Newly appointed Department Chair Lewis Glaser said that the evolution of the graphic design department allows the faculty to focus more on the curriculum for their students and to allow for different degree paths.

The department’s evolution allows students in graphic design to receive a Bachelor of Arts degree, which allows students the opportunity to double major or minor in a different discipline, rather than a Bachelor of Fine Arts.

Jessie Edwards, a senior graphic design major, said the choice is beneficial for the department and its students.

“Personally I think that the B.A. is a great option because a lot of people are interested in graphic design but don’t want to take the 84 hours to get the B.F.A.,” Edwards said.

The graphic design department branched out to multiple disciplines to incorporate any major into the department.

“We’ve been working closely with faculty from several departments who have really shown a lot of interest and excitement in trying to figure out what we can do,” Glaser said.

Glaser said that the department is planning to offer “creative crossroads”, a new class that would allow different majors to learn how to work together on a common project.  

The creation of the new department enables graphic design professors to focus on their separate curriculum.

“I think it’s going to be a positive thing. It gives us our own voice in the college as opposed to being a smaller part of a larger group,” Glaser said.  

Edwards is looking forward to the changes.

“Breaking out will give us our own identity and that’s worth whatever bumps we run into along the way,” Edwards said.