Introduction

Purposeful and versatile, design is a pervasive form of visual culture. Everywhere and everyday, we interact with it - consciously or unconsciously, ephemerally or memorably. Design, at its worst, can mislead, offend, discriminate and sensationalize. At its best, it can inform, guide, delight, persuade, inspire, captivate and alert us. It most certainly influences our environment profoundly and determines the choreographies of daily life.  SVAD is concerned with the question of what constitutes a sound education for visual communication designers in Pakistan. Design is most commonly associated with the commercial field, yet its scope is not limited to this aspect, and its potential lies also in its service and inspiration to humanity.

The Department of Visual Communication Design prepares students to encounter the challenges of their environment through professional design skills. These include creative tools and methodologies as well as hands-on experiences in areas such as print design, electronic design, animation and illustration. Students learn how to communicate professionally with different target groups and to develop appropriate communication strategies for various purposes like publication, promotion, advertising, education, information or entertainment.
We introduce students to international design tendencies as well as to local trends in visual culture. This includes traditional aesthetics and techniques – luckily still very common among local craftsmen, calligraphers, typesetters or poster artists – and at the same time the latest technologies in areas such as web and interface design, animation or desktop publishing. Furthermore they gain the ability to use soft skills such as flexibility, precision, mobility, creative risk, teamwork and innovation, which are vital for the realization of daring, functional and attractive design solutions within the professional design reality. Equipped with these skills students learn how to cater to the demands of the permanently changing society and industry in the local context as well as on the international scene.

The curriculum consists of studio classes, theory courses, hands-on experiences with visiting practitioners and regular field trips, which aim to inspire the students to define their own design questions and to introduce them to professional practices within Lahore and beyond.

Career Paths

Graduates of the course may pursue careers as :

Graphic Designer, Illustrator, Cartoonist, Animator, Interface Designer for Web and Media, Typographer, Desktop Publisher, Brand Manager, Art Director, Design Educator, Design Researcher, Academic Theorist, Entrepneur, Public and Media Relation Specialist, Event Manager, Copywriter

Fields

Animation, Copywriting, Illustration (Editorial and Book), Print Design, Packaging Design, Corporate Design, Multimedia Design, Exhibition and Display Design, Museum Design, Studio Photography, Design Education.

* Studio Elective: A studio elective can be any practice based course offered by the Department of Visual Communication Design or any other Department within BNU. For example, students may pursue courses such as Video, Photography, Painting etc. Students can take studio electives in consultation with their advisor. However, students specializing in Print Design, Electronic Design, Illustration must complete introductory, intermediate and advanced level courses in the area of their specialization - for example Illustration I, II, III.