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Graphic Design and Visual Communications

Overview

About This Program

The Graphic Design and Visual Communications program, located on the Eveleth campus and to remote learners, offers students access to cutting-edge technology that prepares them for a career in creative communications. Consumers are bombarded each day with up to 10,000 marketing messages—this includes the photos, graphics, and videos seen in social media to television programming, and your favorite streaming sources. These messages, videos, graphics, and photos are all things you will learn how to create in this program.

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At-a-Glance

Degrees & Credits

A.A.S. Degree (73 credits)

Diploma (64 credits)

Campus
Mesabi Range - Eveleth

Program Video

Program Features

Flexible Options

This program has two delivery methods: face-to-face on campus or remotely via Zoom. Regardless of location, course delivery is synchronous, which means that all students are required to be present Monday-Thursday 8:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

What You'll Learn

All students benefit from learning how to manage professional-level software to build a robust portfolio that includes video and design for both print and digital platforms.

Students have the opportunity to earn their diploma or an A.A.S degree and transfer to earn a bachelor’s degree.

Careers

Career growth in visual communications is strong as more and more businesses, industry partners, and educational institutions rely on professional materials to help educate, entertain, persuade, and inform the public. Graduates of this program have found industry careers as graphic designers, art directors, creative directors, videographers, photographers, social media, end-user experience, pre-media, pre-press, print management, account management, marketing, and freelance.

Meet the Faculty

Paul Mclaughlin

Graphic Design Media Instructor

218-550-2613

Kayt Dowling

Graphic Design Media Faculty

218-550-2605

Meet Our Alumni

Nick Perronteau

Graphic Design Media

Minnesota North - Mesabi Range Eveleth Campus

Education: Two-year associate degree in graphic design

Current Employer: Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC)

Position: Editor II

Favorite College Memory: An assignment in year one was to make a movie trailer-style edit. The days spent filming those will stick forever in my mind. From running barefoot in the snow for a horror trailer to drooling over a donut for a peer’s comedy trailer. I remember the sheer amount of creativity from all of us due to that assignment.

Advice to New Students: Always be a fiend for knowledge. Have an outlet beyond your work to recalibrate/refresh yourself often. Love your situation- love where you are!

Dan Litman

Graphic Design Media

Minnesota North - Mesabi Range Eveleth Campus

Education: Graduated from Mesabi Range Technical College back in 2012, now known as Minnesota North College. Fun fact: I commuted from Duluth every day to Eveleth for class, now that’s dedication.

Current Employer: Wonderhorse out of Duluth.

Position: Owner and Creative Director

Favorite College Memory: One of my favorite memories was learning the ins and outs of an offset printing press and how that relates to design. Once I graduated, I was really set on becoming a press operator. Unfortunately, that’s right about the time the recession hit, therefore no positions were open. A year or so later I landed a freelance design position with OTA. The rest is history.

Advice to Students: Be a sponge, absorb as much as you can from your professors, your boss, and your peers. You learn a lot in class, but as soon as you step foot in your first career, that’s when the real growth happens.

Additional Information

Transferability

Art directors, graphic designers, SFX, animators, web designers, UX designers, film and video editors and camera operators require a bachelor’s degree. 

Bemidji State University – Graphic Design, Studio Arts, Exhibit Design 

MCAD – Minneapolis College of Art and Design – Graphic Design