemporary and academic topics. Additionally, appropriate vocabulary is applied to discuss issues related to different cultures, places where we live, everyday news, entertainment media, and past and future opportunities.
Descripción:
This professional training course of the Graphic Design career presents theories based on graphic design and develop different practices and applications that permit an understanding, analysis of the compositional relationships and chromaticity in the organization of space and form; afterward it is emphasized in the use of these elements in the context of the production of messages graphic communication.
Descripción:
In this subject of professional training in the career of Graphic Design, analogous and digital illustration techniques are studied, which are the basis of the illustration of communicative elements related to visual needs in broad fields of graphic design such as editorial illustration, art conceptual and character development. Emphasis is placed on the development of the illustrator's portfolio as an essential point for entrepreneurship in the labor field.
Descripción:
This professional training course of the Graphic Design career studies typography: its history, the foundations, concepts, classification and basic characteristics of the construction of letters in different media. In addition, experiments with materials, tools, and techniques that consolidate aesthetic, compositional, and conceptual criteria, ending with the application of type in visual communication and in a practical typographic project.
Descripción:
This subject of basic formation and general education, presents the grammar structures to produce a persuasive essay, through the transversal development of the writing programme. In addition, it allows students to identify specific arguments in the oral and written communication, as well as, to express their own opinions about different topics of social, academic, or professional fields. It also includes the necessary vocabulary to stablish a conversation, narrate situations of their environment, activities to reach their goals, analyze cause and effect and personal and professional opportunities.
Descripción:
In this professional training course of the Graphic Design and Media Production careers, the principles related to the elaboration of narrative texts, their structure and application in different media are studied. Formats and techniques are used to develop stories that capture the attention of target audiences.
Descripción:
The course belongs to the professional curricular organization unit and is aimed at Graphic Design students. It presents a panoramic knowledge of cultural anthropology and specific to the anthropology of design, centered on symbolic and socioeconomic representations, combining theories and methods of both disciplines. It is analyzed how, from the participatory social design and the co-design, products and/or services are transformed, preserving the identity of the community or company.
Third Year
Descripción:
This professional training course of the Graphic Design career presents the fundamentals of diagramming related to Editorial Design: its anatomy, typography use and applications in the advertising field. Methods and techniques are known through the application of research processes in diagramming and development of the skills acquired in the creation of a personal editorial portfolio.
Descripción:
This class, that is part of the Graphic Design career, has as its axis this semiotics of communication. It permits to make analysis from communicative and culture interaction. This analysis is substantiated on the theory that includes the knowledge about signs, signified and signifier, until the construction of visual metaphors and the system of signifier applying criteria from these theories. Likewise, it has an approach with anthropology, which allows the interpretations to have a greater relationship with the local cultural context.
Descripción:
This transversal course addresses the conditions required to innovate and the process associated with developing an innovation from an entrepreneurial point of view. Subsequently, topics such as the identification of opportunities, value creation, and prototyping and validation of products/services proposals are reviewed, as well as the elements of the business model and financial considerations that are essential for the feasibility and adoption of an innovation. Finally, entrepreneurial competences and process associated with the development and adoption of an innovation are studied.
Descripción:
In this professional training course of the Graphic Design career, the techniques of image registration and the photographic narrative language are studied. From the physical principles of image capture to the creative use of the digital camera. There is an emphasis of the visual composition rules used in digital photography as the basis of graphic design and communication projects.
Descripción:
This vocal training subject addresses general research studies, from the philosophical and scientific point of view, and its application in the Design and Visual Communication area. It starts with an introduction to the research from its starting point concepts, types, and contexts. It continues with discussions around the resources and structure of research. Then addresses the different aspects of research methodologies and their approach to design. Finally, it focusses on the processes of data recollection, analysis, and discussion of results applied to practical research cases on selected topics under the paradigms “For - About - Through” the design. The selected themes are developed in stages from the first sessions of the subject until formalizing the presentation and discussion of its results in a documented manner.
Descripción:
In this course in the professional training of the Graphic Design major, the main competencies of an art director within a graphic-advertising project are analyzed. In the first part, the basic foundations of art direction are identified, among which it underscores the role of the director vs. the graphic designer in a visual project, as well as useful criteria of color combination and visual communication. In the second part, cases, actions of the creative process, composition techniques, synthesis, aesthetic, and conceptual resources around the message are examined.
Descripción:
This assignment of professional formation for the career of Graphic Design develops the brand creation process. The conceptualization emphasizes to the comprehension of the context, classification of brands, the difference between graphic and the mental construction, and other factors that proceed into design. The prototyping and design include ideation, sketches, techniques, styles, tendencies and composition of elements pertinent to the brand values and general strategy. Finally, the integral design in a corporate brand book.
Descripción:
This graphic design professional course provides theoretical and practical knowledge about the development of an editorial project. Budgets are managed and research processes are applied for the structuring and layout of communicational pages, through the experimentation of technical, photographic, aesthetic and creative knowledge, ending with the culmination of a printed and digital editorial design project.
Descripción:
This professional training course of the Graphic Design career identifies communicational strategies from the creative perspective. The tactics and methods among the media are analyzed. In the same way, new advertising trends and their process in the development of a visual campaign are presented, with emphasis on the process of communicating ideas and transmitting concepts, persuasively and aesthetically.
Descripción:
This subject of professional training of the career of Graphic Design, presents the fundamentals of printing systems related to the area of pre-press: its history, methods and applications in the advertising field. In addition, processes and techniques are known, through the application of formats, substrates, reproduction parameters, both digital and printed, concluding with the application of the skills acquired in the elaboration of a printed publishing project.
