Abstract
In 2011, design critic Rick Poyner raised an intriguing question: What name could properly describe a profession that has expanded far beyond the limits of the term “graphic design”? I spent some months pondering this and created a response which was part editorial, part graphic design history lesson, and part infographic. My essay and visual diagram exploring the nomenclature of the graphic design profession, titled What’s In A Name?, was subsequently presented at a conference in 2013. In the seven years since, the field of Graphic Design has continued to undergo major changes, and yet, we are not any closer to agreeing on terminology. For a career educator in Graphic Design, the struggle to communicate to prospective students—and perhaps more importantly, parents—the essence of our curricular program does, at times, seem directly related to this ambiguity of nomenclature. My program at Western Oregon University recently instituted a change that I was more than a little hesitant about: that of removing specific studio art and design discipline degrees to merge into one new “Art & Design” degree program. I now console students and parents alike that potential employers will not view this major on their résumé as any indication of diminished practical graphic design experience. But, I must admit sheepishly, I don’t know if that is true. In the coming months, I propose polling as many professionals as I can reach with this very query, and sharing the results in a new paper.
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
Nomenclature, Graphic, Design, Degree, Major, Profession
