The Visual Communication Design programme aligns with the institutional goal of building a world-class art academy. Upholding the educational philosophy of Global Vision, Local Commitment and implementing the disciplinary strategy of Prioritizing Design Humanities, Reimagining the Everyday, it is committed to establishing a leading hub for design education and humanistic inquiry. Serving national strategies through design and empowering socioeconomic development, the programme cultivates design explorers equipped with humanistic sensibility and strong social responsibility.
It comprises two specialized tracks: Visual Communication Design and Social Innovation Design. TheVisual Communication Design track solidifies core competencies in graphics, typography and layout, integrates Eastern and Western visual design lineages, and delves into branding, publishing and poster design. By integrating Oriental visual traits with contemporary user research, it builds multidimensional communication capacities, guiding students to understand that "visuals are communication" and foster deep insights into visual culture. The Social Innovation Design track adheres to the integrated logic of design, content and society. With grounding practice in real-world contexts, it strengthens training in graphics, spatial design and media, engaging deeply with editorial, curatorial and planning projects. Delivering design-driven systemic solutions for ecological sustainability, community building and rural revitalization, it nurtures "design activists" with cross-disciplinary creativity and robust social responsibility amid AI-era challenges.
Curriculum Overview
· Curriculum Structure
In the first year, students are enrolled in the Foundation Teaching Department, following a broad-based, wide-caliber training model anchored in three core pillars: artistic foundation, disciplinary grounding, and humanistic literacy. Delivered through lectures, field practice, and studio workshops, the curriculum reinforces the distinctive CAA (China Academy of Art) ethos of integrating artistic theory and enhancing plastic expression.
From the second year, students select one of two specialized tracks to build foundational expertise: the Visual Communication Design track focuses on mastering graphic narrative, typography, layout, book design, poster design, and brand identity; the Social Innovation Design track centers on core competencies in typographic graphics, content diagramming, prototype iteration, artifact presentation, and spatial narrative, establishing a multidimensional professional foundation.
The third year advances to specialized creative practice driven by project-based learning. The Visual Communication Design track prioritizes Oriental visual language, multidimensional planning, user research, and end-to-end design practice; the Social Innovation Design track emphasizes content curation, spatial planning, and social narrative, honing students’ comprehensive capabilities in open-ended content thinking, systematic design methodology, and interdisciplinary knowledge integration.
In the fourth year, a supervisor-led tutorial system governs studies, integrating general education, foundational training, track-specific modules, and project-based coursework to blend theoretical study, hands-on training, and realized creative outcomes. Students complete a graduation internship, a capstone creative project, a project report, and a thesis, culminating in a final defense and graduation exhibition to facilitate a seamless transition from academia to professional practice.