Descripción:
This transversal training course for all students of the institution has five chapters. It introduces the key principles of sustainability and the path to sustainable development. Addresses ecological principles by deepen into biodiversity, ecosystems, human population and ecosystem services. Study the fundamentals of renewable and non-renewable resources as well as the alternatives for sustainable use. Analyzes environmental quality specifically in the air, water and soil components, delving into issues such as climate change, eutrophication and deforestation. Finally, it emphasizes on the economic axis with topics such as circular economy and on the social axis on topics such as governance and urban planning.
Fourth Year
Descripción:
This professional training course of the Graphic Design career is oriented to the interpretative understanding of data, the study of the design, the construction and presentation of information in different visual communication media, using knowledge of layout and illustration. Its approach is based on planning, applying, and implementing the types of information, methods, structures, strategies, and organizational systems that make sense of complex data.
Descripción:
This professional training course of the Graphic Design career develops the vision of design from a systemic approach to the product, service and communication. It begins by laying the foundations of the system-product methodology together with the management of strategic business tools; those that will be used in a practical case of the local context, which will finally lead to the formulation of a strategic design project that adds value to the company.
Descripción:
This professionalize course in the Graphic Design career offer students with a process in terms of designing functional packaging. This by identifying the purpose and function of the package in relation to users, their environment, and brands. Then, by developing concepts and selecting the appropriate communication materials and communication elements, and finally by the development of a prototype and validation system considering environments and processes related to packaging.
Descripción:
This subject of professional training, corresponding to the career of graphic design, develops the study of design management. It begins with the stage of the conception of projects and design initiatives; the needs of the clients and the search for solutions are determined, which will be paid for and budgeted until the formulation of a commercial proposal. Finally, in the stage of project management and presentation of results, the planning of activities, distribution and administration of material and financial resources are considered, using word processing tools, spreadsheets and planning.
Descripción:
This assignment of professional formation for the career of Graphic Design connect theorical and practical knowledges for the generation of integral projects of visual identity, communication strategies and advertising campaigns. We analyze cases for different types of markets. After that, students develop strategies and creative work that integrate brand communication on traditional and nontraditional platforms, digital media, and new advertising tendencies. Additionally, students practice developing propositions oriented to strategic audiences.
Descripción:
This Graphic Design degree course aims to complete a project that evidence the application of the profiles declared in their major, developing creativity, organization and relevance processes that involves it in a professional design experience. The first part of the course, identify needs of the client / user / public, define the problem / opportunity, and analyses collected data and the critical factors. On the second part, creates alternative solutions framed in the regulations and restrictions of each user. It concludes with the design and workable solution, preparation of prototypes, and analysis and validation of results.
Additional
ARTS, SPORTS AND LANGUAGES ELECTIVE COURSES
1 credits - 1.9 ECTS
HUMANITIES ELECTIVE COURSES
1 credits - 1.9 ECTS
SELECTED ELECTIVE COURSE
3 credits - 5.8 ECTS
SELECTED ELECTIVE COURSE
3 credits - 5.8 ECTS
Graphic designers work in specialized services in design, communication and multimedia, art and culture, and design management: illustration, photography, book and magazine design, advertising, corporate design, branding and identity strategies; exterior and exhibition design; design of didactic-cultural materials, web and digital interface design.
In addition, they will also be able to develop artistic-cultural projects, as well as be a member of a design team in design studios, advertising agencies, publishing houses and press agencies, or independently, doing consulting or freelance work and progressing to positions such as head of graphic arts, art director, creative director or manager. Future professionals in Graphic Design, based on relevance, graduate follow-up, employability studies and new trends in the discipline, will be able to work in the following professional fields and their respective roles:
Future professionals in graphic design, based on relevance, graduate follow-up, employability studies, and latest trends in the discipline, will be able to work in the following professional fields and their respective roles:
Design studios: performing the functions or roles of graphic designer, art director, creative director (design project manager), and manager.
Publishing sector: layout designer, photographer, graphic designer, art director, computer graphics and illustrator.
Inhouse (design department): graphic designer or art director.
Graphic industry: graphic designer, art director, graphic quality supervisor, and manager.
Comics and novels: illustrator, layout designer, and graphic designer.
BTL agencies: graphic designer, art director, creative director (design project manager), and manager.
Advertising agencies: graphic designer, art director, creative copywriter, creative director (design project manager), and manager.
Digital and web design agencies: user experience designer, web interface designer, applications, and multimedia.
Cultural centers (museums, galleries, stands, etc.): graphic designer, computer graphics, photographer, illustrator.
Freelance and collaborative work and ventures: graphic consultants.
Secondary education and high schools: teacher in subjects related to the arts and departmental graphic design.
Higher education: teachers and researchers in graphic design.
The following requirements must be met in order to obtain a Bachelor of fine arts in Graphic Design:
| CATEGORY | CREDITS |
| Studio or Related Areas | 51 |
| Art/Design History or Theory | 17 |
| General Studies | 29 |
| Electives | 8 |
| Capstone project | 8 |
| Pre-professional practices | 7 |
| TOTAL | 120 |
The Capstone Project is a culminating requirement for graduation. These projects provide students with the experience of applying acquired knowledge and skills to the needs of society, with a focus on sustainability.
The IDEAR Fair showcases all Capstone projects, offering students a valuable opportunity to showcase their work and hone soft skills such as communication and teamwork. It is also a space for students to network with potential clients and future employers.
Explore all of the Capstone projects completed by the Bachelor’s Degree in Graphic Design program.
DID YOU NOW?
Publicity campaigns and graphic pieces for editorial projects, video games and animation, are just some of the solutions that a Graphic Design graduate can develop.
