A Full Graphic Design Major for ODU (not a concentration)

As a graduate of the ODU Graphic Design program, I am all for the graphic design program being offered as a BFA. It will bring more success and a wider range of skills to those who want to pursue a career in the field.

It's about time ODU had a solid graphic design BFA. This way students can stand against other schools who do.

This would be really useful for future and current students to be able to fully major in graphic design. The program has grown so much and the professors behind the program are so passionate. Let's make this happen!

It would greatly inhence the college to offer a BFA Graphic Design Degree for their students so they can compete for a professional position in this field. They have to be able to compete with other student from other college for a position in their field. This would be an opportunity for the college to bring in more students and funds.

As an alumni who is now a professional designer, I know first hand that a Full BFA in graphic design is essential in the coming years if we want students to graduate with competitive skills.

My daughter is a studying graphic design at ODU. She could have gone to VCU, but chose ODU. ODU needs to have graphic design as a major to compete with other top colleges, like VCU and to allow the students the opportunity to compete with other top colleges/students for these professional jobs.

Yes, I wish this was addressed when I attended.

I 100% agree that ODU should support a BFA in graphic design, not a concentration

I wish that this degree was available when I was at ODU. Having the opportunity to take more design classes would have strengthened my portfolio before graduation.

As president of AGIA Hampton Roads, the professional association for design, and a former ODU graphic design graduate. I think it is important to have this concentration moved to a major. Graphic Design is an extremely competitive field and for ODU to remain relevant to these students, it needs to invest in the program and grow. We shouldn't live with status quo just because "that's how it's always been."

This is important for future designers.

I was an international student who graduated in the class of 2014, and while the teachers and current program provide a good foundation for graphic design, this is not enough to be competitive in the field. The curriculum does not meet the needs of the real world. For example: knowledge of web design is a demand in the industry today, but when I was a student, there was only 1 beginner web design course which was an elective and with no follow-up after. Integrated campaigns that cover a variety of channels are a huge thing in the advertising agency where I currently work at, but the curriculum barely covers that. ODU needs to bridge that gap. There needs to be more teachers and more classes in UX, design in the marketing and advertising perspective, design going hand in hand with copywriting and code, ethics, etc. College is the best time for soon-to-be design professionals to develop their skills and portfolio in a field that demands good work and experience. There has to be more mentorship and dialogue, and this could only be achieved at ODU if graphic design is given the focus and the support that it needs. Additional design classes mean a re-evaluation of the studio classes as well. It is difficult to focus on bettering design skills if there are classes that students in this track do not necessarily need, but could instead take as an elective if students choose. I really hope that the university, which prides itself for its innovative, modern facilities and curriculum, strongly takes this into consideration. Graphic Design students deserve the best to bring out their best, as well as stay relevant in an ever-changing industry.

This is an absolute must! There are some talented students at ODU and the quality of the portfolios have gotten a lot better over the past 4 years. But they need more. More studio classes. More conceptual classes. More advertising classes. I think ODU can become recognized nationally for GD in a few years if it becomes a BFA major. I'll do what I can to help this come to fruition.

Great designers are continuously flowing out of ODU into the community; I've worked first hand with several of them. A BFA program is necessary to match the caliber of designers ODU is producing.

Norfolk (and the surrounding region) is home to a growing number of employers like digital agency Grow, that are hungry for qualified graphic designers. ODU should give strong consideration to enhancing its degree offering in this area, to better serve students seeking internships and employment in this field.

ODU Students could be greatly challenged and succeed in being a competitive design program if the students were offered enough courses that other universities do. Being in a 5 year program for a "concentration" (that is basically a little more than a minor) is saddening. This doesn't allow students to truly explore their potential as graphic designers and creative thinkers, because they are focused with other studio art classes. While the regular studio art classes are great for exploring medium's in art...there is no room for putting it in a design portfolio unfortunately. A design portfolio is supposed to showcase the individual's talent in the graphic design field. It is our basis for getting jobs in our field. If students are focused on taking other studio art classes, they are not zeroing in on their design skills...therefore their portfolio is lacking...and all in all...might not get a good enough job in their field. I implore that Old Dominion University recognize our efforts as we push for a major and less of a concentration. It would help this school greatly and I truly think we can do it.

Graphic design is a Major in many other schools. ODU is behind the times.

ODU desperately needs a BFA in Graphic Design to be able to compete with some of the best design schools in the country. One day we hope to have a program as renowned as VCU, SCAD, or Pratt.

This would be wonderful. It would give students more time to come into their own graphic design identity.

I echo a similar sentiment that I can relate to as a transfer student from a community college in Virginia Beach. I spent my first 2 years at Tidewater Community (where they consider Graphic Design an Applied Sciences Degree) and decided to transfer myself to VCU School of the Arts. After waiting an entire year for my admittance letter for their program, I was declined enrollment into their selective program and I managed to dive in to ODU Graphic Design. I knew little of the Graphic Design program at Old Dominion University aside from a few former alumni that shared their experiences with me. After transferring in, I soon realized that it was not only a 5 year program—but was considered a concentration. This made me wonder to why such an intensive program would only be classified this way. I too, have funded my own education—that I have paid out of pocket since the very beginning of my academic career. After researching many universities that supply a specific major to graphic design, I began to think about how Old Dominion University would be able to follow a similar criteria. As aforementioned, I would have benefited from taking more graphic design concentrated courses as opposed to fine art/studio courses. The majority of my work that I have produced from graphic design courses have been quintessential toward building my portfolio. Although studio/fine art courses have provided me with an opportunity to try different mediums—I had little use of the works produced from these classes toward my portfolio. On that note, I due wish for the future of ODU's Graphic Design program to be introduced as a major on its own and for a better treatment of concentrated classes that would embody the richness of what the program can deliver. I consider everything that I have taken from the program as a vital asset toward becoming competitive in my career field and I hope Old Dominion University recognizes our efforts as we push for recognition as a major and less of a concentrati