This Skills Competency Award provides the student with a foundation in Graphic Design and an understanding of the digital process when designing for print. They will also learn skills to promote their work and to develop entrepreneurial skills. These new skills will give the student the tools to become successful in managing their own design business.

The Graphic Design and Photography department cultivates the creation of powerful images and visual communication through an approach that combines art and technology. The programs begin with foundation courses that focus on the elements and principles of the discipline and also train students with industry-standard technology and equipment. Fundamentals of design and composition, as well as creative thinking and problem-solving techniques, give students a strong foundation for entry into the workforce, as well as for advanced study at other colleges and universities. Students work in a state-of-the-art digital arts center for hands-on training with digital tools and printers.

Graphic Design Concentration

With strong foundation courses in design and layout, typography, and creative thinking, students learn to create unique, professional, and creative designs from concept to final work. The Graphic Design program emphasizes the importance of concept and message, and the power that these have to communicate. Design history, theory, and professional practices are integrated into the curriculum. Challenging and varied studio projects develop technical proficiency in designing for print and screen media—including branding, illustration, advertising design, and publication design.

SBCC offers a Transfer Agreement Guarantee (TAG). A TAG is a contractual agreement between the student, SBCC, and specific four-year colleges or universities. This includes six University of California ( *UC) institutions, six California State Institutions (CSU), seven California private institutions, nine out-of-state institutions, as well as Honors Transfer Agreements with ten institutions and 8 CSUs without campus impaction. Students must enroll in the TAG program and work with a TAG advisor.