Our selection of courses cultivates and encourages students to develop their technical skills, vision, and personal style while actively engaging in the multimedia global environment. SRISA offers a selection of beginning, intermediate, and advanced design courses for students majoring in or who are interested in graphic design, communication design, and illustration programs.
The department focuses on a hands-on approach to real-world design experience in the non-profit sector, as well as theoretical courses focusing on design in relation to society, social movements, and sustainable and ethical design.
Course Structure
Courses meet twice a week totaling 6 hours and include presentations, lectures, demonstrations, open-studio, and one-on-one work with professors.
All design courses require students to attend and participate in mid-term and final critiques which are integral to the courses. Field trips to design fairs such as the Bologna Children’s Book Fair and visits to museums and private design studios are vital to the program. Students develop multiple projects throughout the semester and collaborative projects that are professionally printed and used to create a final collection. The best projects become part of the Student Show at the end of the semester.
Facilities
SRISA design studios, located at the Studio 55 Campus just steps away from the main San Gallo Campus, provide ample workspace for students to develop their projects inside and outside of class. While most courses are computer-based, all encourage hands-on work. The design studios offer areas for collage, cutting, drawing, pin-up space, and projection areas. Although students are encouraged to bring personal computers, each design room contains powerful Mac computers featuring the most recent versions of Adobe Suite and other relevant software. As part of the design program, students are provided with all the tools they need to develop their creative projects throughout the semester, such as drafting tools, iPads, graphic pads, printers, scanners, and research materials.
